Pannier for laptop

[James Bentall]

Hi

My local bike shop guy showed me a catalog about six months ago with (from what my hazy memory can
remember) what looked like something similar to a flight case which could be strapped on like a
pannier to a bike and would give a laptop reasonable protection whilst cycling.

I wasn't interested at the time, but am now - and he's lost the catalog and can't remember where he
saw it. He thinks it might have been Oxford, but can't find it anywhere.

Has anyone got any idea where I could obtain such a thing or similar from - has anyone used one of
these things or do people think they might just be a waste of time as a computer laptop would get
knackered anyway?

Thanks for any help,

James
--
James Bentall [email protected]

 

[Sabineuk]

James Bentall [email protected] said:

>Has anyone got any idea where I could obtain such a thing or similar from - has anyone used one of
>these things or do people think they might just be a waste of time as a computer laptop would get
>knackered anyway?

Not sure about specific laptop carriers, but both Ortlieb and Altura do briefcase panniers which
look suitably business-like and are the right shape for carrying a laptop.

Having said that, I've never felt the need for a briefcase pannier - I've always just chucked
laptops in a normal pannier (I do try to cushion it a bit with papers or clothes) and have never had
any problems carting them around London fairly regularly.

I might be a bit less blase if I had paid for the laptop myself or was doing it on a daily
basis mind you.

John

 

[Anonymous]

James Bentall wrote:
> Hi
>
> My local bike shop guy showed me a catalog about six months ago with (from what my hazy memory can
> remember) what looked like something similar to a flight case which could be strapped on like a
> pannier to a bike and would give a laptop reasonable protection whilst cycling.
>
> I wasn't interested at the time, but am now - and he's lost the catalog and can't remember where
> he saw it. He thinks it might have been Oxford, but can't find it anywhere.
>
> Has anyone got any idea where I could obtain such a thing or similar from - has anyone used one of
> these things or do people think they might just be a waste of time as a computer laptop would get
> knackered anyway?
>
> Thanks for any help,
>
> James

I just use a normal laptop bag .. Either around my shoulders, with the laptop on my back, or in a
throw-over pannier ..

--

Completed 1636 Seti work units in 12493 hours http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/

 

[Tim S]

"SabineUK" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> James Bentall [email protected] said:
>
> >Has anyone got any idea where I could obtain such a thing or similar from - has anyone used one
> >of these things or do people think they might just be a waste of time as a computer laptop would
> >get knackered anyway?
>
> Not sure about specific laptop carriers, but both Ortlieb and Altura do briefcase panniers which
> look suitably business-like and are the right shape for carrying a laptop.
>
> Having said that, I've never felt the need for a briefcase pannier - I've always just chucked
> laptops in a normal pannier (I do try to cushion it a bit with papers or clothes) and have never
> had any problems carting them around London fairly regularly.
>
> I might be a bit less blase if I had paid for the laptop myself or was doing it on a daily basis
> mind you.
>
> John

I can 2nd that, I've got a beat-up old 486 (same age as the Ralaigh Amazon I carry it on) that I
take into work and use for collage courses in the quiet nights (ahem) but I just drop it into my
el-cheapo argos pannier on top of the work gear and go - commute is mostly path & road though I do
drop down a set of 5 steps daily. Saying that I haven't (you wait, I will now) had a smash or crash
while carrying it, but from having dropped the laptop a number of times in other circumstances, it
still works (smashed off part of the casing dropping it from 2 feet).

If it was new (on my shoping list) I'd take more care / take the cage in, but for a £40 486,
who cares.

Tim S (lurk mode re-activated)

 

[Toby Barrett]

[email protected] (SabineUK) wrote in news:20030505155030.25619.00000688@mb-
m21.aol.com:

> Not sure about specific laptop carriers, but both Ortlieb and Altura do briefcase panniers which
> look suitably business-like and are the right shape for carrying a laptop.

I have an Ortlieb pannier-briefcase type thing (waterproof as well) which I regularly take my
lap-top to and from work in. No problems so far (1 year with current laptop - 2 years with
previous).

Ortlieb do sell a padded bag to put the laptop in first, but I didn't buy one.

Toby

--
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[Chris French]

In message <[email protected]>, Toby Barrett
<[email protected]> writes
>[email protected] (SabineUK) wrote in news:20030505155030.25619.00000688@mb-
>m21.aol.com:
>
>> Not sure about specific laptop carriers, but both Ortlieb and Altura do briefcase panniers which
>> look suitably business-like and are the right shape for carrying a laptop.
>
>I have an Ortlieb pannier-briefcase type thing (waterproof as well) which I regularly take my
>lap-top to and from work in. No problems so far (1 year with current laptop - 2 years with
>previous).
>
>Ortlieb do sell a padded bag to put the laptop in first, but I didn't buy one.
I have similar type thing from Carradice. I don't carry a laptop, but it would be plenty big enough
and you could easily insert some extra padding in the bag if you felt the need.

--
Chris French, Leeds

 

[Daniel Auger]

On Tue, 6 May 2003, chris French wrote:

> I have similar type thing from Carradice. I don't carry a laptop, but it would be plenty big
> enough and you could easily insert some extra padding in the bag if you felt the need.

I have one of Carradice's "bike bureau" things (which also makes a remarkably convenient briefcase
and flight bag). They don't have a hard shell, so might not be what the OP is after, but they're
certainly worth consideration.

--
Daniel Auger - [email protected] (Please remove Granta to get a valid address.)

 

[Chris French]

In message <[email protected]>, Daniel Auger
<[email protected]> writes
>On Tue, 6 May 2003, chris French wrote:
>
>> I have similar type thing from Carradice. I don't carry a laptop, but it would be plenty big
>> enough and you could easily insert some extra padding in the bag if you felt the need.
>
>I have one of Carradice's "bike bureau" things (which also makes a remarkably convenient briefcase
>and flight bag).

Yep, that's what I was on about.

--
Chris French, Leeds

 

[James Bentall]

In article <[email protected]>, chris French <[email protected]> wrote:

> In message <[email protected]>, Daniel Auger
> <[email protected]> writes
> >On Tue, 6 May 2003, chris French wrote:
> >
> >> I have similar type thing from Carradice. I don't carry a laptop, but it would be plenty big
> >> enough and you could easily insert some extra padding in the bag if you felt the need.
> >
> >I have one of Carradice's "bike bureau" things (which also makes a remarkably convenient
> >briefcase and flight bag).
>
> Yep, that's what I was on about.

Sounds ideal... has anyone got any idea where I could get one from?

Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions,

James
--
James Bentall [email protected]

 

[Daniel Auger]

On Wed, 7 May 2003, James Bentall wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, chris French <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > In message <[email protected]>, Daniel Auger
> > <[email protected]> writes
> > >On Tue, 6 May 2003, chris French wrote:
> > >
> > >> I have similar type thing from Carradice. I don't carry a laptop, but it would be plenty big
> > >> enough and you could easily insert some extra padding in the bag if you felt the need.
> > >
> > >I have one of Carradice's "bike bureau" things (which also makes a remarkably convenient
> > >briefcase and flight bag).
> >
> > Yep, that's what I was on about.
>
> Sounds ideal... has anyone got any idea where I could get one from?

I got mine from Drake's in Cambridge, but that will only help you if you're nearby. You can order
one from the Carradice website - http://www.carradice.co.uk/

--
Daniel Auger - [email protected] (Please remove Granta to get a valid address.)

 

[Chris French]

In message <[email protected]>, James Bentall <[email protected]> writes
>> In message <[email protected]>, Daniel Auger
>> <[email protected]> writes

>> >I have one of Carradice's "bike bureau" things (which also makes a remarkably convenient
>> >briefcase and flight bag).
>
>Sounds ideal... has anyone got any idea where I could get one from?
>
Any bike shop that sells Carradice stuff - they could order it if they don't have it in stock. It
comes in two varieties a Cotton Duck and Cordura one, the Cotton duck one was a little more
expensive.

If you are looking for mail order then Spa Cycles in Harrogate are one of the cheapest places for
Carradice (as with many things). I bought a cotton duck one from them for about GBP45, it's over GBP
50 from Carradice direct.

Web:

<http://www.spacycles.com/>

Though it was limited in content when I last looked.

Or just give them a buzz

01423 887003
--
Chris French, Leeds