Transporting a Laptop on a Buddy

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:15 pm

Hello everyone,

Had a quick question for all you laptop users / buddy owners out there. How do you transport your laptop on your buddy? Mine won't fit under the seat when it is in the bag and I don't think it would fit otherwise.

I'm not sure that a top case would be much better. I was thinking that perhaps the prima or sx appeal vintage style top case bags might work as they seem to be in a more laptop friendly shape but has anyone actually used these to do this?

I guess the other option in to have it on your person somewhere, like in a bag, which is what I do now except that the bag I currently use feels unbalanced.

Thanks for your input!

DJ

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:16 pm

Bungee strap it with the case onto the rear rack/seat.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:21 pm

I think carrying it in a backpack or messenger bag is a better solution than bungeeing it to the scoot for vibration reasons.

Your body will absorb bumps much better than the Buddy will, so having it bump against you and not the scoot would be better overall for the laptop.

I carry mine in a backpack currently, but I am eagerly awaiting a Chrome Citizen Messenger Bag which I splurged on because it is supposedly totally waterproof.

As for unbalanced, the Corazzo messenger bags and many others have a side strap that holds the bag to your side. I've never felt too unbalanced with my old messenger bag. The Chrome bag is supposed to excel at this as well.

I guess if your bag has enough padding, strapping it to the scooter isn't the worst thing, I just feel safer with it strapped to me!

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:22 pm

jfrost2 wrote:Bungee strap it with the case onto the rear rack/seat.

I've considered this however I am just a little nervous about it coming off while going over a bump. I've had a milk crate full of groceries I bungeed to the back almost come off while going over a bump before and I can't afford to have this happen to my laptop. I actually have ridden with the laptop bungeed to the front rack before which felt just a little bit better except the bag kind of covered up the headlight a bit, which would not work at night.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. The bungee cord option is a good affordable and readily available one, I just have to see what other options are out there.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:25 pm

Oh yea, I forgot about the laptop carrying backpacks like jmazza said. You can buy backpacks made just for laptops, wear that instead, it's more secure, plus it will have less bumps and impact to take.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:28 pm

I use a backpack, no issues thus far

Scooterpup · Post by **Scooterpup** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:39 pm

I use a messenger bag and that's worked fine for me. I sprayed the bag with that waterproofing spray you can get but took care to cover up the leather portions since I wasn't sure how it'd react to the spray. I've ridden in rain and snow and it's been fine.

I will say that the only thing that concerns me is if I were in an accident, would the bag and laptop potentionally cause me more injury or cause me to fly/land in an unusual position.

maribell · Post by **maribell** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:10 pm

I use a backpack.

"Churchill," my old Dell notebook, needs lots of TLC so I keep him away from vibrations.

I had a milk crate with a 12 pack fall off my scoot this past Saturday. Heavy duty nylon ties, my butt.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:47 pm

I frequently carry a LOT of stuff with me, so a backpack works best. I have a couple I use: a beat up Ogio Fugitive (2,050 cu. inches space) and a Merrell Rapid Pack II (2,340 cu. inches!). These both have padded straps, sternum straps, and are very comfortable, even when loaded to capacity.

When I'm traveling lighter, I have several messenger bags I use. To be honest, I'm not yet convinced that some higher-end, expensive messenger bags are really all that much better than those you can get for $40 or so. The expensive ones are sometimes more stylish and have cool extra little features, but as far as comfort goes, most seem very similar to me. The main benefits of the higher-end bags seem to be in construction and materials. I have a couple Timbuk 2s, a Ben Sherman bag, one with a giant "EXIT" graphic silkscreened on it and so on.

I also always carry my laptop in an extra neoprene sleeve. The built-in compartments in the bags are often designed for a variety of sizes. I like having something snug around the laptop so it doesn't move around too much.

Best places to find deals are ebay and ebags.com.

see also:
viewtopic.php?t=878

viewtopic.php?t=3080

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:53 pm

i have the Chrome Messenger bag that jmazza mentioned - it fits a ton of stuff (including my pair of shin high GBX boots) and feels comfortable on my shoulder. plus, i found one that matched the color of my buddy almost perfectly, and i love the seatbelt buckle on the front, so i couldn't resist. laptop feels fine in it too.

KABanshee · Post by **KABanshee** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:07 pm

Definately only works in a backpack for me.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:31 pm

madtolive wrote:i have the Chrome Messenger bag that jmazza mentioned - it fits a ton of stuff (including my pair of shin high GBX boots) and feels comfortable on my shoulder. plus, i found one that matched the color of my buddy almost perfectly, and i love the seatbelt buckle on the front, so i couldn't resist. laptop feels fine in it too.

yeah I can't wait to get mine. I'm with Eric- I don't think that the high priced bags are always better. I've got a couple super cheap bags that I've had forever. I splurged on this one because of the waterproof thing and because I got a good deal on eBay. The seatbelt buckle seems awesome and from all the reviews I've read it is one of the more balanced bags for riding. I also use a laptop sleeve. Those are great for making the laptop fit into any bag.

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:00 pm

Thanks for the response guys. I'm thinking a messenger bag would be cool. The only thing is I guess its just me but I would think that a messenger bag could slip around while you are riding?

I see people on bicycles all the time with them, so I guess they are 2 wheel friendly. I LOVE the way they look, definitely have a great vibe to them, and I am sure I could get one I like, but I just wonder how you guys who are using them wear them so they do not slip around. Any advice? I am guessing the bag itself is slung around so it is at your back near resting on the seat?

I would much rather carry a cool messenger bag around than a backpack, however, I don't want to be thinking about my bag slipping around while I am riding.

I don't suppose anyone has the prima or sx appeal top case and has put a laptop in there perchance?

Thanks again!

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:18 pm

the Chrome messenger (and most messenger bags, i'd imagine) has a "stability" strap that goes under your left arm that prevents the moving around you are worried about. i actually experienced a complete wipeout on my scooter

while wearing my bag and when i stood up, the bag was still perfectly in place. ha! it sucks that i can give you that example, but i can attest to the fact that my bag aint' goin nowhere.

i suggest you go to your local cyclist shop and check out their selection. the cycle shop across the street from urban moto is where i first saw the chrome bag i ended up buying.

and i have an sx appeal canvas topcase, when i get home tonight i'll take a picture of my laptop in there for you.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:23 pm

madtolive wrote:i actually experienced a complete wipeout on my scooter while wearing my bag and when i stood up, the bag was still perfectly in place. ha! it sucks that i can give you that example, but i can attest to the fact that my bag aint' goin nowhere.

.

NO! you crashed? when? how?

sailortot · Post by **sailortot** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:28 pm

i agree with NOT using the bungee. yikes!

i would go with the laptop backpack to strap around your back and chest...or the prima case. ive got the prima and an apple laptop and i think it would fit easy. no problem...with room to spare.

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:42 pm

madtolive wrote:the Chrome messenger (and most messenger bags, i'd imagine) has a "stability" strap that goes under your left arm that prevents the moving around you are worried about. i actually experienced a complete wipeout on my scooter while wearing my bag and when i stood up, the bag was still perfectly in place. ha! it sucks that i can give you that example, but i can attest to the fact that my bag aint' goin nowhere.

i suggest you go to your local cyclist shop and check out their selection. the cycle shop across the street from urban moto is where i first saw the chrome bag i ended up buying.

and i have an sx appeal canvas topcase, when i get home tonight i'll take a picture of my laptop in there for you.

Sorry to hear about your wipeout. I hope you came away unharmed. Even if you did I imagine your buddy took a bit of a beating. Not fun.

Right after I first got my bike I read a post on a message board about someone loosing some toes and realized just how dangerous scootering can be. I was really freaked out for a bit, and I am still a little, but it hasn't stopped me from riding and has made me very very careful. I still don't have a full set of gear but I try to do what I can; boots, leather jacket, jeans, helmet, and glasses.

A photo of the bag would be great! I take it that it fits then? What size is your laptop?

I didn't know that messenger bags have another strap other than the main strap. So there is the main strap that goes over your shoulder and another that goes under your arm? I take it that these are "true" messenger bags and not the "messenger style" bags that you see everywhere, as I think these simply have one over the shoulder strap.

I guess I need to go to a bike shop and see what they have and take a look at the chrome online. I was looking at the Israeli paratrooper messenger bag that you see everywhere, but if true messenger bags have an extra strap for stability then I will get one of these.

Thanks for the help!

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:14 pm

NO! you crashed? when? how?

you can find all the sordid details of my misadventure with saint christopher here:

viewtopic.php?t=635&start=200

I hope you came away unharmed. Even if you did I imagine your buddy took a bit of a beating. Not fun.

i've still got one nasty hell of a bruise on my left calf, but otherwise scoot and i escaped relatively unscathed. thanks for the concern. and losing toes sounds uber no bueno. how does something like that happen? flip flops?

i'll be more than happy to post pics of the bag soon as a i get home. i am a pretty obsessive person myself, and being able to find pictures of the scooter accessories i wanted only fed my addiction. i'm happy to oblige, sir.

give me three hours and it'll be done.

JNV · Post by **JNV** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:30 pm

I use a Boblbee hardcase backpack. It is pricey but I have used the same one since 2002. Check out there stuff at www.boblbee.com. When I do use it over my riding jacket I do remove the back armor in the jacket but the Boblbee is CE approved back protection as well since it is a hardcase backpack and contoured to your back curvature.

JNV · Post by **JNV** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:34 pm

Sorry the link I just wrote in does not seem to work so you might have to google boblbee backpacks. But check it out it is worth the time. I use mine when scootering, cycling, and always when traveling even if I do not take my laptop.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:35 pm

madtolive wrote:
NO! you crashed? when? how?
you can find all the sordid details of my misadventure with saint christopher here:

viewtopic.php?t=635&start=200

Ahhh... I missed it. Glad to hear you and Ines are ok!! I gotta say that the closest I've come to wrecking is when I was trying to figure out exactly where to turn, etc. So your story reminded me again that it's better to pull over and get your bearings than try to make last minute maneuvers!

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:36 pm

JNV wrote:Sorry the link I just wrote in does not seem to work so you might have to google boblbee backpacks.

The period ending your sentence got caught in the link.

The correct link is http://www.boblbee.com

riancurtis · Post by **riancurtis** » Thu May 22, 2008 8:08 pm

DO NOT EVER JUST STARP IT TO THE SCOOTER.
if you know about laptops you know about the moving parts inside of them, especially as hard drive which can be damage but such fierce vibration. carrying in a backpack attached to your body preferably not touching the seat of the scooter at all (wear it like a freaking emo kid) would be best. I would not image there would be much vibration at all with that. I know if you have a mac laptop that the hard drive will "freeze up" as it were. It is a way to prevent the hard drive from being damaged in a drop. The moving parts more of less lock up. This is not the case is ALL laptops. Protect your precious
i know in the fall i will be getting something similar to the chrome citizen bag mentioned above or something 15 inches wide and padded. Incase makes good stuff.

I will get this probably:
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/W ... co=MTYwOTg

"protect your laptop and your image" haha

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:14 pm

Just got the Chrome Citizen in the mail and immediately loaded it up and rode home with it from work.

WOW is it comfortable. The whole waterproof thing still scares me a bit but they've come up with a pretty ingenious way to make it a bag within a bag.

It's big... wider (well longer when it's on my back) than I'd like but very cool.

All the adjustments are easy to use with gloves/helmet on too, which is a bonus. It's just one hand to tighten or loosen so it can be done at a stoplight.

Pricey, yes, but I think I'll be glad I got it.

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Thu May 22, 2008 10:12 pm

what color did you get?

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:06 am

madtolive wrote:what color did you get?

Olive/Black stripe.

I think it goes ok with the Italia. Like I said, I got it from eBay so I didn't have any choice but I like it.

You?

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:05 am

i got "celery". who knew zombie blood was good source of zinc and calcium?

hey stud, i pinky promise i'll post the pics later tonight. gotta go get alix drunk at the moment. a girl's gotta have priorities.

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:11 am

sailortot wrote:i agree with NOT using the bungee. yikes!

i would go with the laptop backpack to strap around your back and chest...or the prima case. ive got the prima and an apple laptop and i think it would fit easy. no problem...with room to spare.

Well that's good to know, thanks. I suppose the prima fits securely enough for you to feel comfortable with your mac in there. I seriously do not know what I would do if anything happened to it.

How do you like the prima bag? Is there any way to secure things in there if you are going to be away from the scoot like with a hard top case?

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:13 am

madtolive wrote:i got "celery". who knew zombie blood was good source of zinc and calcium?

hey stud, i pinky promise i'll post the pics later tonight. gotta go get alix drunk at the moment. a girl's gotta have priorities.

That does sound like a priority. Have fun and I look forward to the pics... of the case, not of you getting Alex drunk!

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:31 am

Ah, get pics of both

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:32 am

JNV wrote:Sorry the link I just wrote in does not seem to work so you might have to google boblbee backpacks. But check it out it is worth the time. I use mine when scootering, cycling, and always when traveling even if I do not take my laptop.

Hey Noe,

I fixed your link. It turns out the PHP software does not have a sense of humor about URLs embedded in the text at the end of a sentence which ends in a period. The period at the end of the URL throws the software for a loop. I fixed it by using the markup code to explicitly add the URL as follows:

Code: Select all

&#91;url=http&#58;//www.boblbee.com/&#93;www.boblbee.com&#91;/url&#93;

-John

louie · Post by **louie** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:27 am

we've been thinking about how he can carry his computer to appointments.

he's got a big ruckus with a basket on the back. a thought was to suspend it on top of the bungee net which is suspended across the top of the basket. it wouldn't vibrate but would bounce some.

ryder1 · Post by **ryder1** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:48 am

Givi t450 laptop case

sargelee71 · Post by **sargelee71** » Fri May 23, 2008 5:08 am

I have an InCase sleeve for my MacBook, which I than put in my Genuine Topcase, and it fits just perfectly. I had been carrying it in my Timbuk2 Hacker bag, which can be both a backpack and has a shoulder strap, which is fine, but I like it in my topcase better. It lightens up my back a bit.

KABanshee · Post by **KABanshee** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:43 am

How about a link to the chrome messenger bag?

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Fri May 23, 2008 11:41 am

jmazza wrote: Chrome Citizen Messenger Bag

There ya go!

That's directly to the Citizen size - I think that the Mini-Metro (one size down) would fit many laptops...

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:39 pm

this is my chrome mini metro bag, but there really isn't anything mini about it.

i was concerned about how it'd feel over the shoulder armor in my jacket, but it feels fine. good luck finding a bag you like!

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:47 pm

madtolive wrote:this is my chrome mini metro bag, but there really isn't anything mini about it.

i was concerned about how it'd feel over the shoulder armor in my jacket, but it feels fine. good luck finding a bag you like!

I like the Chrome bags a lot, and they are the only ones I've found so far that have the stability strap. My only issue is the price. Not that it's not 100% worth it. It's just what I can afford right now. I have a lot of gear I would like to get and either have to decide what I can do without or how I can get these things for less.

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:49 pm

ryder1 wrote:Givi t450 laptop case

What an interesting bag. Looks kinda like something you would take to the train station or airport on a business trip.

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:00 pm

scooterstud wrote:
I like the Chrome bags a lot, and they are the only ones I've found so far that have the stability strap. My only issue is the price. Not that it's not 100% worth it. It's just what I can afford right now. I have a lot of gear I would like to get and either have to decide what I can do without or how I can get these things for less.

yeah, they are pricey. if mine hadn't been a graduation present, i'm not 100% sure i would have forked over the cash for it. you could always sell your plasma tho! (unless of course, the owners of the facility are conservatives that won't take plasma from people who are pierced because they believe piercings are a reflection of an unhealthy lifestyle. i've been banned.)

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:03 pm

scooterstud wrote:
madtolive wrote:this is my chrome mini metro bag, but there really isn't anything mini about it.

i was concerned about how it'd feel over the shoulder armor in my jacket, but it feels fine. good luck finding a bag you like!
I like the Chrome bags a lot, and they are the only ones I've found so far that have the stability strap. My only issue is the price. Not that it's not 100% worth it. It's just what I can afford right now. I have a lot of gear I would like to get and either have to decide what I can do without or how I can get these things for less.

Yeah I hear you. It's a lot of money. Right now there's a seller on eBay getting rid of some for best offer.

The other bag that has a stability strap that comes to mind is the Corazzo bag http://www.corazzo.net They are like $80 as well.

I think some of the Timbuk2 bags have straps too.

Like I said, the fact that the Chrome bags are totally waterproof drove my decision... it seems every truly waterproof bag has a similar price tag.

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