Tangle Bag - Review

The other day I was window shopping at Thick Bikes, Window shopping was all I could really afford after buying my new baby (All City Macho Man Disc) when I saw a smaller version of the Macho Man with a beautiful frame bag.

“Its a good thing I like Ramen Noodles” I thought since that is what i’ll be eating for the next week.  I tracked Chris down and asked him about the bag.  It was the Tangle Bag from Revelate Design. After trying the medium bag it was clear that I needed the large bag. So I ordered one from Thick Bikes and picked it up on Saturday. I got to admit it does add to the already huge amount of sexy this bike has.

Let me tell you first why I wanted a bag like this one. I keep everything I need for my bike in a backpack that I carry around with me wherever I go. I’m so sick of the backpack. It isn’t comfortable, and it makes my back sweaty. After I got the bag mounted on my bike I began to transfer the stuff from my backpack to my new bag.

2 patch kits
4 tire levers
My D-Lock
1 Spare Tube
2 mini tools
Wallet
Phone
Keys
2 Tattoo Magazines

I still had room to add the items that are missing from this list (but that is another story). This made me very happy. So happy in fact that I didn’t notice what is going to be a bit of a downside. The bag, as nice as it is, takes up the same space as where the bars of a bike rack will go. (at least where the bars of most bike racks mounted on most cars go.)

I am classing this as a minor setback.

My bike doesn't spend much time on a bike rack like the ones on the backs of cars. If anything it spends most of its rack time on a Bus. With the bus bike rack I have no problems at all. So while taking the bag off and putting it back on when I have to is a pain, it isn't much of one. However if your bike spends a lot of time on the back of your car you may want to consider your options before purchasing a bag like this one.

[EDIT]
I was asked on Google+ "How does it do when pedaling? Looks like it may rub some on legs?" And I thought this was a good question. The answer is that the bag is very slim and I haven't had any trouble with it rubbing. Here are a couple of pics showing what I have in the bag and what it looks like from above.

Here is the bag showing the colorful inside (which makes things easier to find when the light isn't the best) as well as what I found inside it.

Here is a photo of the bag (with all the items replaced inside) from above. you can see that it is just a bit wider than the top tube. Im thinking that I will be able to put quite a bit of stuff in the bag before it will bulge outward to any degree.

[END EDIT]

Specs - from the Revelate Website
Price:  $70.00

Weight:  9 oz

Volume:
Small - 225 cubic inches
Medium - 275 cubic inches
Large - 350 cubic inches

Color Choices: Black

Features:
-Dimension Polyant Xpac 400 Denier Fabric
-840 denier ballistics fabric around tube sections
-Down tube section padded with closed cell foam
-Beefy construction
- all attachment points bartacked, reinforced top velcro flaps .
-White & yellow interior so you can see your stuff
-#8 YKK water resistant main zipper
-Left side flat pocket w/ #5 water resistant zipper
-Adjustable webbing attachments with low profile cam lock buckles.
-strap keepers
- Hydration tube / battery wire port near the front of bag.
- Gas tank compatible
-Fits lots of different bikes!

Last Note
All in all I am very pleased with the bag and I am glad I bought it. In the end I bought the Tangle Bag in order to stop wearing my backpack. As it turns out I have kept on wearing the backpack and have ended up simply carrying more stuff. I have to wonder if this is just a personal problem or if it is the nature of the beast. I think I now have a better understanding for my friends with so much stuff packed in their panniers.

Really

My life is like this. After months and months of talking about Flock of Cycles to my friends and doing all I can to get them to come out on a ride, I finally managed it. Three of my friends joined me on their first flock ride. Just so happens to be the first flock ride this year with an actual hill.

Really?

Before anyone (especially those at Flock) think I'm complaining let me say that I'm not. There was nothing wrong with the route and it would of a made a pleasant change from the usual route. Also my friends made it up the hill and now have something to brag about. I just wish I could of warned them before hand. I talk constantly about the Flock of Cycles, I love the people and I look forward to the ride each month. I think it is kind of funny that when I finally get people to come on the ride it turns out to be nothing at all like what I made it out to be.

Life is like that sometimes.

I want to be serious and talk about two things. First off I want to say how proud I am that my friends didn't turn around when faced with that hill and made it up. I know many of you would smirk about me calling this is a hill. The truth is I didn't have any trouble with it either. Still it was hard for my friend and even though it was hard, there was no quitting. I am very proud of them.

Secondly when we were going up the hill we kept falling behind the group but we were never alone. Other Flockers stayed with us and encouraged us. I can remember my first few flock rides where I was the one in the back always holding everyone up. I wanted to quit. I felt like I was too old, fat, and slow. I didn't quit because back then there were people who helped me through it. People who made sure I made it and encouraged me when I wanted to quit.

It changed my life.

That isn't something I say lightly. So now I work to be the encouragement, and if Im lucky I can help someone else up that hill and give them the same feeling of accomplishment I had the first time I made it up that hill.