Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Waterproof hi viz back pack for my commute.
Do you prefer panniers, backpack, messenger bag or something else for your commute?
- Thread starter Bimble
- Start date
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subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
ACS
Legendary Member
- Location
- Just below the snow line
Rack and a single waterproof pannier for me.
Option of a Topeak rack top bag for the rare occasions that I need additional capacity
Option of a Topeak rack top bag for the rare occasions that I need additional capacity
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
I'm going to be in the minority here but I much prefer the rucksack.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Topeak rack bag with drop down-zip away panniers has always done me proud,
not my bike, random piccy off t'internet but the same set-up as mine
not my bike, random piccy off t'internet but the same set-up as mine
vickster
Squire
Panniers (well, Topeak trunk bag with fold down panniers as required so no overkill if not carrying much, same as @raleighnut )
I wouldn't ever carry a laptop on my back
I wouldn't ever carry a laptop on my back
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Orelib front roller classics on the rear. Waterproof and also very good at protecting the bike in a crash. Tried it a few times. Shame I got broken.
DRHysted
Guru
- Location
- New Forest
Another Topeak racktop bag with zip down panniers user here. I have a set of waterproof panniers if I'm taking something too big for the topeak into work. I can't get comfortable on the road bikes with a back pack on, and my commutes are either 04:00 or 16:00 mostly rural, so little need for slipping between cars.
crazyjoe101
New Member
- Location
- London
I carry almost 3kgs of locks and a full change of clothes with me so 1 or 2 panniers is what I use, all of that on my back is not at all nice. I can't leave my locks at work right now because I need them when at home and I'd rather carry them then spend another £100 on locks!
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Very large (22 litre) saddlebag, resting on the rear rack... currently a Highlander haversack with some correx board in it and some extra cam buckle straps doing a Carradice impersonation... or sometimes a no-name satchel as a smaller version (10 litre) of the same. Hiking rain cover over it when needed.
I use roll-up-able double panniers (Basil Mara) when I'm bringing lots of shopping home - they strap onto the bag until needed, but will unfurl and strap on to carry about two shopping bags each side. Waterproofish, if you know what I mean. If it's just a little more shopping than the rear bag will accept, it goes into the front mini basket.
All my bikes have rear racks. They don't slow you down much. Big panniers can a bit, especially in fen headwinds, hence why I like my roll-up-able ones.
As for the suboptimal past attempts: Even when I used a rucksack (some Eurotrek 13 litre one for about a decade), it used to get strapped to the rear rack because I don't like a sweaty back, but they're not designed for it, so it was a bit faffy (tying straps up to keep them from catching spokes) and eventually wore through from shuffling against the rack rails. The Alpkit dry bag (aka canoe bag) was better and still gets used sometimes, but is less good as a bag (only having a roll-top opening is a bit annoying) and it also started to wear through (patched but I don't really trust it any more). I've also a trunk bag with fold-down panniers, but maybe the one I got was poor because the side panniers only held one shopping bag each, one side pannier started to come away, the top was always a bit floppy side-to-side and it was a bit annoying to attach and detach the velcro. I've also used a rear crate but that's annoyingly big and stuff seems to rattle in it whenever possible.
My, I've had a lot of goes at this, haven't I?
I use roll-up-able double panniers (Basil Mara) when I'm bringing lots of shopping home - they strap onto the bag until needed, but will unfurl and strap on to carry about two shopping bags each side. Waterproofish, if you know what I mean. If it's just a little more shopping than the rear bag will accept, it goes into the front mini basket.
All my bikes have rear racks. They don't slow you down much. Big panniers can a bit, especially in fen headwinds, hence why I like my roll-up-able ones.
As for the suboptimal past attempts: Even when I used a rucksack (some Eurotrek 13 litre one for about a decade), it used to get strapped to the rear rack because I don't like a sweaty back, but they're not designed for it, so it was a bit faffy (tying straps up to keep them from catching spokes) and eventually wore through from shuffling against the rack rails. The Alpkit dry bag (aka canoe bag) was better and still gets used sometimes, but is less good as a bag (only having a roll-top opening is a bit annoying) and it also started to wear through (patched but I don't really trust it any more). I've also a trunk bag with fold-down panniers, but maybe the one I got was poor because the side panniers only held one shopping bag each, one side pannier started to come away, the top was always a bit floppy side-to-side and it was a bit annoying to attach and detach the velcro. I've also used a rear crate but that's annoyingly big and stuff seems to rattle in it whenever possible.
My, I've had a lot of goes at this, haven't I?
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mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Urrrgh, I forgot the messenger bags! I've two still in frequent use and they sometimes get used when I'm carrying things that merit it, like documents or computers to meetings where even the black satchel will look too informal. They have carabiners to hang them from saddles or rear rack side rails, but of course that rattles. The larger padded one (sometimes contains laptop) has two shoulder straps - one goes over each arm and the bag hangs around my bum like a very long-strapped rucksack.
Oh and finally: I'm sure I've a rigid briefcase around here somewhere still which can strap to the top of the rack, but I really don't remember the last time I used it
Oh and finally: I'm sure I've a rigid briefcase around here somewhere still which can strap to the top of the rack, but I really don't remember the last time I used it
CanucksTraveller
Macho Business Donkey Wrestler
- Location
- Hertfordshire
I have a rack fitted with (usually) one Altura pannier, and the option's there to fit the second if needed. Even then, that's a compromise, I think panniers are the best answer for carrying weight on the bike but when you're off the bike, most panniers make pretty poor hand luggage for the pedestrian part of a journey.
OP
OP
Bimble
Bimbling along ...
I like the logic of that.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
I've never commuted on this but if I ever get well enough to work again (they're talking about a 3rd op on my leg) this should do the job as well as my Topeak bags,
