Product review: Ortlieb messenger bag

There are many ways to carry stuff on a bicycle, and many opinions of the many ways. Each way has its trade-offs. I would like to offer my review of my chosen method, the Ortlieb waterproof messenger backpack (www.ortlieb.com).

I initially tried a couple different methods of carrying things. I settled on the backpack approach because it was the "on the body" solution instead of "on the bike." With a rack and bags on the bike, I would have to have suitable racks on all bikes, the bags could get dirty from road goo, I would have to remove them if I stopped somewhere on my commuting run; it just seemed like more fussing. I wanted one bag that I could use on any bike, and carry conveniently on days when I went to work NOT by bike. I wanted the backpack instead of the messenger bag because I was afraid of fatigue from wearing it on only one shoulder. (I don't know of my own knowledge if that would be a problem, but I couldn't afford to try both ways.)

Finally, the primary design goal was total waterproofness. With an overall goal of being able to go to work by bike in any conditions, I had to be prepared for rain.

The Ortlieb is the best one I found for being waterproof. That does not mean it is the best. It means that in my limited search this looked the best. It has a roll top, it has no outside pockets, it has minimal straps and attachment points. It is a big waterproof bag with shoulder straps.

It is comfortable, although I did wear it on a four-hour bike ride and my back was sore after two. I can't say what would have happened with some other backpack after two hours. My ride to work is one hour and I have no problems. It has some strips of material on the back that prevent the whole bag from remaining in contact with the body, but I still sweat. No solution is perfect, I think. It has a waist strap and chest strap for stability.

The size is good. Other bags are bigger, but if I do cram this one full it is about as much as I would want to carry anyway. The company makes an organizer that snaps on to two snaps near the top of the bag on the inside. I have one, and it makes things like a checkbook and small pieces of paper easy to reach. I like the fact that is one big deep bag and if I toss something in there it is not going anywhere.

I also don't always like the fact that it is one big deep bag. The inside is black, many of the things I put in it are dark or black, so sometimes I feel like I have to dive in with a flashlight to find something. Similarly with the roll top, it keeps the water out but if I want to get something out of the bag I have to take it off and unroll the top. But those are hardly problems with the bag. They are the price of the other features that I wanted.

There is no outside attachment point for a blinkie, but again, something sewn through the bag would be in conflict with the main design goal, being waterproof. It seems that this bag maximizes my one primary requirement.

I am very pleased with the bag. I agonized over the choices for about a year before I committed my Christmas money to it, my one piece of high-end biking gear. I feel it was the best choice for me.