Why Messenger Bags?

Here’s a great thread on bikeforums.net discussing messenger bags versus backpacks for cycling, and includes some other options for bag/pack design — including removing the cargo from yourself altogether with saddlebags.

The two primary reasons to use a messenger bag rather than a backpack (in my case for bike commuting) are:

1. easy access to the contents
2. the backpack basically becomes a nice thick insulator on your normally heat-radiant back and makes Bad Things happen to your body’s heat levels.

On the other hand, the centralized distribution of weight for a backpack can’t be denied.

As the above bikeforums.net thread hashes out, there are pros and cons to both. Oh, and if you buy a Timbuk2, you’re a corporate tool. This coming from a singlespeed/fixie crowd, which I’m pretty sure is the definitive wannabe-hipster-poseur group of the cycling world. Feh.

My other thought is to check out the army surplus stores around for something cool like this.