Folding Bikes - cheap bag for cheap folding bike

I'm wondering if any of you have a suggestion as to where I would find a bag for my Dahon 3-speed. The bag probably shouldn't be made for a bike. It's a regular 20inch-wheel folder, and I'd use the bag to take the bike on greyhound-type buses. Durable is good, but I'm a poor student and I'd be protecting a bike I bought for $120 and that's a 20th of what some of you paid for your bikes... any bag that costs more than I paid for the bike is automatically out. :)

I'm thinking about sewing a regular tarp up somehow so it'll cover the bike, but maybe there's an easier solution i haven't thought of.

Hey cerewa. Just about all bags *specifically* designed for a folding bike would be both economical and practical.

This type of bag seems to be made of thin synthetic fabric and serves to disguise the bike and keep grease and grime off other people for transport on a bus or into a store. It's not a hard-shell so you still have to make sure it won't be thrown around.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007W2F3G/qid=1130279790/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl200/002-6130300-6433647?v=glance&s=sporting-goods&n=507846

I think it folds up into a small pouch for carrying on the handlebars or bike frame and it should work for most/all 20" wheel folders.

For the time and $ you'd spend making something with tarp, this seems like a good idea.
Also: consider buying from "Downtube" (http://www.downtube.com) Yan, the designer of the Downtube bike and a regular in this forum, indicated to me that he offers similar bags.

AF895 showed a nice option. Very soon (Jan 2006 I believe) Dahon will release the new catalog that includes a new bag:



Not sure about the price, but looks like a nice option.

Also, I know that Giant replaces their Halfway bag for free if you are a customer, so can't be that expensive to get one from them either. It looks really small when "folded" and is quite effective when used.










I think you can get any of these option for less than US$100.00 and be happy with it.

Let us know what you get.

Rafael Guerra

The Dahon doublepaly bag is available from 59 - 69 bucks from online vendors ( like me ...lol )

Thor

Thor,

I am actually interested in the "backpack" feature of the 20"doubleplay. Any chances of you haveing moe pictures than the ones availabl online?

Thank you in advance,

Rafael

older version ( before 04 ) had a bagpack strap on that bag.... it was however pretty useless, so this feature had been dropped

thor

hm...I was just wondering if it would be any better than the Giant's one I currently have. All I need is a sholder strap or any other form of carrying it besides as a regular "grossery bag".

Any chances of pictures?

I really appreciate you time Thor, if I get it, it will be from you.

Rafael

I own both store bought and home made bags and slip covers for my 20 inch Dahon 3 speed. The most recent one was purchased at a around 99 Cents Store for 10 dollars. It fits the best and the handle slides over my shoulder more than the Doubleplay bag I bought for it a couple of years ago from L. L. Bean Inc. I also made bags using a firmly woven medium weight demin or poplin canvas fabric into a large opening laundry bag style drawstring closing homemad bag. The fabric was sitting on a table in a fabric store gathering dust. It also proves to be quite up to the task even though I did not put a handle on it. I just grasp the frame directly and it seems to be more stable that way. If I need a bag and I do not have any one with me, I overlay 2 unused clean garbage bags surrounding the bike to enclose it.