The bag I hear the most positive about has been Chrome. I don't know anyone with a Chrome who doesn't love it.

Whoever posted the link to the Bagaboo site, have you tried their bags? How are they? I really like them and they SOUND good but if someone's had first hand exp. with one, I'd love to hear...

Ortlieb dissin time! Uncomfortable, badly designed pieces of s**t

hey bikkhu, did you get your dank backpack yet? pics?

I got a baileyworks superpro and it is amazing.
Fits the skinny frame a lot better than a chrome
and has an exterior lock pocket so my stuff doesn't
get wet, even when my lock is covered in ice. Score
one for New Hampshire Jon Bailey is a keeper.

Oh and by frame I mean myself, not my bike.

jeff

Good to know. I like my Chrome Metropolis for the padded strap, keeping things dry, and the easy adjustability, but with certain loads it slides down my shoulder--usually it's worse with the stabilizer strap on.

I have a medium Timbuk2 and a Chrome Metropolis and love them both. For riding, the Chrome has a definite edge for stability, but I also paid a hell of a lot less for my Timbuk2 and it is doing an amazingly good job standing up to getting the crap beaten out of it. The outside only shows a little wear after getting dragged across sections of pavement under me multiple times in crashes, etc.

I have the Kremlin and I'm pretty skinny, too. I solved the slipping down the shoulder problem by using the lower buckle on the stablizer under the buckle (not on the Metropolis). It seems to stay put better when there's a lot of stuff in the bag, too...

i'm getting rid of my red w/ black stripe kremlin 'cause it's too effin' huge. pm me if you want it.

I've got a REload midpack as well..just got it for xmas.. have only ridden with it a couple times..as I just got my cast off yesterday... but its feeling really comfy..

http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data...CT0404-med.JPG

http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data...CT0403-med.JPG

I'm not sure how but I've never had to use my baileywork's stablizer strap.
I actually took it off right away & even full it doesn't slide around too much.

Ok, so I'm leaning towards the Gabriel Messenger Bag as my first "real" bag. I've considered other custom options (ie. Dank) but decided that I don't know what I would want from a custom bag, so why spend the cash? I plan to get the ditty bag and also the extra reflecive strips for my commute, which is in the dark on the way home every night, regardless of season.

My question is has anyone used this bag, or one similar? I've heard good things abaout Jandd products in general, and I lso like the shape/style of this bag, so anything I get madde custom will at least look similar. Are these bags very waterproof? I ride in the rain year round in Seattle, and need to get something that will keep my stuff dry.

Any input will be greatly appreciated!

boog

Looks like a nice consumer bag, but better labeled a "Messenger Style" bag. It's not water proof. If you wear it with the shoulder strap alone while riding it will swing around as the mainstrap is attached to the bag with plastic & metal clips that would bite into you if you wore it tight enough to keep it still. You'd have to always use the waist strap for riding in conjunction with the shoulder strap to keep it out of your way and secure. It's not really a messenger bag except in the way large companies believe that anything that goes over one shoulder bandolier style can be called that.
It says it's oversized, and it looks exactly like the Jannd bag my roommate gave me when I started riding 12 years ago until I could afford a real bag. I can tell you from experience that if you fill that thing up and use the waist strap it will sit brick shaped in the small of your back like a lead weight. Proper bags ride high near your shoulders as it's better for your back and center of gravity. It pretty much breaks every rule there is.
Jannd makes this Andrew or InikiAndrew or Iniki Which tries harder in some ways and less in others, falls short of several standards but is somewhat waterproof. No good for heavy loads but will keep a decent load high and still on your back. Plus its inexpensive, even less than the Gabriel.
Made in Asian parts unknown.

Even if a bag has a stabalizer strap, that keeps the bag from shifting left to right.. but what happens when you are in a deep aero position, go over a bump- couldn't the bag flip over your head?
http://charles.loveofcolor.org/bikef...tablizzaaa.gif

Wearing the bag properly in a high position means the Main Strap is pulled tight. A proper Main Strap is angled so that when worn the bag isn't deformed against the body by the taut pull of the strap. This means it holds your load from the center more than the top as the main strap goes over one shoulder and under another, the lower portion of the mainstrap is centered or below to much of the load. The cross strap or stabilizer strap does the same from the other side. You can see in the pic of the back of my bag the cross strap is attached right down at the bottom. You can also see I had to wait on my head for a camera adjustment! I took a pic of the contents and put my size 10 foot in there for reference.
Even upside down it wont go over your head. It'll shift in that direction, but go right back wher eits supposed too.

At the CMWC 04 in Edmonton I rode a mechanical bull with a full load (of t-shirts,over 50 of them, so it wouldnt hurt) and stayed on over 10 secs after telling the operator I wanted to fly off the bull. I flew off all right! He tossed me hard and I went head over heels twice, landed on both the pads and my back for a right cushy landing with those T-shirts padding me. It seemed like a better way than hitting something with my bike at high speed :)

I suppose it "could", but you'd have to be in some serious aero position (sloping toptube, 45degree stem, and track drops). Most people don't ride setups like that on the street and if they do, for the most part they couldn't ride in the drops comfortably for very long. I don't really know what I'm saying, but what I am saying is your daily setup is very conducive for carrying a fully loaded proper messenger bag. Does this thing really look like it would fly up if you hit a bump?

http://www.chromebags.com/messenger_alley_2.jpg

SamHouston - You beat me to it. What kind of bag is that by the way? Nevermind.

Never had a problem with that. Thing is, that strap goes under your left (or right) arm, and when worn correctly, is quite short and tight. It's, as your drawing suggested, attached to the bottom of the back, which keeps it flat on. Another thing, you have to make sure that the main strap is not too long, the bag shouldn't ride your hips but your back.

The Chrome Kremlin's stabilizer strap can either be under the arm or across the body.

Man, you rock! Thanks for explaining this!

I wear a **** mailbag at work to pay my ****ing bills. So, when I ride my bike I like something that actually works. Have used timbuk (crap), manhattan po (a little better), ortlieb, bailey and chrome. I think the chrome is the most comfortable. So, that is what is working for me now. I live in philly and reload bags did appeal to me, you know, support local small business and all, but their bags used to slip all over the place. I have heard that they have fixed this. But I really do not need some decorated bag to "wear" when I ride my bike. "function before fashion" and hell now they have set up shop on the west coast. Sounds like capitalisim calling. Anyway, enough with this ****ing rant. Chrome or bailey. bye.

Wow an angry mailman! Who'd a thunk it? j/k :D
If Capitalism calling gets your dander up then burn your Chrome :eek:
Reload used/uses the same cinch mechanism as the first manhatten portages and only slipped/slip when they're worn rookie style i.e. loose and dangly in an attempt to look cool. They're solid bags still made by messengers, not like Chrome, mass produced by a marketing machine. Good bags, but their ethics suck ass. I read some rants about their representatives behavior at the last championship in edmonton...tch tch tch, shameful

I too am really hating my Timuk2 that I've had for 2+ years now. My main problem is with the side buckle. It always folds over and sticks in my side. It is very uncomfortable. ReLoad claims they fixed this problem by putting the strap on at an angle. I don't know if I believe them. Can anyone speak to this?

I played around with a Chrome the other day at my LBS. I really think the strap adjustment system is the best I've seen. However, what is the deal with Chrome as a company? I know Timbuk2 has gone down the tube. ReLoad seems like a good company. Where are the Chrome bags made. Their website does not have any information on their company.

[edit] Some how I missed the third page of this thread. So my last question had been addressed. Thanks

hell yeah! Been trashing the new Dank for 3 weeks now - full review coming shortly (=this weekend or something... need to borrow a digicam)

Globe Canvas/De Martini now these were the old skool bags when I was ridding.
I wish I could get one now.


S/F,
CEYA!

Another vote for the Chrome. If it's slipping, it's because you don't have the main strap tight or you need to pack it better. They do make both left- and right-shoulder versions; if you tend to drop one shoulder to grab a brake lever or go into the drops you may want the version that goes on the other shoulder. The RELoad bags are great as well, in particular for the custom work they'll do. They also give you more room in the accessory pockets up front. But for a bulletproof, proven bag, the Chrome is hard to beat.