Commuting with a laptop - Ortlieb laptop sleeve

nic_77

I'd like some advice on the best way to commute with a laptop please.

In the past I've just stuffed my standard (padded) laptop rucksack into one of my panniers... the trouble is it really doesn't fit very easily.

I've looked at buying a laptop specific pannier, but I couldn't find anything which has plenty of padding... I could use a separate padded laptop sleeve which fits better inside a normal pannier (and would also be useful whilst travelling with my laptop as well).

Does anyone have one of these Ortlieb laptop cases?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360014349&n=Ortlieb%20Notebook%20Insert

Could I use it inside a normal pannier?
What degree of protection does it provide?

Other suggestions gratefully received - I have a 15" laptop by the way!

Thanks
Nic

niblue

I'm not convinced that carrying my laptop in a pannier is all that great an idea as even with a laptop sleeve it's going to be subject to a fair bit of vibration etc.

Instead I've gone for a courier type laptop bag (a Pakuma K2)- it's not arrived yet though so I don't yet know how well I'll get on with it.

tardington

Probs the courier bag like niblue said.

I've only transported mine a couple of times by bike, and both times it's been

1) in a rucksack (my panniers rattle a bit)

2) in a plastic bag

3) 2 towels wrapped round it

4 Another plastic bag

5 possibly another towel for rain + vibration

It seems a bit much, but damn that thing was expensive!

patchy

i use

sizeable rucksack or courier bag
laptop inside neoprene sleeve (£15 from pc world) it's a 15" laptop too

yes, it's a bit heavier, and on your back so you get sweatier, but i tend to err on the side of 'it's only hitting the floor if i do', and i try to avoid that at all costs.

alfablue

I use an Altura laptop pannier, completely waterproof. Done this for 2 years, the laptop (an £1800 Vaio) has been fine.

tardington

Really? What sort of consruction has it got? I'm pretty interested, as I'm going to have to take my laptop work more often soon - I reckon work will pay for a properly fancy laptop bag...

alfablue

Its this one. It has a rigid back, soft front, has an inner compartment that is waterproof, and within that a removable padded sleeve for the laptop (which I don't use, just use the thinner Sony slip case). It has Rixen and Kaul fittings and it can be mounted at a 30 degree angle to increase heel clearance. It works fine, been in heavy downpours for 20 miles, totally waterproof. The only thing is that the internal volume doesn't fit as much as the outside suggests, but that's due to construction and padding, but it will take laptops up to 17inch (they do a smaller model too). I can get the laptop in, power supply, a book, files, and other bits and pieces.

Netsmith

Hi All

Found this post because I was in exactly the same boat. I needed some panniers to transport my laptop. I found mention of the Ortlieb Office Bag 2 in various places about the web but no real reviews, so in the end I got one to have a look at.

The bag ticks many of the boxes and easily fits a 17" Macbook Pro laptop.

Here is the quick review I wrote. Hope it helps someone out

http://woodshed.posterous.com/review-of ... mbp-macboo

Cheers
Chris

Agent57

I just stick my laptop in the pannier, and don't care about a little bit of shaking. It's turned off, so the drive heads should be parked. I've never had a problem with it, anyway.

dhope

Agent57 wrote:

I just stick my laptop in the pannier, and don't care about a little bit of shaking. It's turned off, so the drive heads should be parked. I've never had a problem with it, anyway.

Or £80 on an SSD and no moving parts to break

essex-commuter

For the past 3 years I have used an Ortlieb Office Bag Classic to carry a laptop everyday. I put the laptop in a neoprene sleeve that I got for a fiver from Ebay and that keeps it nice and snug....never been damaged.

Great bag, I love it.

thelawnet

I chuck my Vaio Z Series (expensive) in a backpack and then put the backpack in one of my panniers.

The Rookie

For 2 years I've commuted with my Laptop in a neoprene 'envelope' style bag and just inserted into the top of my normal 3-bag pannier, I always switch it off (sleep or hibernate) so the hard disk isn't turning, the first laptop was already four years old when I started the commute and was replaced after 18 months of commuting (normal replacement schedule) when it was still working fine, I do bunny hop the one speed bump on route to take the sting out of it though.

Simon

sketchley

I have a pair of Altura Dry Line Panniers. They are waterproof even in biggest down poors. Until recently I'd would just throw the laptop in with everything else (Dell D630) no problems at all. Recently, as it was going spare in the office, I got a dell zip up foam case thing for the laptop so now laptop goes in that then into the pannier.

If your laptop can't handle the vibration on the back of the bike you either need a new laptop or a new bike with less vibration .

t4tomo

I use a Crumpler bag, far cooler than a pannier

hangeron

Arkel Commuter Pannier here...used for over 3 years now on MTB and road bike. Commute is 8 miles each way with laptop, powerbrick, and clothes/files

http://www.arkelpanniers.co.uk/uk/all-c ... e-bag.html

I use the pannier as my normal laptop case..I use it when I don't have my bike.

It's ace.