New commuter: clothing/carry laptop

[supermoocow]

Hi,
Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
probably best time of year to start).
Not got a long commute as its only about 3 miles but very hilly.

At present I am using a gortex walking jacket over my shirt and wearing
old jeans and changing into trousers at work.
I leave trousers & shoes at work.

I carry my 15" laptop, notes and lunch in a laptop rucksack but find I
am rather smelly by the time I get to work. We do not have showers at
work!!!

I was wondering the following:

1. Use panniers + rack for laptop & lunch
Will this help with the sweating thing...
Any ideas as to best rack and Pannier combination for a 26" wheel
Saracen mountain bike.

2. Any ideas as to clothing...
I don't relish the idea of shirts this time of year but any ideas as to
what to wear/buy?
I am 5' 10" and waist is 33".
I currently ride wearing the following:
-Work shirt
-Jeans
-Work socks
-Trainers
-Gortex walking jacket

Cheers for any help from a newbie

 

[Paul Rudin]

"supermoocow" <[email protected]> writes:

> Hi,
> Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
> probably best time of year to start).
> Not got a long commute as its only about 3 miles but very hilly.
>
> At present I am using a gortex walking jacket over my shirt and wearing
> old jeans and changing into trousers at work.
> I leave trousers & shoes at work.
>

I get nervous about laptops in panniers - even pretty well cushioned
they can take some quite severe jolts and they're quite fragile
beasts. Personally I'd put everything else in pannier(s) and leave the
laptop in a small backpack...

If it's only 3 miles you don't really need to go that fast... take it
easy on the way in so you don't sweat. Go fast and shower at home on
the way back. Don't overdress - you soon warm up. If you're getting
hot quickly then cycle in shorts rather than jeans - you're changing
your trousers anyway. Try without the jacket when it's dry.

 

[Andy Leighton]

On 3 Dec 2006 02:45:56 -0800, supermoocow <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi,

> Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
> probably best time of year to start).

[snip]

> I carry my 15" laptop, notes and lunch in a laptop rucksack but find I
> am rather smelly by the time I get to work. We do not have showers at
> work!!!
>
> I was wondering the following:
>
> 1. Use panniers + rack for laptop & lunch
> Will this help with the sweating thing...

Yes. It should make cycling much more pleasant as well.

> 2. Any ideas as to clothing...
> I don't relish the idea of shirts this time of year but any ideas as to
> what to wear/buy?
> I am 5' 10" and waist is 33".
> I currently ride wearing the following:
> -Work shirt
> -Jeans
> -Work socks
> -Trainers
> -Gortex walking jacket

Right. Firstly loose the jeans. If you have a pair of tracksuit
bottoms they will be better. Ron Hill Bikesters are pretty good if
you want to spend money.

I would also fold the shirt up and put it in a pannier. I used to
wear a coolmax T-shirt, plus a thin fleece in the winter and on cold
days a wooly hat. You may also want to try and go to Aldi when their
bike gear sales comes around as they have cheap tops and gloves etc.
I never bothered with a proper waterproof but most walking jackets would
be too heavy and warm for cycling (at least for me). So I'll let someone
else recommend a waterproof jacket.

--
Andy Leighton => [email protected]
"The Lord is my shepherd, but we still lost the sheep dog trials"
- Robert Rankin, _They Came And Ate Us_

 

[Tony Raven]

Paul Rudin wrote on 03/12/2006 11:04 +0100:

>
> I get nervous about laptops in panniers - even pretty well cushioned
> they can take some quite severe jolts and they're quite fragile
> beasts.

Nonsense, switched off laptops are pretty rugged. Their shock and
vibration tolerance specs are far greater than anything a bike can throw
at them. I've been carrying mine for years in the front bag of my
Brompton and in panniers without a single problem

--
Tony

"...has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least
wildly inaccurate..."
Douglas Adams; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 

[Paul Rudin]

Tony Raven <[email protected]> writes:

> Paul Rudin wrote on 03/12/2006 11:04 +0100:
>
>>
>> I get nervous about laptops in panniers - even pretty well cushioned
>> they can take some quite severe jolts and they're quite fragile
>> beasts.
>
> Nonsense, switched off laptops are pretty rugged. Their shock and
> vibration tolerance specs are far greater than anything a bike can
> throw at them. I've been carrying mine for years in the front bag of
> my Brompton and in panniers without a single problem
>

I know a few people who've managed to crack lcd panels on their laptops
without subjecting them to very severe jolts.

 

[Tony Raven]

Paul Rudin wrote on 03/12/2006 11:18 +0100:
> Tony Raven <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> Paul Rudin wrote on 03/12/2006 11:04 +0100:
>>
>>> I get nervous about laptops in panniers - even pretty well cushioned
>>> they can take some quite severe jolts and they're quite fragile
>>> beasts.
>> Nonsense, switched off laptops are pretty rugged. Their shock and
>> vibration tolerance specs are far greater than anything a bike can
>> throw at them. I've been carrying mine for years in the front bag of
>> my Brompton and in panniers without a single problem
>>
>
> I know a few people who've managed to crack lcd panels on their laptops
> without subjecting them to very severe jolts.

Well here's a shock and vibration spec for a laptop

# Shock 125g, 2ms, half-sine (operating) 200g, 2ms, half-sine
(non-operating)
# Random vibration: 0.75g zero-to-peak, 10Hz to 500Hz, 0.25 oct/min
sweep rate (operating); 1.5g zero-to-peak, 10Hz to 500Hz, 0.5 oct/min
sweep rate (nonoperating)

To put it in perspective 200g is about what an Indy car goes through as
it hits a concrete wall at 200mph.

The most vulnerable item is an operating hard drive. Some laptops these
days have sensors that shut down the laptop if it is falling so that it
hits the deck in a non-operating mode. I would be very suprised if the
cracked laptop screens were a result of being carried on a bike. I have
seen screens cracked for other reasons.

--
Tony

"...has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least
wildly inaccurate..."
Douglas Adams; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 

[Paul Rudin]

Tony Raven <[email protected]> writes:

> Paul Rudin wrote on 03/12/2006 11:18 +0100:
>> Tony Raven <[email protected]> writes:
>>
>>> Paul Rudin wrote on 03/12/2006 11:04 +0100:
>>>
>>>> I get nervous about laptops in panniers - even pretty well cushioned
>>>> they can take some quite severe jolts and they're quite fragile
>>>> beasts.
>>> Nonsense, switched off laptops are pretty rugged. Their shock and
>>> vibration tolerance specs are far greater than anything a bike can
>>> throw at them. I've been carrying mine for years in the front bag of
>>> my Brompton and in panniers without a single problem
>>>
>>
>> I know a few people who've managed to crack lcd panels on their laptops
>> without subjecting them to very severe jolts.
>
> Well here's a shock and vibration spec for a laptop
>
> # Shock 125g, 2ms, half-sine (operating) 200g, 2ms, half-sine
> (non-operating)

Well - I guess 125g will need more than terminal velocity... so if you
trust those figures go throw your laptop from the top of the nearest
tall building - it should be fine


> # Random vibration: 0.75g zero-to-peak, 10Hz to 500Hz, 0.25 oct/min
> sweep rate (operating); 1.5g zero-to-peak, 10Hz to 500Hz, 0.5 oct/min
> sweep rate (nonoperating)

I don't really understand what these are saying.

>
> To put it in perspective 200g is about what an Indy car goes through
> as it hits a concrete wall at 200mph.
>

 

[Chris Eilbeck]

"supermoocow" <[email protected]> writes:

> Hi,
> Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
> probably best time of year to start).
> Not got a long commute as its only about 3 miles but very hilly.
>
> At present I am using a gortex walking jacket over my shirt and
> wearing old jeans and changing into trousers at work. I leave
> trousers & shoes at work.
>
> I carry my 15" laptop, notes and lunch in a laptop rucksack but find
> I am rather smelly by the time I get to work. We do not have showers
> at work!!!

Complain. Get your management to fit a shower. Find a local gym and
arrange to use their facilities. At worst, shower at home, get a
towel wash and change in the bogs when you arrive.

> I was wondering the following:
>
> 1. Use panniers + rack for laptop & lunch
> Will this help with the sweating thing...
> Any ideas as to best rack and Pannier combination for a 26" wheel
> Saracen mountain bike.

Do you really have to carry the laptop or just your data? A memory
stick is a lot lighter and a lot more robust to carry around. When I
have to carry mine, I put it in a neoprene sleeve inside an Ortlieb
pannier.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

 

[[email protected]]

Paul Rudin wrote:
> "supermoocow" <[email protected]> writes:
>
> > Hi,
> > Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
> > probably best time of year to start).
> > Not got a long commute as its only about 3 miles but very hilly.
> >
> > At present I am using a gortex walking jacket over my shirt and wearing
> > old jeans and changing into trousers at work.
> > I leave trousers & shoes at work.
> >
>
> I get nervous about laptops in panniers - even pretty well cushioned
> they can take some quite severe jolts and they're quite fragile
> beasts. Personally I'd put everything else in pannier(s) and leave the
> laptop in a small backpack...
>
> If it's only 3 miles you don't really need to go that fast... take it
> easy on the way in so you don't sweat. Go fast and shower at home on
> the way back. Don't overdress - you soon warm up. If you're getting
> hot quickly then cycle in shorts rather than jeans - you're changing
> your trousers anyway. Try without the jacket when it's dry.

OPPORTUNITY:
I've often wondered why I cannot find a pannier designed for laptops.
I'm thinking of a nicely padded bag suspended inside a metal frame.
The padding and suspension dampen/void the typical jolts and
vibrations. The metal frame is there to protect against a tip-over.
Since I'd expect that the handlebars would absorb the brunt of a
tipover, the metal frame probably doesn't need to be extremely heavy.

Sooo, anyone skilled with metalwork, etc, interested in trying it?
Sounds like there are multiple interested parties. If I wasn't deathly
afraid of tools (being the owner of ten thumbs), I'd give it a go
myself.

 

[Nick Kew]

On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 11:04:27 +0000
Paul Rudin <[email protected]> wrote:


> I get nervous about laptops in panniers

So do I. Some laptops more than others.

But it might be worth noting that they actually get a much
smoother ride in a pannier than in a backpack.
Walking is the bumpiest ride. It just doesn't seem like
that to the human body because it's what we're adapted to!

--
not me guv

 

[wafflycat]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>

>
> OPPORTUNITY:
> I've often wondered why I cannot find a pannier designed for laptops.
> I'm thinking of a nicely padded bag suspended inside a metal frame.
> The padding and suspension dampen/void the typical jolts and
> vibrations. The metal frame is there to protect against a tip-over.
> Since I'd expect that the handlebars would absorb the brunt of a
> tipover, the metal frame probably doesn't need to be extremely heavy.
>
> Sooo, anyone skilled with metalwork, etc, interested in trying it?
> Sounds like there are multiple interested parties. If I wasn't deathly
> afraid of tools (being the owner of ten thumbs), I'd give it a go
> myself.
>

Ortleib do an 'office bag' and 'office bag 2' which have laptop compartment.
These fit on rear rack. Ortleibv are good - mind you pay for the quality.

 

[Nick Kew]

On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 12:14:43 +0000
Chris Eilbeck <[email protected]> wrote:

> Complain. Get your management to fit a shower. Find a local gym and
> arrange to use their facilities. At worst, shower at home, get a
> towel wash and change in the bogs when you arrive.

Some of you folks seem to lead a pampered/sheltered life.
I've worked in many different places, but none of them had a shower.
Except the present one - which is also known as Home.

I didn't find it a problem, because I never overdress (still in
shorts, T-shirt and sandals when I go out during daylight hours).
The one thing to avoid is cycling in work trousers. Or, I guess,
a work jacket, if you wear one.

--
not me guv

 

[Nick Kew]

On 3 Dec 2006 04:29:29 -0800
[email protected] wrote:


> OPPORTUNITY:
> I've often wondered why I cannot find a pannier designed for laptops.
> I'm thinking of a nicely padded bag suspended inside a metal frame.

That won't fit into either category of bike accessories:
(1) cheap toys
(2) stupidly light

It'll fit into a sadly-neglected third category:
(3) practical and useful but neither cheap nor light

Not sure who would manufacture or market things in that category.

--
not me guv

 

[Ian Smith]

On 3 Dec 2006, supermoocow <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Any ideas as to best rack and Pannier combination for a 26" wheel
> Saracen mountain bike.

Best? Ortlieb panniers, Tubus rack.
However, a very good combination is Ortlieb panniers and any old rack.
I think Ortlieb do a specific extra-padded insert for laptops for at
least some of their panniers, and they have soft-office-briefcase
thing that works like a pannier, or a hard case that goes on top of a
rack (but the latter is more the size of a small suitcase, I think).

> 2. Any ideas as to clothing...

Lose the jeans.

Personally, I commute in one lot of clothes, and change everything but
my socks when I get there. If it's wet I take spare socks as well. I
don't have showers at work, I just strip off, throw some water around
and towel myself in the gents.

For your legs at this time of year, cycling shorts and Ron Hill
bikesters. If it ever gets cold you might want something a little
thicker on your legs, but it needs to get jolly cold before cycling
legs need a lot more than that.

Top half, I wear some combination of T-shirt, rugby shirt, various
grades of fleece/sweatshirt and a pertex windproof top. This is not a
waterproof outfit, but very breathable is more important than very
waterproof if you're going to do a complete change when you arrive.

On my head, a buff if it's cold, and a double-thickness wooly hat if
it's very cold.

When it gets really cold, I have less 'normal' gear - I have some
fleecy lined, windproof front tights, and I wear a buffalo mountain
shirt (which I own for work purposes), but it needs to be really cold
to cycle in that outfit.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

 

[Chris Gerhard]

Ian Smith wrote:
> On 3 Dec 2006, supermoocow <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Any ideas as to best rack and Pannier combination for a 26" wheel
>> Saracen mountain bike.
>
> Best? Ortlieb panniers, Tubus rack.
> However, a very good combination is Ortlieb panniers and any old rack.
> I think Ortlieb do a specific extra-padded insert for laptops for at
> least some of their panniers, and they have soft-office-briefcase
> thing that works like a pannier, or a hard case that goes on top of a
> rack (but the latter is more the size of a small suitcase, I think).
>

Gets my vote. My laptop has done my commute regularly in an Ortlieb
roll top rear pannier and their padded insert and shows no signs of
falling apart.

It does not travel with me every day but must have done the trip over
100 times, which would be 4200 miles. I was nervous about it on a
100psi tyres and there was one pot hole early on that jarred me and I
was concerned for the laptop but it seems to have suffered no ill effects.

--chris

 

[Mark Thompson]

> I carry my 15" laptop, notes and lunch in a laptop rucksack but find I
> am rather smelly by the time I get to work. We do not have showers at
> work!!!

The (slightly unhelpful) solution to sweating is to cycle slower. Cycling
is four to five times easier than walking, so you don't need to sweat. Not
much fun if you don't thobut.

Wearing fewer clothes it wot I do. Usually its just a shirt, windproof
top, windproof gloves and, if its very cold, a hat. The windproof often
gets put in a pocket even in the winter. Its always a bit chilly when you
start but you warm up pretty quick.

If I can't -or don't want to- wear cycle-specific clothing, I cycle slower.
If it's Bstrd cold I give up, wrapping myself in silly amounts of layers
and pootle in, a bundle of toasty warmth on wheels.

Wet wipes or similar are good for cleaning arm pits etc, and doing this
stops any smells.

 

[Peter]

"supermoocow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
> probably best time of year to start).
> Not got a long commute as its only about 3 miles but very hilly.
>
> At present I am using a gortex walking jacket over my shirt and wearing
> old jeans and changing into trousers at work.
> I leave trousers & shoes at work.
>
> I carry my 15" laptop, notes and lunch in a laptop rucksack but find I
> am rather smelly by the time I get to work. We do not have showers at
> work!!!
>
> I was wondering the following:
>

Buy panniers and rack
Replace jeans with running/cycling longs (eg Ron Hill or upwards)
Replace walking jacket with cycling jacket (eg Altura Nevislite)
Only wear waterproof if it's raining.
Replace laptop with USB stick.
Buy wet wipes and deodorant just in case...
Peter

 

[[email protected]]

I'd second the comments about using panniers. I used to sweat & have
neck problems with a backpack. Both were largely solved when I went to
panniers.

I've just spent ages looking for the right laptop pannier. In the end
I bought an Altura Workstation bag, mainly as I wanted a number of
compartments (which the Ortlieb doesn't have). It's not bad at all
(despite a couple of slightly irritations). It's cheaper than the
Ortlieb, but I don't think it has quite the same the indestructible /
waterproof qualities - but then for a 3 mile commute that might not be
such an issue for you.

Altura do a couple of other briefcase panniers, as does a company
called Agu.

I use the laptop pannier with a normal pannier (from a pair I bought a
while ago). It works well as I can carry clothes, waterproofs etc in
the other pannier. It's worth bearing in mind that if you have too
much space you may find yourself filling it & having to carry & cycle
with too much stuff.

Michael

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>,
supermoocow ('[email protected]') wrote:

> Hi,
> Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
> probably best time of year to start).

I think it possibly is the best time of year to start; if you can get
through the winter, the spring and summer will be a joy.

> Not got a long commute as its only about 3 miles but very hilly.
>
> At present I am using a gortex walking jacket over my shirt and wearing
> old jeans and changing into trousers at work.
> I leave trousers & shoes at work.
>
> I carry my 15" laptop, notes and lunch in a laptop rucksack but find I
> am rather smelly by the time I get to work. We do not have showers at
> work!!!

Do you need to carry the laptop? Could you manage with a USB drive to carry
your work?

>
> I was wondering the following:
>
> 1. Use panniers + rack for laptop & lunch
> Will this help with the sweating thing...
> Any ideas as to best rack and Pannier combination for a 26" wheel
> Saracen mountain bike.

A rack's definitely better than a rucksack, but the more you can cut down
what you have to carry the more pleasant it will be. If it's to contain
your laptop the rucksack wants to be fairly waterproof, but does not have
to be very large. Ortlieb do an 'office' pannier which will be very good -
but it's also expensive at £65.

http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/detail.cfm?ID=19933

>
> 2. Any ideas as to clothing...
> I don't relish the idea of shirts this time of year but any ideas as to
> what to wear/buy?
> I am 5' 10" and waist is 33".
> I currently ride wearing the following:
> -Work shirt
> -Jeans

If you were cycling further I would recommend dumping the jeans in favour
of trousers designed for cycling, but for a six mile round trip it
probably isn't worth it.

> -Work socks
> -Trainers
> -Gortex walking jacket

Dump the jacket. You'll be much more comfortable in a breathable
winter-weight cycling jersey and carrying an ultralightweight breathable
waterproof (mine weighs 108 grammes and packs down to half the size of a
coke-can, so it's no problem to carry).

>
> Cheers for any help from a newbie

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

;; It appears that /dev/null is a conforming XSL processor.

 

[Tony W]

"supermoocow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> Just decided to switch from car to bike to get to office (yep not
> probably best time of year to start).
> Not got a long commute as its only about 3 miles but very hilly.

<snip>

I have a computer at work and one at home. I carry a data stick (USB 1G
memory stick) which is fine for me. If that is not enough Freecom do a
Tough Drive (Google for info or
http://www.freecom.com/ecproduct_detail.asp?ID=2331&CatID=8020&sCatID=1146257&ssCatID=1146260)

which is portable & virtually indestructible.

Jeans are bad. Get some polyester shorts or lycra. A polyester pullover
(Matelan or similar) is OK at the moment but you may need something a bit
more wind proof soon. In 3 miles you are unlikely to die of hypothermia so
don't panic.

T