Messenger bag that's not played out?

[AmericanTemplar]

Hello all,

I've been riding my bike to work for the past month and I'm finding that the PVC Fred Perry bag that I've been using isn't cutting it. Can anyone recommend me some bags within that $200 range that work well on a bike, but aren't played out? Ideally it would be something classic looking, since I have a Mod/Skinhead/Suedehead style & most things that are too hip look off on me. I just really don't want Chrome, Timbuk2, etc., & I would like to be able to try on whatever I get before I buy it, so I don't want to order online if I can help it.

I was looking around at a bag shop here and they had those Freitag bags and I thought that some of them looked pretty cool, but after doing a little research online it looks like some people have had problems with dye rubbing off onto clothes. I also think that those bags may have some cult status like Chrome, ReLoad, etc. & I don't want to be like one of those old white guys who is wearing cluelessly wearing FUBU.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[Dead_Wizard]

Jack Spade has an all black, relatively neutral looking bag for like 95 bucks on bluefly.

[sybaritical]

When the weather's hot enough, it's the inner tubing that rubs off of my Freitag Messenger.

Still love it though.

[herbology]

im in the same situation i want a messenger bag so carry to school but dont want to have one thats too played out. since im a student id want one less than 100 but i dont know what to do

[AmericanTemplar]

Damn, they sell Chrome at Target now?

I saw one of those Reload bags in person and it looked pretty nice, but the only one they had had a big swallow stitched on the front and I'm not a big fan of generic tattoo art. Maybe I should look around a little more.

I think that those Jack Spade bags are a little too metro for my taste. Man bags are feminie enough as it is without attaching a name like "Jack Spade" to them. I also think that the styling of those bags is a little too bland. Thanks for the help though!

[AmericanTemplar]

When the weather's hot enough, it's the inner tubing that rubs off of my Freitag Messenger.

Still love it though.

So does it stain clothes? Are those bags a part of any subculture's uniform?

[sybaritical]

The black rubber stained one white shirt I had on a particualry hot English afternoon, but I've never noticed anything else come off it and I've rocked it through Thailand and most of SE Asia. It's truck tarp.The dyes won't rub off on anything, that's for sure. Bags are practically indestructible less you set them on fire or melt through them.

No subcultural associations as far as I know. They're popular with designers and creative types, but that's it.

[AmericanTemplar]

Good info sybaritical! They look like well crafted bags & they are the only bag that looks as though it functions like a cycling specific bag without being associated with the bike messenger/wannabe bike messenger scene; I don't know if I could handle potentially ruining an expensive piece of gear though.

[alf]

the only people I see with freitag are japanese, artists, or eccentrics with good taste (;

never had issues with mine leaving marks. only downside as far as im concerned is the lack of inner pockets, but then again that would go against the aesthetic

if you're not concerned about picking a specific bag, you can often grab them cheap on ebay.

[the breaks]

JULIuS M0FUCKA

H0LLA

[AmericanTemplar]

I ended up getting this black PVC De Martini bag:

[RFKorp]

PVC? The way things change...

I miss my classic old canvas De Martini bag. Used to carry that thing around every day until the strap finally broke.

[AmericanTemplar]

They had the canvas ones as well, but I thought that the PVC one was kinda cool.

[Icarus]

At least you got a de Martini, that's a good choice.

As for the re:loads, all art on the bags is custom, they can come as plain as you want. Also, I'd vouch for cordura above all other fabrics for messengers.

Freitag is incredibly played-out, so kudos for not going for one.

[jizzimmy]

new futura bags are worth checking out, although they may be hard to come across.

http://flshop.exblog.jp/8906102/

[chingon]

Kalavinka x SAG.

[overdone]

They sell Chrome bags @ Target? No way.

[Blicero]

I got a Rag and Bone messenger bag that I really love for like $170. Waxed cotton with a cool leather strap.

I tried googling it but nothing comes up.

I got it at Odin on 11th street in NYC; the Lafayette street one didn't carry it. Not sure why it's so hard to find. The salesgirl told me all the people who work there snapped them up immediately.

[EddxFaze]

Head Porter Bags?