New Product Development

June 12, 2015

New products are shipping!  Including the Reckless bags.  If you get your new Reckless in the next couple days, it would be awesome if you could post pics and impressions on our advrider thread.  A bunch of people are asking for pics of the new bags on different bikes, so any pics you can share would be much appreciated.

2016 Product Development

This week we had a product development meeting, including Dusty who skyped-in from the RawHyde Adventure Camp in Colorado.  It’s trippy to have like real “meetings” now.

Here’s what we’re working on right now.  There’s no way all these will be ready for 2016, but hopefully some will work there way through the development pipeline in time.  We have a very limited window between now and early fall when we can develop these to the prototype stage, and still have a shot at stocking them for the 2016 riding season.

Tank Bags

Tank Bag 1: a simple pod that connects to slanted, dirtbike-style tanks.  Very small, so it won’t interfere with riding up on the pegs.

Tank Bag 2: a simple beavertail/drybag combo redesigned as a tank bag.  Economically priced, bomber construction, submersible waterproofing, minimal features.

Tank Bag 3: a fully developed sewn-seam mid-sized tank bag that turns into a backpack when it’s off the bike.  Lots of internal organization and vertical as well as horizontal space division.  This is the concept we’ve been working on  and posting about the most.

Here’s the connection system for the bag.  These are the same magnetic nipple/holster connectors we posted a video of a few weeks back.  Super easy on/off the harness.

Here’s that video of the way these cool magnetic buckles work.  They’re super expensive, but we’re not too worried about that right now.  One of the benefits of selling direct: we don’t have to sweat every dollar of production cost.

Internal organization.

Here’s the internal organizers blown up into a computer sketch.  Still working on the details of this.

We also had the idea of a dedicated headlamp pocket on the inside, where your headlamp shines down on the rest of the bag if you click it on, so that way you can illuminate the contents at night, and also always know exactly where your headlamp is.

Tank Bag 4: our take on the traditional toaster-style touring bag.  A big bucket with a variety of internal organizational features.

Tool Bags

Tool Bag 1: A smaller hanging style tool roll that comes with a welded seam waterproof outer bag with double MOLLE strips. It would have a little magnetic plate that folds down for holding screws and small tools while you’re working.  You can see that mid way down the page on the right side.

Tool Bag 2: A fully-developed hanging tool bag with tons of internal organization features and a large main “bucket” for odds and ends with a magnetic floor in it for holding screws and bolts while you’re working.  Also comes with a welded seam waterproof outer bag with triple MOLLE strips.

We’re thinking that the waterproof MOLLE bags for both the tool rolls would also be available individually without the tool rolls.

Tail Bags

Tail Bag 1: One or several of the tank bags described above, which would also double as a tail bag when combined with a different mounting harness.

Tail Bag 2: A smaller version of the Reckless bags with sewn-on welded seam waterproof drybags on the side (with welded-on outer armor to protect the high abrasion spots) and slide in/out sewn seam organizational inserts.  Would also have a rear beavertail with a rear bag which can be either used or removed.  So unlike the current Reckless bags, which have the outer harness with a waterproof inner bag, these would have a waterproof outer with a sewn-seam inner bag.  the reason for this is that we feel like the outer harness design with the roll top inner bag just gets too clumsy to work with in a really small size.  It’s fine for a big bag, where you’re stuffing in clothes and tents and stuff like that, but for day-trip stuff like tools, tubes, etc, we need to have the space more subdivided.  Kind of like a tank bag, but for the rear of the bike.  Hence the sewn-seam inserts.

Product Revisions/Improvements

Backcountry Duffle

– changing end roll-top closure from clipping back on itself to clipping down on the sides.

– make velcro strap keepers removable

Backcountry Pannier

– drybag insert for rear pocket

– make velcro strap keepers removable

Reckless 40

– make hole at bottom of harness larger

– changes to roll-top center bag

– make velcro strap keepers removable

Reckless 80

– changes to roll-top center bag

– make velcro strap keepers removable

As always, we’re looking for input/feedback on all of the above.  Especially for those of you who are currently using our products out in the field, and may have some input on revisions to existing designs.

BMW Adapters

The next round of BMW adapters is off to get welded and powder-coated.

Order Processing

Nicole has been working like crazy to get as many backorders as possible shipped this week. Every order that can be shipped will be at the warehouse by the end-of-day today (Friday).  It takes a lot to handle the large volume of emails coming in with change orders, special requests, address changes, and departure dates for upcoming trips, all while trying to prepare and input order forms and get them to the warehouse ASAP.

Accumulating backorders (as opposed to not accepting orders until the product is in stock) is a really management-intensive process.  Normally, with product in stock, we would get an order and ship it immediately. There’s no additional back and forth communication required, and no time to make changes between order and shipment.  But with backorders, as time passes, customers understandably get frustrated with waiting, and they also get nervous about whether their bags will arrive in time for a trip.  They often want to add/subtract/make changes to their order, or they’ve moved and they need to have it shipped to a new address.  It’s a lot to keep track of, especially without an ERP system.  Nicole is tracking everything with printed paper order copies covered in sticky notes and hand-written messages.  Nicole: thank you for keeping the wheels on this bus!  It will get easier…

Black Dog Ride

Last week was the annual Black Dog Ride in Hood River.  Our team was all spread out last weekend, so we setup a static display at the rally with some bikes and bags, and one of us went up each evening for a few hours to answer any questions.  Lee also got to do the ride on Saturday.

Aether Jackets

Andrew and I got our new jackets from Aether Apparel this week.  Man we are so stoked on these.  It has been a long time since I rode with anything other than our own prototypes or my arc-teryx ski jacket.  They even come with a safety whistle ha!

More exciting Mosko news: we finally got an air conditioner in our shop. Man it has been HOT.