Backpack or Messenger bag?

[N_laplaca]

I am going to start commuting to work next week when I get my lights and other supplies for my bike. It's a 26 mile commute. I was looking for a backpack on performancebike and noticed bags from timbuk2. Is this a better option?

Initially I thought I would just stash things at work but at some point it will probably easier to carry the things I will need. Just wondering what other commuters use to carry their items.

 

[cole505]

My commute is 15 miles (one way) and my bag is a Chrome Metropolis (large). I would not recommend this bag if your commute is over 30 min. because only one shoulder is supporting the load. The problem with this bag is it has a lot of capacity and if your not careful you'd pack more than your shoulder can handle. You wouldn't know it at first, but after 15-20 mins. you'd be sorry you pack that kitchen sink. I would stick with a bag pack with a good stabilizer. I bought this bag because of its cool/unique looking and chicks dig it. I get alot of comments about it. I love my bag (black w/ yellow), solid construction, weatherproof and did I mentioned chicks dig it.

Cole

 

[N_laplaca]

My commute is 15 miles (one way) and my bag is a Chrome Metropolis (large). I would not recommend this bag if your commute is over 30 min. because only one shoulder is supporting the load. The problem with this bag is it has a lot of capacity and if your not careful you'd pack more than your shoulder can handle. You wouldn't know it at first, but after 15-20 mins. you'd be sorry you pack that kitchen sink. I would stick with a bag pack with a good stabilizer. I bought this bag because of its cool/unique looking and chicks dig it. I get alot of comments about it. I love my bag (black w/ yellow), solid construction, weatherproof and did I mentioned chicks dig it.

Cole

I think I am going to buy one of these. Looks like it removes quickly and holds a pretty fair amount. Then I can keep everything off my back.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/bags/sqr-products.htm#slim

 

[Craig Strong]

I prefer the backpack, because when the enevitable happens and you go down or you get hit by a car (as what happened to me last week), the bag breaks a lot of your fall and doesn't end up wrapped around your neck.

 

[N_laplaca]

I prefer the backpack, because when the enevitable happens and you go down or you get hit by a car (as what happened to me last week), the bag breaks a lot of your fall and doesn't end up wrapped around your neck.

Hit by a car. That sucks. Was it dark? I am a little concerned about being on the road in the dark. I would think having reflectors, reflective vest, taillight, headlight. I ought to be pretty visible.

 

[Craig Strong]

Hit by a car. That sucks. Was it dark? I am a little concerned about being on the road in the dark. I would think having reflectors, reflective vest, taillight, headlight. I ought to be pretty visible.

No it wasn't dark, 4:30 in the afternoon, just someone with the driving ability of a baboon (no offence to baboons). I was just rolling in the bike lane with some cars up ahead waiting to turn right, and a car came into the bike lane to go around them and hit me.
Still cant move my left elbow.

 

[Jeytown]

thaks now i ahve to calm my baboon down

man this takes hours

i just wish these anti baboon people would just give them a break just because they cant drive as good as all of youse

man settle down bubbles

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

USER TERMINATED .........................................................................
..................................................................................

hoha ahoahoaha haohaoh hao haohoaha (baboon for what happened to michael)

 

[Zikke]

I'm kind of in the same situation. I've been commuting by bicycle all my life. I'm using a regular cheap backpack at the moment. Now I'm thinking of getting an Ortlieb Messenger Pro. Will definitely keep my stuff dry and is easy to clean from road-dirt.

Beside this, it's got this brilliant transparent window for adverts in A3 format. I can put messages to car drivers, for instance "Stay the f**k out of my way!"

 

[mikesbytes]

26 miles will take the typical commuter at least 90 minutes. I'd recommend a quality backpack as it will place half the load on each shoulder as distinct from the Messenger bag. The cheaper ones have less confortable straps and they don't last that long.

 

[SEAcarlessTTLE]

N_laplaca has probably already made a decision by now, but I have to suggest neither backpack nor courier bag. I much prefer panniers on a rear rack for a few reasons:

keeps weight low and stable (if you pack smart)
more capacity than most on-the-person bags
keeps my derailleur hanger from getting bent if I let my bike fall over like an idiot
took the hit instead of me or the bike when I bounced off a van that cut me off (grr)
many opportunities for affixing extra reflective and blinky items

I tried backpack and courier bag for a while (er, one at a time, of course), and though they're convenient, here are some cons, some of which might be because I need more skillz:

sweaty back
having to adjust the thing while riding (esp. w/ courier bags)
harder to look over my shoulder without swerving or having the bag shift a tad (moderated by using mirror)
blinkies on the bag never point in the right direction (which is esp. bad w/ narrow field of view of most LED blinkies)

Some folks insist that panniers are a drag...literally. They probably do have more air resistance, but I'm not so concerned about that. It just makes me feel faster when I do recreational riding without them.

 

[pwolffe]

Some folks insist that panniers are a drag...literally. They probably do have more air resistance, but I'm not so concerned about that. It just makes me feel faster when I do recreational riding without them.

I'll second that. I prefer panniers, as well, front and back for groceries and whatnot. I've got a set of Ostrich ones from Japan; worked well for touring and commuting. Sure they drag, but it's still good training and if you're not in a big hurry there's no worry. Plus, draped with bright rain covers they add visibility.

 

[chasey]

I use a backpack... but prefer a pannier. Trouble is, I have a fancy racing road bike... and the LBS won't allow me to put a Pannier on it... They said it would void my warranty...

How weird is that?

Truth is there is not much clearance on the bike to put the hardware that would hold the pannier... so I'm stuck with the backpack for now.

Cheers

 

[N_laplaca]

I got the Carradice sqr slim bag. I like it a lot. It was different with the extra weight in the rear. Bike handled a bit differently. My route isn't that hilly so the weight doesn't really bother me.

http://www.wallbike.com/carradice/sqrbags.html

 

[Jeytown]

okay looks like we will never settle theargument over the pannier or bag so lets say this

what would you rather have

a backpack that is a messenger bag

or FREE BEER SERVED BY WENCHES AT OXFORD TAVERN IN PETERSHAM ON WEDNESDAY YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[slcbob1]

On the route I commute, backpacks seem far more numerous than messenger bags. Of the bag-carrying crowd, probably 4:1 or more.

However, I personally prefer the messenger bag. I don't carry much weight (<15 lb.), so maybe I don't appreciate the one-strap complaint of some. But then I keep the weight real low, letting the shoulder strap out and the m-bag rides on my lower back / butt, and I barely feel any weight on the strap. Key thing to me is the sweaty back thing. Sweaty butt doesn't seem to be much of an issue (thank god)

But I agree with SEAcarlessTTLE re rack and panniers being MUCH MUCH better. Or rack and gym bag w/ bungy and one of those little stretchy net things. I like the massive flexibility it offers, low cg, etc.

 

[ABG]

Neither; I use a rack trunk on a rear rack. Nashbar.com has some really cheap ones that are good quality - I got mine for $15 (plus $7 shipping), though I think that was a special and the price has gone up. At that price it was a steal. Hell I bring my rack trunk bag to work on days I DON'T bike in, using it like a messenger bag, I like it so much.

I have been thinking about adding panniers for days that I need more room - mostly rainy days when I have to pack rain gear and boots, go to the beach, or buy a few groceries - but I have been balking at the expense, I haven't found them for cheaper than $35. I wouldn't mind buying metal-cage panniers that are cheap, since panniers can come on and off easily - but I have only seen metal-cage panniers on really old bikes, like 3-speed crusiers, so maybe they just don't make these anymore. Maybe I could improvise some plastic "panniers" from storage containers and coathangers? Hmm.

 

[SEAcarlessTTLE]

Neither; I use a rack trunk on a rear rack. Nashbar.com has some really cheap ones that are good quality - I got mine for $15 (plus $7 shipping), though I think that was a special and the price has gone up. At that price it was a steal. Hell I bring my rack trunk bag to work on days I DON'T bike in, using it like a messenger bag, I like it so much.

I have been thinking about adding panniers for days that I need more room - mostly rainy days when I have to pack rain gear and boots, go to the beach, or buy a few groceries - but I have been balking at the expense, I haven't found them for cheaper than $35. I wouldn't mind buying metal-cage panniers that are cheap, since panniers can come on and off easily - but I have only seen metal-cage panniers on really old bikes, like 3-speed crusiers, so maybe they just don't make these anymore. Maybe I could improvise some plastic "panniers" from storage containers and coathangers? Hmm.

Re metal basket-style panniers, I think Wald still makes them, but I'm not sure about their cost, design, etc. Google around.

I also know there are lots of folks out there who have home-made panniers made from plastic containers, so search around for instructions on the web. (Google is the net's answer to duct tape.)

Although I normally commute w/ panniers (Can't beat the capacity and low center of gravity), I like a small rack trunk for recreational rides...can't fit my spare tire elsewhere, and my pump mount broke in a crash, so that goes in there, too.

 

[slcbob1]

If you opt for a trunk bag....

Look closely at Topeak. If you also get a compatibe Topeak rack, it mounts and dismounts VERY easily with a slide and click. Beats bothering with the four little velcro doo-dads for the universal mount. Really nice if you have to take the reack on and off daily, like where you park.

They have frame mount and seat post mount versions of the rack available. Also have a couple of different bag models, some of which have micro panniers that expand out of the otherwise pretty useless side pockets.

I was very happy with it and still use it on some rides. But I no longer use it on my commute. I got a free set of panniers, which come in handy because I occasionally lash my laptop to the top of the rack. That's hard to do with the trunk bag in the way. The trunk bag only works with little things.

So the net of my position:

-- If you insist on bagging it, messenger bag.
-- If you can, don't use a bag. Use a rack, with either bungee, trunk, pannier, suiter, etc. sized to your load.
Anything to get weight off your back, for three reasons: 1) sweat; 2) lower cg; 3) no weighty straps pulling on you.

 

[mrkott3r]

If you're still considering a messenger bag, also look at bailey works and Reload bags.

Both are just as hot as chrome, (with reload you can do a lot of customization) but both are deeper which means you can pack more stuff in.

I still haven't decided on my next bag, I got a lemond messenger bag on the cheap, to see how they go but now its begininng to fall apart so Im gonna buy something else.

 

[Ike90]

Well, I'll weigh-in in favor of a good quality backpack. I often carry a laptop, and I always have a basic tool kit, so weight is factor. I've found that panniers/trunk racks affect handling more than a backpack. I have an O'gio pack with a waistbelt and a sternum strap. It stays put, even on singletrack.

Regarding sweat and backpacks, my back sweats anyway, and when I arrive at my destination, I don't have to mess with attached luggage.

Courier bags? Useless, except for carrying court documents, or looking "mod" I guess.