Beer lover creates clever saddlebag to carry brews on your bike

Made in Vancouver is a collaboration between Vancity and Daily Hive. Together, we’re turning the spotlight onto local businesses, organizations, and individuals who are helping to create a healthy local economy.

After needing a better solution for biking home with beers from his local brewery, Nathan Thomson set about creating the perfect To Go 4-Pack Saddle Bag.

Vancity has been supporting people in our communities since 1946. As part of our Made in Vancouver series spotlighting local businesses, we talked to Nathan Thomson, creator of To Go Cycles about his newly launched Bicycle 4-Pack Saddle Bag. Learn more about what Vancity is doing in your community at vancity.com 

Like many Vancouverites, Nathan Thomson enjoys biking to local breweries around the Lower Mainland.

Nathan would often find himself without a bag and not able to take off sales home with him.

Noticing other bikers struggle to hold onto a 4-pack while leaving the brewery too, Nathan wanted to create a solution. He set about making a 4-Pack Saddle Bag, and in April 2021 he launched To Go Cycles.

To Go Cycles

To Go Cycles allows riders to carry four tall cans under a bicycle seat. It’s well constructed and fully enclosed to help keep its contents cool and protected. Not only is the product designed to carry beverages or snacks, but it can also function as a normal saddle bag. To Go Cycles allows you to carry any necessities you may need safely on your bike trip.

Based out of Port Moody, they’ve started distributed all over North America. With the recent explosion of both breweries and cycling, the 4-Pack Saddle Bag has already garnered a loyal following.

As municipalities started to allow alcohol at parks and beaches, the brand saw this as an opportunity to introduce a bike friendly product that helped riders keep their drinks cool and protected during their ride.

“The product started out as an idea on a scrap piece of paper but slowly manifested into a cardboard template, then mock design, and finally the product we have today.” Nathan said in an interview with Daily Hive.

 

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“I redesigned and reworked the prototype, spending hours measuring, cutting, test fitting and remaking. After finalizing a design, I investigated materials. I knew the bag had to be durable enough to withstand the weight and size of the intended contents. I spoke with over 30 manufacturers until I was able to find one that could produce the product with the intended specifications. We ended up finding a great manufacture overseas in China who was able to bring the prototype to life.”

To Go Cycles

The canvas exterior and nylon interior make this bag less bulky than a typical cooler. It has a twist lock front closure and the rear strap attaches around the seat post, which provides stability to the bag and rider.

“Once the first manufactured prototype arrived, I put hundreds of kilometres on my bike, testing the product to make sure it would hold up over time. I also asked friends for their input on design and specifications. In the end, much of the product today has changed when compared with the first creation I put together on my kitchen floor.”

 

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To Go Cycles is a new to market company, and Nathan is excited to expand the brand of bike accessories.

“Our company’s goal is to grow on the early successes of the Bicycle 4-Pack Saddle Bag and continue to expand our reach. In the future, we look to increase our product line by introducing new and exciting bicycle accessories.”

 

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“Since our product launch, we have had a great deal of support from both the beer and cycling community. We were fortunate to be able to partner and collaborate with local breweries and the BC Ale Trail. Through these outlets we were able to spread the word about our product and I will be forever grateful to the brewing community in BC.”

To Go Cycles’ flagship product, the Bicycle 4-Pack Saddle Bag is available through their website and are available for local pick up in Port Moody: email [email protected]