Price Paid:
$130.00
at Recycled Cycles Favorite Ride:
Bianchi Bike Setup:
Bianchi Brava with stock components (Mostly Sora)except for rear deraileur, which was upgraded to Shimano Tiagra
Great, simple set up for commuting. Summary:
I've had this bag for almost 3 months, and before that, I had the Chrome Citizen, which wasn't quite big enough for my needs. The metropolis, well, what a joy it has been. The increased dimensions mean that your load is spread thinner over your back, which means more comfort. Of course, if you want to fit a lot into it (which I do daily) you have to move stuff around, and figure out what works, but I think this is the same for any bag. I use this bag to commute to school every day, 11 miles one way, and carry my laptop, two binders, two textbooks, a reading book, planner, and shoes and extra clothes, along with biking equipment and various things I might have (iPod, calculator, cords) and the lid closes all the way to the bottom and rides beautifully. Contrary to concerns that it ways a lot, and it does, I hardly notice it when riding. It rides up high on your back, so when your riding, there is little pressure on the shoulder strap; most of the weight is centered on your back. Of course, it's not the most comfortable bag just for walking around when you have that much weight in it, but the trade-off has to happen somewhere. Besides, that's not what it was made for.
I mentioned the shoulder strap briefly, it is unbelievably comfortable. Unlike a Timbuk2, which doesn't come standard with a pad, the Chrome comes with a huge, built in pad, which is a joy. Because it is built in it doesn't slide around, a problem I have known with the Timbuk2. I know that some people like the iconic seat belt buckle on the strap, some don't, but despite it's looks, it is incredibly convenient to unbuckle the shoulder strap to take off the bag instead of lifting it over your head. This becomes even more appreciated with heavy loads. And of course, the ability to adjust the strap with one hand on the run is incredibly nice.
I've heard a couple of people complain about the lack of smaller pockets in the Chrome, and while it's true that it's easy for small items to get lost in the cavern of the main compartment, there are, in my opinion, plenty of smaller pockets. There is two large ones at each end of the bag, and in between those, there is a pocket with no zipper of decent size along with a waterproof pocket of decent size with a zipper. There is also small pocket for a wallet and the usual pen holders.
But despite all the strengths, there are a couple of downsides to the Metropolis. There are a couple of bags that have padding on the back to allow for ventilation and prevent pokey things in your back (The Ortlieb messenger backpacks come to mind). The Metropolis is not one of these bags. It is easy for cumbersome loads to be a pain on the back. I've found that if I plan my packing (it's not hard) and put my clothes and flat items in the back, this issue is not a problem. I've also heard of some people putting a foam pad back there and solving the problem.
The ventilation is also a small problem. It's very easy to ride with the Metropolis and get a very sweaty back, even with appropriate biking wear. My outlook is that this is going to happen to a degree with any bag, and I would take extra cloths anyways. You can decide how large a factor this is to you.
Oh yeah, and it's waterproof. I live in Seattle, have ridden in downpours of every degree, and in even the heaviest rain my stuff stays completely dry. And I mean dry, not even damp. This sucker beads the water. Oh yeah. Strengths:
Incredibly Comfortable
Great shoulder strap pad
Great buckle set up
Perfect size
Rides high and centered
Waterproof
Very little bobble, even at high RPM's. (I'm talking 120+)
Perfectly sized pockets. Weaknesses:
There's no back padding, stuff has a tendency to poke you in the back if you don't pack carefully
Ventilation is non-existent
Some people might find it pricey, but the way I look at it, I'll have this bag forever, it's incredibly durable, and it'll pay for itself. Similar Products Used:
Timbuk2
Chrome Citizen
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