Bag for commuting

motorhommer

I have been through the mill on this one. Started with backpack, then moved to panniers and have ended up with courier bag, which I think is the way to go if what you carry can vary in size from nothing to a lot. What I mean is some days I will need to bring shoes and change of clothes, along with diary and work papers. Other days I need nothing but just diary. I found the panniers when using two not flexible enough for papers and not big enough for shoes etc.

I also found with the paniers that I had to balance the weight on both sides and I found it very hard to get at what I wanted.

I bought the Timbuk2 large courier bag and have used it every day since. It has places for everything and a cross strap for stability. It can cover groceries, shopping, laptop, papers etc. Has phone and key pouch on cross strap.

Horses for courses, it depends what you want and your needs.

Glowingrod

Depends, many commuters wear panniers. They're large and roomy but depending on brand can be pricey. Plus you'd need to adjust your riding a bit for the weight displacement. There's an upside to that of course when you take them off for a weekend ride your ride will feel ultralight and manuverable.

Backpacks are most common and vary the most in price. It's hard to find a truly waterproof one, I've even had one that cam with a "rain fly" that was just a thin piece of uncoated nylon. Your best bet is to go to an outfitters or good outdoors store and try them all on, the more the better. Some just sit the stuff on your back with no means of preventing load shift, but a really good backpack doesn't shift at all when in place. Try an REI store if there's one near you. Or anyplace that caters to camping/backpacking and such. There are a lot out there.

Messenger bags are becoming more popular. It seems every sport/outdoor/cycle manufacture has one now. Don't be fooled, these are "messenger-style" bags and rarely function. Others have more credibility due to looks and marketing and being standalone products but have fallen by the wayside in terms of quality and functionality in order to lower production costs. "Krumpler" for instance once made mediocre bags, but their latest offerings are only water resistant and use substandard materials which drops them back into the "messenger-style" catagory.
A good messenger bag is waterproof, has a means of load stablization and is made of the most durable materials available, usually Cordura and Ballistic Nylon. If a bag is all those, check to see if the straps are angled where they attach to the body of the bag, sometimes even larger and accepted messenger brands miss that important feature for comfort and wear.
I see a lot of 'messenger style' bags around, riding low and dangling straps, with main straps scrunched into ropes that bite into you when fully loaded. Here's a list of actual messenger bag companies:
Under The Weather

ReLoad Bags

PAC Designs

Push The Envelope

Dank Bags

Zo Bags

These are all small independents that range in price from $100US to $350US depending on the model you choose. They're products are all handmade here in the US or Canada

Some larger mesenger bag companies are Timbuk2 or Chrome. You'll get a quality product from these but less attention to detail and a decrease in materials quality in such departments as liners, straps.

motorhommer

I have read a lot about these messenger bags before I bought. There were a number of internet reviews independantly carried out. I have the internet references at work.

Chrome and Timbuk2 came out ahead in terms of quality, durability, ease of use etc. I am not a bicycle courier so I cannot comment, but I certainly would do a lot of looking at these two and would not totally dismiss them out of hand.

I have the Timbuk2, and find the pockets etc excellent, I did go and order the insert for documents which is an extra - at the time of ordering.

As an aside I have panier briefcases, paniers large and small, rack packs etc as I do a bit of touring also. I also use a Brompton with the various luggage carrying attachments, these are seriously good, I am a huge fan of Brompton but I do a 20 mile round trip and find a Hybrid a little quicker on this trip.

But thats me, I could not carry all of what I sometimes do by backpack and I found lugging the two paniers around town when I parked a complete pain in the a....

Have a good weekend.

athoma00

I use a $5 nylon carry bag which I bungy cord to the carrier mounted on the front. It can fit my change of underclothing and lunchbox + phone, wallet, keys etc. Not waterproof so put the stuff I need dry in a plastic supermarket bag. Way better than something on my back. This setup is way cheaper than panniers although I may get some eventually for touring, but will probably only use for touring as not easily detachable. Have been toying with the idea of a handlebar touring type bag tho. Could get rid of the carrier altogether. I like having my cargo on the front where I can keep an eye on it, and it helps to balance the weight on the bike instead of loading the back tyre further .

climbo

right on there 'rod ! I have the Re-Load bag and it is BOMB PROOF ! The material and workmanship is super fine and it can't be beat. They cost a bit more than an off the shelf model from the Timbuks etc. but they last a LONG time and are very waterproof and comfortable. And they can be customized to have whatever pockets, colours etc you want.

And yes, I find a messenger bag does everything I need for commuting, they work for any amount of gear you need to carry and are great when off the bike also. It's not like you can throw your panniers over your shoulder when you hit town and be comfortable.

Kingspudz

I have only ever used one brand of bags and they are the best if you ask me I have four of them and the first one has last 11 years so I can assure they are good here's the site : www.manhattanportage.com
Hope it helps.

manilacyclist

if you can spare major dough go for the canadian made pac designs ultimate bag.

pricey but bulletproof...you'll never get another bag. oh, get the x-strap

aisT

Might have absolutely no streetcred for this but it works for cycling into uni. I've got a detachable cycling basket that sits on my handlebars, and whilst cycling have my backpack, locks, spare lights some other cycling stuff in the front of my bag. When I get to uni, I put my cycling stuff in it and take it around so can hide my bright yellow cycling coat!

__________________
aisT

Azulene

I now have a set of ORTLIEB waterproof classic. Before I had set of bags, which were not waterproof, one night going home in a heavy rain everything in the bags got wet plus my cell phone. The cell phone battery was destroyed With my new Ortlieb everything stay dry. They are costly but worth it in my opinion.

guised

I do a similar distance commute and have found the Carradice SQR type of bag very good. Uses a fixing system that means you only have a small resin block on the seat post when the bag is removed. The bag has an integral metal frame that clips to this block. I've used mine over the past year and even off road it has remained very secure.

http://www.carradice.co.uk/sqr-products.htm

Dan