test
“The Lion’s Den”
Bike bag and backpack: Does 2bag keep the ten-second promise?
“The Lion’s Den” on Vox: Two teenagers from Aachen want to get off to a flying start in the start-up show with a bike bag that can be transformed into a sporty, elegant backpack in just a few seconds. 2bag im star-Test.
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Two teenagers from Aachen want to stir up the bicycle industry with their 2bag. Your bike bag is not only sustainably produced. It should become a casual backpack within ten seconds. 2bag im star-practice test.
It takes a lot of guts to venture into the “Lion’s Den”. It almost takes more guts to jump into a market that has been defended by a few top dogs for many years. Two teenagers are not afraid of it. Why? Because Karl Fischer and Leander Mellies had a good idea and, above all, because they believe in it. The two 17-year-old students from Aachen want to conquer the hearts of everyday and professional cyclists with 2bag, a bike bag with a practical backpack function. They have recognized a problem that thousands of cyclists face every day: “An ordinary bicycle bag makes perfect sense on the bike, but as soon as you take it off you don’t really know how to carry it,” says Fischer, explaining the actually banal dilemma.
In the first episode of the new season of “The Lion’s Den” they first have to convince the investors of their idea. In the following, you will find out how 2bag performs in practice and whether the bike bag can really be transformed into a sporty backpack in less than ten seconds and comfortably shouldered star-practice test.
2bag from DHL: The first impression
Even the finest sniffing nose hits when unpacking 2 bags not on. And that’s good news and a very encouraging first impression. Instead of airing the product on the balcony for a few days, the bag (or backpack) can be packed straight away and used. But we took a closer look at 2bag beforehand. The bag makes a very high-quality impression. The seams are neatly finished, the (waterproof) outer material feels robust and yet flexible.
The first big surprise: The main compartment doesn’t close with the typical plastic click system. Instead, the founders have opted for a simple but extremely practical metal clasp for hooking. There are three small pockets with zippers on the sides. Two more are added at the back. But more on that later. The inner values can also convince at first glance. Karl and Leander have given their 2bag a main compartment and four smaller storage spaces. Incidentally, it is manufactured under license in the sewing workshops of the backpack giant Deuter in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
2bag in practical test
We want 2 bags (empty weight just under 1500 grams) first examine its qualities as a backpack. We will come to the real highlight of the product later. A 14-inch laptop, two narrow DIN A4 folders, some snacks, a drinking bottle and a few clothes all fit in comfortably. With the tried-and-tested roll-top system, roll it up two or three times, hang the hook in the eyelet on the outside, and you’re done. A maximum of 32 liters should fit in. The shoulder straps can be generously adjusted to the body size, but initially appear rather sparsely padded.
From our point of view, this does not have a negative effect on the wearing comfort. Even after two hours, 2bag still sits securely and, above all, comfortably on your back. You can’t expect much more from an everyday or job backpack. Especially nice: you can get to the drinking bottle in the outside pocket in no time at all. Left shoulder strap down, 2bag pulled with the right from the back in front of the stomach, zip open and bottle out. This may sound banal, but it is more the exception than the rule.
The highlight: from backpack to bike bag in ten seconds
But the highlight of 2bag should be something completely different: In less than ten seconds – so the promise – you should be able to transform the backpack into a bicycle bag and vice versa. How is this supposed to work? The idea, which is as simple as it is smart, is a zipper. First, the carrying straps, which are prepared with small magnets, are fixed to the back part to save space. Now a zip is opened, the lower back part is folded up and fixed there again with a second zip. The straps are safely stowed away and a well-known fastening system for standard luggage racks appears. With a little practice and routine, it actually works in about ten seconds. In our test, the bike bag turned into a backpack much more quickly than vice versa. The carrying straps, which had to be hidden, got in the way a bit here, so that the zipper didn’t always work smoothly. This is probably also the reason why the upholstery has been reduced to the bare essentials.
All in all, the transformation went flawlessly. In our test, 2bag could also be easily attached to the luggage rack of a mountain bike. Small disadvantage compared to classic bicycle bags: 2bag cannot be fixed at two points. The practical hook for additionally hanging the bag on the seatstay was sacrificed in favor of the patented folding system. From our point of view a good deal. Also because 2bag was not designed for wild downhill rides or off-road trips.
And the two smart guys from Aachen have solved another annoying problem of indestructible job cyclists with their folding system. Bicycle bags have to take a lot in wind and weather. Especially the side facing the bike is often covered in dirt after riding in the rain. In the end, you can’t avoid cleaning up at 2bag. You don’t mess up your clothes for that. Zip up, flap down, zip up.
2bag: The conclusion
Is 2bag one of many bike bags? no 2bag can do everything that a normal bike bag can do. Waterproof outer material, solid storage space, classic roll-top closure, click system for attaching to the luggage rack. So far, so interchangeable. With its patented folding system on the back part, 2bag has a real USP (Unique Selling Proposition). The “ten-second zip” snagged a bit in our test, but that doesn’t cloud our consistently positive impression. We have slight stomach ache with the price. 2bag in classic black, in Arctic Blue and aubergine red taste first. Yes, that’s money well spent. And whether the pleasingly sustainable production is also understandable. It should still be a tough fight against the top dogs with their classic bike bags. First major test on the way to success: 2bag’s appearance in “The Lion’s Den”.
Karl Fischer and Leander Mellies convinced us with 2bag. The five lions also went completely out of the saddle in the VOX founding show “Die Höhle der Löwen”. Four offers were on the table. The two young entrepreneurs talked on the phone, pondered and finally gave Nils Glagau the contract. For an investment of 20,000 euros, Glagau will receive 10 percent of 2bag and, as a mentor, wants to build up a sustainable bike bag brand with Leander and Karl.
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