A Cheaper Bag for BF Pocket Bikes?
 

A very nice Bike Friday (BF) bag costs about $70. Dahon has a similar one for $80. But here's one made of canvass for around $20.

http://www.rvtoyoutlet.com/p-RV8612.html

This bag might be adequate for home storage, keeping an automobile trunk clean, etc. But its dimensions are slightly different from the BF bag and the opening appears smaller. I wonder, would a BF Pocket Bike (which doe not fold as small as some other bikes) fit inside?

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had or knows of direct consumer experience with this bag.

my .02$

Get any sewing machine owner to sew one, where you live.. .
and then you can set the specifications.

seeking a local source is practice for when oil has gone thru the roof
to ship, via truck/ship/rail.

The pic shows what looks like a Dahon boardwalk. Oddly enough, I have a Dahon Boardwalk and a BF pocket and need a bag for the Dahon -- so, thanks! I just bought one of these bags, and will report back on whether it can carry either bike.

(The Dahon fold is smaller than the BF -- not actually expecting it to fit, but we'll see!)

.Looking forward to your report. Please let me know ASAP. If it works I plan on getting 2 of the bags as well as two pairs of pop-off pedals to facilitate getting bikes into, out of bags. With shipping, total expense will be near $200, so will really appreciate hearing about bag fit before I spend all that $.

Thanks,
Ron

I have found that sewing your own bag is not rocket science, somewhat easy to do (just be sure to take careful measurements & allow for a 3 dimensional full shape rather than a flat sheet), and use a good match of thread & fabric for the sewing machine you are using. As for the sort of bag to use for your own, there are many patterns available for you to use for free online. Here is one intended for use on European trains referred to here as a "Housse" (Bike Bag): http://www.mayq.com/Best_european_trips/Housse.htm

It fits!
 

To my great surprise: it fits

It's also nylon, not canvas.

Seeing is believing:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/...614fd0c6_d.jpg

I will therefore buy a second one for the Dahon...

Thanks so much. I will place my order today.

that's a neat bag, and good price! cheaper and probably quicker that making your own if you have to run around to buy all the fabric.
i noticed on their website it's also a backpack. have you tried that - just wondering if that really works? neat if it does! also wondering how comfortable that is, if you have to walk a little distance with it?
i'm looking for a bag also, and being able to backpack it would be a plus.

I actually just bought one of these bags from rvtoyoutlet.com on Saturday but haven't received it yet. I just needed something to put my bike in when I stowed it in my car, nothing too fancy. I can let you know when I get it what the quality is like but so far I have yet to receive a shipping confirmation and not sure how long it will take.

I saw the "backpack" straps but I wouldn't want to go far without padding them (and padding my back!)

Delivery was very quick, at least to San Fran.

The bag is labelled "lock n roll" and appears to me to be a good deal on the same bag amazon sells for $29 (of course, $9 shipping... :) )

Got the shipping confirmation today. As bjorke note, the same bag is $29 on ebay and amazon plus shipping. Can't wait to get see it, I really need a bag for when I store the bikes in my trunk.

Ok. I just got my bags this week. Although I ordered the one that bjorke posted, I got a different one - the logo is multi colored instead of white. While the bag itself seemed to be a strong canvas material, the zipper was horrific. I opened up the package, put my bike in and attempted to zip it up and the zipper broke. Both bags have the same flimsy zipper which will not last, especially if you use this bag more than once or twice. I am a bit disappointed in the quality of the zipper but the bag itself seems ok. I'm still debating whether I want to go through the trouble of exchanging the bags but even for $20, I don't think I can recommend.

wow! Sounds like they have some fairly random stocking issues. Both of my bags are the identical nylon one I showed in the photograph

Same with me. I received 2 bags for 2 BF's - nice enough except for non-funtional zippers. My plan is to glue/sew 2 or 3 velco straps onto each one. Only use I have in mind for these bags is to protect my bikes/car from one another. If I was going to carry the bikes around on buses and trains I would probably look into better ($80) bags from Dahon or BF but these will do I think, for the limited use I intend.

Ahhhh! Great idea. I may just do the same as I am also only using the bags for transporting the bikes in the car