Which Camera Bag for Cycling!

[BLUEMEANIE]

The thing I don't like about the Timbuk2 "messenger" bags is that while some of them make fantastic camera bags they're more like plain shoulder bags and even with a balance strap they tend to rotate to the front and are hard to sprint with.

If you're going to go the shoulder bag route and want the trendiness of a messenger type bag, get a Chrome bag and an insert. They're actual work bags and as such are waterproof, cut lefty or righty and their well designed and well padded strap system keeps the bag on your back when you're riding. Pop the balance strap and it swings around to the front easily. I have the smallest one and I'm able to carry a loose 12 pack plus other gear in mine with no issues riding in city traffic.
If accessibility is an issue just call up Chrome and have em put a custom camera holster/pocket on the front.

I liken my Chrome Mini Metro to my Lowel SlingShot 200 in terms of how the strap functions and how they feel on your back when involved in a given activity. I use the SlingShot when I'm hiking a distacne to a location as its more of a dedicated camera bag.


...I ride a lot and have a lot of cameras. 😀

 

[sper]

I pulled the trigger! Here she is!


Well Handled by marksperry, on Flickr


Rear End by marksperry, on Flickr


Strong Core! by marksperry, on Flickr


Sexy! by marksperry, on Flickr

 

[BLUEMEANIE]

Nice rack! (won't be the last time you hear that 😀 ) Great looking bike too!

Depending on what type of riding you do, you wanna consider keeping the weight over the front wheel. When riding loaded; my hatchet, super light tent and sleeping bag go on the tail rack, cloths and food in the panniers (liquids and heavys low and split 60/40 front to rear) and my camera equipment, snacks, gps, etc. on the front rack, easily in reach. This provides stability as well as accessibility. Plus, the bars, levers and rack nose provide impact protection in the event of a crash. Once a loaded bike is on its side, what ever is on the tail rack is sharing the weight with a pedal and the bars.

With just a tail rack, your body weight and equipment weight are situated high over the back wheel making the ride twitchy and lower speed balance difficult.

 

[mrbrown]

That's a really nice bike! I just strap my Domke F6 to the rack of my Dahon P24 folding bike with bungie straps and it works for me. I sometimes sling it across my back if I don't want to take it on and off the rack so much.

Topeak sells a rack bag that fits cameras well, the MTX TrunkBag DXP. It has an attachment system that lets you slide the bag on and off the rack easily. It is a little heavy though.

 

[GaryLH]

The thing I don't like about the Timbuk2 "messenger" bags is that while some of them make fantastic camera bags they're more like plain shoulder bags and even with a balance strap they tend to rotate to the front

I used to commute to work a lot and that was my go to bag. 15 inch laptop, books, PDF docs, and sometimes a camera in there...probably a good 6 - 10 pounds in there depending on the day. I have panniers as well at one time but decided messenger bag just worked better for me.

So long as I had the cross strap on, I never had a problem with it twisting around on me... But then again I rarely did any sprints on my commute 🙂

Gary

 

[BLUEMEANIE]

^ It might just be my particular body shape. I'm lanky. My sister, who also shoots and rides, loves Timbuk2 bags. I think it also depends on which Tim bag you get, where as the Chrome bags are all of the same body and contour strap design and only differ in size and left or right hand orientation.

The Chrome bag is a bit of a pain to gig around in where as the Tim bags seem to have more of an open shape.
...in fact, heres a Tim classic messenger style bag designed specifically for cameras.
http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/messenger/messenger-camera/snoop-camera-messenger