littlefoot

While on the subjest of backpacks, which I don't use on the bike atm but am considering getting one for options in the future. Detours seems to have some interesting porducts backpack wise. https://www.detours.us/index.php/ and there's alway banjo brothers https://www.banjobrothers.com/

Tyler M

I really like my Under the Weather bag. I have had it for awhile but I have only been working with it for a couple of months and I have no complaints. It is a nice bag.

ManWithNoName

I have a Timbuk2 medium. Just got back from a ~20 mile ride with it. I like all the compartments and the fit and straps are fine for a light load for that kind of distance (water bottle, lock, wallet+phone, extra hat+gloves). However I got back pain after using it to haul a much heavier load back and forth to school for a few weeks, so I went back to panniers for that.

Sixty Fiver

For extended trips with heavier loads, a rack / paniers are the way to go... having a really heavy load in your bag is hard on your shoulder, back, and knees if you find that you have to stand and hammer.

I have one client ( a huge legal firm ) that routinely sends out huge bricks of paperwork that maxes out my Kremlin's capacity and thankfully... it does not have to go far.

A also carry legal boxes from time to time and have a rear rack and bungees on my working bikes for this purpose.

M_S

I like messenger bags for when I have les to carry/distances of 15 miles or less. I feel more maneuverable,p can hop stuff, etc. Not that I need to do that, but when I ride my mountain bike especially, it's a way to make the commute more fun.

I will be building up a bike with racks and panniers soon though, if funds allow, because I want to start hauling more groceries than fit in my bag.

My next messenger bag will probably be a BaileyWorks.

wils0nic

https://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FCBP

I'm pretty sure a friend of mine has this. It carries like a normal shoulder bag, but mounts onto a rack like a pannier. Definitely big enough for commuting.

Sentinel04

REI.com has a ton of Timbuktu bags on clearance, just a FYI.

fcormier

I don't know the other models mentioned here, but I can vouch for Cocotte Equipment messenger bags. They are pretty much among the best (if not THE best) messenger bag out there. EVERY messenger in Montréal use them all year round. They are solid (indestructible would be more appropriate), waterproof and very stable. They come in several sizes.

spaceballs

I started this thread, and glad to see it was so well received.

I went back to the Timbuk2 bag from the Seagull. The Seagull carried the weight a little bit higher, and though the bag didn't slide around much, it really just wore me out more when I rode with it. I don't exactly know why. I was carrying the same load; only the way the bags carried the loads was different.

The Timbuk2 is almost as stable, provided I have it cinched up just right and arguably more comfortable [or as comfortable] with a moderate load and the strap pad. Plus, the t2 bag worked better while at work [at school] and on the bus and most of the other times when I wasn't on the bike. I use my bag all day, but I am only on the bike an hour or so of most days. If you were a messenger, I think the Seagull would win hands down - lots of capacity, comfortable to ride with, easy to adjust on the bike. But I don't think most of us fall into that category.

A custom Seagull might provide me with more of the features I want that would make this bag much more versatile, and I would definitely consider that in the future.

Red Horn

Those seem very made with some nice features. I like the "box" design as opposed to the usual envelopes. I wish they had more photos of bag in action. I would like to see how they actually sit when worn.

InfiniteRegress

Ah, the quest for the perfect back. I have two Timbuk2 bags (medium and small) and a North Face backpack. To be honest, my North Face backpack is the most comfortable when I ride, especially if I have to carry more stuff. I have some back issues, so it's better for me to have all the weight evenly distributed across my back. I am a petite woman and have found that the medium-sized Timbuk2 bag is just too heavy for me (I tend to put more in it). The small size works well, but not if I have to carry more things.

I guess a lot of this is personal preference, but I would recommend that if you're having trouble, try a good, old-fashioned backpack (i.e., one made for day hikes).

cradduck

This might be against the grain, but I have been using a Novara Buzz messenger bag for quite a while now and it is still in use for my commutes. It has lasted me through college, two years of nursing school, countless clinical rotations (constantly being opened and closed and thrown around for a quick grab for a drug book or something), etc. It had some HEAVY books in it all the time but still shows very little signs of wear. I now commute to a hospital five days a week and it still holds up extremely well.

I used a large size TimBuk2 bag for a while, but like a prior poster had stated, but ended up not liking it because of the unstable and unmanageable feeling I would get whenever I was in the drops. It is great for hauling groceries when I riding my beach cruiser, but aside from that it doesn't get used.

TruckerMike

It's waterproof, holds all my work clothes, lunch and has room for a few extra's. I max it out from time to time, but it's so heavy at that point that I feel I've maxed out the single-shoulder strap concept at that point. So if you need more capacity than Metropolis, I'd recommend a two-shoulder solution like the Kremlin.

Nice extra's are the flasher tab, buckle for taking up the slack of extra strap and the ability to do everything one-handed. More on my blog...