I started commuting to work on my road bike (yeah yeah I know). I go from my house to work in DC and it is about 30 miles one way. I am looking for advice on a good bag to use for commuting. I am not really a fan of messenger bags, although I have not tried them out that much. It seems that only having weight on one shoulder wouldn’t be that great. I am looking for something waterproof and big enough to hold a change of clothes, shower stuff, and bike stuff. Right now I am just using an old backpack, but it doesnt have the greatest support and it isn’t waterproof (that is the main thing I am looking for).
I am going to unicycle a couple times, but when I bike to work it is a bit under 2 hours…and I don’t know if I want my commute to be longer than that!
So…anyway…what are some good bags/backpacks to use for commuting?
I’d give a mess bag a try if I were you. On nice bags the shoulder stap is wide enough that i is essentially just as comfortable as a backpack, and you have better visability. I’d reccomend a chrome, bailey works, or seagull. I think theyre worth the price and will last you a really long time. seagull (does custom work) chrome bailey works
If youre really into two strapped bags, chrome makes some nice waterproof backpacks
The purpose of a messenger bag is for quick and easy access to the contents while messengering. If you’re not messengering or using the bike for short errands I don’t see the advantage for a messengering style bag. For commuting you access the contents once when you leave and once when you get to your destination. Messengering bags also slide around on your back as you ride so you’ll be constantly adjusting the pack during the ride.
Better option is to put a rack on the back of the bike and either use a large trunk bag (caboose bag) or a single pannier on one side. You can get waterproof trunk bags and panniers. The really waterproof ones have an opening that rolls up and have no zippers. The other option for waterproofing a pack is to stuff your stuff in a plastic garbage bag. Then put the garbage bag of stuff in the trunk pack or pannier. Garbage bags are slippery so it’s easier to slide your wad of stuff in and out of the bag. Bonus is that the garbage bag is also waterproof.
To use a pannier your bike will need mounting holes for a proper bolt on rack. There are some seatpost mounted racks that have a side frame for panniers, but I don’t trust those. They can shift on the seatpost and end up moving the pannier and rack into the wheel. That could cause a crash or damage to the wheel.
If you don’t have mounting holes for a proper rack you can get a seatpost mounted rack and use a large trunk pack.
Oh, something else to consider about panniers. If you have a road bike with short chainstays you will have to consider heel clearance issues. With short chainstays your heel will be closer to the pannier and many of the panniers will not have enough heel clearance for pedaling. You can position the pannier further back on the rack, but there is a limit to how far back you can go. It will depend on the rack and the style and size of the pannier.
I’ve been commuting to work (very short) for the last two years. My bike did not have mounts so I used an Axiom seat post rack with the side panals along with Jandd saddle bag style panniers. It worked out great for me. The saddle bag isn’t too big and keeps things dry. The seat post rack has the highest capacity that I know of, approximately 50 lbs. Jumping curbs and riding down stairs never caused displacement or damage to my rear wheel. My guess is that this is one of the best seat post racks and pretty cheap too. I would probably avoid the quick release styles. I like the saddle bags. The geometry of my bike did not allow enough clearance for a large trunk bag, which was my first choice. I’ve since switched to uni-commuting so I’ll be e-baying the rack and panniers soon. I hope you find a good system that works for you. A two hour commute is quite a commitment and inspiring too. Way to go!
Backpacks get uncomfortable. Racks are a much better option.
Almost any bike can be fitted with some kind of rack. If you don’t have the mounts for it you can find versions that use the break mount and rear axle or clamp onto the seat post or rear triangle of the frame.
I like panniers the best because they put the weight lower, but if heel clearance is a problem, get a bag that fits on top of the rack.
In case you want to get a rain cover for your bag, beware of the ones with strings that can get caught in the wheel.
I actually had a rack attached to my bike, but the rack was so heavy so I decided to remove it (over a year ago). I guess that it is a balance between having a heavy bike or having a little weight on your back. Maybe the rack I got is just really cheap and I should be looking for a little more expensive light one.
My neck and upper back usually get sore (mostly my neck) after a long ride though…but I do not think it has to do with the backpack. I think it has more to do with my stem, I think I need to get the bike sized more properly to me. It could also be that I have just not developed the correct muscles yet for road biking, or I am straining my neck some other way while riding.
I actually had a rack attached to my bike, but the rack was so heavy so I decided to remove it (over a year ago). I guess that it is a balance between having a heavy bike or having a little weight on your back. Maybe the rack I got is just really cheap and I should be looking for a little more expensive light one.
My neck and upper back usually get sore (mostly my neck) after a long ride though…but I do not think it has to do with the backpack. I think it has more to do with my stem, I think I need to get the bike sized more properly to me. It could also be that I have just not developed the correct muscles yet for road biking, or I am straining my neck some other way while riding.
Here’s another vote for the rear rack. Back packs can be tiring on your back, especially if you’re leaning over in a road bike posture. And they make you sweatier.
Soreness in the neck and upper shoulders can also be due to seat angle. If the seat is angled down at all you’ll be pushing back on the handlebars to stay positioned on the seat. That will cause your shoulders and neck to get sore.
Ideally you want a flat saddle. But a saddle with a slight rise or contour in the back can also work. Some of the saddles with cutouts in the center don’t have enough support and actually sag in the middle when you sit on them. That will cause you to slide down to the center of the saddle and you’ll end up pushing back on the handlebars to stay on the back part of the saddle.
So play with the seat angle and see if that helps. Trying a different saddle may also help.
I studied a messenger bag for unicycling and used it also a lot for bicycling chores, and it works great, and is much more convenient than panniers or racks/bags.
There is a cross strap that stabilizes the bag and makes it stay in place nicely during riding whether sitting vertically on a uni or bent over on a bike.
It’s more convenient than a backpack because all you have to do is unsnap the cross strap and sling the bag down in front of you to get to the contents. It’s more convenient than a rack bag because you don’t have to unvelcro it from several places to remove it. And it’s much more convenient than panniers because panniers are typically much harder to get off the bike.
A messenger bag also typically spreads the load closer to your back than a backpack, which is much better for unicycle trim.
Messenger bags are underrated marvels, for sure!
The one I tested was the Pedro’s version. There was a slight sewing issue with one seam that frayed out under inconsequential use, and I wasn’t prepared to buy several brands to find the best one for unicycling, so I dropped the testing at that point.