Backpack vs Panniers

[Supersuperleeds]

Everyone is different, but I prefer a rucksack.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Mind you, once you've humped a 60lb bergan on a 5 day exercise in Cyprus then a normal backpack is like toting fresh air.

That's one heck of a commute you had...

 

[Andy in Germany]

The first day I got the Xtracycle was a revelation. I never used a backpack since. That said, I suspect the technology has moved on since I last had sweaty back syndrome. I did reconsider when I had a commute that was about 1/3 bike and 2/3 tram and walking, so a backpack may have made more sense, but carrying the pannier wasn't too much trouble.

Then I realised it was an excuse to ride further.

Possibly not a very good excuse, but the best I had available...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

On the folding bike I used to use a rucksack. Mtn bike started as rucksack and transitioned to top peak one with fold down sides. Road bike is panniers.

If you have lockers at work or even leave a bag under your desk then you can take changes of clothes in and take dirty home once or twice a week. Rest of week you can travel much lighter unless you also fake your lunchbox.

 

[Julia9054]

Firstly with a pannier your carrying the weight of the rack all the time not just when you have luggage.

An excellent excuse to own two bikes

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Back pack for me for 2 reasons:

Firstly with a pannier your carrying the weight of the rack all the time not just when you have luggage

Equates a pound which I'm sure most of us could easily lose to compensate.

 

[I like Skol]

unless you also fake your lunchbox.

I don't fake, it's all real.....

 

[MontyVeda]

Pannier for me (one Ortleib front roller on the back). It doesn't weigh much (there's just waterproofs and a spare tube inside) but i do notice the weight difference when i take the bike out without it.

 

[Julia9054]

If you have lockers at work

I have finally been allowed a locker! Have been commuting by bike for about 10 years and have just this year been told by male members of staff that they have a changing room with lockers and a wardrobe for hanging suits. Female members of staff have nothing! I complained and management have got very twitchy! As a first step, they have found some lockers and put them outside the ladies toilets. They are also talking about repurposing a small work room nearby as a female changing room! We'll see if this actually happens. (Out of a staff of 150ish, around 65% are female. I am the only woman who cycles)

 

[HLaB]

Better a second of hassle than an hour of sweat IMO but each to their own.

Been there and done that, the the Ortlieb pannier I use with their back pack converter is the pannier I used with a rack for 8 years. The converter is designed well so I don't sweat, the agility of the bike and hand freedom/ ease at the other end outweighs sweat for me for an occasional once a week use but as you say each to their own

 

[Pat "5mph"]

What the flip is "lifting the bike into position"? Is it a cyclocross commute? Ride the bike, not carry it.

If OP has a bike cage at work, like me, the bike needs handled in and out of the parking space. If there are many bikes in the cage, this can sometimes mean lifting the bike, because the panniers get stuck.

I have been commuting the 5 miles to work for about 7 years, only the first few months with a backpack.
Got a rack on all my bikes, a couple of sets of Ortliebs that I wouldn't leave home without, for the convenience of carrying my stuff plus any shopping I may fancy doing on my way home.
Mostly, I use a set of front rollers (smaller than the Ortlieb backrollers), but they are fitted on the back rack.
One day I must try cycling "light", for the experience

 

[annedonnelly]

Saddlebag?

View attachment 477270 View attachment 477270

@raleighnut Do you know what rack you have on there? I'm looking for something like that.

 

[boydj]

I had a rack on one bike and just used a rack pack that sat behind the saddle and usually didn't carry anything very heavy - usually just a towel, shirt and underwear as trousers were kept in the office. It did make a bit of difference to the handling, but not too much. Panniers were always an option for larger loads. On the other bike, I had a small traditional saddlebag, supported by a small metal frame to stop it swaying. A backpack was just too annoying.

 

[raleighnut]

@raleighnut Do you know what rack you have on there? I'm looking for something like that.

Sorry no, it was just a cheapy one from my little bike shop (one man band outfit) it didn't even have a label on when I bought it but John doesn't stock badly made stuff. There is a chance that he'd had it in stock for years though as the shop is very old fashioned.

 

[annedonnelly]

Sorry no, it was just a cheapy one from my little bike shop (one man band outfit) it didn't even have a label on when I bought it but John doesn't stock badly made stuff. There is a chance that he'd had it in stock for years though as the shop is very old fashioned.

View attachment 477346

That's what I'm looking for - old-fashioned I don't like the look of lots of the modern ones.

Think I might've spotted something on eBay so I need to measure to see if it'll fit.