Tag Archive: bicycle commute

Eva! Review: booq Mamba Laptop backpack

Mir.I.Am February 16, 2012 7 Back Packs, Commute, Gear, Humor, Reviews bicycle commute, bicycle commuting, bike commute, bike commuter, Bike Commuters, bike commuting, booq, commute by bike, commuter bags, designer backpack, laptop bike commute, Mamba Shift backpack, unique commuter backpack, winter

True love, Wall-E and Eva say happy V-day!

Hi everybody! Anyone out there considering a commuter backpack? Long time no review… The PR peeps reppin booq hooked it up back in October of 2011 with this Eva look-alike, the Mamba Shift L. Although it isn’t a bike commuter-specific backpack, my Trek one-strap messenger bag was in tatters and hardly capable of holding anything expensive like a laptop. I decided to give it a shot, considering the Mamba Shift’s sleek and seemingly sturdy exterior. Here are some fat stats about this futuristic laptop backpack:

booq: Mamba shift L

Lightweight, extremely functional backpack uses a clean and compact exterior design to conceal a plush and roomy interior

1680 denier ballistic nylon exterior with water-repellant coating and interior water repellent ripstop lining

Diagonally overlapping interior accessory pockets, provide easy access to all your gear

Separate accessory zipper pouch to carry cables, external hard drive, etc.

Elastic pop-out iPhone pockets integrated into shoulder straps

Airmesh back padding increases comfort and allows heat to escape

Equipped with Terralinq service, helps reunite you with your lost bag (author note: I never registered my bag, but consider it a lost and found registration service!)

Available at: BooqBags.com and various retailers Stores.Booq.com

Price: $149.95 (13″-17″ Mac or PC)

Website: www.booqbags.com

The booq website actually has some detailed photo spreads showcasing the intricately designed layers of pockets, flaps, hook-and-loops, and zippers in this space-inspired design. Eva came with me on our jaunt around Europe and is a great transitional bag from bike to plane to bike. Let’s do a photo-battle throughout this review: mine vs. my Dad vs. theirs!

Mir.I.Am fotog skillllls:

Typical contents of Eva the Mamba Shift on a commute to work. Lock and cable are left at work M-F.

LIKES: I love the pockets in this backpack! Orange interiors make it easy to find things (no blending into the black hole material like standard bags) and different sized layers make it easy to separate and store pens, computer stuff, takeout lunch, clothes, and baby pandas. The key clip is detachable and near the top of the bag so you can easily find your bike lock key or key fob to your apartment (I heart this feature, hard). I clipped my flat-pack water pouch onto it, antibacterial goop, USB keys, etc. Also, the Mamba Shift backpack is slim at the bottom and carries most of the weight at the top, relieving some strain off your lower back while on the bike. The profile is streamlined enough that is doesn’t interfere with looking over your shoulder while changing lanes for us mirrorless bike commuters. The booq Mamba Shift has sturdy construction and can hold a half-size drawing set, a big plus for snarchitects like myself. The laptop compartment is velvety smooth like the finest bathrobes you’d steal from a Singapore hotel! You can store a full-size U-lock and cable for proper lockups in either the laptop compartment (without the laptop, duh) or in the main compartment, easily. Lastly, the Eva-esque shape and color make it stand out from typical laptop bags and backpacks; the herringbone/tweed pattern of the material received several compliments from architects, bike commuters at stop lights, friends, and family.

Retired Asian Dad “skills”:

Sand over black sweater: better than nothing for night riders. (identity of bike commuter has been obscured out of embarassment of Dad’s butt shots)

COULD BE BETTER: Granted, the Mamba Shift is not a commuter-specific bag; this bag is NOT waterproof! Water-resistant, maybe. Waterproof enough for me, sure! Reserve this bag for clear-weather commutes or days with puddles but no downpours. The thick material did keep interiors dry on all but two days of extreme rain-pain on my commute (you can read about one of those days here). Although a great protector of your laptop with ample padding all around the back, it can also get a bit warm like most backpacks do during a high-intensity bike ride! My only major/minor gripe about this bag, was that if you like to carry bike water bottles on the side of your bag, or have more accessible pockets during your ride, no luck with the Mamba Shift: as the side pockets fit only flat objects. (I did manage to shove a baguette in each side once, when the main compartment was rather empty – take note, Frenchies.) And to wrap it up, this backpack takes a little breaking in, as it can be stiff like a TMNT half shell when you first get it, turtle power.

The pros at booq:

Not a bad fotog, of the awesome layers of orange pockets with Mac obsessed gear to boot!

WRAP IT UP! Ok, to be nice to my Dad (wink) let’s call the photography contest a three-way tie. My overall sentiments of the Mamba Shift after a four-month review: a compact bag with max protection for your laptop, an almost all-weather commuter companion, with space-age style, and a neatly organized space-age interiors. If you’ve got a 150 bones to spare for maximum protection of your techie-gear and fair weathered commutes, the Mamba Shift a.k.a. Eva is right up your alley!

P.S. – booq, Vanya, Xootr – Apparently I’ve been relegated to weird-named cyclicious product reviews!

Please click here to read our review disclaimer as required by the Federal Trade Commission.

Wimpy “Winter” Commute

Mir.I.Am February 7, 2012 7 Advanced Commuter Tips, Basic Commuter Skills, Commute, Humor, WTF basic commuter tips, bicycle commute, bicycle commuting, Bike Commuters, bike commuting, bike lights, change of clothes for bike commuters, commute by bike, office attire, rain gear for bike commuters, rainy bike commuter tips, riding in the rain, warm weather biking and rain

Ok, so I didn't take this pic, but I'm not exaggerating, it was like this on Saturday.

Aloha from the downpour in Honolulu, my Bikey Commuters… Of course it is I, Mir.I.Am, with Diary of a Wimpy “Winter” Commuter hailing from my desk at work! Today’s commute was an ill-prepared twist of fate for yours truly, as the sunny “winter” weekend kept everyone in bikinis and barbeques during the day, and under covers and blanket during the breezy eves. All of those lunchtime ocean dips from yesterweek disappeared like the last Taco Bell Baja Chalupa at 2:56am on a Friday night. Sneak-attack rainstorm hit me from all directions signaling the official end of the weekend on my morning commute today. However, optimistic rainbow ponies had me convinced that a tank top, cardigan, and Vanya Chrome pants was all I needed for my commute AND my office attire for the day. “Come along, pretty princess, rainbows and magic pony power will keep you dry on your way to work!”

The worst of Winter Woes in Honolulu - Pony Attack!

YOU’RE NOT MADE OF SUGAR – WHAT’S A LITTLE RAIN? Since moving to Chinatown, my commute has been shortened from 25 miles RT down to 3 miles RT (don’t judge, peeps) keeping most rainy winter commutes to a short fifteen minute ride on my fenderless Bumblebee bike. So, one can imagine my shrugging shoulders when I exited my apartment building stairwell in a tank top despite the light drizzle underway. Nothing more than a Mr. Mister, so I grabbed my booq “Mamba” backpack (review in near future!) and clipped in… Two blocks later, I was caught in puddles and soggy socks! What’s the rush? I thought, as I pulled over to clip on some front and rear lights and fully embraced the cyclist-in-a-wet-cardigan look and decided that the more drenched I arrived at work, the better! And, to no one’s surprise, I arrived with everything drenched except for the spot on my back protected by my backpack… great way to start the week, boss.

BIKE COMMUTE OFFICE STASH: Luckily for me, I keep a stock of clean (ish) and dry work clothes stashed at my desk at the offizle. A quick dry towel usually reserved for aforementioned lunch time swims was helpful in toweling off my hair and wrapping my shoes and socks for a (fingers crossed) drier commute on the way home. My Vanya pants + no fender = Bikini change-O to solve our soggy bottom issues before throwing on a work dress. A comb, a pair of heels, and some Witch Hazel for good measure made my wimpy winter commute nothing more than a pony’s daydream… Tonight I’ll make sure to pack my reliable pink rain jacket for good measure! Time to restock the office clothes pile to save me on some other day when I leave the apartment decaffeinated and less-than-prepared. My wardrobe change and Cycle Lady bathroom arsenal debunks the myths that cycling to work is unprofessional.

Stay Dry, Bike Commuters, and enjoy your winter however warm, cold, wet, or windy it may be! Take it slow, enjoy the ride, and ride on, my little ponies. For some really BAMF articles on real, non-wimpy winter commutes, check out this snowy article by Elizabeth!

Last Chalupa Standing - Here's to you, all-weather Bike Commuters!

HBL Commuter 101 Class: Free-Dolla-I-Make-You-Holla!

Mir.I.Am January 19, 2012 2 Advanced Commuter Tips, advocacy, Basic Commuter Skills, Commute, Events advocacy, bicycle commute, bicycle commuting, bicycle safety, bike commute, bike commuter, Bike Commuters, bike commuting, bike friendly honolulu, bike lights, bike safety, commute by bike, commuter bike, Commuter Cycling 101, commuting, Hawaii Bicycling Leag, hawaii bike commuters, riding in traffic

Well Herro there, Bike Commuters! Just a quick bloggy-blog announcement on an awesome free class this year put on by Hawaii Bicycling League: Commuter Cycling 101! Know anyone who’s had their panties in a bunch, trying to get psyched up to ride your bike to work, school, or the grocery store, but low confidence on the streets is holding them back? Hold on to your spandex, Oahu cyclists, because HBL is sponsoring free 2-hour courses that cover all the basics of cycling in traffic! You could even win door prizes like a gift certificate to local bike shops – HOLLA! What more could you ask for? You could be getting PAID in bikey giftness while brushing up on commuter tips and rules of the road. Also, all UH Manoa students will receive front and rear lights due to a generous sponsorship from the University (Thanks for the tip, Cycle Manoa). Come on guys, (from previous comment I know there’s at least three Oahu readers out there) – the weather is nice all the time, so drag your roommates, kids, and better halves out for a weekend course! For more information, dates, and sign ups, check out www.hbl.org/commutercycling101. Or, read this:

Good 'Ol Frank teaching the Safe Cycling Course at IT&B

Do you like riding your bicycle? Want to bike commute to work or school, but scared to ride in traffic? Want someone to teach you how? Then join us for Commuter Cycling 101!

This free 2-hour bicycling course begins with coverage of safe cycling practices in a classroom setting, then moves onto a secured parking lot to practice riding drills, and finishes with a group ride through the UH area combining classroom knowledge and road skills traversing an urban environment. The course will cover topics including: your rights as a cyclist, rules of the road, equipment safety checks, lane positioning, and more. Classes are taught by League Certified Instructors of the League of American Bicyclists. Over 175 prizes totaling an excess of $2750 will be given away throughout the duration that the course*. All UH Manoa students will also receive free bicycle light sets. Giveaway sponsored by Island Triathlon and Bike, McCully Bicycle, Bikefactory, The Bike Shop, Boca Hawaii, and Eki Cyclery. Lights provided by UH Student Athletic Fee Committee. Funding provided by the Hawaii Bicycling League through a grant with the Hawaii Department of Transportation.

Cost: FREE!!!
Eligibility: Must be 18 years of age or older, class size limited to 12 students/class
Requirements: Must have a functional bicycle with front and rear brakes and a properly fitting helmet.
Time: 1PM – 3PM
Location: UH Manoa campus, Moore Hall room 119
Contact: commutercycling101@gmail.com
Download the Flyer

Ok, not really related, but I'm throwin' in the link to this article anyway.

Commuter Cycling 101 course Dates for 2012 the year of the dragon kick off this weekend and are hosted on weekends through April, check the website for details.

January

Bike Rack Faves – LOCKitUP!

Mir.I.Am December 30, 2011 13 Articles, Commute, How To, Humor, WTF bicycle commute, bicycle commuting, bicycle infrastructure, bicycles, bike commute, bike commuter, bike rack, bike racks and showers, commuting, How to Choose a Bike Rack, lock it up, locking bikes

"Look, this rack was nice enough to grow a roof for me!"

Yello mighty Bike Commuters! Mir.I.Am here working double duty as a green “snarchitect” and cycle lady today. As the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system is becoming more and more prosthetic… err, prolific in the states and abroad, snarchitects and designers are incentivized to provide more bike racks and showers for cycle monsters in their buildings. Here in Honolulu, all new construction projects that are publicly funded are required to meet a minimum requirement of LEED Silver rating. An easy way to contribute towards achieving a LEED rating for a building is to provide secure bike rack parking close to the building entrance and showers for a percentage of the occupants! Not all LEED rated buildings are required to provide this amenity, but it is usually included… (secret fist pump under my desk each time I get to nerd out and specify bike racks at work!)

Crowded "Bike" bike racks in Waikiki

Of course, as bike commuters, we know that the statement “If you build it, they will come (by bike and then take a shower)” is not necessarily true! New racks and showers for buildings may not transform cities into Mini-Apples overnight, but it’s a chest-bump in the right direction. As we all know, not all bike racks are created equal, and not all cyclists are equally enthusiastic about showering after a commute… Sometimes I spice it up at work and arrive looking like I drank a bottle of Sriracha on the way over and don’t change into my office attire until my 4:00pm meeting, but that’s just me! SRIRACHA FACE!!!! Witch hazel in your swamp crotch isn’t for everyone.

Architects and builders listen up, straight from the mouth of the cycle monsters, here are some of our fave bike racks that help us commuters LOCKitUP!

Most Bikely Bike Rack: Dero Bike Bike Rack – nothing screams bike rack like a bike-shaped rack! These are the ones installed by the city and county of Honolulu around the island. They can hold up to four bikes unless some idiot has locked their moped to it illegally. It works well in situations where you have lots of long skinny space, like sidewalks. I like them because the height of the “wheels” makes it easy to tie up your steed through the rear wheel and triangle of the frame. I have seen some bikes fallen over next to these racks that have been only loosely cabled. My only gripe is sometimes the are positioned a little too close to the street side and you have to squeeze in between parked cars ad the rack to try to get to your bike. http://www.dero.com/products/bike_bike_rack/bike_bike_rack.html

Easy to spot from faraway, functional for multiple locking points, AND fun for Japanese tourist photo ops!

Green is the new Black Rack: Dero Recycle Rack made from 96% Recycled steel rebar! As you can see, the racks come in two shapes: bush or tree. Always a plus for bush-hugging architects like myself. (I’m over hugging trees, that’s so 2010). Steel rebar rack holds up to two bikes. The loops onthe tree seems small to me in the photo as I’ve never used one personally. However the steel rebar has a much smaller diameter than most racks so maybe they would work well for cycle monsters using mini U-locks for their frames. This is a smaller rack than most and requires only one connection point to the concrete, which could be advantageous for designers with tight space planning requirements. http://www.dero.com/products/recycle_racks/

From the Dero website… where’s the lock!?

Stealthy Designer Bike Rack: Forms+Surfaces Olympia Bike Rack is a nice choice for a bike rack that can double as a bollard! For designers that want something more discrete and architectural (read: no wavy racks or fence racks), Forms+Surfaces also carries a variety of options. Maybe this one is a little too discrete, but seasoned bike commuters know how to lock it up in any situation (in a tree, top of a chainlink fence, handrails or my favorite is a fat crippled horse). I personally prefer anything with a vertical post so I can loop a cable through the front wheel, helmet, and use the vertical post to secure the frame and the back wheel in my U-lock. http://www.forms-surfaces.com/olympia-bike-rack. Looks like the slot in the center leaves room for pedals and keeps your ride on all two wheels. Ooooh, rack envy:

Who taught this doofus how to lock a bike!?

What Makes a Nice Rack: And because it is 1:30 am Pacific Grandma Time and I only have one brain (currently maxed out on MSG/noodle/rice overload), here is a cut and paste to an article for those of you interested in reading about how to choose a nice bike rack for your next building. Check it out if you have the energy to click here. If you have a lot of energy and some friends over, you can read it aloud since reading is not really a spectator sport.

Ok Bike Commuters, paste some links into the comments box if you have any opinions on your hometown racks, your fave place to LOCKitUP around your neck o the hoods, or maybe what you don’t like in a rack! Us architects and designers would be much obliged….

Reflective DIY “Get Visible” – Photoshoot

Mir.I.Am December 15, 2011 8 Accessories, Commute, Commuter Bikes, How To, Humor, Lights, Reviews, WTF 3M Scotchlite, bicycle, bicycle commute, bicycle commuting, bicycle safety, bike commute, bike commuter, Bike Commuters, bike commuting, bike safety, commute by bike, commuter, DIY, night commuting, night riding, night visibility, nighttime bike safety, reflective tape, riding at night, stealth reflectors, visibility

3M Scotchlite tape - what a stealthy reflective cheap trick!

Okay Midnight Riders… it is wintery and darker than usual at the end of our work days this time of year. In the spirit of digging up things in our past like you all have been posting for our Bike Commuters 2000th post Giveaway, here’s the follow-up to our article on Reflective DIY Tape! So: for Raiyn & his stealth reflector bling power and all the other Bike Commuters out there, I finally got ahold of a photomaker and snapped some photos! I also got ahold of a magic wand. Check out the the effectiveness of the easy bibbity-bobbity-boo Scotchlite 3M reflective tape Makeover:

Version 1: No flash, living room lights on.

Dayman.

Version 2: With flash, living room lights off, awesome magic sparkle power ON.

Fighter of the Nightman! aAAAaaaa!

ShaBAM: bright at night, but the 3M reflective tape blends in during the day too! For more archive digging, check out my favorite BikeCommuters.com gateway articles, Moe’s Rear Blinky Comparo or Jack “Ghost Rider” Sweeney’s Planet Bike 1W Blaze Review. Stay bright, night commuters!

Hasbro... maybe they will make a "Lite-Brite" movie since they already made "Transformers"