Road Fan

Manhattan Portage?

Timbuk2?

Chrome?

or what?

Not a messenger, just a drop-bar commuter. It'll also be a briefcase and used for air travel.

17 inch laptop (G4), files, folio, raingear, lock, up to 15 miles but mostly less.
From the Timbuk2 site, I need at least a medium, from them.

ThisJauntyGent

What's with all of this talk of bags nowadays?

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-for-under-100

tl;dr - Seagull

WoundedKnee

Manhattan Portage ballistic backpack. It's a pretty darn big backpack.
https://www.luggage.com/asp/superbrow...id=FR52-XQ1083

Or Ortlieb if you can handle a little less organization.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Or...ck/5360022381/

swanny

i have a chrome citizen (medium) and love it but now im looking into mission workshops vandal backpack, it has a roll top compartment plus the front can expand out to carrt larger loads. plus i think it has a padded laptop compartment. pretty $$$ at $240

dayvan cowboy

seagull black bag works great for me.

rustybrown

Paper...for your 40 oz.

Build your own

If you have to haul a bunch of stuff get a backpack.Freight baggage has a great one. The medium is huge and has a bunch of pockets.Only downside is that the straps are bit short (at least for me,6'2 big chest).I'm super happy with my Ortlieb Messenger Pro.

WoundedKnee

Yeah the Vandal is amazing.

Xgecko

I've had a Timbuk 2 Bolo for for a decade of bicycle and motorcycle commuting...it's great but much nicer at 10 years old than the new XL messenger bag I bought my wife last year, buy a Seagull, Timbuk 2's quality has suffered

mrvile

I have a Crumpler Mahoubar backpack. If you aren't actually messengering or doing something where you need easy access quickly, backpacks are the best (in terms of comfort and capacity).

Aged Bike Fixer

I'd been using my wife's Timbuk2 Commute bag for a while just to see if I liked the carrying my laptop over one shoulder. The messenger style bag def. worked for me. My biggest problem with was with the way the strap connects to the bag (plastic clips) and the fact that there is no cross strap to stablilize the bag. I'd been checking out the Chrome, Bailey, Burro..etc (all online obv). I was about to get a Chrome, but went back to Timbuk2 to give them one more look. Their new laptop messengers look perfect for my needs. They fit the largest of laptops in a sep. padded pouch, and have a compression straps.

To nip this one in the bud: I'm not a shill for Timbuk2. I took the advice of a lot of folks here who seemed to think that Timbuk2 lost after they grew becoming a larger company. I'm all about supporting small indie ventures, but at the end of the day this bag seemed to suit my needs (mostly commuting w/ a computer and potentially a change of clothes).

My $.02. I'd be happy to post pics and a review if anyone is interested.

Ska!

great budget bag.

also, check out the WIG peoples bag. little better construction, and wont break the bank. plus Isaac is a great person.

https://web.mac.com/chicagowig/www.ch...oples_Bag.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chicago...7620501091459/

Road Fan

Aged Bike Fixer, thanks a lot! I like the features on the Timbuk2 D-lux bags, with all those little pouches and zippered areas. But I was just over at REI looking at a Classic and Commute 2, and it looks like the cover flap doesn't close up the corners very well. Does the rain get in there? I can't see how it wouldn't. Chrome OTOH has a main flap that wraps around the opening at the corners, which seams like a much better rain shield.

Many thanks to the rest of you, too! a real helpful Forum!

Price point for Manhattan Portage is really good. How are the bags?