Do I put the rack back on?

[gouldina]

My uncle chipped a vertebrae after going over a bonnet while wearing a rucksack with a u-lock in it. Landed on his back, the u-lock did the rest.

Certainly not nonsense.

On the other hand on another occasion it might prevent a chipped vertebra by providing padding. Horses for courses surely?

 

[2Loose]

It is true, the bag content was to blame, but it wouldn't have happened with panniers.

It is for this reason that I put keys and phone and anything hard in my saddle bag though. Just in case.

Oh yes, apart from the vertebrae, the crash also broke one of his knee caps, which nothing on the bike would have prevented.

 

[HLaB]

I prefer rack and panniers for commuting, i.e not having a sweaty back. I usually carry a small scrunch bag folded up in my pocket and it usually suffices for the odd time I need extra room; if I only had a backpack I'd be tight for room.

 

[Fnaar]

This is perhaps the ultimate "pannier", a tailbox. Looks great, has virtually no effect on handling, makes the bike faster, and can carry advertising.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ls-mike/3878648564/in/set-72157611214389627/

Space age!

 

[Brahan]

I prefer a rack and pannier as my commute is 12 miles one way with significant climbs. I carry quite a bit so it's nice to keep the weight off my back and to avoids the sweaty back.

I would prefer the backpack over shorter distances. It's more convenient and I don't need to leave it permanently attached to the bike like I do with the pannier.

You can ride 12 miles and not sweat? How long does it take you to commute then? I'm normally sweating after 3-4 miles

 

[Ivan Ardon]

Through the winter, I saw mainly racks and panniers on my commute. Now the weather's picked up ans there are more commuters out, I'm seeing an increase in backpacks.

This is in line with the increase on BSOs, so are backpacks LSOs? (Luggage Shaped Objects). Perhaps Cheap bike = Cheap luggage?

 

[gouldina]

You can ride 12 miles and not sweat? How long does it take you to commute then? I'm normally sweating after 3-4 miles

I think you misread that post. He's saying he needs panniers because after 12 miles, he is sweating.

 

[MacB]

So dont carry a U lock in the bag? is that not what the frame clamp is for? I have been riding with a rucksack for 18 months and has a 17inch laptop in, fell off a few times in ice and never come off worse because of the bag.

Not always so easy to get a frame clamp to work/fit, especially if you use a pair of water bottles. Actually fitting a lock to a rack is much easier

 

[skrx]

I usually leave my £12 panniers on the bike, since I can't be bothered removing them. I recently invested £1 in a bike lock from the pound shop which I've used to lock the panniers to the bike. It's about as thick as washing line, but it's a small deterrent.

I never use a rucksack, I don't like having a sweaty back! But I don't see any reason not to leave the rack on the bike, that will have very little effect on handling, especially if it's an aluminium one.

 

[John the Monkey]

I didn't get on with panniers on the commute, but a traditional transverse saddlebag (Carradice Lowsaddle Longflap) works very nicely.

My rack is still on the bike for now (the light plate is too handy to remove it).

 

[Moodyman]

You can ride 12 miles and not sweat? How long does it take you to commute then? I'm normally sweating after 3-4 miles

I never said I don’t sweat. I said I prefer a rack & pannier to avoid the sweaty back that a backpack gives.

My commute takes me between 55 -65 minutes depending on which route I take and whether it’s a homeward/outward journey. My commute is D shaped – climb > peak > descend, so I get plenty sweaty.

Thank goodness for showers & heated lockers at work.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm another one who went from panniers back to rucksack. Bike is far much more responsive without the rack/panniers.

 

[andylaw79]

Thanks for the response, seams to have caused a good bit of debate.

Generally don't carry too much, usual stuff like a clean shirt and lunch. Tools and the like are now in a small saddle pack. Now I think about I actually think I was over packing when the rack was on.

I ride a flat-bar road bike (hybrid) so maybe the rack isn't the best option with regards to handling and my commute is only 8 miles each way, so possibly the rack is overkill.

Think I'll stick with the rucksack for now, the winter coat is going into hibernation now so that should help with the sweaty back issue. Might buy a more bike specific one in the future though, mine hasn't got any loops for attaching a light.

 

[Crankarm]

So dont carry a U lock in the bag? is that not what the frame clamp is for? I have been riding with a rucksack for 18 months and has a 17inch laptop in, fell off a few times in ice and never come off worse because of the bag.

Was that because the laptop crashed ?

IGMC

 

[Brahan]

You can ride 12 miles and not sweat? How long does it take you to commute then? I'm normally sweating after 3-4 miles

I never said I don’t sweat. I said I prefer a rack & pannier to avoid the sweaty back that a backpack gives.

My commute takes me between 55 -65 minutes depending on which route I take and whether it’s a homeward/outward journey. My commute is D shaped – climb > peak > descend, so I get plenty sweaty.

Thank goodness for showers & heated lockers at work.

Sorry dude - misread - duh.

Yeah, showers at work are a blessing. The ones in my office have just been fixed this week after months of nothing but freezing cold water brrrr.