Carrying a rucksack



I

Ian B.

Guest
Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike?
It does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all
day. One idea I've seen is to attach a wire basket to the rear rack with
some cable ties, or a basket on the front but that might get in the way
a bit.

I do 16 miles with it each day and it's fairly heavy, so getting it off
my back would surely be a good thing.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Ian
 
"Ian B." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike? It
> does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all day. One
> idea I've seen is to attach a wire basket to the rear rack with some cable
> ties, or a basket on the front but that might get in the way a bit.
>
> I do 16 miles with it each day and it's fairly heavy, so getting it off my
> back would surely be a good thing.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Ian


Top of the rack with bungees?

Ken.
 
Ian B. wondered:
> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike?
> It does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all
> day. One idea I've seen is to attach a wire basket to the rear rack with
> some cable ties, or a basket on the front but that might get in the way
> a bit.


An alternative, depending on how much you're willing to spend, would be
to use an Ortlieb pannier with a rucksack attachment. Look for "Pannier
Harness System" here:
<URL:http://www.bikefix.co.uk/b-ortlieb.html>

It's not cheap, but you get a good pair of panniers and a perfectly
usable rucksack out of it. The harness takes a few seconds to attach
and remove from the pannier - you won't be able to attach the pannier to
the bike with the harness attached.

It works well for me, but the weight distribution probably wouldn't be
good for carrying really heavy loads on your back.

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
<URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine
 
Ian B. wrote:
> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike?
> It does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all
> day. One idea I've seen is to attach a wire basket to the rear rack with
> some cable ties, or a basket on the front but that might get in the way
> a bit.
>
> I do 16 miles with it each day and it's fairly heavy, so getting it off
> my back would surely be a good thing.


Two suggestions:
1. Halfords used to (may still) do a rucksack which has a zip on pannier
mounting. A friend of mine has one of these. Its a good idea, if a
little cheaply executed.
2. (Wot I do touring) drop the rucksack into a suitably large pannier. I
do this so I can bung the pannier with my sleeping equipment in the
tent, once its up, and whip off for a shower with all the stuff I need
in the rucksack having taken it out of the other pannier. It works best
with a soft shell rucksack (I use a cheap one - I think it was less than
a tenner), and helps keep stuff dry too.

JimP
 
"Ian B." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike? It
> does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all day. One
> idea I've seen is to attach a wire basket to the rear rack with some cable
> ties, or a basket on the front but that might get in the way a bit.
>
> I do 16 miles with it each day and it's fairly heavy, so getting it off my
> back would surely be a good thing.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Ian


Bungee it to the rear rack. That or use panniers.

Cheers, helen s
 
Depends what the rucksack is for and how much carrying is involved away from
the bike. Altura (among others) do some panniers that double as a laptop
bag and have an strap to attach and put over your shoulder when away from
the bike.


"Ian B." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike? It
> does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all day. One
> idea I've seen is to attach a wire basket to the rear rack with some cable
> ties, or a basket on the front but that might get in the way a bit.
>
> I do 16 miles with it each day and it's fairly heavy, so getting it off my
> back would surely be a good thing.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Ian
 
Do not just bungee it to a rack! Rucksacks have straps and they can
fall into the wheels with bad consequences. You don't say how big it
is only that its heavy. Place it in a plastic container - the ones you
store kids toys in etc. - they come in various sizes. Then bungee the
box to the rack.
 
"archierob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4i%[email protected]...
> Do not just bungee it to a rack! Rucksacks have straps and they can
> fall into the wheels with bad consequences. You don't say how big it
> is only that its heavy. Place it in a plastic container - the ones you
> store kids toys in etc. - they come in various sizes. Then bungee the
> box to the rack.
>



Well that's an easily remedied problem - I just use the excess strap length,
knot it round the shoulder straps & that stops any dangling. Indede that's
exactly what I did today when I had a backpack I use bungeed to the rear
rack of my 'bent. No problems at all.

Cheers, helen s
 
Danny Colyer wrote:
> Ian B. wondered:
>> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack
>> on a bike? It does really need to be a rucksack as I have to
>> carry it round all day. One idea I've seen is to attach a
>> wire basket to the rear rack with some cable ties, or a
>> basket on the front but that might get in the way a bit.

>
> An alternative, depending on how much you're willing to spend,
> would be to use an Ortlieb pannier with a rucksack attachment.
> Look for "Pannier Harness System" here:
> <URL:http://www.bikefix.co.uk/b-ortlieb.html>
>
> It's not cheap, but you get a good pair of panniers and a
> perfectly usable rucksack out of it.


At 25 UKP I would say it was quite good value or am I looking at the
wrong thing?
--
Cheers
the.Mark
 
On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 22:17:24 +0000 (UTC), "the.Mark"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> Look for "Pannier Harness System" here:
>> <URL:http://www.bikefix.co.uk/b-ortlieb.html>
>>
>> It's not cheap, but you get a good pair of panniers and a
>> perfectly usable rucksack out of it.

>
> At 25 UKP I would say it was quite good value or am I looking at the
>wrong thing?


You'd need one of them things and one of the panniers listed above
 
I suggested:
>>Look for "Pannier Harness System" here:
>><URL:http://www.bikefix.co.uk/b-ortlieb.html>
>>
>>It's not cheap, but you get a good pair of panniers and a
>>perfectly usable rucksack out of it.


and the.Mark responded:
> At 25 UKP I would say it was quite good value or am I looking at the
> wrong thing?


For 25 quid you get the harness system, not the bag to go with it. You
would, additionally, need an Ortlieb pannier. Ortlieb panniers /are/
good value, but not cheap.

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
<URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine
 
archierob wrote:
> Do not just bungee it to a rack! Rucksacks have straps and they can
> fall into the wheels with bad consequences. You don't say how big it
> is only that its heavy. Place it in a plastic container - the ones you
> store kids toys in etc. - they come in various sizes. Then bungee the
> box to the rack.


Or attach some kind of plastic box to your rack as a semi-permanent
load carrier and put the sac inside. Something like this but with a
rucksac instead of a dog
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/page/?o=aw&page_id=10381&v=7

Iain
 
"Ian B." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike? It
> does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all day. One
> idea I've seen is to attach a wire basket to the rear rack with some cable
> ties, or a basket on the front but that might get in the way a bit.
>
> I do 16 miles with it each day and it's fairly heavy, so getting it off my
> back would surely be a good thing.
>


I've read all the advice given so far ... yes, panniers are better than
rucksacks. Although a rucksack with breathable back is available. (Get
sweaty shoulders and lower back though).

Best choice, carry panniers, or store your stuff at your destination. I
think, in your predicament, I'd just travel lighter.

Nick
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> archierob wrote:
>> Do not just bungee it to a rack! Rucksacks have straps and they can
>> fall into the wheels with bad consequences. You don't say how big it
>> is only that its heavy. Place it in a plastic container - the ones you
>> store kids toys in etc. - they come in various sizes. Then bungee the
>> box to the rack.

>
> Or attach some kind of plastic box to your rack as a semi-permanent
> load carrier and put the sac inside. Something like this but with a
> rucksac instead of a dog
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/page/?o=aw&page_id=10381&v=7
>


Great photo .. will it land on all fours?!

;)
 
in message <[email protected]>, Ian B.
('[email protected]') wrote:

> Anyone have suggestions for the best way to carry a rucksack on a bike?


Yes, in the cupboard at home.

> It does really need to be a rucksack as I have to carry it round all
> day.


Plenty of bar bags come with shoulder straps. These are good. When I was
a student (and for a number of years afterwards) I used to carry one
around with me all the time.

Someone sells a pannier with built in rucksack-style straps - I haven't
tried this. It may be OK.

If you really, really must get a pannier big enough to put the rucksack
in.

> I do 16 miles with it each day and it's fairly heavy, so getting it off
> my back would surely be a good thing.


The risk of back injury cycling with a heavy rucksack is quite high.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; L'etat c'est moi -- Louis XIV
;; I... we... the Government -- Tony Blair
 
Or wrap it in a strong plastic bag e.g. garden or rubble sack.
Keeps it clean and dry too.

>> Do not just bungee it to a rack! Rucksacks have straps and they can
>> fall into the wheels with bad consequences. You don't say how big it
>> is only that its heavy. Place it in a plastic container - the ones you
>> store kids toys in etc. - they come in various sizes. Then bungee the
>> box to the rack.
 
"POHB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Or wrap it in a strong plastic bag e.g. garden or rubble sack.
> Keeps it clean and dry too.
>
>>> Do not just bungee it to a rack! Rucksacks have straps and they can
>>> fall into the wheels with bad consequences. You don't say how big it
>>> is only that its heavy. Place it in a plastic container - the ones you
>>> store kids toys in etc. - they come in various sizes. Then bungee the
>>> box to the rack.

>


Indeedee. Both ways would work.

Cheers, helen s
 
[email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:

> archierob wrote:
>> Do not just bungee it to a rack! Rucksacks have straps and they can
>> fall into the wheels with bad consequences. You don't say how big it
>> is only that its heavy. Place it in a plastic container - the ones you
>> store kids toys in etc. - they come in various sizes. Then bungee the
>> box to the rack.


> Or attach some kind of plastic box to your rack as a semi-permanent
> load carrier and put the sac inside. Something like this but with a
> rucksac instead of a dog
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/page/?o=aw&page_id=10381&v=7


I liberated a plastic milk crate from a ditch by the cyclepath and
tied it to my rear carrier. All my daysacks and briefcases can simply
be dropped straight in, as can a few plastic supermarket shopping
bags, etc.. It has the added advantage of looking dorky enough to
revolt bike thieves, who are very much slaves to fashion.

--
Chris Malcolm [email protected] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]
 
elyob wrote:

> Best choice, carry panniers...


I found a shoulder strap that clips onto a pannier, that lets me sling
the pannier on my back, messenger-bag style. Only problem is the
pannier hook sticks in your back somethimes, otherwise, except for a
long hike or climb, its as handy as a rucksack.