First impressions: Ortlieb Office Bag

On the "want-list"

I've been cycling to work with my Tern Eclipse S18, using the Ortlieb trunk bag as my pack to haul tools and spares including a rain jacket.
On the side of the bike, I latched on an Ortlieb Backroller.
This will carry my working clothes, a towel  and some essential items.
After much thought, it finally hit me that the Ortlieb Office Bag is the best luggage to carry all my junk without giving the impression that I am going somewhere on an "overnight" trip.

The Ortlieb Office Bag Plus

Another source for Ortlieb bags..

So, there I was, I spoke o the official distributor dude. 
Waited fairly a bit and was told that he had to pack orders from other dealers before he could proceed.
Seems that his dealers are more important. So, customers gets the second fiddle.
I have waited for two months and was not going to wait any longer. So, I told the guy to cancel my order and began sourcing for the bag from another source.
Since I am not obligated to purchase from the official channel, I turned to a reliable supplier with no-frills. 
I made a small deposit for the bag and waited for two weeks before it arrived. 
What's nice about the alternate supplier was the fact that his price was very reasonable and he renders his service with a smile...

The Ortlieb Office Bag Plus is a class product

Solid with a touch of class..

There are two versions of the Ortlieb Office Bag.
One's made of Vinyl and the other is produced from waterproof nylon.
Both incorporates a different mounting system.
I went for the more expensive Ortlieb Office Bag with the QL-3 mounting system.
This costs about RM650 a piece.
Straight out of the box, the office bag is impressive.
It has compartments for you to pack your laptop (well, these are slowly fading out for tablets) and working essentials.
There's also an organizer panel for you to slip in your writing instruments and notepads.
A sling strap comes standard with the bag for you to haul it into your office cubicle (lowly minions like me share my workplace with other co-workers).
The bag is waterproof and to secure its precious cargo, it comes with a roll-down flap.
Once you've folded the flap properly, there's a set of snap buckles that locks the back firmly on its side.

The roomy interior of the office bag

How the luggage looks like on my bike..

What Rocks 

The Office Bag is a nicely built luggage that you can strap onto your bike.
It uses a QL-3 mount which can be installed in most luggage racks.
No issues on getting the mount onto the Biologic Portage 24 rack on my 24" folding bike.
Once mounted, the bag is secure.
To detach the bag, simply lift the back strap and its free from the locking notch on the QL-3 mount.
Since this bag is waterproof, there's no issue on riding in any weather condition.
And out of the mount, it looks like any other briefcase.

What Sucks

The QL-3 mount is rather flimsy. A lot of weight stress is taken on the frame that is bolted onto the luggage rack.
And if you pack a lot of heavy stuff, the bag tends to sag to one side. But this is not a big issue if you know how to balance your cargo. 
To overcome the sag, a side compression strap will come in handy.

Well, there, you have it! My first-impression review on the Ortlieb Office Bag Plus. More information about this product can be sourced on-line from www.ortlieb.de or www.ortliebusa.com