sers

yes, i'm starting another bag thread. here's why:

I have a chrome citizen, which I love. It's a great bag for general stuff, like commuting and getting around town. That said, theres a non negligible amount of times that I need to carry larger or odd sized loads, be it more groceries, laundry or beer that i can cram in the chrome. I'm looking to get a very large bag.

tentatively, I'm considering the PAC designs Ultimate OS and the Reload Backpack. I favor the PAC because of the X-Strap that i can use for heavier loads, while still having a shoulder bag for lighter loads. That said, it's pretty damn expensive. However I wonder if the the colossal Reload Backpack might be more comfortable.

I would really appreciate input from those of you who rock really large bags. I'm by no means ruling out offerings from other manufacturers - although I have my doubts about the Chrome Kremlin's viability

The main things i'm concerned about are:
1) comfort
2) stability while riding
3) ease of putting on and securing with a heavy load

screamingveg

Seagull Bags is working on a backpack design right now. McKewen (the guy who runs it) wants to have it cheap, huge, and awesome. He also just made a new design for an XL single-strap bag, and he can do crazy stuff with his designs to fit your needs.

Look him up at www.myspace.com/seagullbags

chimblysweep

i heart my under the weather - it's freaking huge and unbelievably perfect.
i bought a seatbelt on ebay and they put it in the strap for me.
it's crazy stable.
and they custom stitch - bonus.

the PAC's supposed to be awesome but the X strap sucks for girls.

sanford_w/o_son

bailey superpro is fine with concerns 1) and 2), but i think gets big points for 3). it's really easy to adjust the strap length while the bag is on your back, to accomodate for the amount of stuff you put in there.

agree that the pac seems awesome but is expensive.

sashae

The PAC is ludicrously great. I just got mine, and it's easily the best bag I've had the fortune to use. If you need pictures of a real one, I can take some comparatives between it/REload/Chrome...

sers

Let them battle an epic battle!

pigmode

Seems like the PAC might be unwieldy when fully loaded due to their cubicle shape, but I guess not?

humancongereel

to be honest--thanks, sers. the market changes often enough and i want a big ****ing bag myself.

sashae

Ask and ye shall receive. Since the universal measuring device/value system of BFSSFG seems to be beer, I have judged these bags by beer. Here lies the verdict.

Chrome Metropolis (L) -- 2000ci

The Metropolis, inches wise, is a pretty big bag. As has been mentioned here before, it's pretty shallow though -- more like an envelope than most other bag manufacturers at only 7" deep.

Pros: Great, comfortable strap. Excellent adjustment system. Sane pocket system, with multiple small pockets/hidey spots. Feels well made.

Cons: Too damn shallow. Big bag that doesn't hold a lot. For me, shifts a bit too much while riding when not fully loaded -- seems to want to creep over my shoulder, even with the sternum strap tight. People poking the seatbelt button when the bag is fully loaded.

Rating: TWO six packs.







Next up, the R.E.Load Civilian -- 1400ci

Pros: Surprisingly big bag for the measured dimensions. Holds two bags of groceries easily. Decent strap system, not as easily adjustable as the Chrome, but certainly not bad. Comfortable on the bike, doesn't shift around. Sternum strap thin but quite effective.

Cons: Build quality not as 'polished' as the Chrome, but feels nicely handmade. Only one interior pocket, which is in the way of the interior contents of the bag.

Rating: TWO six packs and a coupla 40s (40s not pictured.)

sashae

Next up: The PAC Designs Ultimate - 2600ci

Pros: Insanely well made, with 4 layers of fabric, ballistic bottom. By far the best riding bag out of this set, bag just nestles in at the top of your back and stays put, not shifting around. Tons of pockets, including an expander on the outside "originally designed to expand so as not to crush your sandwich." Lots of additional straps, lock loop, expansion straps to tie down big loads, and a tool pouch. Comfortable from the moment I started wearing it.

Cons: Yeah, it's expensive.

Rating: THREE six packs, and 2 40s.







Last but not least: The R.E.Load Deluxe - 2850ci

(Bag pictured is a very early R.E.Load, from late 2000... design/build quality has changed a lot.)

Pros: It's f'in enormous. Would hold a side of beef and the grill to cook it on. Mine's 5 years old and has been all over, and is still in good shape (though the trim they used originally on the bag flap frays like hell -- the new trim is 1000x better.)

Cons: At least for mine, the cross strap is worthless -- only does waist crossing, not sternum. My assumption (from my newer Civilian) is there's now a sternum strap. Compression straps on the bottom help when it's not full, but it's really easy to lose stuff in the bag as there's only two very meh pockets, which get squished when the bag is full. Reflective material in the MD flag has crapped out

I strongly suspect a newer version of this bag would be vastly superior to mine, as the newer Citizen is a lot nicer. Most of my complaints about this bag have been addressed, except for the pockets. It confounds me how much their pocket designs (in all of their bags that I've seen) just suck.

Rating: FOUR six packs -- a case!

FlippingHades

Awesome pictures. My uncle has a saying -- "If you have at least three of anything, you're a collector.". You, sir, are a bag collector! (so am I, I have 2 Timbuk2s, a Chrome, and 2 DIYs, although my wife has claimed one TB2 and I'm selling the Chrome).

I think my red star bag holds 2.5 six packs.

sashae

Well, I go through them The R.E.Load has resisted being killed, but I've killed (as in completely rotted/blew holes in) a Demartini and two Timbuk2's. Sold off my early Baileyworks (which I absolutely hated) -- the new ones look reeeeally nice though. I think the PAC is going to sate the bag urge for a looong while though. Too comfy.

sashae

Oh, Hades... I meant to ask you. How did you cut your patterns initially? Are you using an industrial sewing machine, or just a standard home one? Love your work...

MAK

If you "love" your Citizen...why not buy a Metropolis or Kremlin?

joshr

Holy ****, someone make this thread sticky for the bag reviews!

FlippingHades

Um, with scissors? I have a great pair of kitchen shears that works very well with heavy fabrics. Although all the cutting of cordura I've done has dulled them a bit -- it's time for a proper pair of shears. I draw the pattern on the backside with pencil and a yardstick. messenger bag patterns are simple enough that it only takes me a couple of minutes to mark one out now, without any fancy-pants aids.

I'm using what's basically a beefed up home machine (Singer CG-500). It has an "industrial strength" (1/2 HP) motor and better build quality, but lacks a walking foot. I'm currently looking around at proper high-power industrial machines. My current machine is up to the task for the most part, but is a bit *twitchy* with the more extreme aspects. I've been lusting after Sailrite and Pfaff and Juki.

I keep getting the "I Dream of Jeannie" theme song stuck in my head, only my version is "I Dream of Juki"....

chicagoamdream

sashae, your radiator/windowsill is an altar of awesome BikeForums content.

Your old RELoad kicks ass, too.

srcurran

I would go for the R.E.Load Courier or deluxe and have them put on an X-Strap (see other reload thread). Its a sick bag as is, and you can get the pac functionality, probably for a lot less.

humancongereel

sad thing is....i have a bag that can fit a case and two 40s...great design, except the top flap is ********. and it's not waterproof...but i still want something that can beat it in size.

srcurran

I think the wisconsin bag is bigger.

humancongereel

wisconsin bag?

srcurran

I am trying to find the image. Someone took a reload deluxe and made the dimensions larger. He pictured it with his roomates deluxe and it had wisonsin on it. Thats all I remember.

Any help?

srcurran

(for some reason you have to click it to see the image)

taken from: here

FlippingHades

Whoah.

srcurran

post #25 is R.E.Loads version of the X-Strap. I think that is pretty gnar. I wonder if they could do that to mine after the fact? I also wonder how much it costs extra.