Bike bag design...Help needed

[steveindenmark]

I have decided to make a simple bike bag to put my bike on a plane. I tried to order a CTC plastic bag but production seems a bit slow. Here is your chance to be involved in the design.

I would like something that will last longer and will be stronger than the plastic bags.

This is not a commercial venture but a couple of people have already said they would be interested in the bags if I could make them.

These are not going to be padded bags. All they are going to do is replace the plastic bike bags currently available, which meets airline criteria. I say this before people start to jump in and tell me they would never take a bike in a plane without a box etc. It does appear a lot of people want a simple bag to cover the bike.

I make sails for a living. Sails like this:

.
I have all the necessary computer equipment, a sail laser cutter, sewing machines and a massive variety of cloth.

The plan

My plan at the moment is to make the bag out of spinnaker cloth, a bit similar to the blue sail above.

65 gramm, spinnaker cloth is very strong and very light, it comes in a wide variety of colours. The thread it will be sewn with is either white or black and is also very strong and has a wax covering to stop it rotting when wet. You can see how strong it needs to be by looking at the sails above.

The bag will be 250cm long and will be zipped. Height will be circa 130cm.

Those are the definate points. Now I need some help.

Where should the zip be on the top or at the end?

I think their should be some ties on the inside of the bag to tie the bag to the bike. Is it a good idea? What about pockets? A way of locking the bag?

Bearing in mind that everything that is added to the bag adds to the price.

What other ideas can you come up with?

Is there a way that this can be kept near the top of the board and as I make the bag I will take photos of the whole procedure and add them as I progress?

Steve

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[jowwy]

250cm seems very long for a bike bag and 130cm high - you sure its not for a car??

 

[steveindenmark]

Jowwy.. Those are the measurements of the CTC bag
http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Travel_with_CTC/PolyBikeBag.pdf
If you have a bag of a different size please let me know and I will look at it again.

This is the bike with the wheels left on though.

Steve

 

[Night Train]

You could have a draw string that runs around the perimeter on the inside so that any slack in the bag can be pulled in before closing the zip.

I say this having never used a bike bag nor considered one.

Good luck with it if it works out as a saleable product.

 

[qwiksilver]

i know this may sound a bit odd but could you have the front end sort of like a bike stand with some type of support down the front end so you could wheel it in and it would stand up then zip from the bottom at the back right up to the top at the front and instead of draw strings use elsticaed sides so it would in essence fit any bike sunggly

 

[steveindenmark]

qwiksilver..I think I know what you mean but the problem with that is when I get to my destination I want to fold the back up and pop it into a bag of the same material to make a very small pillow. If I had some sort of a stand I would have to drag it around with me.

I like the elastic idea though. I will think about that as I have lots of elastic in store.

Steve

 

[qwiksilver]

the stand dont have to be big or robust just enough to hold it up for packing/unpacking
http://www.likecool.com/Gear/Bike/Pinch Bike Stand/Pinch-Bike-Stand_1.jpg
maybe something along the lines of that above as it could fold in 2 and fit at the back or in the middle of the hide away cushion

 

[steveindenmark]

That would add more expense and I have a side stand on the bike and so would not need to do that.

Steve

 

[steveindenmark]

Paul,

Do you mean something like this?
http://www.giant-stores.co.uk/gear.php?main=0&cat=0&sub=4&product=0

Steve

 

[jay clock]

Great idea Steve. The dimensions of the Bike Adventure one are 1200x2050. But that 2050 allows for folding over of the end. So measure a touring bike (mine has 26" wheels so try a 700c, add a few cm.

I would not make it less than 130 high. You want to be able to put it in the bag without removing the saddle.

I would avoid pockets and fripperies. I want lightweight and as close to this as you can get it. http://www.bikeadventures.co.uk/images/bikebag.jpg

In terms of webbing handle, something like this....the less webbing the better. something like this

I would have zip along the top edge or one side.

Finally, from experience make it look like it has a bike by using translucent material and stencilling a bike logo or the words "bike bag" on it.

You sound very knowledgeable and I will have one if the weight is right

 

[jay clock]

One other thing, when thinking about the size, measure the bike with the bars twisted sideways.....

 

[jay clock]

The downside is that it won't then fold up as small.

....and the weight goes up....

 

[steveindenmark]

Hi Guys thanks for the input.

I have started playing with this today and think there can be a couple of variations to the bag.

I started off with a pen and paper as I always do and then planned it into my computer as I was working. The colour of the cloth I chose is quite flourescent, I only chose it because it was bright. It is not the cloth I originally thought of and is a bit heavier. When I say heavier I still mean much lighter than a padded bike bag.

Please excuse the dot on the photos. It is the camera and not the cloth.

I am old school I was brought up with pen and paper

But I can do high tech as well

The start of the cutting process

After the cutting. The strips are not for the bag.

I will start sewing tomorrow if I have a few minutes.

I can add lettering but it does add to the cost and is time consuming. It will be obvious that a bike is in the bag. The material is almost see through. With regards to the carry strap. On this bag it will all round the bag but the next version may be different.

This bag will fold down quite small and as it wears in it will fold even smaller. When this cloth is new it is a little bit stiff. The next bag will fold small right from the start.

With this bag, the zip will only go along the top. If it is too difficult to get the bike in I will alter the next bag.

With regards to the panels on the table. The big panel at the end is the bottom of the bag. There will be no seam at the bottom and this will make it stronger. The other two thin panels are the two top half of the sides of the bag, which will be sewn to the bottom. I cannot make a one piece bag as my rolls of cloth are not wide enough.

This is all an experiment so if I end up making a pair of jeans instead of a bike bag, don`t be surprised.

Steve

 

[dellzeqq]

I reckon that you can do it with pool cover and gaffer tape for about £10 and throw the bag away when you arrive to save weight

great picture of the boat!

 

[jay clock]

Impressive! Can you weigh it once done?