kurtp13

I made a frame mounted Brompton bag from a Camera bag

Lowepro Nova Sport 17L AW Shoulder Bag for DSLR with Attached Lens, Pepper Red
SKU: LPNS17LRD MFR: LP36611

Lowepro Nova Sport 17L AW Shoulder Bag, Pepper Red LP36611

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...0GPSFAGATGZFW6


Photos of my $17 camera bag mounted on a S-bag frame ($33). Bag is currently $28.50 on Amazon. I hit a good sale on the bag. The color is a red orange and appears to be offered at a lower price than the black/gray model.

The Trolley strap in the back of the bag allows a cut down S-bag to slide through. Right now mine fits really tight but I may have to add a couple of strap later. Still a bargain compared to other options. I had to disable the zipper in the bag’s trolley strap band in order to slide the frame through.

Comes with a raincover and an internal configurable padded removable storage unit with its own intergrated cover. It has a small strap on the top and a shoulder strap (which I have stowed).

I wanted a smaller bag and this provided that and a much lower price point than the official options.

fietsbob

Was the back sleeve already sewn into the bag?

ShortLegCyclist

Looks good.

You can also just buy the front carrier rack frame, without the pricey bags, and then a wide variety of panniers will lock right onto the top rail.

kurtp13

Yes, the sleeve is an integral part of the bag when purchased. This is referred to as a 'Trolley Strap' which means it slips over the handle on a roller suitcase. Some are just wide enough to fit over a handle. This one was the full width of the bag which meant the frame didn't have to be trimmed as much. It probably also is more stable than something that provides a more narrow width. There was a zipper in the lower portion that I had to cut back and remove the pull in order to open up the whole width through the strap.

ShortLegCyclist, your suggestion is essentially what I did, although I had to cut the frame width down a bit. Because the frame is covered by the bag, I think it has a cleaner look than exposed attachments. I bought an S-bag frame, that was the $33 expense, and modified it to fit.

ttakata73

Looks great.
I plan to do something like this myself once I find a suitable waterproof bag I like.

fietsbob

FWIW , the Purchase of Ortlieb-Brompton O bags, gets the waterproof thing done , superbly.

the Mini O bag is based on their handlebar bag with an exclusive fitting that works perfectly with the B's head tube mount..
there are DSLR camera pad liner sets optional for those .

I've been using the larger one for several years , their optional add on open water bottle cage snaps right on the back

replacing 1 of the 2 standard pouches.. and there are the Larger size Add on pockets as well..

NB:
By drilling out the poprivets, the aluminum tubes on the bag frame can be shortened, then you re drill the holes
and re set new poprivets.

People have done that and mounted a Pannier on the bag support frame.. it's made of 1/2" Aluminum Tubing.
with nylon pieces joining them.

residuenyc

Nice job.
I can also recommend a piece of string or a pull to make releasing easier.

kurtp13

Thanks, I think it looks nice also. The color could be a little wild depending on the bike color but the price was right.

My main intention was to point out that some camera bags make a good choice for starter material for these bike bags. I stumbled on this bag and was very surprised at all the features it contained like a rain cover, water bottle holders and an internal divider unit with it's own cinching cover. It was very easy to convert to a bike bag and it already contained the features I though I might have to add by sewing them in myself. The Trolley Strap or Luggage panel or luggage slide over or however it's termed made life very simple.

I'm sure there are many others that would work also. This one is a good choice and really well constructed.

Also, I've seen the string trick which probably makes it a bit easier to release. Thanks for the advice.

residuenyc

I used a Lowepro Utility bag because I wanted something much smaller than the existing commercial options. It also came with the raincover and divider but no bottle holder.

kurtp13

Do you have pictures of your bag? I see a couple of Lowepro bags called Utility. I didn't see a photo, only text describing the bag in the earlier post.

The family of bags that is related to mine comes in one version smaller and another version larger. The front clasp position is a tip off to which one is which.

residuenyc

See the link in my last reply for a couple pictures. It's a very small bag so I had to remove the S frame wings entirely. I used zip ties to secure it.
The model is S&F Utility Bag 100 AW

Here's another view

homesweetglobe

Looks great guys! I'm thinking about doing something similar with a small Eagle Creek duffel bag (Small Duffel Bag | Weekend Duffel Bag | Eagle Creek®) for multi-modal travel.

kurtp13

The bag I bought is on sale again for $15 with free shipping in case anyone is interested. I have been very happy with the size and the construction.

Lowepro Nova Sport 35L AW Shoulder Bag, Pepper Red LP36609

bike.gang.uk

Looks perfect, just ordered one from UK ebay, more expensive but I think it will be worthy. thanks

homesweetglobe

Thanks for the heads up!

I'm also keen to hear about any other successful DIY Brompton bag experiments that folks have had.

kurtp13

The Gray color is now on sale for those who thought the orange-red color was too crazy or didn't match your bike. $15 with Free Shipping.

Can't beat the price IMO

Lowepro Nova Sport 17L AW Shoulder Bag, Slate Gray LP36610

BassNotBass

I found a Skil tool bag at a consignment shop for a couple of bucks, sewed on some paracord loops and lashed it onto a Brompton bag frame. It's voluminous when closed but can also be left open to increase capacity. I also have a bright yellow nysil cover that will protect the bag's contents when it's in the open or closed position.

kurtp13

The bag I purchased in gray is now at a price I think is a new low, although it requires a rebate redemption. $9.99 with free shipping. I'm not sure why this has been offered so frequently at such a big discount. It's really well constructed. Maybe it's not as good a camera bag as other competitor's models. But it makes a great Brompton bag.

Lowepro Nova Sport 35L AW Shoulder Bag, Slate Gray LP36608

George3

IMO it saves a time and money to strap a large backpack or trolley-bag vertically to the saddle on the rear rack of a Brompton.





If the Brompton is folded, the backpack can be carried on the back, leaving one hand free to carry the Brompton on stairs, and the other to grab the banister for stability. If a trolley-bag is used, or a front-bag, one cannot hold the banister carrying the Brompton and the bag.

Or one could use a wheeled backpack, also known as backpack trolley, to keep a hand free for the banister:

fietsbob

I have Used an Ortlieb Camera Bag as a handlebar bag , using some R&K/Klick Fix Parts.

George3

This technique may reduce saddle pain, by reducing the weight that rests on the saddle. In this setup it is obviously safest, to put the heaviest items under in the backpack, to prevent it from getting top-heavy, for more stability to the sides and rear. But it is always wise to bend ones back forward in climbing, to prevent backward prancing of the folding-bike, due to the small wheel-base of folding bikes.

George3

This may be important on for example high stairs on trainstations, where you cannot leave your backpack unattended, if you travel alone.