Using ortlieb panniers for commuting?

[Time Waster]

I'm planning on using my rigid, road bike tomorrow as my Brompton has a few too many issues to be able to fix for tomorrow. So I'm using my ortlieb, the XL one at 35 litres

It made me think it's not very work commuting friendly. The pockets against the back is where you might want to put your laptop. That doesn't seem to work to me.

How do you use yours for commuting? So you carry a laptop as well? What do you carry in your panniers?

I've got laptop, cables, pens in a small pouch, two notebooks and a filofax. I also have glasses case, headset for work, I'll take a food flask, small tupperware box, waterproof trousers, coffee cup and a few bits and pieces. All in the main body. The bike lock, water bottle, etc in the front, outer mesh pocket.

Not sure it's a great solution but I'm not going to buy another bag for it. This is a Stopgap solution but I'm looking for a better way to use it.

 

[I like Skol]

Why on earth are you carrying all that stuff? Really?

Waterproof trousers. You either set off needing them or you don't need them. Lock should just be at work permanently and surely a water bottle goes in the water bottle cage?

Just for interest, how far is the commute? Shouldn't really need a water bottle for a commute under 1hr? Just on a personal level don't think about taking water on a ride for anything under 20-25 miles even on a hot day.

 

[Time Waster]

Why on earth are you carrying all that stuff? Really?

Waterproof trousers. You either set off needing them or you don't need them. Lock should just be at work permanently and surely a water bottle goes in the water bottle cage?

Just for interest, how far is the commute? Shouldn't really need a water bottle for a commute under 1hr? Just on a personal level don't think about taking water on a ride for anything under 20-25 miles even on a hot day.

OK, I live in South Cumbria and work in Cumbria. What starts off as dry at home often ends up being wet at work and vice versa. The weather also changes a lot too. The waterproof trousers was a piece of advice a neighbour who worked here gave me when he heard I was starting there, and it has been needed too.

Locks get removed occasionally besides I need a lock for stop offs and when I move location for meetings in our parts of the site. So I no have to carry the lock.

The water bottle is empty and filled up at work for drinking at work. There isn't a bottle cage because it's a last minute backup when my Brompton developed a few issues the last being on the way home. The bike was set up for the last cycle tour in used it for when I had a full sized frame bag in there. I've not got time to dig out and attach a water bottle cage tonight.

I need to carry my office stuff around when or if I have to relocate on the side l wider site. I carry my lunch because I often don't have much time to get to a canteen and back to my office to eat it. Unfortunately the canteens in most areas are takeaways. Plus home made lunch is more filling and cheaper.

So good reasons. Overall. Not ideal but it is what it is. Total weight is less than 10kg including bag with my Brompton setup because that's the front block max weight. I am just carrying over the same stuff into my pannier so it'll be no heavier.

 

[rivers]

It depends what i need to take to work- sometimes I can just get away with my aeropack (tailfin trunk style bag) if i just need a change of clothes. Normally I have a 10 litre pannier with my tablet and lunch. Sometimes 2 if I need to take a couple of other small bits. If I'm going to be on site and haven't brought my tools into work on a day I take the carto go on the truck, I might have both my 22 litre panniers full with tools, steelies, hi vis, and anything else I might need while on site. And last week, I had my full bikepacking set-up as I had a late finish followed by an early start, so wild camped in the woods nearby. I was working on site and it was roughly a 90 minute commute each way with bike and train, so easier to stay overnight.

 

[I like Skol]

OK, I live in South Cumbria and work in Cumbria. What starts off as dry at home often ends up being wet at work and vice versa. The weather also changes a lot too. The waterproof trousers was a piece of advice a neighbour who worked here gave me when he heard I was starting there, and it has been needed too.

Locks get removed occasionally besides I need a lock for stop offs and when I move location for meetings in our parts of the site. So I no have to carry the lock.

The water bottle is empty and filled up at work for drinking at work. There isn't a bottle cage because it's a last minute backup when my Brompton developed a few issues the last being on the way home. The bike was set up for the last cycle tour in used it for when I had a full sized frame bag in there. I've not got time to dig out and attach a water bottle cage tonight.

I need to carry my office stuff around when or if I have to relocate on the side l wider site. I carry my lunch because I often don't have much time to get to a canteen and back to my office to eat it. Unfortunately the canteens in most areas are takeaways. Plus home made lunch is more filling and cheaper.

So good reasons. Overall. Not ideal but it is what it is. Total weight is less than 10kg including bag with my Brompton setup because that's the front block max weight. I am just carrying over the same stuff into my pannier so it'll be no heavier.

How far is your commute? And as for changeable weather, it's Cumbria (both my kids live there) not the Amazon. The weather isn't any worse or more unreliable than Manchester.

Also, maybe you are overthinking the lock situation? Cumbria is a relatively low crime location (and if you are working in one of the industries I suspect you are referring to then sites are pretty well locked down) so no need to be carting around a mahoosive D lock when something more user friendly is perfectly adequate.

KISS.

 

[Time Waster]

I don't carry a heavy lock for my Brompton setup. But I care less about that bike and I'm not planning on leaving my usual lock at work like I am this one.

You are right about keeping it simple but the biggest overall bulk are food and work stuff. Can't do without those. The lock is going to be left at work. Water bottle weighs very little empty to fill up at work. There's not much to take out after my lock gets left at work.

Cumbria not being wetter that Manchester? No idea about that but as I checked the forecast for my current location and destination it's virtually no rain with sun and clouds on the forecast. It's cloudy, grey and drizzly. While not wet enough for waterproof trousers it's still nowhere near dry with sun and clouds. It's often wrong whether you're looking at AccuWeather, met office or others.

Having said that my bag does look oversized. The larger ortlieb panniers look big even when mostly empty. Like a TARDIS in reverse. I've gone from a 20 litre bag that's not 100% full to a 35 litre bag that looks full, it's nowhere near full but looks it. That is what I'm on about with these ortlieb panniers. They do not pack well. Designed for touring really not commuting.

I've got the same, indeed less than the Brompton bag but it's a bigger package. Is there a better pannier option for commuting that's got a better pack?

Looking around the cyclists on the train, most are using rucksacks. They're as big a total capacity but look a better shape for commuting. Indeed the same items in my basic dry bag looked a better fill than the pannier.

Overthinking? No just curious as to how to make the ortlieb pannier style of bag a better commuting option, or an alternative that is.