Laptop protection commuting

[Hawk]

Hi all,

I'm doing a [edit: correction] 16 mile each way commute up in Scotland here for 3-4 days/week and hopefully all weather as we go in to autumn and things get wetter. I have just acquired a new laptop and have some budget to spend on protecting it during the commute.

It currently goes in an Altura Dryline pannier bag which is probably 10 years old and a bit worse for wear, though I did re-waterproof it lately. I do tend to ride quite quickly and there is one hard-to-avoid short section of cycle lane that is unfortunately a very rough surface, so I imagine the laptop will be getting knocked about a fair bit at least on that section.

What do you think would be the gold standard of laptop-specific protection for a bike? Either inside the existing pannier bag or a standalone solution on to the rack. I'm imagining some sort of case that hopefully offers both physical protection and some backup waterproofing probably, whilst ideally being rather lightweight.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

[fossyant]

I use a padded laptop wallet from a company called Domiso from that big on line retailer. I'd advise waterproof panniers.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I've never worried about physical protection, but for waterproof, I've an ortieb laptop pannier, which I've inadvertently tested with full immersion in a flood and came out bone dry inside.

 

[mjr]

All the above and maybe get a dry bag from a camping shop. A thin soft sheet between screen and keyboard might help. I expect the laptop has a solid state drive these days.

 

[Alex321]

I commute with a rucksack rather than panniers, since my bike has no support for a pannier rack,. And is aldo my main leisure/exercise riding bike.

I have the laptop inside a neoprene cover, packed into the rucksack at the back (i.e. closest to my back), with my clothes and towel outside that, to provide padding in the case of a fall.

In the two years I have been doing this, I have come off heavily twice, with no damage to the laptop.

The rucksack also has a detachable waterproof cover, that sits in a pocket at the base when not in use. I put that on whenever there is a risk of rain during the journey.

 

[vickster]

I certainly wouldn’t want to do 32 miles twice a day in all weathers with a heavy backpack! What’s that, 2 hours each way?
Good thick neoprene sleeve, maybe wrap clothes around it too if carrying as well, Ortliebs

 

[Alex321]

I certainly wouldn’t want to do 32 miles twice a day in all weathers with a heavy backpack! What’s that, 2 hours each way?
Good thick neoprene sleeve, maybe wrap clothes around it too if carrying as well, Ortliebs

True. My commute is half that, and only twice a week - the other three weekdays I work from home.

 

[Profpointy]

I commuted daily for 5 or more years, admittedly only 7 miles each way. Laptop went straight in the (Ortlieb) pannier with no additional protection. Pannier bounced off the bike and went down the road on one occasion, and I fell off / was knocked off twice. Laptops are pretty robust. I dropped a laptop in the car park once and in failing to catch it made it spin before landing 6 feet away. Dented the corner but worked fine for years after

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Speaking as a retired IT technician (among other things!) I would avoid having the laptop being in a position where it gets the vibration direct from the frame - e.g in a pannier especially. They are not normally designed to take vibration and contain lots of electrical connections that are not always as robust as they might be (I worked in a school with kids and teachers - not sure which was worse but they both break laptops!)

Anyway - clearly it is not idea to carry a heavy backpack - but I would advise having the laptop in one so your body provides some shock absorbance.
and - on that point - don't fall off!!!! (sorry!)

I should say - some laptops are better at taking shocks than others - but even within a single make - some models seem to be better than others for no apparent reason so I can;t say make xx is better than make yy
even within a single model line some laptops can cause problems while others are fine - lockdown laptops in schools produced lots of stories from school IT technicians about this! So stories about "I have a xxx and it has always been fine" don;t mean much as even if you have the same make and model you caould have more trouble - and even find that inside there are differences!


Oh - more helpful - make sure it has an SSD rather than a hard drive - they are far more resilient!

 

[lazybloke]

I don't see any point in leaky panniers. I'd replace them if they weren't waterproof anymore.

As for laptops - they seem fairly robust, but I imagine there is a cumulative effect from bumps and vibrations, which might eventually loosen connectors between the various components.

I carry work laptops in neoprene slipcases to give a bit of padding. A couple of times, I've had panniers completely detach from the bike, and the laptops have survived in their cases just fine.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I don't see any point in leaky panniers. I'd replace them if they weren't waterproof anymore.

As for laptops - they seem fairly robust, but I imagine there is a cumulative effect from bumps and vibrations, which might eventually loosen connectors between the various components.

I carry work laptops in neoprene slipcases to give a bit of padding. A couple of times, I've had panniers completely detach from the bike, and the laptops have survived in their cases just fine.

Yes - I would be more worried about cumulative effects that the effects of a pannier dropping off
Vibration is the main problem - which is the reason I have stopped carrying my decent camera around on rides - I used to have it in my rach bag and thought better of it!

 

[cougie uk]

Oof. That's a heck of a commute. I'd not even want to drive that.

Is the laptop essential? Can you not make use of an external drive or something?

I'd definitely be looking at a dry bag but it'd need to be a big one to fit the laptop in.

I know LOMO do some high Viz drybag backpacks that might work for you. Not ideal for your back but I'd think it gets a less harsh ride on your back compared to being in a pannier.

I use drybag backpacks a lot hiking and never had any leakage.

 

[Dadam]

Speaking as a retired IT technician (among other things!) I would avoid having the laptop being in a position where it gets the vibration direct from the frame - e.g in a pannier especially. They are not normally designed to take vibration and contain lots of electrical connections that are not always as robust as they might be (I worked in a school with kids and teachers - not sure which was worse but they both break laptops!)

Anyway - clearly it is not idea to carry a heavy backpack - but I would advise having the laptop in one so your body provides some shock absorbance.
and - on that point - don't fall off!!!! (sorry!)

I should say - some laptops are better at taking shocks than others - but even within a single make - some models seem to be better than others for no apparent reason so I can;t say make xx is better than make yy
even within a single model line some laptops can cause problems while others are fine - lockdown laptops in schools produced lots of stories from school IT technicians about this! So stories about "I have a xxx and it has always been fine" don;t mean much as even if you have the same make and model you caould have more trouble - and even find that inside there are differences!


Oh - more helpful - make sure it has an SSD rather than a hard drive - they are far more resilient!

A laptop in a pannier, especially in a padded sleeve or padded laptop compartment is well isolated from any vibrations that might cause issues. It's going to move about but that movement is heavily damped and is absolutely not the hard shocks like dropping on a hard surface that could break or shake apart PCB mountings or solder joints. It's going to get just as much movement being jostled around in a backpack on public transport. Protecting it from water or external knocks that could flex the chassis or screen are the main considerations, and the largest risk is from other hard objects in the pannier with it. This is where a separate padded compartment wins out.

 

[mjr]

A laptop in a pannier, especially in a padded sleeve or padded laptop compartment is well isolated from any vibrations that might cause issues.

I was just replying that panniers are usually suspended from the rack not bolted to it tight when your post appeared. I probably wouldn't put a laptop in the bottom of a bag or basket on top of a rack, where it would get more vibration, but no-one suggested that yet.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I was just replying that panniers are usually suspended from the rack not bolted to it tight when your post appeared. I probably wouldn't put a laptop in the bottom of a bag or basket on top of a rack, where it would get more vibration, but no-one suggested that yet.

Yes - better in the pannier than in a bag on the top of teh rack - which is where my camera used to be!

However, the panniers are normally securely fixed to the side bars of the rack or bike frame so it still gets some vibration

If I was commuting I would probably still use them - but not everyday.

anyway - each to his own - and I do know that the padded cases that people get for kids tablets and laptops are effective - so wrapping the laptop up in something padded - even bubble wrap - would make a big difference