ive used both- imho bakpaks stay centered- msgr bags have that swingability factor- easy access but ive found they swing in transit as well-the new teardrop bag designs show some promise- depends on what you need the bag for i guess

for what its worth i have a chrome mid size backpack
that i want to sell. bikeforums gets mad when i try to sell
things but if you are interested its gonna be way less the msrp. i only used it a few months,
send me your email and ill get into the specifics.

ortlieb & u lock
 

http://www.ortlieb.de/_anleit/kurier-schloss.pdf

nice, no??

yeah does anyone know how its supposed to work. when i had my ortlieb velocity i could not figure it out. also after what feels like owning every type of bike bag out there and then selling most of them through the forums i have finally settled on the reload midpack, which is great-feels like wearing a pillow and the weight disappears plus i think it looks cool. but i have to say the best bag i have owned so far was the timbuc2 messenger back pack. super comfortable, super stable, looked small but held a lot and has an awesome refelctor on the back. it just wasn't very waterproof and for some reason i prefer the feel of cordura. i'm keeping it though. i would never use a messenger bag on a regular basis after switching over to well designed back packs.

i've always questioned this piece of seemingly conventional wisdom (which lies interspersed throughout many a bag thread) insofar as: to what degree? for example, i run my bars at saddle height, which by most of your standards would seem to be well classified as "a really upright position". speaking in general terms, of course, am i still within the realm of a shoulder bag here, or is my riding posture sufficiently upright-enough to merit a backpack?

Do you have the Ortlieb Velocity or one of their other ones absntr?

Is this the holster you speak of?
http://www.ortliebusa.com/cartgenie/...ockHolster.jpg
If so, I guess it goes on the waist strap.

i have owned both an ortlieb and a chrome backbone. the ortlieb holds so much crap its ridiculous. the only reason i dont have it anymore is i gave it away. it had some holes in it from my pet rodents chewing on it, and i wanted to get something that had more pockets and stash room. plus it matched my friend's super-sweet pear izumi rain jacket, so how could i not.
the backbone is great. i think the ortlieb is more suited to carrying really huge loads, but it doesnt have the convenience of the extra pockets the chrome has (unless you spring for that little accessory they make). ive got a bulging disc in my back, so shoulder bags are out of the question for a while. the only advantage shoulder bags have over backpacks is the swing around factor. but if you tend to stuff your bag to the brim, like i do, then backpacks are IMHO the way to go. its easier to ride with them, they keep the weight centered, and when you pack them, you can assume things will stay generally where you put them while youre riding.

ps if i had the extra 100 bucks, i probably would have gotten a reload. but times being what they are...

can someone please post a picture of their freight backpack?

Actually piratelove asked but I was curious as well. I have the regular messenger bag (the larger one) and now you've answered the question.

Not my thing though -- my u-lock goes in my back pocket or the bag (usually the bag). I've used the waist strap as a rear lights holder -- I reversed belted it over the back of the bag. I'm not a big fan of waist straps, at least not for riding.

anyone?

I'm torn as to what I want to do with my bag - I think I want a backpack.. I need more room, and I don't like the one-shoulder deal.. doesn't work too well for me..... I just can't decide between a reload, chrome, or ortlieb.. it's hard to pick though because I've never seen any of them in person.
I'd just be using it for daily commuting, etc... carry a laptop, camera, groceries, books, etc.

Any suggestions?

i have a chrome citizen and an old ccs backpack. the only advantage i'd give the backpack is that i prefer it for particularly heavy loads. it's easier to breathe with a backpack on in that case.

Considering all the comments posted on this thread and their reputation I would go with the Reload as long as you have the cash. Custom artwork would be awesome too, but that requires more cash.

I like Chrome a lot. A company that puts lifetime warranties on most of the stuff they make can't be that bad. I have a Metropolis which has served me well (although the seatbelt buckle is mostly a novelty).

They're probably all good bags with their own strengths and weaknesses. You might want to try to find one of them used if you're short on cash or just worried about getting one that doesn't work for you. That way you can use it for a little while and figure out what you like and don't like about it.

Yeah, I have a chrome metropolis now - I like it, but for bigger/heavier loads it's not too comfortable..

I'd like to get a custom reload.. I'm thinking I can sell my chrome to cover some of the cost.. :P

I think this one is pretty dope
http://reloadbags.com/site_images/CU...ack%20full.jpg

Their messenger backpacks are massive though with dimensions of 21"H x 17"W x 10"D, that's 3570 cubic inches! I don't know if I would get that or their midpack.

jim-bob has one... PM him if he doesn't turn up in this thread. He'll probably turn up though.

There seems to be a lot of confusion.
Padding is common in nicer backpacks now, but deciding between a courier bags and backpacks on the basis of padding is missing the point.

Are asking about bike specific backpacks, or regular backpacks?

Are we comparing regular messenger bags or high end customs?

I ride a red demartini of unknown age, great.
I used to have a black manhattan portage with grreat sentimental value until is disappeared with about a pint of my blood after an accident.
I also had a timbuk2 (not a fan).
And an orange vinyl chrome kremlin. Too long, wrong dimensions, Roland has the specifics.

I find the backpacks are lousy when empty or leaning over.
The courier bags are lousy when super full or upright.

The backpacks shift around or binds your shoulders and is a loose bag that shifts its load all over the place.

All in all courier bags are best for the kind of riding I do, but not the chrome.
I will either buy a bailey, reload or a local custom.

Try and buy something local, it is very easy to make a demartini style bag and it would be good to support local crafters.

bloody shame if i've to begin an entirely new bag thread over it (considering it's already a topic of interest in the present thread, you know.)

I think it's a very personal matter. Nobody can you tell you what feels wrong or right to you. I ride a mountain bike with flat bars, so I'm in a pretty upright position, but compared to all the backpacks I've used before I prefer my messenger bag when I'm riding a lot. Walking around with it on my back for more than twenty minutes gets to be a pain though.

I wouldn't call that (saddle & bars at same height) upright, particularly. Hybrids and comfort bikes and such are upright. Bars usually a couple inches at least above seat, closer as well. For that, yeah, a backpack feels better, cuz the weight is more on your shoulders. My road bike has bars & saddle at same height these days, and I find my mess bags are all fine on it. Ahh...except for the littlest one, which doesn't have a sway strap, but that's cuz it wants to swing around, not cuz it hurts.

I guess the best way to answer your question is to ask you one: does the weight of your pack rest on your back or does it hang on your shoulders?

not really an answer to your question, but i just got a reload courier yesterday... that thing is friggin huge.

at 5'6", 130lbs, when i have it on it looks like my bag is trying to kill and eat me, and is winning.

its signifigantly larger than my torso.

good for carrying file boxes, x-rays, blueprints, a case of beer.

looks totally ****ing ridiculous and feels like a cape when empty or near empty.

I've noticed no real correlation between riding position and type of bag appropriate for it.

I spent most of my life with an old-school one-strap messenger bag on a variety of bikes, ranging from 'holy **** instant back pain' to 'hey, nice apehangers', and it performed pretty much equally.

None of my current bikes have the stylish 3-foot drop from saddle to bars, but on my bikes set up 'eddy style', a backpack is working just fine as well. The backpack thing is still a bit new to me, and I find myself missing the convenience of just being able to swing the bag around, but that's more of an issue off the bike than it is on the bike.

This message was brought to you by yesterday's root canal. If it doesn't parse, blame my dentist.

dang, sign me up.