no1mad 

Made a run to the store today with my mess bag. The strap goes over the left shoulder. I noticed that how I like to position the bag on body causes the bag to reduce what little of my precious viewing angle when attempting to look over my shoulder while riding.

Maybe the strap placement has something to do with body positioning on the bike?

SinX7

What kind of bag is it?

no1mad 

It's a large Banjo Brothers that I received in a trade for some Knog panniers that I had heel strike with. Their medium bag can be worn over either shoulder, but not the large.

Truth be told, if I were to get another mess bag, I'd probably shoot for the Chrome Citizen Night- but I can get a backpack cheaper (which I already have two of- but neither are all that great while riding).

jcorn427

Well, oneway to go would be to put a rack on your bike and snag one of these:
https://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/...nier-messenger

no1mad 

I took the rack off. Short chain stays (16.3") gave me heel strike every time I tried to hang something off the side.

treadtread

I'm getting a bungee net. My laptop bag has 2 thick layers of padding, and I added a sleeve and will also but bubble wrap. Can just bungee the bag to the rack.

edited to add: I'm currently using a laptop bag in a messenger bag style. Backpack is too sweaty, and messenger style laptop bag is not as balanced as I like.

AlmostGreenGuy

Both my Chrome Citizen and Timbuk2 Classic run over the left shoulder. I've never noticed a rear view problem with either bag. I do tend to make use of my mirror quite a bit though.

SinX7

The strap should be over the left shoulder for right hand, and Right shoulder for a left hand person.

Take a look at how he wear it in this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj1-218EnvY

And thanks for linking to those backpack! Probably going to order me one to replace my sling backpack.

no1mad 

I used to run with a flat beverage crate mounted to the rack and just toss my backpack on it. I've posted pics of this set up before, but I'll do it again for some of the newer members.

BTW, the bag in the pic is a large Banjo Brothers backpack that I have since traded for a rack trunk that didn't quite work out for commuting purposes- great for extended recreational riding, though.

no1mad 

Ah, so since I'm right handed, then I suppose the strap on the left shoulder it is. Part of the problem could be how I've got the bag situated to fit me, or that it was basically empty on the way to the store, but the blocked shoulder wasn't as bad after putting 2 2L bottles in it.

Bulbuzoe

On a rack with two straps, but before just pass the bag's strap around the seat tube so if it falls it won't get lost behind!

Trifusion

Bag opposite the dismount side you favour, so shoulder should be dismount side.

Greg

Monster Pete

Bungeed to the top of my rear rack. Much better than having it swing around as I'm cycling along.

no1mad 

Again, I took the rack off.

no1mad 

Well, since I do my Rockette like high thrust kick with my right leg and I'm right handed, I guess it's a good thing the strap is on the left sholder.

Monster Pete

At risk of sounding stupid- why not put it back on? It's what it's for. If you get heel strike with panniers then don't use panniers. You can always bolt a crate or something to it.

megalowmatt

^^ I agree. Zip tie a milk crate on there and be done with it.

If you gotta use the bag, just choose the shoulder that feels best.

no1mad 

For the record, I have:
-Used a milk crate, but stopped due to my backpack being too large to fit inside.
-Strapped the pack to the platform, but messing with the packs straps all the time got to be tedious.
-Used a flat beverage crate. Most useful solution by far, but blocked my rear lights too much.
-Had some saddlebag type panniers from Knog that I had heel strike with, so traded for the mess bag in question (why I started this thread).
-Used some old Nashbar Townies that I had better luck at avoiding heel strike, but a full backpack wouldn't fit, they don't shed water all that well, and when I did use them both for grocery runs, the load made the bike respond sluggishly.

I've decided that though this bike does have the proper eyelets for mounting a rack, it's happier when it doesn't have one. I may yet decide to put a rack back on this bike, but it won't be the current one. Until such time, I'll roll without.

treadtread

I tried a Topeak EXP MTX on my rack yesterday, didn't have heel strike with the panniers out. Planning to buy one today, and skip the cargo net. Was looking at the net as a cheaper alternative, but I just got some extra money so I'm spending it on the bag.

AlmostGreenGuy

Understood, and I totally agree. I hate how my bikes handle with a load of a rear rack. If the load is less than 30 pounds or so, I'd rather put it on my back.

AlmostGreenGuy

My Chrome Citizen has been getting a lot of use lately. I didn't initially warm up to it, but now that I've been doing a lot of riding with it, my attitude is quickly changing. It rides like heaven on your back, thanks to the bag positioning and the padding on the shoulder strap. Not as good for walking around as some other mess bags, but it's awesome on a bike. Very weatherproof too. Perfect for a 10 pound or lighter load.

lostarchitect 

Switch back and forth to reduce likelihood of back issues.

CliftonGK1

If your bag looks like the one on the Banjo website, it's a righty, and should drape from your left shoulder to right hip.
Righty/Lefty on a side-specific courier bag isn't dependent on which is your dominant hand, it's the actual construction of the bag. The strap design will be sewn differently so the bag lies angled down from the left shoulder, or down from the right shoulder, with the padded area at the shoulder and the stabilizer strap going under the arm and across the chest. Same deal with a lefty design. Of course, some of us are weirdos and like lefty bags but are right handed.

(courier related drivel about bag design)
Righty bags typically go over the left shoulder, so your bag swings down to where you can easily go through it with your right hand. It also puts your radio holster in position for a right hand grab. Lefty bags hang from the right shoulder, so they're less likely to block traffic-side mirror view unless you've really got it overloaded. When I rode for a living, this was an issue; commuting, not usually so much. I wore my radio high, so a right-hand-to-right-shoulder to tap my talk button was an easy move for me (again, not a typical commuter issue.) I found that having a large bag like the Metropolis swing to my left hip was actually easier to rifle through with my right hand; I could use my left to hold the bag open and the right to shuffle items. It was also a quicker mount up, closing the clips on the bag and getting on the bike from the NDS while swinging a bag from the same side hip up as I pulled the strap down and tight.
(End courier related drivel)

Overall, the benefits of the courier bag aren't much of a concern for the average commute, where you're in-and-out of your bag for maybe an errand or two on your way home. Pick which side you're more comfortable having the bag shouldered on, and go with it.

no1mad 

Not possible with this bag. From what I gather, most messenger bags are designed to be worn over one or the other shoulder, but not over either one. There are some that do allow you the option of switching, however.

rumrunn6

that bike messenger was impressive but too many variables, hope he doesn't get hurt