Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness Review
Reading Time: 9 minutes The Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness is a bikepacking harness made for holding a front roll (aka a bag on the front of your handlebars that you can fill up with gear that you’ll – hopefully – not need during the day).
It’s a no-frills design that consists of two carbon fiber stays held by two CNC-machined aluminum clamps with two straps for holding the bag (or whatever it is) of your choice to your handlebars. I’ve used it exclusively with the Rogue Panda Gila Dry Bag, but I’ve also recently gotten a Rockgeist Ultra PE Dry Bag (made from the new and fancy ALUULA fabric) that I’m excited to try out.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness.
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Pros and Cons
+ Excellent Stability: Keeps your load secure on rough terrain with minimal impact on bike handling.
+ Lightweight: Harness weighs 8.5 oz / 240 g
+ No Head Tube Strap: Keeps load away from bike with no additional wear on head tube or handlebars.
+ Adjustable Fit: Fits various handlebar and stem sizes with plenty of shim options available.
+ Made in USA: Manufactured by a small company in Flagstaff, Arizona
– Expensive: Certainly not the least expensive option available.
– Tricky Installation: It’s not the most elegant single-person install.
– Buckle Wear: Buckles are hard points that can wear holes in bags over time.
– Load Limit: Limited to a 6 lb / 3 kg load (recommended)
– Add-ons: Premium buckles or additional shims cost extra.
Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness Specs
- Weight: 8.5 oz / 240 g
- Materials: Lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber
- Carbon Fiber Bar Length: 12 in / 300 mm
- Recommended Carrying Capacity: 6 lb / 3 kg
- Included Shims: 31.8 mm, 35 mm
- Available Buckles: Plastic Locking Buckles, Austere Manufacturing Cam Buckles
- MSRP: $210 (Plastic Locking), $252 (Austere Manufacturing Cam)
Testing Conditions
I used the Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness for a race of the Tour Divide and a bikepacking trip across France, Spain, and Portugal. All together, I’ve used the harness for thousands of miles and dozens of days (and nights) of riding.
Photo Gallery
The Good
The Secureness
The Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness uses two CNC-machined aluminum clamps and four screws to attach to your bike’s handlebars. I attached these to my bike’s handlebars (after much finagling) before beginning the Tour Divide and just recently removed them for the first time. They never came loose or required adjustment during the thousands of miles of riding I put them through. The same can be said for the two carbon fiber stays. I didn’t even remove the harness from my handlebars when disassembling and transporting my bicycle via plane multiple times.
The Stability
As noted above, the Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness attaches securely to your handlebars. However, that’s only half the battle. The other half is ensuring that whatever you’re attaching to the harness stays affixed to your bike as you ride down the trail. The idea behind the Blue Ridge Harness is that it features two horizontal carbon fiber stays to which you strap a bag. The straps hold the bag to the stays via compression, so you’re best off carrying lightweight, bulky gear up here (I typically have my shelter and quilt in a small Gila Dry Bag).
The Weight
One of the things that initially attracted me to the Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness was its simplicity and lightweight design. The Tour Divide demands that your kit be as lightweight as (reasonably) possible, and the Blue Ridge with the Gila Dry Bag fits this self-imposed requirement well. The setup (with Austere Manufacturing Cam buckles) is just 8.5 oz / 240 g, and it can hold up to (a recommended) 6 lb / 3 kg. Weight was certainly a significant factor for me when choosing the Blue Ridge, and I don’t think I could have found a better weight-to-performance ratio than what’s offered by Rogue Panda.
The Durability
The Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness – the clamps, buckles, bars, and straps – is incredibly durable. I’ve noticed zero signs of wear (even in the fabric straps) after all the abuse I’ve put the harness through. I take care of my gear, but I use it for what it’s meant for, and I don’t hold back when putting it through its paces. The Blue Ridge has performed remarkably well and since there’s no headtube attachment and the entire harness and whatever it’s carrying stays completely off my bicycle, my bike has also shown zero wear (unlike in the past when I’ve used a harness with a head tube attachment point and it wore down the front of my head tube over time).
The Adjustment
The Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness can be attached to your handlebars in a variety of configurations. Each of the clamps can move independtly of one another along the carbon fiber stays, so if your handlebars are crowded with other things like aerobars, lights, or computer/phone mounts, you can still find space to attach the Blue Ridge. Additionally, you can attach the clamps at any angle so your front roll can be as high or as low as you would like. Included with the harness are 31.8mm and 35mm shims; 22.2 mm shims are also available (for purchase), and if you would like a different size, Rogue Panda can make that happen for you. Additionally there’s an accessory bar available if you want to reclaim some of the space used by the Blue Ridge by the clamps.
The Company
Rogue Panda is a small company based in Flagstaff, Arizona. It’s filled with real people (not corporate drones) who are as passionate about getting out and after it in the backcountry as much as (I assume) they are about designing awesome gear to help facilitate amazing adventures. Started in 2011, it has evolved into a successful and well-respected bikepacking company that prioritizes its customers and offers highly customizable products in a landscape where this is becoming increasingly rare. For those coming here from the ultralight backpacking world, they give me Atom Packs vibes (although I’ve yet to serendipitously meet the founder out in the backcountry).
The Okay
The Buckles
The Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness is available with two buckle options, plastic locking buckles, and Austere Manufacturing Cam Buckles. I have the version with the Austere Manufacturing Cam Buckles, which cost more than the plastic locking buckles, so I can only speak to their performance. The buckles have held up and work well. That said, since your front roll is held to the harness via the compression of the straps, you’ll typically be pulling tightly on the straps to get your load secure. This can mean that your buckles are always coming into contact with your front roll in the same spot. Over time, this wore holes in my Dry Bag which was made of Ultra 200X (the Gila Dry Bag now comes in Ultra 400X, a more durable material). However, I would be wary of using it with my Rockgeist Ultra PE Dry Bag fo fear of wearing holes in it.
The Drop-Bar Compatibility
The Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness is compatible with drop bars and offers ample space on either side of the carbon fiber stays. However, it might not be the best option for drop bars, as the size of your front roll will be limited by the space between your bars. It’s also important to note that you’ll want to allow extra space for your hands to grip the bars, to pull on the brakes, and to shift gears easily. I managed to get my front roll to just the right size where all of this was possible, but if there was any error in my positioning of the front roll, it would impede my shifting or braking (or rub on my hands). Rogue Panda offers a set of (optional) Blue Ridge Drop Bar Cable Shims that can be used to create a space for your bike’s housing pass between the harness and the shims, to avoid bending your cables when they leave the wrapped handlebar section. These were not available when I first purchased my harness, and so I haven’t used them (but I likely would have gotten them had they been available when I got my harness – and I’ll probably end up ordering them).
The Bad
The Install
As stated above, the Blue Ridge Harness uses two CNC-machined aluminum clamps and four screws to attach to your bike’s handlebars. These clamps include two bolts each (for a total of four) to attach to the handlebars. The part of the clamp that’s affixed to the two carbon fiber stays is a half-circle, and the piece used to attach it to the handlebars is another half-circle. Attaching the first bolt can be a bit challenging, as you need to hold both halves of the clamp while securing the first bolt. If you’re using shims with the clamps, this can be even more annoying, and it might help to have another set of hands. That said, it’s completely doable as a one-person job, but it could certainly be easier.
The Straps
Once I threaded the straps through the buckles, I never fully disconnected them; instead, I loosened the buckles to get my front roll in and out of the harness. Loosening the straps all the way and then holding up the front roll while connecting it can take a bit of practice and it’ll (likely) require that you hold your front wheel between your legs during the process). It’s not an expecially elegant process – especially if. youhave drop bars. There’s also no way to easily remove the straps, so if you’re leaving the harness attached and not using a front roll, you’ll have to either leave the straps hanging down (not recommended) or wrap them around the carbon fiber stays before putting them through the buckles to secure them. Additionally, it’s not easy to secure extra gear with the straps while riding the bike (e.g., if you wanted to stick your camera or jacket somewhere quickly while riding).
The Previewing
Since Rogue Panda is a small company, unless you live in or around Flagstaff, Arizona, you won’t be able to try out the Blue Ridge Harness before you make a purchase. Shipping for the Blue Ridge isn’t free (unless it’s made in conjunction with another item, in which case purchases over $300 ship free), and it’s unclear whether return shipping is free or not. You have 30 days to request a return shipping label (Rogue Panda provides this, but it’s not explicitly stated whether the cost of this label will be deducted from your return or not.
Wrap Up
The Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness is a prcey, but excellent choice for anyone looking for a lightweight and secure solution for carrying a front roll while bikepacking. Available and adjustable for a wide variety of handlebars with two different buckles available for securing loads, it’s proven an excellent companion thus far on across thousands of miles of riding.
I wish there was an easier way to throw extra gear behind the straps (maybe I could sew a piece of stretchy fabric between the straps) and it would be nice if the clamps were slightly thinner to preserve handlebar space, but overall, I’m happy with Blue Ridge and I’d certainly consider taking it on my next bikepacking trip (I’ve taken it on every trip I’ve been on since first getting it).
Do you have questions, comments, or personal experience with the Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness? Leave a comment below or get in touch, and let me know!
Check out the Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness here.
