Chrome Metropolis Bag - Large and in chargeWell, I have been using my Chrome bag for the better part of 2 years now. I have been thinking of writing a review off and on. However, it was a relatively obscure product (I originally found it in the internet), but lately I have been seeing it emerging in the Vancouver hipster wardrobes.
So I thought, why not get off my ass and write a review. Sure you can go scan some fancy mag for a review (try here, here and here), but most gear reviews suck! Why? Cause most reviewers either need to make a living off their writing or hope do be given more gear. As a result people pull punches.
I however don't get paid squat to run FG, I do it souly as an ego trip. Everything I review, I bought with my own frickin' money. I also USE the gear before I write; most often a year. Why? It is partly as a service to you (after a year you know if it was a good choice) and partly as a result of my complete and total laziness (remember I don't get jack shit for any of this fiasco).
Like all things there are the good and the bad. Just like so many relationships in life I will start with the good then drift into the bad...
The Good
1) Big and Rainproof:
I bought the Chrome Metropolis courier bag a while back and I have been using it EVERY frickin' day for 2 years straight. I use it in the rain ALL the time. Its Vancouver, that is all that it does here.
"Hey its sunny out, do you know that means?" asks the bitter Vancouverite.
"No, what?" replies the befuddled tourist.
"It means its going to rain, dumbass!" the Vancouverite replies.
Rain can be good' it makes things green things grow and luckily for my homework, as advertised, the chrome bag is rainproof. Trust me, I have put it to the test. It works like this, I open the bag then indiscriminately jam papers, laptop, iPod, food, clothing and weapons of mass destruction (remember boys and girls assured mutual destruction keeps the world safe) into it, then go ride in the pouring rain for a few hours. I never had to double bag anything and I feel safe in doing so.
2) It's Its Own Solar System:
Just like George Bushes head, the bag has got MASSIVE space just waiting to be used. And the scary thing is I got the size down from the largest. All I know is I just keep loading in more groceries and it keeps taking it... Its frickin' scary, kinda like the things I see all the time on the DC. It's my beeeeaaatch and it loves it.
3) It's a Tank:
I am rough on it; really rough. I put in objects all the time that are pointy in places and far too heavy. I then drag them and the bag all over the city, on the ground, down stairs, over walls and through windows. I also use it to beat off cars. (Ed note: shit that last sentence sounded bad, oh well.)
Through all this misery it has held up incredibly well and looks almost new. Well almost new if you ignore the stains unsightly crap I keep spilling on on it and later forgetting to clean it off. It also smells fresh as roses; if you over look the fact I have been sweating liters and liters of my vial fluid into it on a daily basis. Ignoring these things, it looks almost as good as I first bought it. The only real thing that is showing wear is the seatbelt strap from all the times I tension and release. Its mainly cosmetic.
The toughness is not surprising, since it's made out of some pretty tough material. The construction is superb, a thick cordura material for the bag itself and an equally thick PCV lining (think Underworld) to keep the dry in and the wet out. Keeping on the theme of over built it uses a frickin' seatbelt for a strap. No sissy, backpack straps here. Nope. The good boys and girls down a Chrome bags killed a big metal monstrosity (the automobile) with their bare hands and robbed it of its best parts (seatbelt and seatbelt buckle). They then took it and fashioned it into the oh so fashionable retention system.
4) Oh, So Sexy:
The bag and the buckle make one sexy package perfect for picking up the opposite sex (or same sex, or whatever gender turns your crank). The biggest selling feature is the belt buckle; it looks cool. Kinda like you took on a Ferrari with your bare hands and won. It also helps that I have no style' this is the only thing I own that has any style. Really, it has no little practical purpose, except to get me compliments from hot early 20 something hipsters. Now if it solve the problem of when I open my mouth, I would be set.
Cool factor aside, the only caveat is at parties. Like clockwork some ass will come up to me and suddenly push the release button to see if it works. Yes it really does drop the bag to the floor. Be prepared for this eventuality; come out swinging.
5) Its Fast:
The bag has this snazzy D-ring quick release. It's a gooder. Give it a good yank and you get some slack. This enables you to get things out or put things in without taking the bag off. I have even gotten out my camera while riding on numerous occasions. The only problem is that it occasionally deconstructs and I have to put it back together (again, check out "the bad").
6) Courier Cool:
You too can jump onto the courier=cool bandwagon. They are hipster approved cool out here in the Wet West Coast. Get the fixie, get the bag, roll up the jeans, get a green Castro cap. Get rid of the brakes. Finally have a ciggy hanging while you ride.
If you line these things up together, then you too can get some hot hipster loving.
Me I look like a dork on my bike. I ain't cool. I ain't a courier. I have brakes. I don't smoke. I don't have a green cap (I don't even know where to buy one) and I even wear a helmet instead. My fixie ain't worth anything more than $50 and I got into one gear as a way to train for racing. Given the list, the bag just ain't enough to make me cool' but it sure as hell improves my standings.
7) Its Domestic:
Finally, it is hand made in San Francisco. Why is this good? You are substituting overseas sweatshop child labour, for domestic sweatshop labour. Keep it in the family, eh? Yeah, just like the south.
The Bad
1) $Cha-Ching$
While I do dig my bag, like anything it comes with some caveats/ draw backs. First is the price. In Vancouver, it's about $200 CND unless you have some friends in the bike industry. Friends are good. That said I'd buy it again.
2) Weight Restriction:
It only has one strap. Now I am asked this all the time, is comfortable? It is without a doubt, only if you are cool. No seriously, the comfort issue is more of a messenger versus backpack debate and from my view it is a yes and a no. If you are walking with heavy stuff in the bag, then its a big NO. On a road bike it is actually quite comfortable. You are leaning over and the bag is long enough that most of the weight sits on your lower back making it quite comfortable. The remaining weight is split between your chest and shoulder.
If you haul light bulky stuff it is great, if you want to haul heavy shit dense stuff (i.e. textbooks) it sucks. As comparison I also have a Deuter backpack. If I am riding textbooks and a computer up the SFU (Sweet Fuckup University) I will often not use it. If I take my lunch, clothes and shoes... no doubt Chrome it is.
3) Sort of Stable:
On the road bike it stays on you pretty good. If you like jumping your bike off curbs, down stairs (yes you can ride a fixie down stairs and wheelie drops off curbs work well) it's not too bad. How about on the trails? Forget it. For shits and giggles I wore it while riding down Nicole's on Burnaby Mountain. Nicole's isn't too hard, but the bag was a hassle.
4) Do NOT press the button:
Remember when mom told you the radio button activated the passenger ejector seat you were sitting on. Despite the fears of being flung out onto the road, you press it. Why? Because someone told you not too, smart ass. As humans we are destined to be morons.
If one more person walks up to me and pushes the seatbelt button when I am not expecting it I am going go Bruce Lee on their ass. I have had my laptop in it and some complete shit pushed the button AFTER I told him not too. I was able to catch the bag, but it could have been worse. My camera hasn't been so lucky. Good thing its tough, you can pound nails with that sucker.
5) Seatbelt Cons:
While the D-ring quick release is handy, it some times comes out completely (pictured left). It happened within the first week of owning it. It pissed me off, but I got over it when got drunk and fixed it. If it happens start drinking. Why? Because it worked for me, that's why.
To fix it you first have to thread it part way in (above right), then pull like hell cause it's tight. Now that it's broken in, it's a relatively trivial task to put it back into place. So why bring it up? Just to set the record straight, that's why dingle berry.
Also the D-ring quick does wear the seatbelt strap. Mine is looking well worn. While it ain't that bad, it may be enough for a fashion minded yuppie scum to freak out about.
"Like Oh my god buy a new bag all ready!" screeches the yuppie princess.
"I can't be seen in public with you if your courier bag isn't shinny new." asserts the yuppie pricess as you prepare the butcher knife.
It hasn't affected the functioning and I ain't going to do a damn thing about it until it tears right through. When will that be? Who knows? Probably when I am long gone from this mortal coil. I only mention it cause it seems like the thing to do on the Internet. Find a small flaw in something you own then go ape shit over it. Personally, I am over it now and have moved on to other things in life.
Conclusions
Whatever, conclusions are for sissies who ride gears. I ain't telling you what to do, in fact I don't even care. For me I would buy the bag again without hesitation. But what the hell do I know? By now I figure you have made up your mind. Buy it, don't buy it. Run cigarettes into Quebec, I just don't fucking care.
Comments
I have been using my Metropolis for over half a year now, and I agree with pretty much everything you have said.
Strangely enough, I've never had ANYONE push the seatbelt button on me.
Which is fine, because I usually run the under the armit strap at all times to hold it in place.
In that configuration, the male end of the buckle will just whip around and smash something, but the bag won't fall off.
Only once has my D ring come out in the manner you described.... and it really only delayed me by about 45 seconds as I figured out how to feed it back into the buckle.
The downside for me, is that even when its 'empty', it weighs a ton.
I put empty in quotations because I always seem to carry enough tools to rebuild my bike on the side of the road.... strangely, the bag still looks empty.
My strap hasn't worn as much as yours, but I'm sure it will eventually.
However, reading the Chrome site, it seems that they will repair it no questions asked if you send it down to SF.
I don't have too many problems on it when I'm riding my bmx.
I can still bunny hop most obstacles without issue, but manuals require some attention to balance.
My favorite feature has got to be the ease of item retrieval.
Just a quick tug on the D ring to loosen it a bit, swing it around, grab the stuff, swing it back, cinch it tight and off you go. So much easier than a backpack.
Oh yeah, I'm probably the only other guy in Van rocking one along with a helmet and a beater fixie.
Most people I see with them are just walking.
thanks for the reviews, gentlemen. I am sussing out a bag for my 16 km commute from New West to Vancouver and need a good quality bag. As an ex-messenger (15 years ago in Edmonton) I am interested in the courier style bag and am a bit out of the loop as of late. Looking fwd to trying one out...
ps...I wear a helmet too. it's rad.
Walking them to the coffee shop...
Glad you agree. Its a great bag and I would only change a few things on it.
As for pushing my button I am gonna start carrying a big stick to parties
dude. nice review. I can't say I use one of the chrome bags, but my timbuk2 bag has lasted me through 4.5 years of college and a couple years since, and it still runs like a champ. I can even say I bought it when they were still making 100% of their bags in san fran. a nice messenger bag is the shizzzzzzit. none of this 'look at my fake North Face/Patagonia/LL Bean/Hurly/Other BS messenger bag' this is the real deal.
although I AM jealous of the quick-release d-ring, that would be handy. I just spin mine around and start digging blindly through it while trying to maintain control of my beater fixie. although I ain't got no seatbelt buckle to worry about.
now I just need a green hat......do I still get to be a hipster?
Yay! Chrome bags! Their only drawback is that the herds of hipsters walking their brakeless fixies around town also have some. (I live in the Bay Area.)
I've got a Metro as well, and I love it to death. The thing really is huge (e.g., four bags worth of groceries), and even when loaded it's comfortable on a bike. It's not as comfy when walking around as a Timbuk2, but on the bike there's no comparison, and since I'm almost never walking around, it's a no-brainer. A bit of padding on the back would be nice to keep cereal boxes and the like from stabbing me in the shoulder blades repeatedly, but if you put your hoodie/jacket/blankie in between the goods and you, it works out.
I feel you on the D ring; mine's popped through a few times, and instead of doing the Bike Messenger Quickdraw, I end up doing the Confused Bike Nerd With Malfunctioning Gear Fumblefest for about 5 minutes until the bastard's gone back in again. It's the bike bag equivalent of falling over while still clipped in, I guess.
Another thing I'd like to have is some way of corralling the end of the strap. I like to keep some slack in it, but unless I tuck it in, tie it up, or hold the fucker in my teeth like some sort of pirate with a ballistic nylon fetish, it flaps around like an atrophied third arm.
(Incidentally, I'm talking with some friends about getting a CAD/CAM shop to mill these things for us. If I have a spare, I'll toss one your way.)
The rainproof thing is the clincher for me, though. It pisses rain here during the winter (*shakes fist at sky*), and the Timbuk2 bags' flaps don't fully cover the sides. Given the right angle (like, I dunno, strapped diagonally across your back) they fill with water, making your belongings both ruined and really heavy. I guess it would be more OK if I often rode around with seedlings in my bag, but I've only done that once and it wasn't raining and I was drunk. So, yeah. Rainproof.
I've put a rectangle of thin pink packing foam in between the liner and the outer shell of mine.
It really helps to stop oddly shaped items from stabbing my spine/kidney.
This tidbit is what I like to refer to as "Solid Gold". I have some of that blue 1/2" closed-cell foam we used to use camping before Therem-a-Rest was invented. It would work perfectly. I'm going to go chop some sleeping mat right now...!
great review. My D-ring has never come out, and i've been using mine hard for a year now. I guess i'll count myself lucky.
The size is great, too. I have one size smaller than yours, and i can still fit tons. When i hit the grocery store, i know that i can fill up one standard grocery basket and it'll always fit inside my chrome bag. It really looks improbable, but it works every time.
I want to emphasize the part about walking versus riding. The chrome bag is really really bad for walking with. If you're gonna try to look cool by walking somewhere with it, make sure it doesn't have heavy shit in it. On the other hand, when i'm riding it feels like nothing. I can have absurdly heavy shit in there and i don't feel it at all, at least until i get off my bike. Typically, i'll be at a friend's place and they'll lift my bag off their shoes or something, and they'll exclaim loudly about how i must be carrying bricks around....you just don't feel it when you're in a crouch on your bike.
....unless it's something pointy. Lyle: thanks for the tip on the foam inside the liner. I'm gonna try that.
Nice.
Me Rikey. If I bought that kinda bag, would I get a discount on the cover at the Fun Room?
[...] For your other gear-filled pleasure, Weasel has a nice review of Chrome messeger bags up on his site. Nice stuff. Expensive as hell, but nice nonetheless. [...]
Have the same bag (mine has a second underarrm strap, though) and agree with your comments.
Wanted to add that in the event you DO push the big red button, even if you're holding onto the top strap, watch out for the recoil of the bottom strap. With the weight of that '74 Pontiac seatbelt buckle, that strap will swing like a proverbial muthafucka and bash hell out of anything in its arc.
Sometimes that's a GOOD thing.
Sometimes it's not.
Mine does have that second strap... and yes if I have it clipped then the bag doesn't crash to the floor when you push the doomsday button. But I often never have it clipped in, hence the crash-bin-boom
On a lighter note I had at least 4 more chrome bag sightings over the weekend!!! It seems the vancouver population is multiplying like rabbits.
At this rate I have calculated that North America will be completely covered in Chrome bags by 2010
wheeling home eh? dats kewl
I got the bag. It is a quality product made in the usa. Hey, im looking for a good deal on a steel frame single speed mountain frame/bike suitable for a 6 footer. Used would be ok if its not beat. Any suggestions? thanks.
i just ordered one. the seam on my timbuk2 split from wearing on the rear tire while wheelie-ing home from scool each day. long ago i took the gears off of my bike in the interest of simplicty. thanks.
As far as SS mountain bike frames go you can't beat the price of a Redline Monocog. If you look around you should be able to find a NEW one for under $100. Used who knows. The fad phase of SS has died off (now fixies are the rage) a bit in the last year or so you may also be able to score a killer used bike.
You can't go wrong with used either b/c most the SS mountain bike frames are pretty bury and it has one gear... easy to replace any worn components
Good luck
[...] -- by Wease From: Evan Subject: Contact Form Results Found your Chrome bag reveiw and took a vacation on your site. I dig your writting man; very in my face. thats all I got. Don’t scrutinize my blog. I’m a lazy bastered who hasn’t updates the thing for months. [...]
Thank jebus for this review, recently retired my Timbuk2, and decided to get this used Chrome Kremlin on ebay for a sweet price. The thing was, it came with the strap/D ring all messed up, and I couldn't figure out why my strap set up looked nothing like the Chrome website ones. Now all is rectified and the bag is even better! Thanks!
I grabbed one in Victoria a week ago and like it! Awesome for skating around, sticks to my back nicely. Hey, any clever tricks out there for keeping the loose straps under control?
/digi
...Lyle!!
personally I just feed the excess strap into the big pull loop at the end of the strap. This usually shortens it enought that it doesn't flap around. Barring that you can clip the stabalizer strap through the pull loop to get the strap out of the way.
thx so much for the how-to fix it. i just got my metropolis and the d-ring came loose some how. a few google searchs later, i find you and your helpful tips.
cheers!
i agree with all the positives and a few of the negatives. the one thing i find that is bad is that it's a HOT bag. hot in terms of temperature. of hot days it covers most on my back and since it's not a breathable material...it's gets sweaty.
ill have to get one when my timbuck2 dies. although the waterproof isn't as big a +here in the desert.
The D-ring is easily fixable (under 10 seconds)
This ONLY happens when you tug it hard (like fully loosening) and it drops fast. Makes sense, all that force coming to a sudden stop. Four years of major hard use as a courier, never had it slip once. ((((Have deliberately made it slip under, but fixed in the blink of an eye)))
Kremlin bag forever!!! (GOOD thing the hipster whatevers don't go larger than the citizen)..actually that could be considered "a tank...too big for me duuuude"
Yep, 10 seconds sounds right but its worth mentioning as it can be a bit disconcerting the first time it happens. The bag afterall is basically advertised as being able to survive a nuclear detination at point blank (read the fine print if you don't believe me).
Anyway many years later (I wrote the review almost 2 years ago) the bag is still going strong. My only complaint is that has really started smelliing a little since I have never washed the damn thing. That and all l the frickin' hipsters who now sport the bag. That's okay 'cause I still have the stench to set me apart.
Top that hipster wannabe's
Yep, it finally happened. The hippsters have reached Canada. I was on campus (Waterloo, ON) the other day and I saw this tool-of-a-first-year kid *WALKING* with his Chrome bag on. Punk probably just uses it for books too. Maybe a slackline also since thats the other disturbingly imported fad I've seen pop up. I was slacking when that kid was like 10. Eff I hate the mainstream! ... but I digress.
It made me want to take my GOB (Giant Orange Bag, my chrome bag's handle since it is huge and orange) off and burn it. On the other hand it was a birthday present and probably my favorite "accessory" in the whole world. Damnit.
I gave the kid a dirty look. That'll learn him; I'm sure of it.
I hate hipsters too...
That said, I'm a total gear-head, and Chrome has tickled my fancy for four years now....
I am getting rid of My Citizen Mess. because of the popularity of the seat-belt buckle....But I'm not giving up on Chrome...I think I'm going to make the switch to the Ranchero...If anybody out there that has the Ranchero, let me know how it works?...I need it for the usual shit (hauling groceries uphill both ways in the snow, books...yeah, i said, I use chrome to carry books, etc.)...
Word Up!
J
Bagaboo Workhore, PAC Ultimate and Archie's Gro Bags are way better.
No back padding or x-strap on the Chrome = fail
I already have a Zo bag, so I don't need another one of these, but I would like a good two-strap bag. Is the Dually any good? The largest size looks HUGE. I need it to carry a change of clothes to work... Anybody have one? How is it?
I've been looking for a good bag like this! Do you know any good places to get it online?
ive got one since early last year, used it for books, cameras, travel and all kinda shit. when school's out i'll throw my wimpy camera bag sans straps inside it and my flim slr into the "book sleeve". stood out in hour long storms, not a single fricken drop soaked anything inside. thats some real waterproofing, no cheating with those extra funky colored integrated condom covers from those waterproof wannabes. only signs of wear is the furry seatbelt and a few mud spots.
seriously by stuffing this bag with padded inserts for cameras and lenses and you get one hell of a bombproof camera bag.
only few gripes :
its heavy even when empty.
its a nasty black hole that just makes you wanna stuff more and more things in.
durable cordura shell enjoys shredding off fibers at the bottom right of the back my t-shirts.
to corey : i suppose you can purchase direct from chromebags.com
Great review. I was actually contemplating buying one of these bags. Rainproof/Water proof is a must especially when in Vancouver...All the features are great and they look cool as well. Everything was fine untill I checked the price tag. it is a bit on the pricey side...
Chrome is fantastic but I'd go Bagaboo. They're a phenomenal company based out of Budapest and they're fantastic. They'll do anything you want, I got a custom design on the flap and he put on a seatbelt buckle by request. I also have a red tarp lining so I never loose stuff in the bottom of my bag, it's even a little bigger then the Metropolis. The company is incredible and in my book they smoke Chrome.
I've had my red Metropolis for around 3 years now. It still looks pretty much new and I have almost no fraying on the strap.
However If the strap wore out on yours chrome would definitely fix it.
I'm ordering a mini-metro today, and if you've looked at the chrome site lately, they've changed the D-ring design. I sent them an email about it slipping through several years ago, maybe others did too?
And one more thing. Chrome doesn't say this on their site. But the interior of the bag is always the same color as the stripe.
I have ben rocking a Chrome Metro bag for about 6 months now. I lot my Timbuk2 bag before I went on a trip to Portland, so I needed another bag. I tried to buy a R.E. Load in philly before the trip, but we didn't get into the city untill the store was closed, so i was doomed to suffer with my Burton skate pack for my trip. While in Portland, i looked around fro a R.E. Load, and to my suprise they were super hard to find. But i saw a million kids walking around with Chrome bags. I had never even heard of them before. A guy we were hanging out with had one and kept puttign the hard sell on me to get one. He is from SF and was boastful about them being made there. So i got drunk and went into a bike shop and bought one. I was glad to toss the Burton bag inside the Chrome bag. I agree with most of the review. it is a great bag. i hate when poeple hit the seatbelt button. it seems to be a bit more stiff than my Timbuk2 bag. i thought it would break in, but after 6 months it is still stiff and hard. this is both good and bad. bad= not as comphy as Timbuk2, good=after 6 months this thing is still as stiff and as durable as the day i drunkenly bought it. the pockets seem a bit to small for the little things i carry. and i would dig a key leash on it. I rock this mostly while riding my scooter, my daily comute for work has increased by at least double, so no biking to work. the strap although super comphy, i find it to be to slippery. if i hit a bump the bag slips off my shoulder, chest strap or not. also the webbing is slippery and loosens up all the time. i would much prefer a quick relase lower strap much like Timbuk2 and my Crumpler bag. all in all i am happy with my purches, and i would buy one again. i founf my Timbuk2 and will never throw it out (almost time for a new one), and i plan on gettign a R.E. Load (Papa Bear loved Chrome cause SF, i want to rep the EC with a R.E. Load).
Obviously you didn't read the fine print. Chrome bags can only be used on a fixed gear bike , while wearing tight jeans.
Otherwise the bag may spontaneously burst into flames
Good Luck!
Just wanted to say thanks for doing this review way back when! In the ever-changing landscape outside of Boston, my Metropolis rules! We actually have another awesome bag maker out of Portsmouth, NH up here in New England called BaileyWorks. If people are looking for another similar, viable, messenger bag i have to give the shout out to Bailey... That being said, i definitely prefer the Chrome and have yet to have ANY real issue with it! If only electronics were made this well.....
as far as that d-ring is concerned...i just tied a knot on the fly like a bowtie (half windsor) once and it never was a problem.