Metro Dry Run
I have an Arkel Metropolitan pannier (“Metro” for short) in-house for review and I took it out on a real commute for the first time today. Here are a few first impressions:
- It’s a sharp looking bag.
- It looks business-like and fits in well at the office.
- It rides a little higher than some bags, making for more heel clearance.
- Even though it appears to be smaller than the Arkel Bug (review here), it holds about the same amount of stuff.
- The single shoulder strap is well-padded, but if you carry a lot of junk like I do and you have a multi-modal commute that involves getting on and off of transit and walking long distances, the Bug with its double backpack straps is likely to be more comfortable for you.
- It has a flat bottom and stands up nicely on its own.
- The overall quality and workmanship is vintage Arkel – in a word, superb.
I also have a matching Metro handlebar bag on test. I’ll publish full reviews with detailed photos of both once I’ve had more time to give them a real workout.
5 Responses to “Metro Dry Run”
I’ve got the arkel commuter, and use it almost daily for the work commute. Bought it for the laptop sleeve, but I just as often slide files in there instead. Easy on-off latch system.
I looked at the Metro when I was shopping for a bag recently, but decided to go with the Bug, mainly because the Bug has a helmet holster that I thought would come in handy (I hate carrying a helmet around when I’m food shopping, and putting it in the bag itself leaves no room for my groceries). The helmet holster is a nice feature of the Bug, but when the bag is loaded full you can’t really fit a helmet in it anymore, there’s not enough room.
I have Arkel touring bags and they’re marvellous in construction, materials and design. I use the handlebar bag pretty often during commutes.
How do you like your Brooks saddle?
@B
Love it.