Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!bellcore!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin
From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: Briefcase Rack??
Message-ID: <11351@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 28-Jun-85 14:53:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.11351
Posted: Fri Jun 28 14:53:10 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Jul-85 08:06:53 EDT
References: <258@uvm-gen.UUCP>
Reply-To: wmartin@brl-bmd.UUCP
Distribution: net
Organization: USAMC ALMSA
Lines: 49

Just thinking off the top of my head -- a decent briefcase rack would
have to be:

a) solid -- to protect the briefcase from wheel-thrown pebbles and scrap,
both from the bike's own wheels and from passing cars. Also, the unit
would have to be solid all the way around, because stuff can pass
through the many open spaces in a bike and zap the case from the
"inside" side, too. Also you want to keep grease and oil spots off.

b) watertight  -- so the briefcase won't get drenched from puddle spray or
from unexpected rain. Also various noxious fluids might be encountered
on the road.

c) padded -- so the briefcase itself is protected from abrasion due to
vibrating or rattling around in a box.

d) light -- of course, as all other bike stuff should be.

I wonder if a rigid box would be best, or if something made of several
layers of cloth-type material (ballistic nylon, gore-tex, something
high-tech like that... :-) would work as well, or better? A solid unit
would add a lot of wind resistance even when there is no briefcase in
it, and it would have to be sized to the particular briefcase. A cloth
unit would be more flexible (pun intended), and might even be designed
to be rolled up and strapped to a frame member or support rod like a
furled sail when it is empty.

I fear the cost of this will far exceed the briefcase's, unless the
latter is ostrich hide or snake or something else ostentatious... :-)

Another thought -- does anyone make a harness that lets you wear a
briefcase in a backpack-like position on your back? An added advantage,
if you have one of those bullet-resistant security briefcases, with the
layer of armor and/or kevlar in it, your back is protected! (This ties
in to the unending series of "Bicycles, violence, & hatred" postings.)
That might be too uncomfortable in hot weather, but it does have the
advantage of not unbalancing the bike and also won't be on the bike when
you don't need it, thus saving a smidgen of weight (or time to remove
a rack).

Do any such products exist? I haven't seen them in any catalogs that I
recall, and I get a *lot* of catalogs...

An entrepeneurial opportunity here! I'll take 10% royalty, please....

Regards,
Will Martin

USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin     or   ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA