Since some of us use our mountain bikes for more that just hitting the trails so I thought I’d talk about a great accessory I found for the morning commute. The Keen Commuter Bag is a bike courier-style side bag with a few tweaks to make it even more stylish and versatile for the workday rider.
One of the things that makes the Commuter Bag (MSRP $100) unique is its green design and manufacturing process. Using recycled aluminum for the clips and recycled rubber for the base, Keen is working hard to make a positive impact on the environment with this bag and many other products in their line.
The Commuter features a water resistant main compartment and a padded sleeve which is suspended to keep your laptop comfy (fits notebooks up to 15.4″). The bag also sports water bottle pockets on both sides, each large enough for a 20 ounce bottle. Inside the main compartment there are several pockets for organizing pens, pencils, business cards, etc. Even with all these pockets and compartments, the bag isn’t too bulky – 16.1″ x 16.5″ x 5.1″ – which is just barely wider than a laptop itself.
The strap system is great and holds the bag neatly to either side of your body without slipping. Adjusting the bag is pretty easy: just set up the sternum strap on either side (right or left), place the shoulder pad in the correct position and away you go! There’s even a dedicated pocket to store the strap when it’s not in use.
Riding around town with my laptop, a small camera, and some snacks I found the bag gave me the freedom to move about without slapping the bag with my knees when pedaling. The bag stayed securely on my shoulder and didn’t try to sneak around front like other shoulder bags I’ve tried. Best part about this bag is that when I got crud on it from my rear tire I just used a bit of soap and water and most of the stains came off with a brush and a little elbow grease.
If your day includes a mixed bag of biking and doing business around town, the Commuter Bag from Keen may be a nice addition. Save the earth by commuting and buying this bag made from recycled materials!
Thanks to the folks at KEEN for providing the Commuter bag for review.
