The Shift Pannier Messenger Bag’s key feature is its versatility. Good quality dedicated panniers and messenger bags are expensive and one doesn’t do the job of the other; the Shift does both. Load up the Shift Bag, hang it on your rack, and reach your destination without worrying about having to carry panniers or secure them on your bike. Slide in those two books, cut lunch and phone and strap it on your shoulder. It’s stylish enough to walk the halls of business or education, and capable enough of carrying what you need. This takes the Shift Bag from simply being another bag, to a useful addition to a commuters arsenal. Your choice of ‘back or rack’ won’t require two sets of luggage.

The Shift is made from ballistic nylon, with a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) liner for waterproofing. Like any typical messenger bag, this bag has a comfortably wide shoulder/chest strap. The flap is lined all the way around, and held down with both Velcro (inside) and clips (outside). Inside, the main pocket has an elastic divider, purpose built for laptops. There are four zippered pockets and one open pocket on the front part of the bag. Topping it off, small reflective loops on each end hold a light plus there is large light loop on the front flap.

The Timbuk2 Shift in Action
This bag is aimed specifically at transporting your laptop (up to 15”, say Timbuk2), so it has a rigid back. This is a good thing for carrying hardware, but even if it’s not loaded with a laptop, the bag won’t fold or curve to the shape of your back like other bags. It doesn’t slide around if the strap is adjusted properly to fit, but it can feel a little bulky. The wide strap is comfortable with a load though it’s not a long-haul bag by any means. At the end of my 20km commute, the solid back was just beginning to get uncomfortable against my spine. A more upright rider however may not have this problem when using it as a messenger bag. Of course, using it on a rack avoids this altogether.

Like the Goody Box, Timbuk2 says the Shift Bag is watertight. The flap certainly folds over to cover a lot, but there’s no internal zipper to close the main compartment so I believe it would be inevitable that some water would find a way in. Light showers wouldn’t be a problem, but get caught in a heavy downpour and you might want to think about other means of keeping things safely dry.

The large front flap light loop is quite thick, but seems to handle a blinky light well. Lights with shorter clips seem to struggle to stay on, but an elastic band keeps them in place.

To hang it on a rack, just undo the Velcro straps, turn the clips out, and pull the hook down on its elastic cord. As this is meant to be a multi-purpose bag, it may take some fine-tuning with the clips and hook to position the bag on a rack. It sits high compared to some dedicated panniers, so the weight may take some getting used to as it affects the handling of the bike. In my testing, the Shift Bag sat far enough away to prevent heel-strike, though you may want to shorten the front straps or tuck them in to avoid them flapping around while on the road.

I didn’t find the pannier clips or hook overly intrusive when using it as a messenger bag, but you can get a jersey pocket hooked up as you take it off. Aside from the stiffness of the bag, there’s no padding or other protection for the contents. So dropping it, or dropping the bike while its in place, could create problems for your hardware.

The Shift Bag does have the same issue many messenger style bags do, in that the main compartment is one big space. Smaller things can get lost towards the bottom, and you may have to dig around to find just what you want once you stop. The zippered front pockets are expandable, ideal for those smaller important items, and remain readily accessible. The strap is adjustable with a one-handed clip, which makes it very easy to swing it around your body or take it off.

Those looking at quality messenger bags will easily find themselves looking at price tags beyond the $120 mark. Those looking at panniers can spend $60 for a water-resistant pair, and beyond $100 for a quality, waterproof pair. At $159.95, the Shift Bag is a viable alternative for those who require the versatility of both, along with a bit of style.

If you’re never going to use this on a rack, a dedicated messenger bag or backpack is probably a better choice in terms of space and waterproofing. If you’ve no need for a wearable bag during your ride, panniers are a better choice for the money. The Shift Bag comes into its own when you have to switch modes. It’s perfect if you ride to work and then need to carry your gear to a meeting without looking out of place.

Do you or don’t you?
Consider buying the Shift Bag if:

• you want a jack-of-all-trades bag
• you have a rack and need a more stylish, portable bag for when you reach your destination
• you carry a smaller laptop and find laptop backpacks too bulky or uncomfortable

The Timbuk2 Shift Pannier Messenger Bag retails for $159.95 and you can pickup Timbuk2 gear at all good bike stores.

If your local bicycle shop doesn’t carry Timbuk2 yet, give the importer a call Phoenix Leisure Group on 02 9552 6900 or send them an email: info@plg.com.au

Fast forward about a decade and a half to the present and I am still using this bag. Now, the subject of this review is a messenger bag by Australian company Brisbane Outdoor Gear.

Brisbane Outdoor Gear (BOgear) makes a range of messenger bags as well as toe straps and other accessories. Their messenger bags start at the hip pouch sized Love Handle and go up to the absolutely mammoth Elephantitus. The linings of the bags are recycled from old billboard signs and truck tarps, this gives each bag a unique print on the inside as well as making them waterproof. The outside is constructed of a black textured nylon with the straps made from recycled seatbelts and buckles. In fact, for all of their messenger bags, Brisbane Outdoor Gear incorporates parts using recycled materials.

The model I have tested over the past month is the mid range model, the Papermunky. It’s inside capacity is rated at 8 bottles of Bundy according to the website. This is about enough to fit a laptop, some clothes and books in the main compartment. Directly behind the flap there are little pockets for pens, wallets and other small items that would otherwise get lost in the main compartment. The flap is closed by velcro strips which run vertically on the bag, this means that even if it is stuffed full it’ll still be able to close securely, a nice feature. The flap also secures with a pair of buckles so you can be completely sure nothing will fall out whilst riding.

These buckles also feature little velcro tabs on the ends so once you have buckled the flap down tight and have cinched the straps you can velcro the ends onto the bag itself – this means you don’t have little straps flapping about when you ride.

The main strap is unpadded which is fine unless you’re holding something particularly heavy over a longer ride, the larger bags feature padded straps however I would probably prefer it padded on this model as well. Single shoulder strap bags typically rotate around the body whilst riding, typically this is a problem with the bent over position on racing style bikes. To prevent this the Papermunky has a second strap which wraps around the waist. This ensures the bag stays in place, even when fully loaded. The waist strap needs to be undone if you want to either take off the bag or rotate it around the front to get something out.

The bag has some loops for attaching lights, the only suggestion I have is that maybe a few reflective stripes could be useful for visibility on the bag as well. During the review period I rode several times in the wet and my cargo remained bone dry. The secondary strap meant the bag always stayed in place whilst riding. The stitching is top notch and the quality of the material is also high quality, I generally get the feeling this thing will last a long time. This is great value for an Australian made and environmentally conscious bag, built for day-in day-out work.

The Papermunkey comes in a range of designs and retails for $125 direct from Brisbane Outdoor Gear. For $15 extra can be delivered throughout Australia, order online: www.bogear.com.au