Messenger Bag Review - The Citizen from Chrome Industry

Chrome Industry, such a cool brand! You don't need to be a biker to look like one with your Chrome Industry bag. The branding is so good, you feel like part of a group when you have one. Their messenger bag can be customize when purchased on line. So even if everybody got a Citizen from Chrome, none of the bag are the same.

It is a quality bag. It is well design for bike commuting. But the shoulder strap is not comfortable and only adapted for your position on the bike while pedaling. If you have the bad luck of stopping by market after your work day, it is very annoying to walk with it (loaded or not). It is pulling back your shoulder so you need to compensate by curving your back forward. Understand that the shoulder strap on the Citizen has a unique shape that you won't find on any other messenger bag. That unique shape make impossible to wear the bag as a regular shoulder strap bag.

Unique Citizen shoulder strap.

On top of it, the padded strap isn't very long, so if you are a medium or a big guy you will feel squeeze no madder what length the belt is. The following example are pull off Chrome Industry web site.

Here we want to highlight the short padded portion of the strap and the too long belt portion. The slim guy seems more comfortable.

Could you imagine, this is a staged picture and the strap still have a tendency to squeeze the arm pit. And pay attention to the stabilization strap buckle location. Since we can't change its location, it can't be used on that guy. 

Here the stabilization strap can barely be used, and amplify the squeeze feeling. 

 
The remaining of the bag is fine. Most pockets are adapted for commuting. I love the side pockets and the floating interior tarp layer. Maybe the zipper on the front pocket could be an inch higher for convenience.

Related:

http://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/281102-messenger-bag-modification.html

Fearlessgearless.com
Onebagonemonth
http://messengerbags.com/chrome-messenger-bags-review-metropolis-citizen/
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/bluelug/sets/72157628965057755/

Chrome Industries - Tool Roll

Isn't it a cool picture? Lot of small details. Beer bottle, cigarette, red tool box, artistic bag, well used wench. But the one detail that doesn't work out is the way to "roll" the tool roll. It rolls from left to right. With the wench in that orientation, you can't roll it. Sound like a minor detail but it highlight a bigger design problem. The mesh pocket is useless.   

Picture from Chrome Industries web page

This one is a less cool picture, but it is the way I have been using it (small articles are kept out of the pockets to allow viewers to see them). It rolls from left to right. It is a 45$ product. At that price, from that company, I would expect a more bike tools specific arrangement of the pockets. So they should be avoiding velco to keep the pockets close, if it is rolled tightly nothing will fall off. Pockets should be design for typical cycling tools. 

Lets talk about compatibility of product. I have a Chrome Industries classic messenger bag, the Citizen. I use the front middle pocket to carry my U-lock and one of the side pocket for my tools. The original Large Tool Roll is too long to fit the side pocket. It get above the folding line (left side of the picture below). I cut off 3.5in of the as explain below. By doing that modification I got a better fit of the tool roll in the side pocket (right side of the picture).

This is my tool roll once modified. I got rip of the top mesh pocket that is useless, which cutoff 3,5in.

Also, Chrome Industries used a big plastic buckle to keep the roll rolled. The buckle is too big and a velcro strap do a way better job.

Relate:

Link to Chrome Industrie Large Tool Roll. I don't understand how to use the small tool roll.
Link to a similar product from Road Runner