Breifcase/commuting advice please

[Mike Gayler]

I've now got a posh job (ie it means I've got to wear a suit!), and occasionally need to carry A4
size papers (and sandwiches) both to/from home and across Leicester without mangling them.

I'm attracted to the Carradice BikeBureau bag as a bike freindly breifcase, but, I want the
flexibility of being able to move the bag between any of three (yes count-em) bikes - and I've not
found anywhere anything positive that says that spare Kickfix mountings are available (and before
you ask - I have emailed Carradice, and had no reply).

I don't need the padding required for a laptop.

So, I come to you, dear readers for your advice on what I should buy to carry A4 documents without
scrunching them, and is movable between bikes (and doesn't cost an arm & a leg)

Mike Leicester

 

[Richard Bates]

On Thu, 29 May 2003 18:17:03 GMT, Mike Gayler <[email protected]> in
<[email protected]> wrote:

>So, I come to you, dear readers for your advice on what I should buy to carry A4 documents without
>scrunching them, and is movable between bikes (and doesn't cost an arm & a leg)

Dare I say it, Halfords do a Briefcase Pannier. Has two hooks and one strong clip to secure to the
left side of your luggage rack (if you have sufficient heel clearance it might fit the right), with
a further adjustable clip lower down to secure to the axle-end of the rack.

Also has shoulder strap, handle, pockets for pens, keyring clip, mobile phone pouch, and a front
pocket on the flap.

Only drawback I have found so far is the lack of waterproof cover.

Cannot remember how much it cost me but it gets my vote.

I used to have a karrimor one which again only fitted the left side of the luggage rack but the zip
bust eventually.

Hope this helps.

Love and flaps from Rich x

--
Two fish suddenly swim into a brick wall. Damn! To reply put only the word "richard" before
the @ sign

 

[Cicero]

"Mike Gayler" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've now got a posh job (ie it means I've got to wear a suit!), and occasionally need to carry A4
> size papers (and sandwiches) both to/from home and across Leicester without mangling them.
>
> I'm attracted to the Carradice BikeBureau bag as a bike freindly breifcase, but, I want the
> flexibility of being able to move the bag between any of three (yes count-em) bikes - and I've not
> found anywhere anything positive that says that spare Kickfix mountings are available (and before
> you ask - I have emailed Carradice, and had no reply).
>
> I don't need the padding required for a laptop.
>
> So, I come to you, dear readers for your advice on what I should buy to carry A4 documents without
> scrunching them, and is movable between bikes (and doesn't cost an arm & a leg)
>
> Mike Leicester
=================
When I was at school (many years ago) it was standard practice to cut the straps from a standard
school satchel. The satchel was then fastened under the bike's crossbar by closing the top flap of
the satchel over the crossbar. A briefcase looks very much like a school satchel. Why not see if
this method will work with a slimline briefcase?

Cic.

 

[Johnny Klunk]

> I'm attracted to the Carradice BikeBureau bag as a bike freindly breifcase, but, I want the
> flexibility of being able to move the bag between any of three (yes count-em) bikes - and I've not
> found anywhere anything positive that says that spare Kickfix mountings are available (and before
> you ask - I have emailed Carradice, and had no reply).

I do something similar. Avoid a business specific pann. They all look pants on the way into a
meeting. I have a big pann, tie it on nice and tight then put my breifcase/laptop/shirts/lunch
in and out of that. Then it doesn't matter how muddy the panns get. I can still take the
contents into work

HTH Andy

 

[Keith]

Mike Gayler ... wrote ...

<snip>

> I'm attracted to the Carradice BikeBureau bag as a bike freindly breifcase, but, ... I don't need
> the padding required for a laptop.
>
> So, I come to you, dear readers for your advice on what I should buy to carry A4 documents without
> scrunching them, and is movable between bikes (and doesn't cost an arm & a leg)
>
> Mike Leicester

I have been using the Ortlieb Office Bag for four years. It is totally waterproof, indestuctable and
easy to remove from the bike (when you want that ease - in winter when fingers are cold, for
example) and totally secure (when going over bumps and kerb hopping). Here's a link:

http://www.ortlieb.com/_prod.php?lang=en&produkt=officebag

The bag comes in two sizes. I have the larger size now and I'll be supplementing that with a smaller
one shortly. I take mine into the office and use it around the office (but not when I'm trying to
impress the CEO )

As to price, it's probably in the upper quartile, but you get a product that'll never let you down.
Easy to keep clean and new-looking. You'll love the sewn-in compartments for pens, wallet etc.

Could I just add, as an aside, that we cyclists should not begrudge paying for quality; we say that
cycle commuting is a viable alternative to driving a car. In doing so, we are trying to convince
someone that the bike will work as effectively as a car, so we shouldn't be doing our best to look
and smell like a discard from a grunge band. Cycle commuting can have style without the lycra!

Keith

 

[Helen Deborah V]

I have had a Freedom Bikepacking briefcase for years. I don't know if they're still made.

It consists of two flat bags which zip together, which fit onto old-fashioned pannier racks with
ordinary hooks and an elastic (like the old Karrimor fitting). I always found it was better on front
low-riders than at the rear.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

[Dave Wilcock]

Mike Gayler <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I've now got a posh job (ie it means I've got to wear a suit!), and occasionally need to carry A4
> size papers (and sandwiches) both to/from home and across Leicester without mangling them.

Mike,

Where do you find bread to make A4 sized sandwiches?

How about slipping a slim briefcase into a normal rucksack?

Dave.

 

[Helen Deborah V]

Thus spake [email protected] (Dave Wilcock)

> Mike Gayler <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > I've now got a posh job (ie it means I've got to wear a suit!), and occasionally need to carry
> > A4 size papers (and sandwiches) both to/from home and across Leicester without mangling them.

> Mike,

> Where do you find bread to make A4 sized sandwiches?

> How about slipping a slim briefcase into a normal rucksack?

> Dave.

Slice a standard loaf lengthways and place the slices side by side...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

[Peter Storey]

Mike Gayler <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I've now got a posh job (ie it means I've got to wear a suit!), and occasionally need to carry A4
> size papers (and sandwiches) both to/from home and across Leicester without mangling them.
>
> I'm attracted to the Carradice BikeBureau bag as a bike freindly breifcase, but, I want the
> flexibility of being able to move the bag between any of three (yes count-em) bikes - and I've not
> found anywhere anything positive that says that spare Kickfix mountings are available (and before
> you ask - I have emailed Carradice, and had no reply).
>
> I don't need the padding required for a laptop.
>
> So, I come to you, dear readers for your advice on what I should buy to carry A4 documents without
> scrunching them, and is movable between bikes (and doesn't cost an arm & a leg)
>
> Mike Leicester

Mike,

I take it you are new to the world of suits -- or at least have been away from it for a while.

Either way, you can bet your newly-stuffed shirt that, at some point in the next 12 months: (a) you
will need a laptop, (b) someone else will conclude that you need a laptop (even though he doesn't
know what to do with his either) or (c) you will find it desirable to convey the impression that you
have a laptop (anthropologically this equates to the decorative swords of the 18th century -- none
of those bewigged fops engaged in actual hand-to-hand combat, but such a thing was de rigueur for
those who wished to be seen to "belong").

All of which is to say that a black cordura laptop case has more cachet than leather attache, costs
less and, yes, it can even carry the damned machine if as and when one is ever imposed on you.

Look at Arkel's briefase pannier. www.panniers.com. Very well-made, with lots of interior pockets
for spare tubes, tools and sandwiches --- err, I meant spare disk drives and power packs. Room for
US "Legal" files (which are longer than A4). It mounts solidly to either side of any rear carrier
that has a catch for the lower hook (mine doesn't, so I bolted a cyclo bag loop to the strut), but
there is nothing to betray its bikeiness when you are hobnobbing with the "real men drive cars" set.
(If this is a posh job, you'll have more than a few of those).

Of course, it won't do a thing for your golf game, but let's take these things one step at a time.

Peter Storey

 

[Mike Gayler]

[email protected] (Dave Wilcock) writed in
news:[email protected]:

> Mike Gayler <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>> I've now got a posh job (ie it means I've got to wear a suit!), and occasionally need to carry A4
>> size papers (and sandwiches) both to/from home and across Leicester without mangling them.
>
>
> Mike,
>
> Where do you find bread to make A4 sized sandwiches?
>
It's a Leicester delicacy (actually that's A46 jam, come to think of it)

 

[Mike Gayler]

[email protected] (Peter Storey) writed in
news:[email protected]:

> Mike Gayler <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>> I've now got a posh job (ie it means I've got to wear a suit!), and

>
> Mike,
>
> I take it you are new to the world of suits -- or at least have been away from it for a while.

Yes moved from 31 years in a white lab coat to being a man in a grey suit!

> Either way, you can bet your newly-stuffed shirt that, at some point in the next 12 months: (a)
> you will need a laptop, (b) someone else will conclude that you need a laptop (even though he
> doesn't know what to do with his either) or (c) you will find it desirable to convey the
> impression that you have a laptop (anthropologically this equates to the decorative swords of the
> 18th century -- none of those bewigged fops engaged in actual hand-to-hand combat, but such a
> thing was de rigueur for those who wished to be seen to "belong").

Ah! as part of my homework for the job I checked this out - my boss, his boss, and most of the rest
of the network use palm devices (so guess what I've bought!), and there's a base I can use at each
site where there's a network PC. So a laptop shouldn't (!) be an issue.
>
> Look at Arkel's briefase pannier. www.panniers.com. Very well-made, with lots of interior pockets
> for spare tubes, tools and sandwiches --- err, I meant spare disk drives and power packs. Room for
> US "Legal" files (which are longer than A4).

That's an excellent point sizewise

> Of course, it won't do a thing for your golf game, but let's take these things one step at a time.

Golf? What's that? (My boss is an MTBer, and his boss is an ex-time triallist I discovered
yesterday!)

Thank You
> Peter Storey

 

[Mark Van Gorkom]

>> So, I come to you, dear readers for your advice on what I should buy to carry A4 documents
>> without scrunching them, and is movable between bikes (and doesn't cost an arm & a leg)
>>
>> Mike

Ortlieb Office Bag: so they actually DO cost an arm & a leg, but it schould get you on the fast
track in no time, with such a bike-oriented management In case you've got diferent sized tubing
on your several bikes, you'll need extra hooks, but you can swap them in seconds (or build up the
narrower tubing with duck tape, as I have done). There's even an optional foam sleeve, in case the
unthinkable happens!

Mark- no suit - van Gorkom.