commuting questions

mellisr1

Hello all,

this is my first post here. I've been commuting to work now for about 2 years now (have some altura dry line panniers) but mainly to and from work (a round trip of about 7 miles).

However, I am having to do more and more cycling on work business (i.e. to meetings) and find myself taking more weight in the pannier(s) and then get to the meeting with a large unweildy and often covered in mud pannier with loads of bits of crumpled paper in it.

I think I've got the pannier choice sorted (ortlieb city bag - the large one) which looks like I'll be able to fit papers, rainlegs (I've decided full on waterproofs are just too sweaty with work trowsers on) and a waterproof, pump etc.

However, I'd really like a bit of advice on the following.

- overshoes. probably a bit of a dumb question. I normally ride in Shimano SPD shoe things, but when going to meetings I tend to have to go in office shoes - when it rains I end up sqwelching round. Would overshoes fit over any type of shoe or are they only designed for cycle ones? or are there a more general purpose ones which woud do both?
- Rear Racks. any recomendations? I have a several year old heavy steel one (from halfords I think). As I am carrying a fair amound of weight on occasions, I'd like a fairly high carrying weight rated one, but light weight).
- Finally a question about ortlieb accessories. They seem to do a carrying system which turns your pannier into a rucksack. This sounds good seeing as most of my meetings involve cycling to a station, leaving the bike and walking to an office the other end. Has anyone have any experience of these? I've seen pics on the web but not in real life, would they fold up and fit into the pannier itself?

Many thanks and sorry for so many questions. If I get this stuff cracked, I'm quite confident that the car for work purposes will pretty much be a thing of the past!

Cheers
Matt
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AndyManc

Overshoes for normal shoes .

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Endura_MT500_Overshoes/5360028124/

and a nice lightweight rack.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/LifeLine_Alloy_Superlite_Rear_Rack/5360033791/

chuckcork

Thinking laterally, I assume your work isn't in a profession where you get 'marked down' and not taken as seriously for showing up on a bike? Taxi an option? As the lady said on Ab Fab, "well it is public transport if anyone can get one"

Can I ask, do you have mudguards on your bike? If you don't then I would really recommend they be fitted, a close fitting pair if you can get them on as that will reduce the mud and road gunk being thrown up quite considerably.

I work in the architecture profession where the bigger and more expensive the car the higher up the food chain you are, so showing up to a meeting on a bike gets looks of incredulance from pretty much everyone, and not suprisingly the bigger the strange looks the bigger the person making them!

On the downside I end up with situations like say my boss coming to pick me up to go to a work meeting early in the morning and taking 90 minutes to do 9 miles in London traffic, but telling me if I get a flat that my choice of transport isn't practical, when I do 6 miles in 25 minutes, nice and regular like.

mellisr1

Thanks Guys

I am a planner and work for the Environment Agency. They positively encourage bike use but it's more the impression you make when I turn up at external peoples offices - your right though the more senior the person, the stranger they think I am then they can go into 'ah bless he's environment agency, nice little tree hugger' mode which is sometimes a pain. They even pay me 20p a mile for doing it!

I do have mudguards. They are pretty close fitting but something in between a real road set and a mountain bike set.

I will certainly pick up a set of those overshoes and rack.

Anyone out there had experience of the Ortlieb rucksack carry system by the way?

Cheers
Matt

mellisr1

Thanks Guys

I am a planner and work for the Environment Agency. They positively encourage bike use but it's more the impression you make when I turn up at external peoples offices - your right though the more senior the person, the stranger they think I am then they can go into 'ah bless he's environment agency, nice little tree hugger' mode which is sometimes a pain. They even pay me 20p a mile for doing it!

I do have mudguards. They are pretty close fitting but something in between a real road set and a mountain bike set.

I will certainly pick up a set of those overshoes and rack.

Anyone out there had experience of the Ortlieb rucksack carry system by the way?

Cheers
Matt

ride_whenever

If you've got a pannier, what's to stop you not wearing your work shoes and riding with them in your pannier? It isn't a huge hassle to change your shoes and unless you have very good mudguards your shoes will end up dull and wrecked from cycling.