I really wanted a seagull bag because they sounded bad ass and had lots of neat features so I ordered a deluxe one for $275 on 5/17. A month went by and still no bag, they said they were really busy so I figured okay I can wait a little longer. I also e-mailed them my new address since I moved during this time. The wait continued. Another month goes by and I am starting to get kind of mad at waiting this long since their website says the wait is 6 weeks. One of my e-mails went completely ignored. Finally on 7/22 they ship the bag, but they ship it to my old address. Now the bag is in the hands of the post office and will hopefully get returned to seagull bags.
By now it seems like only a miracle will get me my bag. Honestly the company seems like a bunch of cool people but they absolutely suck when it comes to running a business. Maybe they are too busy drinking PBR and riding their bikes to actually run a business of this size. I just want my freakin bag!
I think they grew really quickly and unexpectedly and are still trying to deal with the increased demand - Dan mentioned that they’ve hired at least one new person this month but I’m sure there’s a training period. It definitely sucks to spend a bunch of money on something and then have it get delayed and misdelivered, or get spotty responses to your questions – seems like bad communication is kind of the norm all over the bike industry, both large and small, which is weird. For what it’s worth, I had a bunch of problems with Chrome when I was ordering a bag (through a LBS, even!) for my lady. They took like 3 weeks to send it for no apparent reason, and then they sent the wrong strap setup, and then I called them to get them to express the right bag and they took my info and said they’d get back to me (and didn’t hear anything for two days), then called again and talked to someone else who couldn’t see any record of my earlier call in the system, but finally sent the right bag and a return slip. And Chrome has like an automated phone system and does wholesale worldwide and doesn’t do custom anything… I’ve also had multiple unacknowledged emails in to mavic, minoura, and a couple other companies that should have someone handy to stay on top of the email. So, yeah.
However, the good side is that the deluxe is a seriously fucking awesome bag.
dude, sometimes you gotta wait for the good shit.
i waited almost three months for my r.e.load bag a few years ago. it just made it all the sweeter when i finally got it.
I just read on the SG site that the person who responds to emails etc just had a baby and is backlogged on retuning contacts. but now thanks to all the time I wasted looking at their site I want to get a new bag… that I don’t need! however, I am not completely happy with my LG Chrome bag. I have a XL (chrome) that I love the fit is perfect, but the LG is disappointing and tends to swing/slide around alot.
I’ve been very, very happy with my medium timbuk2. I know everyone gets boners over chromes and seagulls, but I couldn’t imagine dropping 300$ on a fucking man-purse. I was hesitant to spend the 80$ I spent on mine. I’ve seen 15yr old timbuk2’s that look brand new. They seem to be pretty fucking durable. I know they aren’t as trendy and don’t get you as much street cred, but you can walk into a store and buy one, without the wait and without the pricetag of a chrome or seagull. :rant over:
^ - Yep. There’s little or nothing that these bags do that a Timbuk2 can’t do for a fraction of the cost, except make you look like a super cool messenger guy.
There’s something distinctly sentimental about getting a handmade good from a small producer. Some people put a lot of value in that. Either way isn’t wrong, just for different people with different priorities.
Man, saying that a Timbuk does everything that another bag can do at a fraction of its cost is like saying you can get all the nutrients you need from eating garbage.
i’ve emailed reload 3x since june about a tool roll.
i know they must get like 1099 emails saying “omg i want a cool bag how much”, but i mean if they have an internet store, they should at least respond to a well worded, concise email attempting to purchase one of their items.
lame.
There’s something distinctly sentimental about getting a handmade good from a small producer. Some people put a lot of value in that. Either way isn’t wrong, just for different people with different priorities.[/quote]
not just sentimental, it is part of my core values. I think supporting small business is important, I spend to much of my free time fighting corporate domination to not spend my money within my community. timbuk2 as a company is no longer the company that they were. Yes the timbuk2 will last 15 years, but so will most of the bags that we as a community will put our money behind. So for me it is a matter of keeping it local (with in the bicycle sub culture) and not feeding the mega company. Tmibuk2 maybe be a mega corporation, but they can be bought from quit a few of them. I ride a IRO for the same reason. As for street cred I am pretty sure that at 38 I don’t think I have much nor do I care. I have been around the block to many times to give a shit.
