ive got a bad back. my spines a little bent to one side, and i have a bulging disk.
the upshot of this is that im thinking about getting rid of my shoulder bag and buying a backpack. i was thinking about getting another reload bag, but i saw that the chrome backpacks are $100 less. does anyone here have any experience with either of these bags?

I have experience with both now (thanks Jim-Bob).
The Chrome backpack never fit me that well. It is okay but the straps are somehow not working for me. Too wide up top. I like the simple design though.
The Reload is wonderful for me and fits great. Nicer quality than the Chrome and some extra bells and whistles. It is a great bag if it fits.
However, I feel like bags are almost like saddles and much of it depends on the rider. You should be able to get a Chrome bag from some online retailer. Buy one, try it out if it sucks you should be able to return it and get a reload.

ah, I need some sleep.
I just read "and I have a bulging dick."

I had a Chrome Ivan. I found it comfortable and very well put together. It just felt like a quality bag. Only problem though is that it's a bit heavy and it's essentially a sack with only a top opening to the main compartment. If you need something on the bottom, you pretty much need to unload the bag to get to it.

If you want to drop some loot and comfort is what you are really after it might be worth looking into getting an arcteryx or something similiar from a company that focuses on backpacks not messenger bags. The mess ones are going to be better if you need to fill and unload them with packages all day long, but some of the backpacking/mountain climbing packs might be better suited for commuting or whatever.

I've used the Ivan on and off. It's a good switch, you feel the load evenly. it's comfortable. good for mostly flat stuff - it doesn't expand that well. a little wide.

I just bought a columbia big butt fanny pack. It's pretty big and im digging it.
Was 20 bucks at campmor.com

take a look at black diamond packs.

okay. so, i decided to get rid of my bag. its on the seattle craigslist (reload messenger bag), but ill ship it if you really want it. tell me if you think the price is too high, too.

**** big biker edit your link out... ill post it in the ebay/craigslist thread so you dont get banned.

dang man. sorry. all better.

i gots yo back yo!!!!

If i was in the justice league I would be FLASH... cause i cover you fast

tru. tru.
are you old flash or new flash?

what about this one ? Designed in Sweden and all

im a huge sweden fan (.5 swedish, and proud of it). but having a cargo net would make me feel like a fishing boat.
i went to the reload store today, and those backpacks sure are pretty. all their bags are pretty. man. pretty bags. talk about a leisure expense.

Those Boblbee backpacks are SciFi my friend! Appear in almost all SciFi movies and tv-series there is. In Star Trek Enterprise the crew use them all the time. In the movie Solaris with George Clooney you see one of those in the background. Enterprise NX-01, not a fishing boat

I have to confess I went to try Boblbees out once as I was paranoid about crashing my fixie (was riding brakeless at the time) while carrying a laptop.

The main problem with the Boblbee is that they really can't carry too much gear. They only expand a little so you can carry a laptop and your lunch, or a change of clothes but they don't have the carrying capacity that most of us need. The big ones always feel huge and the little ones feel stupid.

You also feel like a dork riding with them, you have to really really really need to like the design.

They look very flash and 'cutting edge' to folks, so its like riding with a giant 'please mug me as I have a very expensive bag with probably very expensive stuff in it'.

In other words, I don't think they're all that.

You're right that they're all about design but very useful as a carryon when on a plane for example and you have delicate stuff that you don't want to get smashed. The design is good for your back also but in general they're not very useful and quite bulky.

I did not want to start a new thread about bags so this might be a little off topic but what do you guys with cameras use to take your kit with you when you are riding. Right now I have a crumpler 6 million dollar home (great camera bag btw) and I throw that into my reload but it is so bulky and takes up a ton of space. I was using a lowepro slingshot for a while but it sucked for riding.


Thanks

Matt

Just to get back on topic. I think the trick with a chrome bag is to try one out. They either fit you great or are just too bulky.

As their bags get larger they get more and more awkward if you have narrow shoulders IMHO.

I am a relatively big guy (you know, for a cyclist, lolamIright?), so maybe they will fit me well. I haven't found one to try on yet, but soon. Soon. I liked that reload bag, but the price might keep me away from it.

This bag from MEC looks really nice:



I believe that turd has one. Sweet biz. Go Canada.

EDIT: You might also want to try giving Trackstar a ring... as of a few weeks ago they had a big-ass Freight backpack that they were clearing out for a good price. It looked really nice, and really big.

anyone have some pics of a freight bag?

I have a Frieght mess bag, but I don't think that'll do you much good. If you call Trackstar, and they still have the pack, I'm sure they'd be willing to email you a photo. Just make sure you call as they are really bad at returning email.

Freight doesn't have a website. You might also try Freewheel Hayes in SF - I think they sell Freight bags. They might have some pictures handy.

indeedy i do! expandable space, external net for helmet, waterproof rain cover, and other bells & whistles, including a.. WHISTLE! it's on the sternum strap buckle