Bike Backpacks?

I'm a big fan of my Adventure Designs courier bag. Waterproof laptop
pocket, loads of pencil pockets and being a courier bag, it's lower down
the back, more comfortable on a bike and easier to get on and off.

hippy wrote:

The zips on another backpack are dying...

I'll need a replacement asap.

I've seen a Deuter backpack that is designed especially for cycling
with. It had an external frame that pushed the backpack away from the
rider - aiming to reduce the huge sweat patch that typically forms there
I don't remember if it had other cycling-related features but I'm
checking out their website now so I'll find out soon enough...

Does anyone else here use a backpack for commuting?

Any suggestions on a good one?

I've used ~$40 Caribee backpacks for the last 5+ years and they do the
job, but get quite stinky/wet on the straps and back and the zips die
eventually.

Thanks! hippy

P.S. I've tried the pannier option and it's not for me.



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hippy wrote:
Originally posted by Fraser Johnston I have a Kathmandu backpack which
is not designed for cycling but is the best backpack I have ever owned.


Don't suppose you know the model name?

Their website is spitting out errors left and right...

hippy



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I've got a Kathmandu backpack I've been using for about
3 years now with no problems at all. Sounds like it's
similar to Fraser's.

Checkout www.kathmandu.com.au - I'd post the direct URLs but they seem
to have the longest, ugliest URLs known to man.

My backpack is called the Mirage. I think Fraser's might be the Vision.
The quality is great and they all seem to have provision for water
bladders - I've also got the Apparition backpack just for that purpose.

Look under Active Packs on the website.

Shame you just missed out on the 50% off sale If you can wait, it
won't be too long before the next 50% off sale is on.

Cheers.
-Nick

"hippy" wrote in message
...
Originally posted by Fraser Johnston I have a Kathmandu backpack which
is not designed for cycling but is the best backpack I have ever owned.

Don't suppose you know the model name?

Their website is spitting out errors left and right...

hippy

Sorry mate. Just checked and no name. I will look at their site and see if
I can find an url for it. I remember I bought it for about $50 reduced from
about $150.

Fraser

"hippy" wrote in message
...
Originally posted by Fraser Johnston I have a Kathmandu backpack which
is not designed for cycling but is the best backpack I have ever owned.

Don't suppose you know the model name?

Their website is spitting out errors left and right...

hippy

I am pretty sure it is the underground pack. Try this url for size
http://www.kathmandu.com.au/kat/fmpf...-find=&-Skip=0

Hopefully that will work. On their site it is the 1st backpack in their
daypack and camera bag section. I got the one in ILLUMINITE which is their
reflective material. $149.90 on their site.

Fraser

"hippy" wrote in message
...
The zips on another backpack are dying...

I'll need a replacement asap.

I've seen a Deuter backpack that is designed especially for cycling
with. It had an external frame that pushed the backpack away from the
rider - aiming to reduce the huge sweat patch that typically forms there
I don't remember if it had other cycling-related features but I'm
checking out their website now so I'll find out soon enough...

Does anyone else here use a backpack for commuting?

Any suggestions on a good one?

I've used ~$40 Caribee backpacks for the last 5+ years and they do the
job, but get quite stinky/wet on the straps and back and the zips die
eventually.

Thanks! hippy

P.S. I've tried the pannier option and it's not for me.


Hippy,

I bought a Bobblebee hardshell backpack about 3 years ago and have been
using it for daily commuting with a laptop ever since. I bought it from a
distributer in Sydney but I can't remember their name. It was $300 but as I
had just spent $3000 on a laptop I figured that it was a bit of an insurance
policy. I went to a place that makes the reflective roadsigns and bought
some offcuts for a couple of bucks and attached them to the pack......click
on the picture on my website below.......

http://www.users.tpg.com.au/adsl4xun/index.htm

It has been a great pack and has protected the laptop on two occasions when
I have spudded in (it has a few deep gouges to prove it). It also provides
pretty good protection for my back in a bingle as once I ended up sliding
along the asphalt on it.

For the record, the two stacks we

1. T-boned by Subaru WRX when on the road bike (his fault)

2. Rear derailleur snapped and locked back wheel of mountain bike halfway
through a corner.

Cheers,

Gags

"Dominic Sansom" wrote in message

Nike Epic... this one is not cheap. But it has a net for your helmet,
reinforced laptop sleeve (G4 Powerbook fits perfectly), fibreglass
chassis, padded straps and back, heaps of pockets (even a special one
for your iPod) ... the works and only weighs 1.4kg. You can even
design your own http://www.nike.com click on Nike iD.

I got mine from
http://www.ebags.com/nike/epic_1/pro...?modelid=15703

I saw them on sale in Sydney... can't remember where.

That is an awesome looking backpack, but USD150! I don't think so.

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"Gags" tba@tba wrote in message

[...]

I bought a Bobblebee hardshell backpack about 3 years ago and have
been using it for daily commuting with a laptop ever since. I bought
it from a distributer in Sydney but I can't remember their name. It
was $300 but as I had just spent $3000 on a laptop I figured that it
was a bit of an insurance policy. I went to a place that makes the
reflective roadsigns and bought some offcuts for a couple of bucks
and attached them to the pack......click on the picture on my website
below.......

http://www.users.tpg.com.au/adsl4xun/index.htm

Bugger the backpacks, "...when I was riding to uni with a cast on my leg..."

Now that's hardcore. I wanna see Hippy trackstanding at the lights with a
cast on his leg.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

"hippy" wrote in message
...
The zips on another backpack are dying...

Have you tried crimping the zipper thingo?
I took my bag to have the zip replaced at a shoe repairer, the guy took it
and played for about a minute, gave it back and said he'd fixed it for free.
He'd done what I'd tried to do myself a couple of times which is squish the
edges of the slider thing back together so the zip teeth don't misalign.
The bag has been functioning fine ever since although it is a little
stiffer.
Be very careful though, the sliders break easily.

Does anyone else here use a backpack for commuting?

I use a camelback blowfish, had it for almost five years and use it nearly
every day.

Any suggestions on a good one?

Mainly happy with mine but a little more storage would be nice. I think the
newer blowfishes are a fair bit bigger.

P.S. I've tried the pannier option and it's not for me.

Couldn't agree more. Panniers are not for anyone who likes the nimble
handling of a pushie.

Drs wrote:
That is an awesome looking backpack, but USD150! I don't think so.


I know... I did say it wasn't cheap.... the one I saw in Sydney wa
AU$225 (****ed me off when I saw it for that price) which was a bi
better... it was hanging on a wall in a sporting goods store in th
CBD... I must have visited 10 different stores that day so I can'
recall which one


-

Originally posted by Drs Bugger the backpacks, "...when I was riding to
uni with a cast on my leg..."

Now that's hardcore. I wanna see Hippy trackstanding at the lights with
a cast on his leg.

For (hopefully) obvious reasons, that's something I DON'T want to see!


hippy



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