The Aeroe handlebar cradle is a heavy-duty mounting system that fits with one common tool, a 5m hex key, doesn’t damage your bars or frame and allows you to carry cargo away from your bars and clear of your controls. It’s super rigid when adjusted correctly and can carry up to 5kg.
- Tailfin Fork Pack review
- Winter bikepacking: 8 essential tips for a successful adventure
- The 10 best bar bags for off-road riding
Aeroe handlebar cradle - Technical details
Aeroe is a bikepacking brand from New Zealand with upwards of 20 years of experience in designing and developing simple-to-fit strap-on cargo cradles for both ends of your bike. The handlebar cradle uses the same plastic platform as I reviewed on Aeroe’s spider rear rack which mounts via four 5mm hex key bolts to the handlebar mounting feet. It uses stainless steel hardware with the aid of silicone-coated webbing straps to wrap around the bar and hold the cradle still. It does this by just tightening two 5mm hex key-headed bolts to 4Nm of force applied, which is not a lot.
The glass-reinforced nylon cradle comes with two nylon webbing straps with standard quick-release buckles. The straps are pre-fitted to the cradle in the wide setting to hold larger diameter bags but you can change the location of the straps to allow you to carry smaller diameter packages more securely. The handlebar cradle works perfectly with Aeroe’s own toughened 8L or 12L drybags or you can use any dry bag you already own. The advantage of using Aeroe’s drybags is that they have a fixed flexible strap guide which you can use to hold the bag more securely.
Aeroe’s handlebar cradle is designed to work with both drop handlebars and flat bars so whatever type of bike you own you should be able to mount the cradle to your bar without too much difficulty as long as you are using 31.8mm or larger bars. If you have narrower diameter bars, Jones Bars for example, then Aeroe offers a shorter strap which they will supply upon request. If you have issues with creating enough friction on smooth bars then try wrapping the bars in an old tube.
You might have to move your out-front mount for your cycling computer and/or light mounts, but that will depend on your stem width and your setup. You might also need to consider your cable routing which might clash with brake, gear, and dropper cables but you should be able to adjust to make everything flow nicely.
Fitting is a simple process of wrapping the silicone strap around the bar and hooking the stainless steel bracket holes over the stainless notched rod. Then simply tighten the 5mm hex key in the back of the mount until the silicone strap is tight and the cradle doesn’t move. Make the final tightening adjustments using a torque wrench as you should not exceed 4nm of force to protect your bike and the system. Amazingly you will not need to tighten it more to prevent movement.
Aeroe handlebar cradle - Performance
Fitting the handlebar cradle system is as simple as holding the cradle mount’s rubber feet against the handlebar with one hand and hooking the silicone strap around the notched rod on one side of the mount around the bar and onto the other end of the notched rod. Then simply tighten and adjust the position before you get too tight. It's a little tricky the first time you try it and you are bound to drop the strap a few times but it does get easier after multiple attempts. Once in the correct location and tightened 75% swap to a torque wrench to make sure you don't exceed the the 4Nm limit.
You have your bag-carrying cradle fixed to your bike's handlebars and you can now add whatever bag you like. Well almost. My first test ride showed that there was a little more to it than that as the cradle dipped slowly during the off-road ride and ended up close to the headtube. Investigating the straps I realised quickly that I had hooked the first of the two looped strap ends onto the rod and tightened the system and while I thought it was tight enough, it wasn’t. Undoing the bolts and releasing the tension on the system allowed me to re-mount the strap on the rod using the inner hole on the bracket thus making the strap shorter. Doing up the 5mm hex key provided a much tighter fit and one that has proved immovable on the bars with plenty of kit stuffed into a bag. So depending on whether you have 31.8- or 35mm handlebars (or narrower bars with shorter straps), you will need to choose which one of the two bracket holes fits your bars best.
All the front handlebar bags I used have always had two issues regardless of their quality or price. First, that of the sway or bounce and, second, the ease of getting your kit in and out of them. Sway or bounce is a big problem and poorly fitted bags can do a lot of damage to your frame where 5kg of cargo can wear away paint and even metal/carbon from the headtube. The sway/bounce can also be energy-sapping and downright annoying, so lots of brands have resorted to cages, cradles or harnesses to try to isolate this movement with varying degrees of success. Aeroe has completely removed this issue in a very simple system using one tool, the 5mm hex key.
Having prevented the first and major issue, they have also sorted out how to get access to your camping kit. Whether you use Aeroe’s bags or your own, all you need to do is undo the webbing strap buckles and walk away with your bag. It's as simple as that. Packing in a dry tent, or under a shelter has got to be more preferable than faffing with a bike in the rain or removing the whole cargo rig.
Are there any downsides to the system? Well fitting it can be an initial faff simply because the silicone straps can fall off the rod underneath the cradle so you need to have dexterous fingers to hold the cradle and the straps whilst you wrap them around the bars. The more I used the system the more natural it became and easier I found it. And you will need a torque wrench for proper tightening levels but once set, you should not need to adjust anything mid-ride. (You can now easily and reasonably cheaply get small torque wrenches which could well be worthwhile on a long trip for general bike maintenance).
Aeroe handlebar cradle - Verdict
At £65, it looks like good value here for the superb security this system offers regardless of the weight gain to your bikepacking kit. Add in the Aeore ‘special’ dry bags which cost another £49 for the 8L and £55 for the 12L and you have a super durable tough handlebar bag mounting setup that should outlast your trip for £114-£120.
Other options include the best value option from Decathlon with its £45 Bikepacking Handlebar Bag Harness Riverside and £20 Watertight Handlebar Bag rated at 5 to 15L. To mid-priced option of Restrap’s £40 Bumper Bar and £135 Large Bar Bag. Other options include the Fjällräven/Specialized £85 Handlebar rack plus £105 Handlbar Rolltop.
Another option, and one which I liked for its simplicity, is the £80 JACK the Bike Rack from Wholegrain Cycles. It’s not a cradle more a cargo platform mounted to the bars with optional independent fork braces for total rigidity.
Aeroe's handlebar cradle is an excellent front cargo mount for carrying pretty much anything you want bars and weight capacity permitting. Once tightened correctly it proves to be immovable on rugged offroad rides allowing you to just get on with enjoying your adventure. It is highly recommended.
