Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Timbuk2 bags?

I am looking to get on the the Timbuk2 messenger classic bags in the large. I was wondering if people had any experience with them and if they turned out to be any good.

I like mine, it has been good for me, but I will be the first to say this...
the search function is your friend. You will probably find more by searching than with this thread.
My guess is that there will be a pic of lolcats and Natty Fab.

theyre good
theyll last forever
but the strap is uncomfortable, and annoying to adjust

i highly advise you to check out chrome, reload, and seagull before you make any decisions
i wish i did before i bought mine

yeah the straps are terrible. i have the hugest one you can get. i hate it.

I have the medium sized one. It holds enough, but i really wish it was bigger. My helmet takes up most of the space inside, leaving room for 2 water bottles and maybe a pair of pants/shirt or something. It gets pretty cramped inside. I don't have experience with other strap systems so i don't know how much better they are, but you can't really adjust the strap when you're riding (unless you can safely ride no hands to adjust it). That being said, if you get it up really high and have the stabilizer strap really tight, the bag doesn't move around too much. It can be hard to get it just right though, and i often find myself readjusting it to get more comfortable. It seems pretty durable, i've had mine going on a year, and it seems to be holding up really well. The one thing that bothers me is that the strap edges fray from the cellphone holder and stabilizer attachment sliding up and down on it. I sometimes cut the frayed parts off and then melt what's left over with a lighter.

I agree with the above statement to check out some other bag manufacturers. Look here: http://www.urbanvelo.org/sewing to find some bag makers. I really like the look of the Seagull Black Bag. And it's no more expensive than a timbuk2 bag. Some of the other ones can get pretty pricey.

the strap is fairly uncomfortable comapred to newer designed bags.

but I have had my large (maybe it was an xl one?) since 1997 and it is still going strong. No problems at all. I have used it for biking and general bag stuff as well as travelling. Great capacity--I even brought a Apple G4 tower to Japan in it back in 2001. I added a shoulder pad on the strap (maybe they come stock now?).

That said, I'd look at the others out there first if I was buying again (which I may be soon, 11 years is a pretty good run).

wow. great job guys.

Great capacity--I even brought a Apple G4 tower to Japan in it back in 2001. I added a shoulder pad on the strap

Are you serious? I had one of those a while ago and the tower was massive! It had these corner things that lifted it off the ground, made it easier to carry, and expanded its size by like 30%. You fit it in a messenger bag? You didn't walk with it, much less bike with it, did you? The 30-40lbs that thing weighs would put you in a world of hurt.

For your money i think you can do better

yeah, it barely fit. but it did close with the straps extended all the way. I had it in there as my carry on luggage on a trans^pacific flight. worked fine :)

i guess it is an xl??? and it was a G4 tower--the smooth plastic ones. the G5 wouldn't fit in anything I'd want to carry on my shoulder......

Hoss. :)

Got one. Like it quite a bit. Really durable and cheap if you find it in the right place. Found a large online for like 45 bucks shipped.

I gotta go to work, but I'll make this a little less truncated when I get off.

I don't own one, but I have friends that do, and my opinion is that the only reason to buy a T2 bag is if you need one RIGHT NOW and that's all your local shop sells. There are so many good options for custom bags which are probably made better and have better (or at least more) features than a T2, and definitely a better strap.

I realize that people who own them say they last a long time, but they always looked flimsy to me.

I would go with somehting else now unless you've got some amazing discount.
Eleven+ years ago they were basically the only game around (in SoCal anyway--was there anyone else making messenger bags then?)

Great capacity--I even brought a Apple G4 tower to Japan in it back in 2001.

Holy ****.

The Timbuk2's seem closer to mass market shoulder bags than real messenger bags. IDK, maybe everyone started innovating a lot and they didn't?

I bought one before I knew anything about messenger bags and I hate it. I spent $80 on it and I won't even use it. The straps are really uncomfortable and difficult to adjust, and I also feel like the material is flimsy and the bag is poorly constructed.

I'm getting a Bailey Works Super Pro soon. The straps are absolutely amazing, and you can adjust them with one hand. www.baileyworks.com

Look at the pictures of the Super Pro on the models to see what I mean. If you can find one in your LBS and try it on, you'll be hooked.

I think they're crap. I've had a medium for 7 years or so, bought it before I had a credit card to access all the tempting swag I see on the intertubes. The bag is reasonably well made, but that just means it'll persist in its limited functionality for a long time. They may work for messenger types, but for general riding around, etc. it's pretty uncomfortable...plus they have no interior dividers (at least they didn't when I bought mine) so carrying books and such can be a nightmare. Even with the stabilizer strap, I can't get mine to sit properly, and it's always sliding down onto my side.

I recently bought a Tom Bihn 'Ego' with the QM strap, and it works a helluva lot better for what I need. The Timbuk2 still gets some play for beer runs, though...

ive had mine since 97 and love it. I use it for everything from a suitcase to a cooler. I'm sure there are better options out there but like I said I have been noting but happy with my timbuk2

bombproof, simple construction, no excess crap like dividers to get in the way of beercases, there are small pockets for waybills and spare tubes, zippered pocket for safe money storage, blinkylite loop, detachable "tail wags", lil reflective strips you can jettison on the fly if mr bimmer is chasing you at night, heavy duty truck tarp with waxed finish (i dont know about the new timbucks, i got an old from the 90's).

only thing i would beef about is the lack of a shoulder pad on the strap, but woopdydedoo, they are like 2 bucks at any luggage place.

People find them uncomfortable because they sit horizontally at your waist, rather than diagonally across your back. To ride with one you need to get it really high, and you'll get these weird strap angle problems. Plus it's more likely to slide around like this because the weight is distributed at the bottom, and along a more-or less horizontal plane. See the photo.

http://a1472.g.akamaitech.net/f/1472/124/4h/images.ebags.com/img/logos/logo_72_10_BSL.jpg

Bags like Chromes on the other hand distribute weight all along your back (depending on the objects inside), and are worn almost vertically, like this photo:

http://www.chromebags.com/images/gallery/MikeFixStop.jpg

This orientation is better suited for a padded shoulder section, because it can join the side of the bag, rather than float along the strap. Chromes are nice because of the strap, which you can adjust either way one-handed, and.. a seat belt buckle is cool, I guess. But they're really bloody expensive.

There's a guy here selling Chrome ripoffs that look well made, here's the thread http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=330022

I used a borrowed Timbuk2 for about 6 months. It worked great as long as there wasn't much in it, I couldn't stand it with my 17" laptop in it. The major problems with the bag have already been discussed but the biggest thing for me was the lack of shoulder padding. Even after adding a shoulder pad it wasn't nearly as good as my Chrome. I proably wouldn't buy one unless I was just going to used it occationally for smaller items.

I'm the guy selling the Chrome knock offs. They are nearly exact coppies of the Chrome bags, with less substantial straps and buckles and less durable material (dennier nylon instead of cordura). The shoulder padding is just as good as my chrome. If you're going to use it a ton and/or need it to last forever, go with a nice chrome or bailyworks or something. If you need a cheap bag, the ones I'm selling are a probably a much better option than the Timbuk2.

I've had my T2 for a few years now and it does the trick. It can fit a dirty 30 of PBR which is a plus. When I ride in the rain a lot without fenders, the bottom of the bag gets kinda damp. The stabilizer strap buckle broke in a fall, but that was probably me. I picked up a bailey works when I had a long country to town commute that I like much better.
If you are handy with a sewing machine there are some plans to make your own floating around on the internet. One shows you how to make water proof material out of old plastic bags and an iron or you could dumpster vinyl signs that are waterproof too. The small straps can be lifted from abandoned grocery carts (kiddy seatbelts) or a thrift store backpack, and the main strap can be made of an old seat belt (junkyard or abandoned car) just like the fancy Chrome bags. One of my winter projects is to make my own panniers with vinyl signs. We shall see.

I didn't mean to step on your toes Kemmer with the make your own bag thing. I think we posted at about the same time and I didn't see your post. Those look really really cool! Nice work.

I have had a medium sized timbuk2 that has the computer pocket for about 3 years. It is built very well and still looks as good today as it did three years ago. I have no problem with the straps, but I use mine almost only for the computer and school things. I'd say this bag isn't very big; with computer I can only hold 2-3 books, and I would think putting a 6 pack in there would be tough. But for what it is it is great.

I actually just ordered one of kemmer's bags for the times when I need to move more stuff..

I have two - a small and medium classic. The small is very comfortable if it's not overpacked. The medium carries a lot, but comfort can suffer if it gets heavy. Without a lot of weight, I can wear it on my bike all day. For short distances, it's not bad when heavy. I often carry two gallon jugs of milk in it. However, it's not quite wide enough to fit my snorkel without bending it.

...and I would think putting a 6 pack in there would be tough...

I believe that i have fit 2 6packs in my medium bag (with computer compartment) side by side. it's a tight squeeze, though.

I would strongly caution against the large Timbuk2. It's basically a waterproof sack with a strap attached for good measure. I acquired one off of CL for cheap, and ended up regretting it even then. As others have noted, the bag is poorly designed for weight distribution due to its horizontal profile, which results in shoulder discomfort when loaded with any considerable weight (which presumably will be in there, seeing as its a large bag). I felt noticeable discomfort with ~15lbs of textbooks. Conversely, if it's not fully loaded, things tend to slide around inside, which is awkward, even with the stabilizer strap in place.

I highly recommend Chrome or other higher-end messenger bags. My Metropolis is great. Much better weight distribution and more thoughtful consideration to design. If you're not ready to splurge on one of those, I'd take a run-of-the-mill backpack over my Timbuk2 anyday.

i have a large classic and it's great for carrying a bunch of crap and lasting long for 45 bucks, but it msrp's for twice that...

it's not half as good as one of equal MSRP but i got mine on ebay for 45 bucks so... it's definitely worth that.

i'm supposed to be getting one of those ASSbags(the backside) in the mail soon to replace my timbuk2.

it's not very comfortable unless you pack it right due to its cut/geometry/fit. people that say it sucks are not right, but if they say it's uncomfortable for throwing a bunch of stuff in and riding, they're right... you have to pack it right and then it's moderately comfy.

I didn't mean to step on your toes Kemmer with the make your own bag thing. I think we posted at about the same time and I didn't see your post. Those look really really cool! Nice work.

No worries. DIY is always a good way to go. I was always temped to make my own but I got a used Chrome for almost nothing from a friend and now I have two big stacks of bags sitting next to me so I doubt I'll ever do it now. Homegrown panniers are still on my list though. :D

I have an XL Timbuk2 that I absolutely hate, for exactly the reasons everyone else listed. I guess the construction was fine, but the design the sucked, and every load, especially the larger ones, were totally unwieldy. I got a Banjo Brothers off Craigslist for $50 and haven't looked back.

I've had an el ocho for a long time and a small for a couple of years. For carrying around light loads they're okay. But like others in the thread I've given up using them for anything heavy.

i got the backside bag from kemmer earlier this week and i have to say, it's exactly as he describes it... only better. the clips and buckle aren't going to stand up to a fall or a drop from shoulder height if they take a direct hit, but they should be durable enough for light use and as long as you don't crush it, it should be fine... besides, if you have a sewing machine you can just stitch some better clips in. the mesh straps(the ones that secure the flap namely) feel kind of fragile but i doubt they'd break without being scraped along pavement for a few hundred feet or having something sharp scrape them up. the lining is great and the nylon fabric feels almost as nice as the cordua timbuk2.


honestly, i think small timbuk2's are a good substitute for a small bag, but if you want to carry more than a few books and a notebook, like a pair of shoes or a box of brews, you're going to want something that has better design.

i think timbuk2 likes their classic design, but it's just nowhere near as comfortable or useful as something like a chrome.

I actually just purchased a Chrome Metropolis and am waiting anxiously for it to arrive.

have a glance at the reviews on fixedgeargallery...http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/messengerbags/
found this to be helpful in my search.