Miss Grape Bud Handlebar Snack Pouch review

Strapping onto any kind of handlebar and the stem, this universal handlebar pouch from Italian bikepacking bag specialist Miss Grape gives you more options for storage on short rides and multi-day adventures. We've been putting it to the test on long and short rides to see if it's really worthy of the £45 price tag.

Features

The Bud handlebar bag is essentially a little pouch with an elasticated drawstring closure at the top. Mounted right by your hands, this bag is perfect for smaller items that you might need to access easily or on the move; snacks, small tools, batteries, a phone or camera, or even an extra bottle.

>>> Best gravel bike handlebars

The closure is secured by pulling the toggle on the elastic drawstring, which then secures neatly away from you in the D-ring. The main attachment point is at the back of the bag with a wide integrated velcro strap, and then a second removable velcro strap can secure to the stem on either the left or the right, so you can choose which side of the bars you'd like your bag to sit.

The third attachment point is an integrated webbing strap from the base of the bag, which forms a buckled loop to pass through the bike's fork to help keep the bag in place.

Internally, the bag is lined with a bright green material, and then lightly padded too. On the outside, there's an elasticated mesh pocket that runs around 75% of the bag for storing smaller items.

The bag is constructed from a few different materials, including a nylon/polyester dotted fabric with a water-repellent resin coating and PVC coated black nylon. These are water resistant, but as the seams are not taped, the bag is not waterproof.

The ride

Having used the Miss Grape Bud handlebar snack pouch on short rides and a couple of bikepacking overnighters, I've been nothing less than impressed. It's got all the features you'd want from this kind of bag, and more.

The attachment is really easy and adjustable, so you can mount the bag on the left or the right of your stem (or run two if you wanted to double up). There's also a strap from the base of the bag that runs down under the fork and clips in place. I was a bit anxious about this one rubbing paint on my fork, so I only used it the once.

If I was going to run this bag longer term, I'd add some helitape there to prevent any rubbing, but having ridden plenty without using this strap, I didn't find the bag jiggled about too much anyway. Ideally, this strap could be removable, so you had the option to use it or not. In the end, I tucked it into the mesh pocket out of the way when I wasn't using it.

Storage-wise, the padding was really helpful for keeping valuables like my camera or phone safe and stopping any rattling. The green lining makes seeing small objects inside easy, a neat feature. I especially liked the mesh outer pocket, which was perfect for small rubbish items like storing bar wrappers until I got to a bin.

This bag got subjected to all weathers during testing. The water-resistant materials do indeed stand up to showers, splashing and light rain, but are not totally waterproof. If you know you're going to have a downpour, you could use a dry-bag inside, or make sure you transfer any vulnerable items elsewhere.

Securing the top of the bag is really easy on the move, thanks to an elasticated cord which neatly tucks away towards the front wheel, so it doesn't tickle your knees as you're riding along! I did once pull the end toggle a bit too hard which came apart, but it was very easy to put this back together again.

Value

At £45, I think that the Miss Grape Bud is fantastic value for money. It's certainly evident that a huge amount of thought has gone into producing this handlebar accessory bag, and its packed full of handy features. Don't forget that Miss Grape offer a lifetime guarantee on their bags too (excluding zips), which means you'll only have to spend that £45 once and you should have a snack pouch for life!