You can buy my bag off me for £500. I will sprinkle it with cocoa powder and sugar. Thus it will meet your speifications of not being £200 and being 'nice and tasty'.
Overshoes are better than plastic bags. They cost around £20 and won't last more than a year if you use them very frequently, but it's worth the money to keep your feet and shoes dry. They're better with clipless pedals, as they're difficult to get into straps and will be torn apart by platforms.
Shoes start to smell bad when they get wet often, and I don't think they last as long. Best to keep 'em dry, then you don't have to remember to put them on the radiator when you get home.
I don't know how good Chrome bags are but I'd go for one with an extra shoulder strap (i.e. Bagaboo or Pac) to spread the weight over both shoulders, it's a boon if you get asked to carry nuff lever arch files or a heavy box.
anyone still using Seal Skinz waterproof socks? I has mixed results using these ie feet still got wet but were still nice and warm, but that was years ago.
I found my feet and hands smelt worse than anything describable with SS. Wet shoes? Remember to pack with newspaper and keep away from radiator - I ruined my fave Carnacs doing exactly the opp.
I got Endura overshoes, and they keep feet nice and warm, if not totally waterproof. But if plastic bags work for you, stick with them!
Overdrive's overshoes are also endura,the neoprene ones. Also do the newspaper thing it works fine. Overdshoes also give your cycling shoes a nice clean. By the way it's gonna f*cking piss down today!!!!
Shopping bags failed today. Either going to have to upgrade to thicker rubbish bags.
Sticking shoes on the rad shouldn't wreck them. I have 2 pairs of shoes that have been with me for 3+ years and I've always stuck them on the rad after they get wet or have been in the washing machine.
Worked on friday but was wearing my new gore-tex socks...better than over-shoes and seal skinz put together...they fit over your socks, not much of a foot shape 'cos of the gore-tex material but my feet were dry all day (ok maybe a bit damp from sweating) so i recommend them...i think you can only get them on the internet ,from any website that sells outdoor stuff...full name's Trekmates Amphibian GORE-TEX. Not sure how they'll keep after wearing, washing and all but can't be worse than the sealskinz. Oh! and they cost 20 quid.
condor used to sell these, they are very good. if used with a thin sock underneath and waterproof trousers which seal onto the sock your feet should stay properly dry. if your calves are exposed above the sock the water will run into them. i know a few people who said they had issues with "having to cut their toenails", ie their talons pierced the end. not that i ever had that problem. and papillon- handwash!
Only nancy boys complain about getting wet feet. And only posers with problem hairstyles use mud-guards. As for bags, I've never seen anything wrong with a small version of the plastic-coated jute things that always used to carry Grauniad logos in the OYB days (he said, checking his £100 bag was still under his seat in the internet Cafe)
Bambi (my mate in NYC) swears by waterproof socks. I don't know how much they are in pounds, but they're about $50. Having said this, he brow beat my friend into getting them and he claims that only the left one worked, and his right foot was well wet and miserable.
A general plug on bags...
I worked with a Post bag for th first few months. It was big and free, and it meant that if I decided that being a courier was a bad plan it didn't really matter. I then switched to a cathrine newell, which wasn't really worth anything. They arn't waterproof, they only have one strap, and they're crap. I now ride during the week with a pac, which is so worth it. Get one if you find yourself flush at all (or get a job at a company that sells them for cheaper, IE metro or cyclone). During the weekends I use a bagjack backpack I won from London Calling, it's HUGE and very water proof, with the inner lining coming out and all the inner pockets being velcro-ed in so you can move them, but I prefer to work with a sling bag.
There a couple of dinar for you
As for radio holders, talk to House of Pistard, I heard a rumour he's making more of his uber cool ones.
The Timbuk2 has worked well these past few weeks and when I'm back in uni I have no doubt the bag will be useful for fitting whatever bits and bobs I'll need during the day.
As for the radio holder, it's way more fun to make your own. I used duct tape.