application
XLC goes its own way with regard to the outer material for their Community Line bag: The manufacturer relies on waxed cotton here - that may sound a bit thin and cheap at first, but the opposite is the case: the material is extremely strong and feels waxed surface very valuable. In addition, the wax protects against weather influences such as rain - at least for a limited period of time. If you don't carry the bag for long walks in the rain, the contents should stay dry. The consistently high-quality choice of materials is also convincing in other respects: the leather straps give the bag an elegant look and we also really like the beige, soft cotton on the inside.
The front flap is not only held by the small leather strap, but also by two integrated magnets - hardly any other bag offers this and it works really well. The straps are made of a solid material - unfortunately XLC does not have padding here, which we think is a shame because the strap will inevitably rub on the shoulder of the wearer when fully loaded. The built-in zips are also coated on the outside to protect the contents from rain - unfortunately, this makes them a bit stiff, especially at the beginning.
Seat
We were excited to see the seat of the XLC Community Line. The chic cotton bag doesn't actually look like a typical messenger bag - it's more reminiscent of a conventional shoulder bag - so we were skeptical about using it on the bike. As already mentioned, the shoulder strap unfortunately has no padding, which is particularly noticeable when the bag is full and/or or longer journeys makes it unpleasantly noticeable.
When you turn the bag over, you are first disappointed: No waist belt? But what is behind the two zippers? When we open it, we realize with relief: So there is a waist belt after all! In the two compartments there is a strap that can be closed with a press stud, with which the bag can also be fixed on the back. This also works quite well, but the arrangement of the strap is not quite optimal and we also found it a bit too wide. Nevertheless, the XLC Community Line can also be used very well on the bike, the bag only slips a little if you switch to the out-of-the-saddle position frequently. The fact that there is no padding on the back reduces the comfort when cycling considerably. Especially when the bag is fully loaded, it can get a bit uncomfortable on the back.
Organization
Now the moment of truth has come for the small 12l bag: Will it be able to cope with our test load? In should:
- A 15″ laptop
- A Tupperware
- A notebook
- Two pens
- A full 1l bottle
First of all, it should be said: Everything fits into the XLC Community Line – just about. The bag is noticeably narrower than its counterparts in the 20l range, but for its small size the bag is really impressive. In the main compartment we find a padded laptop compartment, the contents of which can also be fixed with leather straps. On the opposite side there is also another compartment that can be closed with a zipper.
However, it gets really interesting in the front area of the bag, because this is where the organizer is hidden. Pens, business cards and notebooks can be stowed away very clearly here. The possibility of completely opening the organizer with a zipper is also great. This gives you quick and easy access to the content.
[pricemesh]
