Rickshaw Bagworks — Attraction in San Francisco

I got a great bag here (the Skinny Commuter) that I really like, with only one real problem. As far as the shop itself goes, it's fine. I got decent attention when I went in to view their fabrics and place my custom order, and the turnaround was quick, too. The problem with the bag is that the water bottle holders on the outside (at each end) are too small. There is a stretchy drawstring for cinching it tight, but the mesh cage itself doesn't expand far enough for the drawstring to matter. The extra drawstring length is never used (it's impossible to open the cage that far) and the mesh is so snug that I can barely get a 16 oz steel water bottle in, and I've never needed to tighten the drawstring at all. Furthermore, there is a pen holder inside each water bottle holder (which I originally thought was a good idea) but with the cage so tiny, my water bottle is always snagging the little bit of pocket for the pens (no pens in it) and getting stuck as I try to push it into the carrier. I would have preferred a larger water bottle holder, and possibly even making the external pen holder optional or only at one end.

I would also like to have a small outer pocket for chapstick and my bike key, so I have easy access to those while riding or when I arrive.

Note: I use this on a 4 mile commute, and I had them shorten the shoulder strap and the stabilizer strap (an optional side strap) so I can wear my bag high on my back and well snug against it. I really like this modification.

Overall, I'm fairly pleased. If this were a 1-5 review (rather than 1-4/0-3) I would give the bag 4 stars. On this scale, I think the bag is "very good" but...

I customized a Skinny Commuter 2.0 Laptop Bag at their factory warehouse and I highly recommend it. The tweed fabric is pretty and the bag has tons of little pockets and places for pens, snacks, etc. The only thing missing is a pocket specifically for you to access your cell phone, though I often toss mine in the mesh drink side pockets (which are, sadly, a little too small for most bottled drinks). My favorite features are that the bag stands up on its own and that the closure is magnetic. The laptop sleeve fits my laptop perfectly and there's a divider where I can put my tablet. The rest of the space fits misc. things, but not a whole lot of stuff (you might get a light jacket in there) but it works for me since my office is pretty paperless and I prefer less bulk.

Customer service is great -- I just used the chat capability on their website and was told I could customize one of the accessories I wanted by just leaving notes in checkout.

Check out their store -- pretty easy to find parking nearby, and you can see all the fabrics in person and find...

If you live in the Bay Area and you're in the market for a new bag, I literally demand you take a trip to Rickshaw Bagworks. Grab a coffee at one of the Dogpatch's head-spinning selection of neighborhood cafes, sit in the park for a while, then mosey over to their warehouse—where, as the slogan suggests, they really do make fresh bags every day, and right there in front of you, too.

Sidney at the front desk gave me the best customer service I've experienced in a long time, spending something like half an hour walking me through all their different bag customization options. Even if you've seen their stuff online and think you know exactly what you want, I promise you it's worth getting the experience of going to the actual place they're made.

Regardless of the quality of the bag—which, from what I've read, is superior—this place richly deserves the 5 stars. Makes me proud to be...