One of the best handlebar bags we’ve come across and it’s lovingly crafted in the UK
Pros
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Lots of storage capacity
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UK built and high quality
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Looks great - lots of colour options
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Voile straps
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Beefy stem strap
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Zipper is easy to use on the move
Cons
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Not fully waterproof
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No pockets on the inside
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UK-based Wizard Works produces a wide range of trendy bike-specific bags by hand in London, from basket bags to handlebar snack bags. They’re ideal for those looking to increase their luggage space on bike rides, whether that’s ripping around town or on bikepacking adventures, without sacrificing a sense of style. Think funky '80s vibe blended with high-quality, eco-conscious materials.
One of our favourites in the range is the ever-popular handlebar bag, the Lil Presto! Barrel Bag. It’s pretty sweet-looking, and reminds us of our other go-to handlebar bag: the Road Runner Burrito Supreme, which shares many things in common with the Wizard Works, but has a few shortcomings which thankfully the Lil Presto! addresses. More on that in a bit.
It comes in five different off-the-shelf colour schemes, our favourite being this black version with a splatter effect. We’re pretty happy with our choice, which would work great on a black, grey or silver bike (it’s destined to go on a titanium gravel bike this summer), but if you don’t like what you see, Wizard Works offers a custom Lil Presto!.
For an additional £10, you can have a custom colour on each of the panels, and for £5 more, you can even have a 1/3 split colour scheme on the main body. That’s a pretty good deal, in our book.
Made by hand, the Lil Presto! is exceptionally well built, and should last you many years without worry.
At 2.15L capacity, it’s plenty capacious enough to take loads of your gear — including a waterproof jacket, lunch, tools, phone, and much more. This thing swallows it all. The HDPE plastic liner ensures the bag keeps its shape, whether you’ve got it stuffed to the brim, or you’re only carrying a few items. There are also two side pockets for quickly stowing things like wrappers or cash.
The overall dimensions make for a bit of a chunky beast, short in length so it doesn’t interfere with your handlebar space on the tops, but the 14cm diameter means the bag might interfere with your cables (unless they're integrated, of course).
Thankfully, optional foam spacers (a six-pack of 1cm spacers costs £6.50) enable you to space the bag away from the bar, giving you a little more room in this regard.
At 250g, the bag isn’t particularly heavy, so it’s a good option even if you’re planning to head out for the day on your best lightweight bike. You’d be thankful for it, too — the location makes it easy to grab snacks when you’re on the move. Unlike the aforementioned Road Runner bag, the zip pull has a chunky handle that makes it easy to apply pressure on the zip, so there’s no issue undoing it and vice versa at speed.
With an easy-pull zipper, accessing your belongings is easy to do while on the move (Image credit: Nick Odantzis)
Installation
To keep the Lil Presto! held firmly in place, even over the rough stuff, two Voile Nano straps fasten the body to your handlebars. These Voile Nano straps are super tough and super easy to fasten thanks to their simple buckle-style design. Once fastened, they don’t loosen either.
We're big fans of Voile straps here at Cyclingnews(Image credit: Nick Odantzis)
The Lil Presto! also comes with a chunky cord strap which you wrap around the stem or head tube to prevent back and forth motion. Again, without wanting to bash the Road Runner, the Wizard Works one is a lot chunkier and easier to remove, which is a big difference when you arrive home and want to take off the bag.
The chunky cord keeps the bag stable over rough terrain and is easy to remove (Image credit: Nick Odantzis)
Performance
To ensure the Lil Presto! works well off-road, we took it on a few local trails just to be sure. As we expected, it didn’t move around one bit - even on some big jumps. We did, however, have a minor issue with an overripe banana that smushed the inside of the bag. Not the bag’s fault, of course, but you might want to consider stashing sensitive food items elsewhere on hot days when the going gets bumpy.
When you get off the bike and want to walk somewhere, an optional shoulder strap (£7.50) can be tied between each end loop, so you can carry it with ease.
Though we loved pretty much everything about this bag, one thing to bear in mind is that it’s not fully waterproof. The zip is ‘water-resistant’, and the outer Cordura material is waterproof — to some degree — but it’s definitely not capable of surviving a torrential downpour, so that’s worth bearing in mind if you’re venturing far from home.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a handlebar bag that will work well for any kind of journey and look good on any kind of bike, then the Wizard Works Lil Presto! should be at the top of your list. It’s spacious, well built, and rock-solid even on rough surfaces.
Considering its price tag, we were surprised to see things like the excellent Voile Nano straps included, and the custom options aren’t too expensive either.
The only minor is the waterproofing, but that’s only really an issue in heavy, sustained rain. You can always take along a large ziplock bag, just in case.
