Camera Pouch

I know I swore never to do another camera case...but I lied. Here's another one. And it's pretty damn cute to boot.


I really like little military pouches with the 3D lids, so this pouch is based off that idea.

I usually don't like sticking shoulder straps in seams, but this is such a small bag it doesn't matter.
Woops...guess I should've used a flash. The bag is padded on the sides and bottom with three pieces of foam. The white piece you can see there is sewn to the side seams, while the back and bottom pieces are fitted into pockets. This allows me to turn the bag inside out without losing too much coverage.

Prototype!




As you can see, this is a one-piece pattern.
Here, relax under this tree...

Let's Get Organizized!

Just built this hot li'l cubby for all my plastic bits.
Eight pieces of cardboard from sewing machine table boxes.
I'll show you what was in the boxes (and what goes on top) after I put it together.
And below that: my attempt to organize my thin fabric...doomed from the very beginning. It started off okay, but soon devolved into a hot tangled mess. I need to put some dividers between the rolls to keep my webbing from miscegenatin' when they unroll. Hmm.

That'll Be Two for the Road

I'm sure you've seen Freight Baggage's Road Soda...but what about a double?
Done!
The Velcro'd straps wrap around the head tube and pouches so you can cinch 'em down if you're running bottles--or if you're riding on cobblestone.
I couldn't find my thin foam, so I sandwiched some fleece between the Cordura and oxford nylon...for insulation.
This doesn't come off as fast as Freight's, and it'd be awkward to use as a standalone koozie...but really, who uses a koozie? Ha.

See also Blue Lug's version (of the Road Soda, not the Double Trouble).

More people have got to be making these...but I couldn't find 'em...

See also Epic Designs and Carousel Design Works for other crazy bags you can strap onto yer bike.

Backpack

I finally made myself a decent everyday pack. I mean, the Moon Bag was okay...but it wasn't really water resistant. [On a side note: Blue Lug is making a similar Moon Bag called the Owl. Get one here.]
This one is almost identical to the Rex, but slightly smaller (14x16x7" vs 15x17x7") and with a floating liner, curved shoulder straps, and without some other things--just the essentials here.
1000d nylon outside, Top Gun poly inside. The middle compression straps are side-release buckles so it should be pretty easy to strap wheels to this pack.
Added a loading handle to the front, which really comes in handy when getting anything in your bag. I'm a big fan of handles on backpacks. But really, who isn't?
Half-inch curved shoulder straps. This is a new pattern for me (old shape). It was a little too hard to make, so I'll be trying something different next time. It turned out pretty okay, though. If you're making your own backpack, the trick with shoulder straps is in the spacing. Too close together and you can get neck rub if you wear the pack real high. Too far apart and your bag'll want to slide off your shoulders. I've made some packs where I did this and it's super annoying. These are spaced at about 3 inches.
Laminate construction.
I think I used five shades of blue on this pack. Ha.

Action Shots!
This is the pack almost fully loaded: a lightweight sleeping bag, pad, and three days' clothes.
It'll expand five inches upwards with complete coverage.

Pedal Straps for the 21st Century Bicycle

Okay, here's my third attempt at pedal straps. I just got word from my official strap tester and strap N° Two (aka Death Shackles (aka Leif Grabs)) did not hold up to the rigors of hardcourt bike polo. Mostly it was too hard to get in & out of the straps in the heat of play. So, that's pretty bad if you're playing bike polo. You know what it's like to crash playing polo...now imagine crashing when you can't jump off your bike. Yikes! Look at my other pedal straps >>> here.
I hope these hold up a bit better.

I'm also documenting the Great Fixie Pedal Strap Boom on this post. Look for it after the pictures.

I'm trying a diagonal strap this time. But a diagonal strap with a little leg to keep it sticking up. Both the main strap and leg are reinforced with plastic--to keep 'em stiff. In theory, since they're orientated diagonally, there should be a larger opening for your foot to get in and out of. And like Power Grips, you can twist your foot to tighten them. We'll see if that actually works with these.
And ten degrees to the right...
My foot.

Underbelly.
And this is how you make a little adjustable loop.

Okay, on to the...
Great Fixie Pedal Strap Boom!

With the burgeoning popularity of fixed gear bikes in the past decade has come a veritable efflorescence of fixie pedal straps. In the past year alone it seems like I've come across about eighty people selling pedal straps. Though, I do spend a lot of time looking at bike stuff on the Internets...
Anyway, here's a list of pedal strap makers, and some other related stuff...you know, for posterity (or maybe I just like making lists):

I haven't come across a whole lot of extended reviews about these kinds of pedal straps. Most makers say something like this: "We sent 'em off to the four corners of the world to have our friends destroy them doing hot wheelie bar spins and they said they fucking rock!" Maybe they do. Though I do wonder how well they'll work after six months of being brutalized by feet, rain, grit, ice and road salts...especially ones made largely of Velcro.
I recently came across this review by Doug D from Hardcourt Bike Polo. Definitely worth checking out if you're going to be using straps for polo.

Archie's Grobags (via Pedal Consumption)

AURORA Collective (btw, they're not in the Chicago burbs)

Bisbane Outdoor Gear

Blaq Design

Burro

Chicago WIG

Crank (great bags, too)

Dualism

Feetbelts (why use Power Grips when you can use the cuter-sounding Feetbelts!)

Handworks (If you go to the front page of the blog you can see photos of someone doing tricks not strapped in. Ha)

Hold Fast (or die)

Huge

JOL

Newcastle Fixed

Pinzat

Polip

Power Grips ("the original")

R.E.Load

Resistant (Check out his bags too--they're great)

Re-Strap

Veganski

Zlda♥

DIY proto pedal straps on Flickr. I like the added finger loop.

DIY leather straps (a la PG) on Flickr.

WIRED has a pedal strap how-to on their blog.

Okay, I'm tired of doing this...more will be added when I come across them. Ha.

Buck, Broncho, Buck!

This bag is being donated to the Lee Expressive Arts Elementary School benefit showing of Buster Keaton's Go West (1925) with live soundtrack by Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra (out of St. Louis). That's going on tomorrow at the Missouri Theatre. I saw Go West with Rats & People accompaniment some time last year at our local art house theater, Ragtag, and it was a lot of fun.
And, yes, we have an elementary school named after Robert E. Lee. But we also have one named after Ulysses S. Grant. Sometimes they have fits.Trying out another pattern for my 15" musette bag. This one is sans binding. Since both the outside & inside fabrics are pretty light (for bags) this works out okay. Otherwise, the bag would be too thick where the flap and body meet at the corner...making it hard to attach the shoulder strap the way I do. This is also ~10oz cotton, like the previous musette bag on this blog.
The shell is one piece, but the liner is two...a necessary concession for a bindingless bag.
Another Muppet-mouth front pocket. This is just like my zippered front pockets, but with no zipper.
No binding! Thank god. Ha. Binding is a real pain to attach on lighter fabrics.
Oh, this bag is dedicated to my sister. She has a real horse obsession. Ha. This is a pastel piece she made for me a couple years ago:
Sorry about the glare. I hope she took a picture before she framed it...

Catchin' a ride.
As you might expect, I was extremely tickled to see the Bruce McCall painting "Chimp Rides Goat" in Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World (2007). Ha.

Musette/Tiny Messenger

Trying out a new pattern for my musette bag. 15x11.5", 11.5x3.5" bottom.
10oz cotton outside, nylon inside. With some paint.
This bag is now available at Maude Vintage, downtown Columbia, Mo.


Muppet-mouth front pocket. Inside boot-shaped pocket (includes pen pocket). Floating liner.