If I get a messenger bag will I become a fakenger?

DonDaddyD

Ok, I look like a tramp.

Today, like everyday I iron my work clothes (shirt, trousers and jumper - :twisted: yes my girlfriend should do this :twisted: - or at least it would be nice - but she can't iron, I should have enquired about this when we started dated... :roll: ).

I then fold my work clothes into flat and neat parcels before placing them into my rucksack (this is where I'm going wrong). I then put rucksack on my back and cycle about 8miles to work (I think its 8miles the cold weather has destroyed my cycle computer - except for the speedo).

By the time I get to work my clothes look like I do when I get dumped. Crumbled, dishevelled and hopeless. For the rest of the working day I look like a tramp.

So, a flat rectangle shaped top loading courier bag may be my saviour. My only fear, will I look like a fakenger if I have one. Yes, I'd rather look like a tramp at work and at meetings than a fakenger when cycling to and from work....

Any suggestions of courier/messenger bags would be appreciated.

Aidanw

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LGsI1SyGqRM

STEFANOS4784

DonDaddyD wrote:

yes my girlfriend should do this.

:shock: :shock: :arrow:



Any-hoo, i keep an iron at work as my endeavors to keep my clothes flat have always failed

majormantra

If you ride a geared bike perhaps no one will mind the messenger bag. That Eagle Creek thing looks like a good solution actually...

Matthew

don_don

DDD,

I think you'll be OK with just the courier bag. However, if you also have the following then you'll definitely be a fakenger:

Fixie with handlebars no more than 12" wide
3/4 trousers (eg. Rapha fixed shorts)
Sidi mtb shoes
Cable lock round your waist.

I'd also avoid putting a 'mobile phone holder' on the bag strap where a walkie-talkie would go.

Or you could search out the thread from a few weeks back about rolling clothes up into a tube shape to stop them getting creased. I'm not sure how much better a courier bag would be than a rucksack.

Don't let LiT hear you saying the GF should do the ironing, you'll be for the high jump

il_principe

Your on gears so you shouldn't.

I'm sure I do but then:
1: I don't care
2: I have drop bars and a freewheel.

lost_in_thought

don_don wrote:

Don't let LiT hear you saying the GF should do the ironing, you'll be for the high jump

I can't iron for toffee. An ex used to do my ironing, which stank a bit of feminism. Now I pay the laundrette down the road to do it.

For the crumpled shirt issue, you should try rolling rather than folding. It is better.

I wouldn't get a courier bag, because it looks like it would be uncomfortable and annoying.

Also, I have panniers, which are much better for keeping clothes in good nick. They move around less as you ride, you see.

Jay dubbleU

Leave a set of clothes at the office - backpacking experience shows you're always better rolling clothes than folding - works with trousers but shirts are a bit more tricky - courier bags always look awkward to me and really the're meant for documents which won't fit in a backpack

il_principe

lost_in_thought wrote:

don_don wrote:

Don't let LiT hear you saying the GF should do the ironing, you'll be for the high jump

I can't iron for toffee. An ex used to do my ironing, which stank a bit of feminism. Now I pay the laundrette down the road to do it.

For the crumpled shirt issue, you should try rolling rather than folding. It is better.

I wouldn't get a courier bag, because it looks like it would be uncomfortable and annoying.

Also, I have panniers, which are much better for keeping clothes in good nick. They move around less as you ride, you see.

Completely the oppo - I spose that's the reason people who cycle with stuff 'em day in day out choose them. I've found it to be comfier than a rucksuck, a snugger fit and of course roomier and easier to access. Mine has an external pocket for my D Lock and cable and an internal tool pouch as well as a chest.waist strap. Love it so much I'm getting another one. Also love the fact that I can have it customised to my requirements in terms of looks and layout. But then I am a massive tart.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

I am a massive tart.

You are, you are...

I would argue that they're nowhere near as comfortable and roomy as a pannier bag or two... but then nobody wants panniers anyway so it's a little bit pointless.

I was warned off them because, despite the little underarm strap, they put all the weight principally on one shoulder, which isn't good for your back. At least with a rucksack it's evenly spread.

They do look better than a rucksack on the hipster scale, and have a mental (as opposed to actual) FCN modifier attached to them for me...

Clever Pun

lost_in_thought wrote:

don_don wrote:

Don't let LiT hear you saying the GF should do the ironing, you'll be for the high jump

I can't iron for toffee. An ex used to do my ironing, which stank a bit of feminism. Now I pay the laundrette down the road to do it.

*Lazy five* 75p for a shirt to be iron is where it's at for me

I wear a courier bag, it's better for what I need and I wear sidi mtb shoes

couriers/fakengers look crusty or arty not like 'cyclists'

biondino

Fourth thumbs up to rolling here. I don't have to dress smartly for work but crumpled = bad and rolling seems to cover most bases - though without smart shirts to judge I have to say ymmv.

SJLcp

Courier bags are great - they just take a while to get used to after rucksacks - but they are really comfy and useful - also useful as a day bag or "manbag"

My tip on clothes is to simply roll them up rather than folding them - also with shirts - buy 100% cotton shirts and iron from damp - they don't crease as easily (really)

always_tyred

lost_in_thought wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I am a massive tart.

You are, you are...

I would argue that they're nowhere near as comfortable and roomy as a pannier bag or two... but then nobody wants panniers anyway so it's a little bit pointless.

I was warned off them because, despite the little underarm strap, they put all the weight principally on one shoulder, which isn't good for your back. At least with a rucksack it's evenly spread.

They do look better than a rucksack on the hipster scale, and have a mental (as opposed to actual) FCN modifier attached to them for me...

I use a courier bag because (a) I hate panniers - they impede bunny hops and so forth and (b) I hate rucksacks, which I find restrictive around the shoulders and neck.

Courier bags rest on the small of your back when riding, so you don't feel much, if any, weight through the shoulder strap. Mine is usually completely slack when I'm just transporting a couple of shirts.

The problem is the strap that comes across the front. I'm used to it but for heavier or bulkier loads, stopping the bag from becoming a handbag is an issue, requiring a tight strap diagonally across your ribs.

For big loads - courier bags are crap.
For small loads - e.g. 5 shirts at the start of the week and some odds and ends - I forget its there.

greg66_tri_v2.0

lost_in_thought wrote:

I was warned off them because, despite the little underarm strap, they put all the weight principally on one shoulder, which isn't good for your back. At least with a rucksack it's evenly spread.

Ah. So *that's* where I'm going wrong ...

In fact, when you're riding the weight is mostly on your back rather than your shoulder.

Panniers, schmanniers. Only good for two things: looking like an uncool person who got lost cycling round France, and bumping up your FCN score.

When you ask the Viner people to add mounting points for pannier racks, I reckon we'll be able to hear their screams from here :shock:

greg66_tri_v2.0

don_don wrote:

DDD,

I think you'll be OK with just the courier bag. However, if you also have the following then you'll definitely be a fakenger:

Fixie with handlebars no more than 12" wide
3/4 trousers (eg. Rapha fixed shorts)
Sidi mtb shoes
Cable lock round your waist.

I'd also avoid putting a 'mobile phone holder' on the bag strap where a walkie-talkie would be

Wot he said. Jeans with the drive side leg rolled up is also a marker.

gert_lush

I love my pannier for work, laptop fits nicely in it and then the shirt and tie combo can sit nicely on the scrunched up powercable and mid morning snack, admitedly I am not the smartest person at work, but having said that, i'm not if I drive so not change there then
I always thought the courier bags look a bit awkward and would move around a lot when riding, but have never actually used one so cant comment..they do look much cooker though

thedaffodilfish

I have a "suit carrier" panier from Altura, but they don't make them any more.

Back in my more organised days I'd come in on a monday with 5 shirts and my suit and a towel and my shoes, all in neat comparments. No creases!

Now that I'm down with the kidz, I wake up as late as possible, fold an ironed shirt into an Eagle Creek shirt pack, stick this into my messenger bag (fits perfectly snug) and peddle off to work in my 3/4 baggies on my road bike. 20 minute shower and change at work and I'm good to go.

My shirts are *always* crisp and neat. (there should be FCN modifier for creased/crisp shirts)

Actually, a plastic bag is just as good as the Eagle Creek pack... once you learn how to fold properly.

So basically:
Free poly bag > £30 messenger bag+ £10 eagle creek pack > Suit Carrier Pannier...

lost_in_thought

Greg66 wrote:

Panniers, schmanniers. Only good for two things: looking like an uncool person who got lost cycling round France, and bumping up your FCN score.

When you ask the Viner people to add mounting points for pannier racks, I reckon we'll be able to hear their screams from here :shock:

I'm a GIRL. I like to carry lots of stuff. It wouldn't all fit in a backpack/messenger bag. And what's more diagonal shoulder straps are not comfy or a good look on our kind. Also it would do my back in.

However, I will not be adding panniers to my shiny new bike...

greg66_tri_v2.0

Honestly. Playing the "gurl" card. Tsk tsk.

M

T

F

U

You must have seen that one coming, shurely? :shock:

lost_in_thought

Ah cr@p.

Walked into that one.

Damn it self, get it together.

redvee

Where's Dave the Trucker?

When a man dresses as a woman its called a transvetite but what about the reverse, a woman dressing as a man ?

lost_in_thought

redvee wrote:

Where's Dave the Trucker?

When a man dresses as a woman its called a transvetite but what about the reverse, a woman dressing as a man ?

Still a transvestite. Sorry to disappoint...

The Chingford Skinhead

What is all this anti-pannier nonsense :?: Whether the weight is on the bike or on you you have to propel it anyway so, anyone with a brain cell makes the bike take the weight rather than the shoulder or back.

This is the same as all my cool friends who freeze to death wearing smart shoes in winter rather than a pair of DMs. "oh but it looks cool" - no mate, the blue shivering look is never cool.

And somebody earlier mentioned a "man-bag" :!: No Such Thing. It's a handbag. Just the same as an Alice band is an Alice band and not an "Alan band". MTFU - if you want to wear / own women's apparel that is fine, just be honest about it. It's only slightly worse than the "lads" who buy "lads mags". If you get off on cheap titilation then grow some b :arrow: ll :arrow:cks and reach for the top shelf!

I'm a pannier man and proud

greg66_tri_v2.0

Yeah, but if you've got paniers you'll fill them up. I know this for a fact cos MrsG66's are choka full of accumulated crap that she never clears out.

Now I can get a lot in my bag - two lever arch files, laptop, power supply, misc clothes, but if it's going on my back I won't pack it unless it's absolutely necessary.

Maybe it comes down to whether you like to travel light as can be, or take a lot just in case.

The Chingford Skinhead

Greg66 wrote:

Yeah, but if you've got paniers you'll fill them up. I know this for a fact cos MrsG66's are choka full of accumulated crap that she never clears out.

Now I can get a lot in my bag - two lever arch files, laptop, power supply, misc clothes, but if it's going on my back I won't pack it unless it's absolutely necessary.

Maybe it comes down to whether you like to travel light as can be, or take a lot just in case.

Whoa whoa hang on there. You can't base your argument upon what MrsG66 does! When we go away for a weekend away I'll pack one small holdall, Mrs TCS and little miss TCS pack a couple of jumbo sized suitcases each. That's not an argument against suitcases, it's an argument against assuming that me and Mrs TCS have the same idea of "essentials" or packing "light"

snooks

DDD, I know it goes against the grain....but couldn't you drive cough/splutter/choke it in on Mondays with a weeks worth of shirts and trousers etc?

Then you can just bring the scrumpled shirts home with you each day and wash em ready for the next week.

OR

Just get one of dem der shirty things and 4 coat hangers, and carry all your shirts in once a week, hang em up, then by Friday you might have one without creases

OR

Get a different job where you don't need to wear a shirt

OK the last one is a bit radical, but there's no disputing my logic!!!!

lost_in_thought

Well now me, I pack work gear, clothes, sometimes shoes, washbag (for the shower when I get to work), little handbag, lock, multitool, notebook. That's everyday.

The second pannier is gym stuff, every second day.

Sometimes I carry a laptop, files, notes, floorplans, other big things, sometimes I carry shopping.

Either way, not excessive and I don't leave stuff in them!

So nyerrrrrrrrrrr. :P

redvee

LiT carries all the above and will still scalp you. LiT wins :oops:

rb1956

I'm with LiT here. Whether it's a rack, panniers, a proper big saddlebag or whatever, I prefer to carry my loads on my bike, not my person.

Messengers prefer messenger bags because 1) They're always hopping on and off the bike to deliver and pick-up, and need to carry their cargo with them. 2) They want access to the bag without having to take it off every time as they would with a backpack. 3) In Sydney at least, backpacks make your back sweat and become uncomfortable very quickly.

There are lots of options for carrying office clothes on a bike. With a rack, you can even carry one of those garment bags hanging on either side of the wheel. There is a company that sells one designed for the purpose, but I've done it with one just purchased from a normal luggage shop.

Edit: Of course now that I ride a folding bike, I'd have to rig something like the Dahon touring rack to hang a garment bag. Fortunately, these days I don't have to wear a suit to work.

greg66_tri_v2.0

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

Whoa whoa hang on there. You can't base your argument upon what MrsG66 does!

Bwahahahahahhahaha!

You think I have a choice? I have to base every argument on what She does. Otherwise I'm toast.