Fred Bag for Bike Packing
Peep our newest bag! An ideal choice for bikepacking, bike camping and of course daypacking. Check out the changes and upgrades made to our Fred Bag within!
Road Runner Bags
My Journey with Road Runner Bags — 5 Years!
Welp, it’s been half a decade with Road Runner Bags and here I am! You know what they say, time flies when you’re having a good time.
The first day I walked into Road Runner Bags, I saw a very small company with big dreams. . . I literally started sewing these bags in a 10 x 20 foot garage! Over the years, we have grown exponentially
— to a private loft in Downtown LA and then to our current location which is a ground floor retail and production space.
My favorite part about RRB (besides the crew) is knowing that by this point I have sewn millions of stitches on thousands of bags and that those bags have been shipped all around the United States and the world.
I can’t even express how rewarding it is when I see people IRL who are using our backpacks. Seeing the smile on someone's face when they receive their handmade one-of-a-kind bag never gets old!
One massive highlight of my career was when Road Runner Bags received a feature in Wired online magazine, where a bag I made was ranked no. 3 in their "Best Backpacks for College" article. I love that I have been able to help refine and design new products, and just this year we’ve released 2 bags that I’ve had part in designing and putting together
— The Slacker Day Pack and The Americano Courier Bag.
I have to admit that I didn’t foresee my involvement in a company like this, but I am so grateful that I have been on this ride for as long as I have. I went to school for fashion design and thought I would have a typical industry career, but instead I fell into Road Runner and never looked back. Being a seamstress and designer is my passion in life, and it is very fulfilling to be able to contribute my ideas so directly where I am employed.
Something that I’ve always disliked about the fashion industry is the wastefulness and dispensability of cheap “fast fashion," so knowing that I am part of a company that makes gear with the sole purpose of longevity is of utmost importance to me.
It's nice to know that I work for a company that saves every scrap possible in order to reduce material waste and offers a stellar warranty to encourage people to repair their gear. Our crew really puts so much thought and testing into the design of our bags, which is why even our most classic bags have changed so much over the years.
And now I have to give a shout-out to all of the incredible craftsmen and women I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years. . .
Of course, there’s Brad, our radical founder who hired me those many moons ago (thanks, man!); Then there’s Justin, who was with us for several years and provided all the laughs; Ester, a great friend of mine and teammate; Juan, the nicest guy ever with an unsurpassed work ethic; Matt, our own personal Edward Scissorhands; And, of course, I’ve got to mention the best seamstresses of all time, Emma and Rosa.
There have been many other hands that have played a huge role in our growth at Road Runner who have not been listed, and they know who they are! I love all of our crew (past and present) and feel very blessed to know them! #tooblessedtobestressed
And finally, I have to give a massive thanks from the bottom of my heart to all of you guys out there who have supported Road Runner Bags through your unwavering loyalty to our brand. Whether it be the purchase of a Tool Roll or photo of your new bag, we couldn't be here without you!! So hats off to all of y'all who have a keen eye for great gear made with love, and, of course, always and forever 100% made in the USA.
Ashley's First Mountain Bike Ride
I can't believe I've been working with Road Runner Bags for nearly 5 years, and it has taken me this long to hop on a mountain bike - you'd think that these adventure junkies would have gotten me out on a trail a long time ago. All I have to say is that my first time definitely won't be my last!
An overnighter with my friend Tin
Enjoying the company of others while cycling through the largest and densest metropolitan area in the country - the Los Angeles Basin. From the palms all the way to the pines. Follow our journey as we venture out of LA and into the foothills of the Angeles National Forest
The Man Behind the Machine.
I started Road Runner Bags in my early 20's with a home sewing machine and a lot of energy. Who would have thought that some 9 years later we would be kicking so hard. We're still producing 100% of our gear in-house, here in Los Angeles. The images below are of myself, Brad, working on a few different machines in the shop.
Enjoy these images shot by my friend Tin. He's a radical photographer with quite an eye for light. He shoots what he sees, and I'm happy he was looking my way.
Be sure to follow Tin's Instagram as he's always posting up rad stories about his shooting adventures.
Also mark your calendars because the next desert shakedown is scheduled for Presidents Day Weekend 02/15/2019 - 02/18/2019 out at the Slabs. More info to come, but if you cant wait, feel free to drop me a comment below.
Bike Camping the Salton Sea - Our Annual Adventure
A rad photo gallery shot by our friend @Brittany.Moser
She's a local photographer, rider and all out badass. She can hold it down in the dirt and definitely knows how to party.
Enjoy her work and stay tuned for more to come.
2019 Road Runner Bags Color Chart
Preview our 2019 color chart. While most colors are in stock and ready to ship, certain color variations are made to order and require a small lead time of 2-3 weeks. If you're looking for a specific color, we definitely encourage you to leave us a comment below as we'd love to hear your feedback!
Below is our Slacker Day Pack
Turmeric Cordura
Teal Cordura
Rust Cordura
Burgundy Cordura
Olive Cordura
Navy Cordura
Grey Cordura
Purple Cordura
Highlighter Pink Cordura
Orange Cordura
Digi Camo Cordura
Black Cordura
A Photo Journey with Sonja in Downtown Los Angeles
Back in the Spring of 2017, Ester and I set out on an urban photo mission with the goal of capturing the moment just as we saw it. As I'm sure you can tell, Ester (aka WifeEye) and I make a stellar team. She's amazing at doing the tedious photo work behind the lens while I'm working labor manning the cargo bike to which she rides on the back of. Our rider Sonja, is rocking a Medium Roll Top - Classic in the limited edition color of Coral. Everyone loved that color but sadly that just wasn't enough to keep it in our line with the 12 other color options we offer.
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The composition of the photos really demonstrates Ester's raw talent. Her eye for color and her ability to see through the madness to get to it. If you've ever photographed a moving subject, then you understand the difficulties. Adding the element of the city and the moving subject being a swift cyclist, then the raw talent really comes to life. Ester, being mounted atop the back of my Bike Friday Cargo Bike, adds a touch of realness to these photos that are not displayed in most action shots.
To many more photo shoots in 2019 as well as a safe year on the bike. Cheers y'all!
-Your favorite neighborhood BagDad.
Off-Road Panniers on a Ritchey Gravel Bike
Cycle Panniers for Bike Commuting and Bike Touring. Take them off-road for a gravel tour or even further for some bike packing fun!
Brown Mountain to 2nd Saddle
If you're in LA and lookin' for a good ride then consider yourself lucky. LA is full of amazing car-free trails to cycle up and down. Now when I say up, I literally mean up!
One of my favorite rides is out in the Angeles National Forest.
Your ride begins at the upper parking lot near JPL. From there you cycle through the Gabrielino Trail and up Fern Truck Trail until you reach the top. From there you'll descend down everything you climbed but with a little extra credit thrown in at the end. Follow my route and you'll be sure to have a great time.
I wouldn't call this a beginner route and I strongly encourage every rider to do their own research before being thrown into the mix. If you like climbing you'll love this route. If descending is your jam, then prepare to climb. As the topographic map shows, there is equal amounts of elevation gain and loss.
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