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09-08-09, 03:05 PM
I didn't know where to place this review, but it struck me it might interest my fellow-commuters. I bought what is billed as a 6-way bag by a fellow who acquires military-surplus shoulder bags and then modifies them for use on a bike. The different "ways" include handlebar mounting, saddle mounting, use as panniers and simple use as a good, small/medium shoulder bag. I wanted a bag to mount on my Brooks saddle, easy to remove and sling over the shoulder, for a reasonable price. The Brooks leather Millbrook bag appealed to me for this purpose, but $250 was too much. The vinyl Millbrook is less but appears to have no shoulder strap provision, and this is unfortunately the case with most of the otherwise appealing seat packs on the market. I didn't want to add more hardware to my bike in the form of a rear rack.
You can view the excellent pictures of the bag mounted in various ways at outyourbackdoor.com, and you'll see how cool it is.
When I opened the package I was assailed by a very nostalgic smell from my Michigan childhood: the damp canvas of my dad's forgotten WWII canvas stuff in a store room. Adding the smell of rotting bike tires would complete the trip down memory lane. The smell dissipated by hanging the bag from a ceiling hook in the dry California air. Bag was in good condition. Every bag will be different. Mine had very superficial corrosion on the metal and a few small discolorations on the canvas, but was otherwise beautiful. The thick cowhide and the metal are great details. The leather-slot closures are very cool once you soften them up with something. They're a bit hard to work before that. I used a good hand lotion on all the leather and it came out great. The leather bag-bottom is an attractive irregular shape.
I was unable to mount my bag on the saddle as I don't have enough space there to accommodate it, even with the "stick" option. I don't want a handlebar mounting. So I tried using it like a messenger bag and I love it that way. The waist strap is pretty effective and gives the appearance of a Sam Brown belt, very smart-looking if I do say so myself. This is a very nice object to own if you like natural materials in a very functional configuration. It will hold a lot for day trips or even longer, if using hotels, but I use if for a city bag because it holds books, clothing, camera, most everything I need. Laptops, no. Because it's deep rather than wide it seems more compact for the capacity, and is the most comfortable and unobtrusive shoulder bag I've ever had. No plastic, no racing stripes, no advertising or graphics, if you get it without the sewn-on badge. Classic utilitarian beauty with unbelievable workmanship. Not light but not a burden, either.
And it's reuse/recycling. Very green, I'd say.
Don't know how many he has; don't know the source. Not US military, I don't think. Mine has a date stamp inside which looks like June of 1946!
I think leather toe-clip straps with the claw fastener would work better than the beautiful leather buckle straps included. I think a plain hardwood dowel would be better than the cool osage-wood stick that the man carves by hand, a really nice personal touch and a nice thing to have, but mine is slightly split.
Not a paid testimonial. Just thought you might like to know about it.
You can view the excellent pictures of the bag mounted in various ways at outyourbackdoor.com, and you'll see how cool it is.
When I opened the package I was assailed by a very nostalgic smell from my Michigan childhood: the damp canvas of my dad's forgotten WWII canvas stuff in a store room. Adding the smell of rotting bike tires would complete the trip down memory lane. The smell dissipated by hanging the bag from a ceiling hook in the dry California air. Bag was in good condition. Every bag will be different. Mine had very superficial corrosion on the metal and a few small discolorations on the canvas, but was otherwise beautiful. The thick cowhide and the metal are great details. The leather-slot closures are very cool once you soften them up with something. They're a bit hard to work before that. I used a good hand lotion on all the leather and it came out great. The leather bag-bottom is an attractive irregular shape.
I was unable to mount my bag on the saddle as I don't have enough space there to accommodate it, even with the "stick" option. I don't want a handlebar mounting. So I tried using it like a messenger bag and I love it that way. The waist strap is pretty effective and gives the appearance of a Sam Brown belt, very smart-looking if I do say so myself. This is a very nice object to own if you like natural materials in a very functional configuration. It will hold a lot for day trips or even longer, if using hotels, but I use if for a city bag because it holds books, clothing, camera, most everything I need. Laptops, no. Because it's deep rather than wide it seems more compact for the capacity, and is the most comfortable and unobtrusive shoulder bag I've ever had. No plastic, no racing stripes, no advertising or graphics, if you get it without the sewn-on badge. Classic utilitarian beauty with unbelievable workmanship. Not light but not a burden, either.
And it's reuse/recycling. Very green, I'd say.
Don't know how many he has; don't know the source. Not US military, I don't think. Mine has a date stamp inside which looks like June of 1946!
I think leather toe-clip straps with the claw fastener would work better than the beautiful leather buckle straps included. I think a plain hardwood dowel would be better than the cool osage-wood stick that the man carves by hand, a really nice personal touch and a nice thing to have, but mine is slightly split.
Not a paid testimonial. Just thought you might like to know about it.