Instructions for Use

Driving in today listening to the radio a fitting song filled the background as I pondered the looming Trans Iowa:

Whiskey river take my mind don't let her memory torture me

Whiskey river don't run dry you're all I've got take care of me

A flask of Templeton Rye will be by my side, and a Stranahan's bottle to finish at the end.

How fitting though that I find a bag designed for this epic ride by Epic Designs? Happy happy joy joy!! The bag was at the mailbox place last night and I sped home excitedly to give it a shake down. (Drove due to having to haul 9 gallons of water home as the water is off due to a broken line). After unloading the water, I grabbed my shoes, installed the bag (easy peasy), released the hounds, and threw some stuff into the bag to test it out. Since the bike it's designed for isn't operational at the moment:


I put it on the recently released from the D.L. Litespeed. It fit perfectly. Bonus!! I was a little leary from the onset of my knees rubbing or snagging the bag, just from experience with some pesky saddle bags, but the fears were unfounded. On road/gravel or trail or field, in the saddle or out of the saddle I had no issues. Never even noticed the bag or the added weight while riding. The zippers are easy to access while riding and no load shifting issues.



The Wrecking Krew taking a break:



My first experience with the bag met and easily exceeded my expectations. I had told Eric early on in our communications that I didn't expect it to fit perfectly or be spot on due to being my first foray into a frame bag. I admit I am blown away and I did not expect to be so enamored with the bag. I fully expected a few "darn, I wish that..." or "why didn't I ask for..." or "I'm an idiot what was I thinking" moments, but there haven't been any in my initial testing. I expected to only use this bag on long epics, but I'm loving it's convenience that it's going to become my standard commuting gear hauler.


After a few hours of play, the only thing I think I would change on next one I order (and there will be more orders) will be clips installed for a shoulder strap so I can take it off and carry it as a pack when locking up the bike. And that would only be for a commuting specific designed bag, as the current one hooks up to the bottom clasps of my messenger bag without issue. I love it when you stumble across a product that not only fills a need, but surpasses all expectation. I read about it on the Surly blog, ordered one, am super pleased with my decision, and wouldn't hesitate to refer my friends to call on Eric for a bag need.


If this were one of those magazine product rating articles he'd probably get 4-5 stars out of 5, but it's not so he gets a 7 out of 5. I paid in full for it, I don't get a huge corporate support/commission check from Epic Designs (call me Eric, we can discuss salary ;-) ), and I trusted a guy I don't know in Alaska to get a custom bag built and delivered to me (TN) in my short time line as equally as he trusted me to actually mail him money, not to mention the snafus I kept making with measurements, my delays in emailing him back due to not having internet at home, and taking 3 extra days to get a check dropped in the mail. Typically you'd send him a tracing of your frame, but in order to accommodate my rush despite it falling within a period where he had previous travel plans, he let me slide with just sending him measurements. To top that off, I probably got receipt of the bag before he had my check in hand. If it's even gotten there yet. Yup, Eric is up on the same pedestal as Walz Caps and Swiftwick. Great companies with stellar personal relationships and service. Another amazing side effect of the bicycling culture.

Epic Designs' Summer Frame Bag, Equine Inspected and Approved!