by Drew Wilson

I've been commuting by bike since long before I considered myself a cyclist.  I've carried my things in an '80s era Jandd backpack, various newer 'school bag' type backpacks, panniers and even in a small cooler bolted to a rear rack.  At some point I became aware that there were bags out there designed specifically for bicycle commuting.  I'll be honest that I initially took a negative view of them, why pay more when a cheap bag did just fine? 

Last month I more or less "fell into" a Banjo Brother's backpack style commuter bag.  Given the price I figured I had to give it a try.  Banjo Brothers first hit my radar when I rode the Almanzo in 2009 and received one of their map holders (which I desperately wish was waterproof).  Later that year I ran into one of the owners at the "Tour de Fat" and we had a nice conversation about touring after he noticed the map holder on my bike.  I have the sense that they are designing and making solid products and it's cool that they are semi-local.  If I were going to try a commuter specific bag theirs would be a good place to start. 

After 20 or so 12-20 mile commutes I feel ready to write an initial review.  I hope to write a follow up way down the road when I can better assess the longevity and build quality of the bag.  For now I will say that the materials used and "heft" speak well for it's durability.

This is a huge bag, much larger and heavier duty bag than the backpack it replaced.  I put all my tools in the large front zip compartment, my flask in the smaller front pocket and then loaded the main waterproof one with my winter gear (extra gloves/booties, smart wool socks, long underwear, rain jacket etc.).  I was surprised to see that I'd only used 15 or 20% of the available space.  The size of this bag would allow me to carry everything I thought I might need and have plenty of space for groceries or other extras.  There was even a cell phone pocket on the strap, a place to hang a blinky etc. etc..  I began to see how this could make my life easier.  I did find one issue with the layout of the bag, if I placed my tools in the main front zipper compartment there simply isn't any room for my wallet other than in the main part of the bag.  I would have liked a waterproof spot to throw my wallet and cell phone somewhere on the front of the bag (the existing cell phone holder is totally exposed to the elements).  This was partly because of the way I decided to pack things, but the alternative was to have to dig through everything in the main compartment in order to reach tools.  Some people may be able to fit their wallet and/or cell phone in the pocket I used for my flask, but it was too tight of a fit to be useful for me.  I eyed the barren lower third of the front of the bag and wished for more pockets.  Given the huge amount of space in the main compartment this is certainly nitpicking.

Carrying this bag is surprisingly comfortable.  The shoulder straps are wide, padded and adequately adjustable.  There are two front cinch-straps that allow for a very tight fit.  Even without the front straps buckled there is a nice balance to the way the bag sits on my back and things generally stay put.  With things tightened up I forget it's back there even while riding singletrack or standing to climb.  I'm geniunely impressed by how this bag can make large loads disappear.  There has been zero discomfort, even on days where I stretch my commute out to well over an hour, or when I picked up an extra 10 or 20 lbs of groceries.  The size of the bag has come in handy numerous times.  I've  been able to carry all my lunches for a week to work on Monday.  When my home computer's keyboard broke I was easily able to fit a new one in for the ride home.  The only potential issue I've identified is that the bag is very "hot".  The back of the bag is padded and the bag material itself if waterproof and not breathable.  Even with the cold fall weather I often wind up with my back completely soaked with sweat.  I realize this is mostly due to the nature of my commute and wouldn't be an issue for most users.  However, I would bet that many people would notice this and want to take it into account during the summer months.

From an aesthetic standpoint this bag is great.  There is a symmetry to the repeating rectangles in the design which is visually appealing while the off-white color with reflective silver racing stripes manages to be both hi-vis and subtlely stylish.  I feel like I look cool riding with it.  I've also not yet been hit by a vehicle, so the reflective stripes and blinky loop are doing their job well enough.

Overall this bag is a significant improvement vs. the other backpacks I have used.  I had expected that the huge waterproof main compartment would be where this bag outshown my others (it's never fun messing with garbage bags in the rain).  However, what has impressed me even more has been the comfort regardless of the load.  I also checked the Banjo Brothers site and realized it wasn't half as expensive to get into such a bag as I would have thought. If I were starting from scratch and needed a bag, I think the extra $30 or $40 this bag costs versus a basic backpack would be well worth it.