Wildcat Gear Fat Lion Handlebar Harness review

Luggage carrier that's ideal for Arctic expeditions

Our rating

4.5

75.00

Matt Orton / Immediate Media

Published: October 1, 2015 at 9:00 am

Wildcat Gear's Fat Lion harness is aimed at carrying larger dry bags (13-35l) just below your handlebar, with colder expeditions in mind.

The harness features a removable under-panel or tongue that adds adjustability when loading different sized loads. It is also robust enough to offer extra protection from front-wheel spray, which is very welcome considering it’s likely to be your sleeping bag carried in there.

The Fat Lion was conceived for the Rovaniemi 150 Arctic race in Finland, where bulkier winter sleeping bags are understandably mandatory. Because of this, filling the ample space with sleeping bags for milder conditions can prove difficult.

If you aren't looking to pack for such extreme conditions it's worth taking a look at the smaller Mountain Lion (for 8-13l loads), which has all the same features as its larger sibling.

Attaching your Fat Lion for the first time isn't terribly intuitive, so make sure you have the guide to hand. Wildcat Gear has opted for a secure system that threads around the fork crown at the bottom and the handlebars at the top.

When the straps are tightened the roll is suspended between the two points, isolating it from the head tube and making it reassuringly stable with little movement to affect steering. Depending on your cable routing this also means there is room to run cables behind the pack with less interference.

The fat lion harness will carry dry bags between 13 and 35 litres just below the handlebar: the fat lion harness will carry dry bags between 13 and 35 litres just below the handlebar

The Fat Lion harness will carry dry bags between 13 and 35 litres just below the handlebar

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