This bag fits the Origin-8 front rack and is designed for it. not sure if it would fit any other front racks.
it's roomy and made of durable material. there are a bunch of well thought-out design choices -- and TWO major design flaws.
It's "good enough" but could be improved.
the good:
+ cordura exterior/nylon interior. (this is weather-resistant but not weatherproof. heavy rain will eventually soak through. but if you use it for touring or ride in downpours frequently you could alsways stuff a dry bag in here to protect valuable items.)
+ roll-top opening. (expands or contracts to fit items of varying sizes. easy open/close with large snap buckle.)
+ huge capacity. (will probably fit the kitchen sink.)
+ velcro tabs at the top slim down the footprint for lighter loads
+ removable floor pad offers some stiffness
+ securely fits on Orinin-8 front rack. (i considered a similar front rack by Blackburn but went for the Origin-8 because the bag offered more versatility.)
+ pocket to hold excess front strap length
The bad:
- not fully waterproof. (could have used TPU or other waterproof tarp material for interior.)
- velcro rack attachments are fiddly and not easy on/off. THIS IS THE ONE OF THE MAJOR DESIGN FLAW I WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER. (Riding around in most urban areas you'll want to take the bag off your bike when entering a store or other destination. The ideal solution would have been some sort of quick release mechanism.)
- no shoulder strap or shoulder strap attachment points. THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR DESIGN FLAW. the nylon buckle strap is thick almost works as a shoulder strap when the bag is empty. when the bag is weighted down you would ideally want the strap to run lengthwise not from the middle. the strap is too short anyway but Origin-8 should have remedied this by providing a removable shoulder strap --with pad-- and/or attachment points for a 3rd-party shoulder strap. Having a shoulder strap would greatly increase the utility of the bag. You can use the buckle strap as a carry handle but this works best with light loads unless you are Superman.
the meh:
*two side pockets ostensibly for U-lock. (it's nice to have some utility pockets but there is no way to secure a lock or item that extends over the top of the shallow short pocket. my 9" U-lock -- a medium size -- was too big. and the pocket is also too small to hold an extra water bottle securely. this is also a design flaw but perhaps not major. the pockets should be taller and a simple elastic strap with a velcro tab or metal snap a few inches above the pocket would allow for water bottles locks or other items to be securely fastened. )
+ on the plus side clip-on blinky lights can be attached to the side pockets for extra visibility. (however the front strap is not ideal for a blinky and there's nowhere else to put one. )
OVERALL: if you have the Origin-8 front rack it's worth getting the matching bag for it. The bag is roomy but cinches down nicely. it's low-profile and made with durable materials. But it mostly functions as an
on-bike" bag. if you're looking for a bag you can use on or off the bike this one is challenged in that area a bit. not a dealbreaker for me but room for improvement for sure. and to be fair a lot of rack trucks have similarly-fiddly attachment issues so there you are.
Origin-8 if you're reading this consider making a deluxe edition with greater on/off bike capability and improved pocket design. also a loop for a blinky up front wouldn't hurt. ;);
