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ONE MAN, TWO HANDS — SAN FRANCISCO, CA
ZODIACBAGGAGE
Bags shaped on the backs
of people who ride.
Handmade by Trevor Beanes, a former San Francisco bike messenger — one man, two hands.
- 2014The year Trevor
started ZODIAC - OneCutting and sewing,
all by one man - 1000DCORDURA outside,
18oz vinyl inside - XS–XLFive sizes for
Sling and Roll Top
ABOUT ZODIAC BAGGAGE
By a messenger,
for messengers.
It holds an absurd amount, hugs your body and stands up to rain. The messenger bag was born from the work of couriers who deliver documents and packages across the city the same day, and for decades it has been refined by their own hands.
The days when messenger bag brands were everywhere, riding the fixed-gear boom, have passed. Many legendary makers have retired and closed their shops. Trevor is still sewing bags that carry everything he learned riding in San Francisco.
Not a trend, but a tool you can carry every day. The best way to understand ZODIAC is to put one on.
TREVOR BEANES
From the streets of San Francisco
to the sewing machine.
San Francisco has long been a messenger town. The community has its own union, runs a fund for riders who can't work because of injury or illness, and even publishes its own zine. Trevor rode as part of that tight-knit community.
On the road, the bag he used most was a roll top. He went on to sew at FREIGHT BAGGAGE, the legendary San Francisco messenger bag workshop, inheriting the patterns and the thinking of his teacher.
In 2014, during an intense experience, Trevor heard a voice telling him to become a craftsman. The words were so clear that not following them would have felt like betrayal. With humility and sacrifice as his mantra, focused only on becoming a master craftsman, he started ZODIAC.
The name is an homage to San Francisco itself: a cryptic unsolved case, astrology, time travel, everything mystic. “One must truly know their demons and how to battle hell to become an ideal self.” He sources from ethical, local vendors and still sews every bag himself, with his own two hands.
I wish I'd had a bag like this back when I was riding as a messenger.
Trevor Beanes
A lineage of messenger bags
- 1970s
De Martini
A canvas shoulder bag from a maker of ship sails. The origin of the messenger bag, built to carry legal and financial papers.
- 1980s
ZO / San Francisco
Eric Zo, himself a messenger, builds the rugged structure the community came to rely on.
- —
FREIGHT BAGGAGE / San Francisco
The roll top becomes a modern messenger staple. Where Trevor learned to sew.
- 2014
ZODIAC BAGGAGE
Trevor goes independent, carrying on his teacher's roll top and adding what he learned on the road.
- 2021
Circles
Circles begins carrying ZODIAC.
- 2023
CMWC Yokohama
At the Cycle Messenger World Championships, SimWorks' Yamagishi races the final wearing ZODIAC.
- 2025
Circles Tokyo Special
Colors specially ordered by Circles Tokyo arrive after about six months.
- 2026
Restock
A long-awaited restock, now at our Nagoya and Tokyo stores.
INHERITED
Fifteen years on one back: a bag from his teacher's workshop.
This FREIGHT BAGGAGE has been used by a Circles staff member for nearly 15 years. Sun-bleached and faded, it's still in daily service. The brand is gone, but its blood runs through ZODIAC's roll top. Keeping the same core ideas, Trevor refined the fit and construction in countless small ways.
SLING / ROLL TOP
Over the shoulder, or on your back?
ZODIAC bags come in two main forms: the Sling, chosen by messengers who carry documents, and the Roll Top, chosen by messengers who haul heavy loads. Choose by what you carry and how you ride.
Sling
Get things out without taking the bag off.
The classic form chosen for decades by messengers carrying legal papers and blueprints. It began with De Martini's canvas bag, ZO gave it structure, and Trevor added what he learned on the road. It wraps snugly around your body, and you can swing it to your front to get things in and out, even mid-ride.
- Triple-layer main strap: a 1-inch strap sandwiched between two layers of seatbelt webbing
- Removable to switch between left and right shoulder, and replaceable on its own when it wears out
- Suspension straps lock large or awkward loads in place
- L and XL come with an X-strap, so heavy days can go on both shoulders
- Padding at the shoulder, back and side. M and up add a back panel pad that keeps corners off your back
For commuting, school, city riding and fixed gear: anyone who needs to grab papers or a laptop fast.
Roll Top
A simple box that fits anything.
The form that became the standard for messengers hauling heavy loads and for food delivery riders. It's the bag Trevor used most on the road. He poured his years of sewing at FREIGHT BAGGAGE into it, carrying on his teacher's pattern while refining the fit and construction in countless ways.
- A floating inner liner of 18oz vinyl, with seams sealed with GORE-TEX
- A double-layer back panel with foam and plastic inserts keeps its shape and keeps loads off your back
- Extra-thick 3-inch shoulder straps with load lifters, like a mountaineering pack
- A large divided front pocket, plus deep side pockets that fit a Nalgene or a U-lock
- Plenty of 1-inch buckle anchor points; the included straps let you carry big items like wheels
For people who carry heavy loads every day, ride to the market or out on trips, and want to carry with their whole back.
DETAILS
Everything learned
riding and hauling.
ZODIAC bags aren't light. These days there are plenty of lighter, smaller bags. But these are built to be treated roughly every day and carried for years. Every detail has a reason only someone who has hauled loads would understand.
1000D CORDURA × 18oz vinyl
Abrasion-resistant 1000-denier nylon outside; highly water-resistant vinyl inside that holds up no matter what you load. Since the canvas era, it's the combination messengers have trusted longest.
Triple-layer main strap
Two layers of seatbelt webbing with a 1-inch strap inside. It adjusts smoothly, won't slip once buckled and resists fraying.
Shoulder, back and side padding
Thick pads ease heavy loads and long distances, while the side pad keeps the belt from rubbing against your body.
Two shoulders, on a sling
The large L and XL come with an X-strap. When you don't need it, it stows on the flap.
Load lifters
The adjustment straps found on big outdoor packs. The bag follows the curve of your back, so you carry with your whole back, not just your shoulders.
For loads that won't fit
The outside buckles and included straps let you strap on loads too big for the bag.
Deep side pockets
Deep enough that nothing falls out while you ride. A home for bottles, locks and anything you need fast.
Cell Phone Holster
A small holster that attaches to the shoulder strap with Velcro. Get to your phone or wallet without opening the bag.
SIZE GUIDE
Which size fits
what you carry?
In the messenger world, they say bigger is better. Still, it's best to match your build and what you carry. If you're unsure, come try one on in store.
MANIFESTSling Messenger Bag
No. SF-2014
| Size | Dimensions (W×H×D) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 27.5×20.5×11.5cm | Wallet, phone, a drink. Fits a 2L bottle on its side. A simple build without the extra features |
| S | 38×30.5cm | Commute clothes, a laptop, lunch, a camera. Swing it to your front to change lenses |
| M | 46×33×23cm | The most versatile. Where the full-spec build begins, with a back pad and thick shoulder pad |
| L | 48×33×25cm | The pro messenger size. The X-strap spreads the weight over both shoulders |
| XL | 53.5×35×31cm | Maximum capacity. On a 160cm rider, it covers the whole back |
Roll Top also comes in five sizes, XS to XL. M and L differ by about one inch in width, height and depth. The L measures about W41 × H38cm (about 71cm unrolled) × D25cm. We recommend the L if you haul for work or often carry big items like wheels.
See riders 160, 170 and 180cm tall try each size (in Japanese)
IN STOCK AT CIRCLES
In stock at Circles now.
Because every bag is made by one person, restocks come about once a year at most. Most colors have just one or two in stock. If you see one you like, don't wait too long.
Small
Medium
Large
X-Large
Small
Medium
Large
You can try bags on at our Nagoya store and Circles Tokyo. The stores and webshop share inventory, so please contact us before visiting to be sure.
ON THE ROAD
From the people who carry them.
A working messenger, the former-messenger leader of SimWorks, and Circles staff. ZODIAC has been chosen on the backs of people who ride.
For both the roll top and the sling, the L is the pro messenger size. I use an L myself.
Izuru ShimasakiDaisy Messenger / messenger
ZODIAC on a former messenger's back: 150 minutes, all the way through the CMWC Yokohama final.
Yusuke YamagishiSimWorks / former messenger
My favorite part is the load lifters. A small touch, but it makes a huge difference. You can feel Trevor's love for the people who use his bags.
YoshimotoCircles Tokyo
A messenger bag is a tool that reflects the person who keeps using it. Ever since an older rider told me that, I've looked up to people who let their backs do the talking.
OtakaCircles Tokyo
Overseas, on a forum where Chicago messengers talk shop, ZODIAC gets called “a tank.” Bankers boxes, oversized blueprint rolls, documents in a downpour — all carried.
READ
Stories of ZODIAC and messengers.
ESSAYWe carry more than just the bag.
NEW ARRIVALWith this bag, you'll be fine.
CIRCLES TOKYOThe long-awaited restock: Zodiac Baggage
REVIEWA bag that won't lose to rain, wind, sun or snow
SIZESling Messenger Bag: size comparison
SPECIALCircles Tokyo Special
STORYThe answer in messenger bags
EVENTCMWC 2023 Yokohama
FAQ
FAQ
Unsure about size or color? Use the form below. Tell us your build and what you carry, and we'll answer from our own experience trying them on.
Is it waterproof?
The outside is 1000-denier CORDURA nylon and the inside is 18oz vinyl. On the Roll Top, the inner liner floats separately from the body and its seams are sealed with GORE-TEX tape. We don't call it fully waterproof, but one messenger reports legal documents stayed dry through a torrential downpour.
Isn't it heavy?
Honestly, it's not a light bag. The thick fabric and sturdy straps give it real weight even when empty. In return, it stays stable fully loaded and holds up for years.
Can the sling be worn on either shoulder?
Yes. The main strap is removable, so you can switch it for left- or right-shoulder carry.
What if the strap wears out?
You can replace just the strap. Replacement main straps are in short supply and take time to order, so please contact us before yours wears through.
Can I order a custom color?
ZODIAC bags are made to order, one at a time, in the US. Circles Tokyo has placed a special color order before, and it took about six months to arrive. If you have something in mind, please ask us first.
Can the Cell Phone Holster fit other bags?
It attaches to the shoulder strap with Velcro, so it fits other bags too if the strap width works. A handy spot for your phone, wallet or tools.
Ask us about ZODIAC.
Questions about size or color, stock or the next restock, strap replacement or special orders: ask away. Tell us your build and what you usually carry, and we'll answer from our own experience trying them on.
ZODIAC BAGGAGE products
Every size of Sling and Roll Top, plus the Cell Phone Holster, replacement straps and pins.
