It’s been awhile since I published a gear review, mostly because I’ve been happy using the gear I already own and I’ve already reviewed most of it. But for this summer season I treated myself to one new piece of gear to fill a gap that’s been bugging me: a lightweight, rigid-arm handlebar harness.
Up until this summer I’ve mainly been using a Revelate Harness. I have about 6000 miles on mine, and I’m a huge fan for bigger loads on a rigid fork. But with a suspension fork it rubs my tire unless I use a very small bag, and the harness isn’t sized well for small bags, so the combination is awkward. I also have an older Salsa EXP Anything Cradle, which I don’t use much because it’s heavy and clunky.
With all the recent innovation in rigid-arm cradles and harnesses, I decided to re-evaluate my handlebar setup. I wanted something rigid (so I can tilt it up off my front wheel when using a suspension fork), light, affordable, and built to handle a wide range of bag sizes including a fairly small dry bag for my lightest setup.
My choice: the Border Handlebar Harness from Mountain Laurel Designs. I was already using their smallest size Ultra X double-sided dry bag (review) in my existing harness, so it was a natural next step and much better fit for that dry bag. And at only $95 the price absolutely cannot be beat.
Note: Many pictures in this review show the Border being used with my Revelate Designs Egress pocket, which is not an official or recommended combination, but it’s what I have and it works for me.
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How I’ve Used It
I’ve used the Border Harness on three bike trips this spring and summer, spanning a wide range of terrain and bag capacity:
- Tour de los Padres Bikepacking Race: 4 days on a burly route with lots of rough backcountry singletrack, carrying a small-diameter bag on flat bars with suspension fork.
- Family bike trip across South Korea: 400 miles of pavement, carrying a larger-diameter bag on drop bars with rigid fork.
- Hot Taco Bikepacking Race: 2 days of ultralight bikepacking on gravel and easy singletrack, carrying a small-diameter bag on flat bars with rigid fork.
In all three cases I also used my Revelate Egress Pouch with the Border Harness. It’s not a perfect fit and probably not what MLD would recommend, but they don’t provide a compatible pouch and I really like having that easy-access space for snacks and small items.
Representative pictures from each trip with my Border Harness (click to expand):
Border Harness Review
Summary
My overall rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
The Border Harness is an unbeatable combination of lightness, stability, and affordability. The corresponding downside is its lack of bells and whistles like a compatible front pouch or accessory mounts, but this is to be expected.
What I love:
- Super affordable ($95)
- Very lightweight (8 oz, about half of my Revelate Harness at 15 oz)
- Simple design, easy mounting
- Mounts take up minimal handlebar space
- No slippage or wear so far (~650 miles)
- Shock cord on top for layers, extra food, etc.
- Adapts to a wide range of bag sizes, from my smallest to largest
What I don’t love:
- Wish it had a compatible front pouch, like the Revelate Egress.
- Not the easiest to combine with my Revelate Egress, though I made it work by wrapping the Egress straps around the carbon bar twice to prevent downward rotation of the pouch.
- No accessory mount: this is a relatively new and rare concept still, but it would be useful when I ride with a GPS device and bar-mounted lighting.
- Strap tails are very long (minor detail)
Mounting Process
The setup and mounting process are quite easy. I’ve done it several times in hotels and airports with no issues.
When the Border first arrives, you attach the carbon fiber bar to the harness using velcro straps, and attach the arms to the bar. Shims are included for smaller handlebar sizes, but I haven’t needed to use them.
The actual mounting process consists of two handlebar clamps with hex bolts. Their spacing is adjustable depending on your bars and cockpit setup. I like that the arms are much narrower than the straps and foam spacers on my Revelate Harness, leaving more cockpit space for my navigation device and lights. Lastly there’s a small lower strap to anchor the bottom side to your frame to prevent bouncing.
One note for the Border and any rigid-arm handlebar setup: It’s best to angle it downward as much as possible while still avoiding tire rub. I do like the ability to angle it up off my tire when using a suspension fork, but all else being equal, a lower position is better for steering feel and minimizing rotational force at the clamps.
Stability
The Border system combines rigid arms with a fabric harness, which is a bit unusual. Most systems use soft attachments + soft harness, or rigid arms + rigid cradle for ultimate stability.
The fabric harness means the border isn’t quite as rock-solid as its rigid cradle counterparts, but it’s been good enough for me even on rough singletrack. And this combination is what keeps the Border so incredibly light at only 8 ounces. To me, that’s worth the tradeoff.
Performance So Far
I’ve been really happy with the Border Harness so far, no complaints about durability or performance. I first installed it the day before leaving for the rugged Tour de los Padres! This was definitely a risk – I always recommend testing gear first – but it worked flawlessly and I have no regrets.
I’ve had zero slippage while riding, and no trouble getting the fit dialed on two different bikes (Chumba Stella and Salsa Fargo). After 650 miles everything still looks as new and shiny as when it arrived. I expect it will last a long time and be my go-to for most trips in the future.
What Else to Look At
If you look at the whole list of rigid-arm handlebar bag holders and complete systems over at Baggregator (my other project), you’ll see quite a few recently launched options. I was tempted by a few others:
- OMM’s Manzanita Cradle: OMM generally makes great gear and I love the idea of accessory mounts to free up bar space.
- Revelate Designs’ new Hammerhead harness: another lightweight option with rigid arms and fabric harness plus an accessory mount.
- Rogue Panda’s Blue Ridge, also lightweight and looks very stable.
These all look like great products with solid engineering behind them. I chose the simpler Border Harness instead because 1) the price is incredibly good, and 2) it’s the lightest of the light. For me, that was the gap I needed filled.
Though I haven’t tried these other options personally, I haven’t noticed any tradeoffs in quality with the Border. If budget is a factor or weight is a top concern, I recommend the Border wholeheartedly. If easy front pouch compatibility or accessory mounts are worth $100+ to you, those other options above are worth a look.
Other Bikepacking Resources
If you liked this review, you may also like these articles:
- OMM Divide Rack (Long-Term Review)
- Planning Guide for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route
- How much bike repair knowledge do you really need for bikepacking?
Or visit the bikepacking home page for lots more!
About the Author
Hi there, I’m Alissa, founder of Exploring Wild. I’ve traveled over 20,000 miles by bike and still can’t stop planning my next ride (and helping you plan yours). Pavement and panniers or singletrack and seat bag, I love it all. On my bike I feel free. Learn more about me here.
Bikepackers: Join me on Patreon for my most current and personal writing, individualized trip prep help, and a community of likeminded supporters.
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Hey Alissa, want to sell your Anything Cradle to me ?
I get why you prefer the Revelate & BH harnesses. Cheaper & a good deal lighter. You race and weight means a lot.
I’ll be sticking with my Anything Cradles as those 2 factors are not critical to me, plus they jut out and so avoid cable kinking, and can carry a pretty massive load.
Regardless of the harness, I prefer using THREE Voile 32″ straps – one to quickly affix the pack so I can use both hands, and to act as a spare, then 2 more to tightly affix the bags & a camp chair. Each strap is 70g however.