Commuting - Presentable Businesslike Bags

I feel like a Fixed Gear forum person, starting a What Bag thread like this! I work in London a couple of days a week (I'm in sales!), and I've started cycling to the station. It's only about 3.5 miles each way, but it's excercise, I enjoy it, and it's saving me money. Trouble is, carrying stuff. I need to carry a laptop, a hardback A4 notebook, whatever book I'm reading on the train, a couple of document wallet sales packs, and assorted other stuff, as well as have somewhere to shove my jacket.

I'm riding an old 70's Falcon tourer, which has a rear rack, and a proper oldschool saddlebag, and I've been using a cheap, soft, messenger bag type thing. Trouble is, I can barely get everything in it, so I'm leaning towards some sort of pannier or racktop bag. I thought someone out there would make a smart leather briefcase that I could hang on my rack, but it appears not. I want something that doesn't look TOO bikey. I sell to the major investment managers, so it's all walnut pannelling and leather seats, and I need to fit with that. Anyone got any suggestions?

Both Arkel and Ortleib make briefcase panniers.

http://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/briefcase/overview.asp?fl=1&site=uk

http://www.ortleib.com/_prod.php?lang=en&produkt=officebag

Those look pretty good, if expensive. Still more "bikey" than I'd like, but they'd do the job. I'm amazed there's nothing leather though, and am tempted to try to adapt something. Or even just to strap my already rather expensive pilot case the the rack with bungees......

maybe you could put your fancy leather thing inside of a pannier? if you did manage to find/adapt a briefcase so that it goes right on the bike it would get grungy anyways.

You're right, it would get scuzzy. And hey, maybe I could do that? It's pretty big, but with a large pannier, it might just work. That thing I know looks presentable, and fits the right image. Thinking about it, my jacket could easily go in the saddle bag, for riding purposes......

It's funny, isn't it, I'm trying to make sure I look presentable in the meeting room, but I'm CERTAIN that I'm riding the scruffiest looking bike on this particular forum........

Carradice make a pannier-mounting briefcase.

Check Out these guys. Knog. Maybe still too bikey, but very stylish looking in real life. The trendy urban look.

http://www.knog.com.au/

The have both bags and back packs, (plus lights and shoes and clothes).

Can't you afford to have a bloody WOG trot along beside you carrying a proper bag that will not impair your sartorial splendor?

Fight Poverty - Eat the Poor

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/retail/catalog.htm?categoryId=71

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/retail/catalog.htm?categoryId=8

http://reloadbags.com/bags/executive.php

http://www.ebags.com/urban_gear/laptop_bags/messengers/category_search/index.cfm?Ne=100&N=4001+20029726

http://www.ebags.com/targus/brand_search/index.cfm?brandid=255

man...reload makes some awesome bags.

Can't you afford to have a bloody WOG trot along beside you carrying a proper bag that will not impair your sartorial splendor?

Fight Poverty - Eat the Poor

Sadly not. I'm trying to LOOK posh and rich, for the sake of my job. I'm actually a smelly old hippy.

Can't you afford to have a bloody WOG trot along beside you carrying a proper bag that will not impair your sartorial splendor?

Fight Poverty - Eat the Poor

Sadly not. I'm trying to LOOK posh and rich, for the sake of my job. I'm actually a smelly old hippy.

If these do not work for you, you will probably be better off getting an open top set of panniers, designed for utility, that you can throw your clothes and a nice brief case into. I may be wrong, but this may be the only option for presentable leather (http://www.wallbike.com/brooks/bags.html), yet it may not be large enough for your application.

Another option could be to buy a nice leather briefcase and modify it with Arkel's Hook Kit (http://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/accessories/hookkit.asp?fl=1&site=).

I feel like a Fixed Gear forum person, starting a What Bag thread like this! I work in London a couple of days a week (I'm in sales!), and I've started cycling to the station. It's only about 3.5 miles each way, but it's excercise, I enjoy it, and it's saving me money. Trouble is, carrying stuff. I need to carry a laptop, a hardback A4 notebook, whatever book I'm reading on the train, a couple of document wallet sales packs, and assorted other stuff, as well as have somewhere to shove my jacket.

I'm riding an old 70's Falcon tourer, which has a rear rack, and a proper oldschool saddlebag, and I've been using a cheap, soft, messenger bag type thing. Trouble is, I can barely get everything in it, so I'm leaning towards some sort of pannier or racktop bag. I thought someone out there would make a smart leather briefcase that I could hang on my rack, but it appears not. I want something that doesn't look TOO bikey. I sell to the major investment managers, so it's all walnut pannelling and leather seats, and I need to fit with that. Anyone got any suggestions?

The Carradice Bike Bureau is bigger than the Ortlieb briefcase pannier, and has a flap that swings over the pannier hooks, exposing a handle like a conventional briefcase. It's a good looking black canvas, not as blatantly bikey as most panniers. The reflector patches on the ends do kind of give it away, though.

If you have a very secure place to leave the bike at the station, your best bet might be a pannier(s) that you can put a proper briefcase, coat, etc. in, and just leave the panniers on the bike while you're working. If you're worried about the panniers or saddlebag getting stolen off the bike you could use zip ties (cable ties) to secure the panniers/saddlebag to the bike.

Both Arkel and Ortleib make briefcase panniers.

http://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/briefcase/overview.asp?fl=1&site=uk

http://www.ortleib.com/_prod.php?lang=en&produkt=officebag

WOW These bags weight alot even empty!

These are all cunning plans - thanks a lot. There's nowhere very secure at the station, but I've asked on Freecycle for a pannier big enough for the case. I figure an old, battered pannier, well secured, will not be that inviting to the thief.

WOW These bags weight alot even empty!
It really doesn't matter. It's a commute, not a race.