Pannier thought

The Rookie · January 2016

I've been looking at my commuter carrying solution and thinking there is a hole in the market, thought I'd throw it out for some thoughts/opinions....
I carry a Laptop (large and heavy, nothing easy provided by my company) daily as well as a packed lunch, I don't use a backpack/rucksack as it would be fairly large and heavy and I get a very sweaty back.
So I use a (single) pannier, this takes what I carry no problem but is a bit of a pain as it creates a lot of aero drag and also means I need to concentrate filtering as it sticks out.
I've got around to thinking that the ideal would be a top mounted box, possibly rigid, large enough (from side view) to take a decent sized laptop, it would reduce the aero impact quite a lot and improve my ability to filter in traffic.
Similar to http://www.rutlandcycling.com/101998/products/avenir-waterproof-top-rack-pannier-bag.aspx but a bit taller and longer (hence considering a rigid case, that would also be waterproof and could have a weather seal for the lid) as my laptop is 25cmx40cm!

Have I missed out on something already available? What are peoples thoughts?

edrobbin · January 2016

I'm lucky enough not to have to carry too much, but my preference would always be a rucksack - having stuff hanging off the bike, wherever it is, feels wrong - for the reasons you mention, and more.

Understand about the sweaty back issue, and pro-pannier people will refer to centre of gravity etc, but personally, having the weight as part of me, rather than part of the bike makes more sense.

I'd go for the sweaty option

rolf_f · January 2016

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19774289#p19774289]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

Have I missed out on something already available? What are peoples thoughts?

What - you mean like the briefcase my dad bungied to the rack of his bike 30 years ago? (mounted flat of course but worked perfectly well). Funny how in the modern world we need a new product for every 'new' problem!

I'd have thought that narrow panniers would be the solution. Shouldn't stick out more than you do and they do keep the weight down lower which is always a good thing. A large and heavy laptop is a horrible thing to carry on a bike in a rucksack. And there is nothing 'right' feeling about that sort of weight on your back either!

tangled_metal · January 2016

I use the single pannier, for me it feels better than a rucksack. I don't carry a laptop in it often,v mostly clothes, lunch and bits I need like hard drives, usb s, spare glasses/safety glasses, etc. When I have a laptop I'm glad it's off my back even with the excellent running pack I own it bounces.

Is there any way you can carry a hard drive instead of the laptop? You can get software to mirror important files to the backup drive then you can have a laptop at each end. Assuming you have your own laptop at home of course. Data travels easier and safer perhaps than a laptop. Might not be allowed by your company but worth considering. Then you can use a rack pack. Some good ones that's waterproof and some with drop due down panniers for times you need extra capacity.

tangled_metal · January 2016

One more thought, there are slim, business type panniers too. Irrationally I stick out about as far as my panniers. What I.mean its with bars and shoulders/body my frame is the biggest source of resistance. I know because I used to be able to gain 1-2mph on a still, summer's evening just by dropping down low on my old hybrid bars. Same effort, straight and flat road. I dip down then speed up with same effort. Sit up I slow ddown. All with a pannier on. Get yourself aero it'll likely have a bigger effect.

The Rookie · January 2016

As the pannier is way below your torso, the rider sticking out as far above them makes no difference, the filtering issue in traffic is when I need to cross a lane between cars, not when cycling in a straight line

Maybe an old plastic briefcase with pannier hooks attached would do the job, be slimmer than a fabric type pannier an more aerodynamic.

Tried a rucksack, hated it, I do wear a camelback on my MTB but it weighs about a 1/4 what this weighs and has a footprint on my back much smaller as well, so I'm happy using that.

veronese68 · January 2016

Can't think of the name of it but there is that slimline rack that would probably help.
As soon as I wrote that I remembered, Tortec Velocity. I like the fact that Fatbirds sell a slimline rack.

menthel · January 2016

I now use two of these:
https://www.ortlieb.com/en/produkt-details/?produkt=citybiker&list=hinterrad&slug=radtasche&clearname=Rear%20Panniers

They are slimmer than the front rollers I used for a while and nicely replace my backpack that I ditched after my accident. They are slim but with two I have enough room for laptop, lunch, clothes etc. And my wife bought me fetching purple ones to match my bike!

The Rookie · January 2016

That may move the 6" wide pannier in 2"!

Its the pannier I'd rather slim down or move behind the rider!

veronese68 · January 2016

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19774457#p19774457]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

That may move the 6" wide pannier in 2"!

Its the pannier I'd rather slim down or move behind the rider!

I was thinking that rack added to a slimmer pannier would probably bring it in so it was no longer the widest point.
My backpack has straps to pull it in tighter when it's not full to stop the load moving around. Does anyone do a pannier with a similar arrangement?

prawny · January 2016

I used my old rackpack type seatbag the other day because I didn't need to carry as much, it made bugger all difference. I think the main issue with panniers is the excess weight of the bag and rack combined rather than the aero effect as much as I'd like it not to be the case.

Would one of these not fit your laptop in?

https://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&under=type&product_id=57

Edit - Just seen the laptop demensions - so close! But alas no.

tangled_metal · January 2016

Ever thought about MYOG? if nothings being sold make it yourself. Velcro straps, webbing, cordura fabric, etc.You can get cotton wrapped synthetic sewing thread IIRC that swells and seals stitching holes and there's a type of joining hem that seals the join making it effectively watertight.

There's some very good technical fabric suppliers around. There's a very good German one that's highly rated.

mrfpb · January 2016

I use one of these:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/union-34-/sleek-shoulder-pannier-bag-medium-right--ec041602

http://images.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/1a1/77f/b48/81329/product_page/union-34-sleek-shoulder-pannier-bag-medium-right-.jpg

And it came with a padded 15" laptop sleeve - I carry a laptop in it every day by bike. They also do a backpack, but it is a pain to convert it between backpack and pannier mode.

The Rookie · January 2016

Not really an improvement on what I have now!

Pannier thought

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