they can stitch any vector graphics you want as well.

Thanks!

I'm looking for one that will accommodate professional situations, and one for bike commutes. Needless to say, he's quite particular about the cuts and lines of his accessories. (Although he's not totally annoying or swish about it.)

manhattan portage!

freitag

Depending on where you live, this bag can be a bit trendy...

i've rocked a freitag seit 2003

but they're everywhere

Yeah, not into the Freitag as much. There was a time in my life (don't ask) when I could buy a large one for $50, but never did . . .

timbuk2

Crumpler is the best, very nice bags and backpack.
www.crumplerbags.com but their website is the worst.

I have one of their medium sized messenger bags and one of the large backpacks. Plus on certain days of the year you can trade them beer for bags at their stores.

if you're going for a more utility-oriented messenger bag, nothing beats baily works, IMO. Waterproof, comfortable, and each one custom made to order. I've had mine for three years now and it's by far the best bag I've owned (off and on a bike); my roommate has had his for eight years and sees no need to replace it anytime soon. And if you get the XXL super pro bag, you can actually fit a 10 year old in it.

i bought a nice leather one at zara... maybe not a truly messenger bag but it worked, i would try keneth cole also not bad for the price.... i assume ur looking a bit fancy bag right??

my sister has a decent chrome...

Here's a link to a local (to me anyway) woman who makes some awesome bags.

I was looking at the pants and hoodie chrome also makes, nice. but damn! $160 for some knickers! I'll stick with swrve for now.

seagull bags
http://www.seagullbags.com/black/

check out their black bags, simple and clean, cheap too!

timbuk2, especially if you're going to carry a laptop in it.

I got hit by a car (while on my bike) while wearing my bag (which had my laptop in it) and while my bike was totaled, the laptop was fine. To give an idea of the force of the impact, in case you doubt the quality of the protection, my bike frame was bent lengthwise into a sine curve.

when i commuted downtown for work, i saw, on average, one biker hit every 2 weeks.

the craziest one, and luckily he didn't get injured, was when a car hit a bike from behind, shooting the bike into the intersection. somehow the biker landed on the hood, and dented it really nicely. as soon as the bike went into traffic, it was totalled. so we were really happy that he landed on that car and didn't get pushed out.

and i've heard from others that the timbuk2 is sturdy. i'm not so hot on the design, though.

Wow. I hope that guy's hood was dented very nicely indeed.

I second Chrome, they're great bags, sturdy and roomy.

I'd like to add to this thread - do any of you know of sturdy, stylish, large-enough-to-carry-some-groceries, all-around decent.......

panniers?

tausche, out of berlin

Fashionable AND a workhorse.

Surfaces-
Panniers are tough, I just got one of these utility panniers-
http://www.minnehahabags.com/

I'm quite happy with it. It holds my office clothes plus room for a few extras but is not huge and bulky like some other panniers I've had and much better looking, I think it actually looks better ON the bike. They also make a grocery bag style pannier but I've found mine has enough room for dinner fixings + clothes.

Also Brooks is coming out with another pannier style sometime soon, but that will probably set you back $300.

are the answer for panniers.

I also use their messenger bag, which is huge, and totally waterproof. I used the Ortlieb while messengering. It was awesome. I still use it now: it carries shirts, waterproofs and laptop to the office, it is big enough for shopping, it balances weightload evenly across both shoulders, parts are replacable, it's big enough to use for holidays.

If you must have a single-shoulder bag, "pac" are the bag of choice among London messengers, and are made in the US (or is it canada)

Company started by former bike messengers in 1983, with a wide variety of bags.

living in gin: thanks! i'm also looking into this and i think that is one of the few options that fits my budget. i don't have enough money to be trendy.

manhatta portage is fantastic.
i've got the J bag and love it.
my 15 inch powerbook fits perfectly, but when it's in there i can't carry too much else -- but who wants to lug around the kitchen sink if you're on a bike, etc.

i convinced my boyfriend to get the laptop backpack.
again, fits a 15" --- and he seems to like it a lot.
it's a great size; not unnecessarily bulky at all.

Another benfit of the Ortlieb - it is really easy to clean.

Not for the pesants:



http://www.acronym.de/product.php?id=163


Visvim E-Cat prolly more comfy tho-

chrome & manhattan portage--i own both

and chrome makes a nice laptop sleeve case too for travel

another plug for Manhattan Portage...very rugged, generally attrractive, and just enough pockets but not too many

No Rapha bag for you PsyArch?

I was thinking of an Ortlieb but went with the less expensive Minnehaha. Since I wus out most rainy days being waterproof isn't much of an issue.

True FOG, the [url]Rapha Musette[/url] (I'm on the right in the photo at the bottom, wth the Argyll socks) is a sweet bag, and the Rapha Fixed Back Pack (That's Seb of bycaboy in the photos) is also mighty useful, but I'm often carrying 5kg of camera equipment, a laptop, full tools, waterproofs, notebooks, something for the weekend.

Thus the 30l capacity of the Ortlieb Messenger really is the business.

See now you have to hook us all up with discount codes for Rapha! I love my wool jersey, but now I need a winter one.

So do you take some of the pictures in Rouler then?

They use a raft of different photographers, but the one I know is Ben Ingham. A very entertaining man with an excellent Brian Blessed impression and an enviable collection of cameras from fine rangefinders to the latest DSLRs.

As for discounts, Rapha are notoriously tight. I'm going up there tomorrow afternoon to pick up some of the new, and some of the old before they flog last year's left-overs at Condor tomorrow evening.

oh well, then maybe you can tell us where to find argyle socks?

These Yoshida vs Margaret Howell bags I saw a couple of weeks ago. They are beautifully made, if a tad expensive:

The Argyll socks are by Burlington. The long ones are hard to find in the UK (the sock shop seems to think that they are for ladies), and the wool are far nicer to wear than any of their acrylics. Some of the traditional countrywear shops do them too.

You should tell Rapha to get some better graphic designs / color choices on their Fixed T. And make it outta merino.

I bought a few simple messenger bags from GAP and then screenprinted on them. This is the one I usually sport around town:

they are making a full-sized stuffable messenger bag, but I dont see it online

oops!!!

Just realized I posted a link to a side dish I am going to make for thanksgiving!!1

[http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/collection.jsp?OPTION=COLLECTIONS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&catcode=MAIN_FA_US.CLOTHING_GEAR.PACKS/TRAVEL_GEAR.SHOULDER_BAGS]linl[/url]

Yeah, my fixed t gets a bit wiffy after a days ride, but my long sleeve wool jersey I can wear all week before it gets funky.

I've run into the same thing with the long socks, Smart Wool over here makes awesome socks. Fantastic long socks for the ladies but the only socks meant for men are for skiing. And I can't even find an online reseller for those.

n_ That's very nice work.