If it isn’t already obvious: I’m a huge bike nut. I’ve sold bikes, fixed them, raced on them and even slept on one once (hey, cycling is tiring). So I get pretty excited when fellow bike nuts make something ingenious that’ll let my bike haul my Apple gear. Case in point: Timbuk2’s new Basket Case duffel and their Cog Pannier.
Of the two, the Cog is the most interesting. It’s a quick-release pannier (for the non-biker, a pannier is a bag which attaches to a wire rack and flanks one of the wheels) with both MacBook (15″) and iPad sleeves. It’s built from waterproof material with welded seams, sealing it enough to keep electronic gear safe and dry when riding through wet weather. A detachable shoulder strap transforms it into a laptop bag once off the bike. Nice.
The Basket Case doesn’t come with laptop or tablet pockets, so you’ll have to supply your own. But it’s cool in its own right, as a feature-laden duffel bag with a few bicycle-friendly tricks (like a flat bottom and a u-lock-sized pocket) which transform it into what amounts to a bike-rack cargo bay.
The Cog Pannier is $139, while the Basket Case is a less expensive $89.
