Hiya

I've got a timbuk2 courier bag, which I love. The sweaty-back issue is annoying but I put up with it because the bag is otherwise perfect.

But if I were a girl (as my girlfriend assures me she is) what bag would I want?

I think courier bags have issues for those some way up the scale that goes from Paula Radcliffe to Jordan.

She's gonna try my timbuk2 but I'm expecting negative feedback. So what rucksack brands do we trust? It's for her 5000+ mile a year commute, so money is really no object.

I'm thinking Macpac and Deuter.

Any others? Is the Howies bag any good (or all talk)?

Many thanks.

well anything "women specific should do …

Osprey are tough enough to survive the commute for me (20 mile a day).

I'm not a girl but I do have breasts (big lad!) and my talon 33 is comfy for me…

David.

If it's for that much use can you not use panniers instead? I changed earlier this year and my commute feels much nicer for not getting a sweaty back all the time.

Women specific Rucksack 🙄

What a crock, just a ruse to squeeze an extra Tenner out of the gullible lady folk for a pack with 5Ltrs less capacity in some horrid Lilac colour…

Buy her a proper one…

Not really cookeaa – at 5'3 a WS rucksack is a godsend, they are made for the fact that women often have shorter torsos. You probably think the same of WS bikes?

I have WS Deuter ones – both very comfy, a 24litre one and a 34litre Futura SL.

I swapped rucksacks out hillwalking recently with a friend who had an Osprey one and it was super comfy, more so than my Deuter one.

Good answers.

Osprey for girls is now first on the list. Thank you very much.

Steve, of course you're right. However, she's already selected a full-on road race bike over a hub-geared/disc-breaked/flat-barred commuter bike, so I don't think there's much point trying the pannier route. Just not cool enough.

I think courier bags have issues for those some way up the scale that goes from Paula Radcliffe to Jordan.

She's gonna try my timbuk2 but I'm expecting negative feedback.

This is just your way of bragging about where on that scale your girlfriend sits, isn't it? 😉

Nope my missus has a WS Bike, which I insisted she tried, but in all honesty I cannot see the actual Design effort in WS packs (and I did have a look with her), other than girlier colours, my missus opted in the end for the post feminist approch of "you can carry all the stuff" and she seems quite happy with that approach thus far.

Tiny Torso or Gorilla like build; bloke packs come in a variety of sizes and all have adjustable straps so far as I'm aware, I don't see any small bloke specific packs, so why do women need to be flogged a WS pack it's just a rucksack…

I've got this saddlebag. It is just the right size for a change of clothes / lunch etc.

It also has the bonus that if you are a fashion victim who refuses mudguards, it makes you get a less wet back. Oh and is waterproof, which a lot of rucksacks aren't. And no sweaty back.

I have it because I ride my only road bike to work, and I don't want to have a rack on there when I go on fun rides. It has most of the advantages of panniers, without having to have a rack (although it won't take as much stuff as panniers). No sweaty back makes a real difference.

However, she's already selected a full-on road race bike over a hub-geared/disc-breaked/flat-barred commuter bike,

If I was doing 5000 miles a year*, I'd certainly want to do it on something light with drop bars, way more practical for that kind of distance than some horrible flat bar thing with no choice of position, and no aerodynamic position on the downhills – I found I take tons of extra time on my commute if I don't get low on the downhills.

Joe

*actually, looking at my riding log, it appears I am going to have done something like 5000 miles by the end of the year (and on a lightweight bike with drop bars)

My girlfriend uses one of these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Camelbak_Ladies_Helena_3_Litre_Hydration_Pack/5360043852/

combine with one of these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Camelbak_Rain_Cover_Small~Medium_16_To_25L/5360011170/

better specced than my old HAWG that I use and cheaper

I'm with Domino and don't agree with cookeaa at all – I don't have a women's specifc bike (though did try several) but do have a women's specific backpack and it's great (shorter guys should try them!)

Mine's a Deuter Trans Alpine 26 Sl – the largest women's specific bike rucksack I could find. It's nice and light and excellently designed (way better than my camelbaks) the pockets are all well thought out and it has a rain cover which is handy for the winter. Its by far the best bag I've ever had and well worth the money!

It feels a bit strange walking as the back's bent to keep it off the mid of your back (very good at stopping the sweaty back effect) but it's really comfy on the bike, the air flow on your back is great, and the hip straps are really comfy which saves your shoulders a fair bit.

As an aside, I tried panniers first, but on my ss they just killed all the fun, so I bought the Deuter instead. Really really pleased with it!

as my girlfriend assures me she is

you mean you're too shy to look ? Where's the Crocodile Dundee spirit when you need it ?

I get on great with a courier bag so maybe that will work for her. But I may not be as far up the scale 😉