Bicycling to work and carrying a briefcase don’t go too well together. Sure, you can probably find a basket to throw over your handlebars, but that just makes you look like a total dork. Preserve your partial dorkiness status with the TATO Commuter Bike, which incorporates a briefcase compartment right on the frame.
TATO calls the Swiss-developed design CSSB, short for Central Storage System for Bicycles. Instead of being forced to use a backpack, pannier or messenger bag for carrying supplies, you can pedal to work without the strain of anything clutched onto your body and your favorite leather briefcase sitting snugly in the compact-geometry alloy frame.
The Commuter Bicycle’s unique compartment measures 15.7 x 12.6 x 3.7 inches, providing enough space to hold a briefcase, a laptop bag or other similarly-sized items. TATO says it can fit a small bag with four bottles too, since being able to carry beer is a prerequisite for most any type of vehicle. Because it encases your stuff inside a sturdy frame, it should offer better protection from bumps and falls too.
Intended for topnotch performance on the road, the core set of bike components are based around the Shimano Deore, so expect excellent reliability and all-around usability. Loading stuff on the frame lowers the bike’s center of gravity too, further adding to its stability. Notable features include M595 hydraulic disc brakes, RST magnesium alloy fork, two-piece cranksets and close to two dozen gears.
Never let your undying love for briefcases get in the way of bicycling around town again. The TATO Commuter Bike is available for $1,440.
[TATO]