Commuting - Laptops and commuting

I have started a new job recently and the idea of commuting is now realistic for me. Just curious if anyone communtes with a laptop? Perhaps what sort of bag they use to store their laptop. Really the idea is completely new to me, so any thoughts, good or bad on the subject would be appreciated!

Thanks

I don't regularly bring my laptop home except when I'm working over the weekend or will be traveling. But I have ridden home with it enough to know that if I had to commute with it regularly I'd use a rack and panniers. I love backpacks of all sorts and use them for my daily commute but I don't particularly like my laptop on my back for the whole ride home (25 miles). It's not bad in a backpack for my shorter rides in the morning though. I guess it depends on the length of your commute.

i just bring mine home on the weekends - I have a Targus: http://targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=TSB089US

nice because it has a rainfly with it - works great - I've actually used it in the rain and everything stayed dry.

I would recommend finding a good high quality sleeve for the laptop, then carry in the most comfortable backpack, sling, or other type of case for transport.

I bring mine home every day. I use a backpack http://www.rei.com/product/707995

It works great, is comfortable and pretty light weight. I have a very short commute currently so it's no big deal. Might be a bigger pain for a longer commute.

+1 on having a good sleeve. In addition, make sure that the laptop doesn't have design flaws that make it dicey to carry/bounce around. A series of Apple Powerbooks had exposed hinges that would break when squeezed (as apt to happen when hauling it with other materials).

I have commuted with laptops for a few years, but it's not an everyday thing... just as needed. First I did this with a messenger bag that had a laptop sleeve. There are many options in this category, but this can be a heavy and sweaty experience depending on the laptop's weight and your commute. I prefer panniers, and decided to buy a laptop pannier a couple of years ago. Carradice and Arkel both make panniers with laptop sleeves.

I would take a look at the following commuter pannier from Arkel... it looks really nice:
http://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/commuter/overview.asp?fl=1&site=

I have the Arkel Briefcase, which is a really nice bag...but is kind of heavy. It weighs over 4 pounds and I can't figure out where that weight is coming from. Arkel's other urban panniers, like the Commuter, weigh half as much and offer more capacity. I also have the Arkel Utility Bag... their stuff is expensive, but really excellent in terms of design and construction.

So carrying a laptop is no big deal... you just have to decide what type of bag you want. Messenger bags and backpacks both come in configurations for laptops. Then there are briefcase panniers and commuter panniers with laptop sleeves.

Another factor is the size/weight of your laptop. If you have a 17" laptop your options will be more limited. If your laptop is heavy, I'd definitely consider the pannier.

Sean

I have started a new job recently and the idea of commuting is now realistic for me. Just curious if anyone communtes with a laptop? Perhaps what sort of bag they use to store their laptop. Really the idea is completely new to me, so any thoughts, good or bad on the subject would be appreciated!

Thanks

I just carry a USB drive in my pannier instead of the whole laptop. Much lighter, and I don't have to worry about shock and vibration messing up the laptop.

I use one of these: Tom Bihn Brain Cell (http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0300) in a big messenger bag. Seems like great protection; I haven't crashed with my laptop yet, but I expect i would largely survive.

+1 on having a good sleeve. In addition, make sure that the laptop doesn't have design flaws that make it dicey to carry/bounce around. A series of Apple Powerbooks had exposed hinges that would break when squeezed (as apt to happen when hauling it with other materials).

I carry my laptop home without a sleeve in an LL Bean book bag. I take it home 75% of the time. When it rains I pop everything in a trashbag that then goes in the book bag. Very lo-tech. I only commute 17 miles round trip though. If it was longer I might work something else out.

i carry mine home 2-3 nights per week and just place it in my pannier unwrapped. if i wrecked it would probably get damaged but it belongs to my company and i'm slave to the thing. if it were my own i would probably put it in something like timbuk2's laptop sleeve and then put it in the pannier. the pannier is the dryline by altura (not sure they sell in the US) and is padded a bit but nothing serious. the pannier and rack thing is unbelievably easy and less of a hassle than a backpack. i forget it's there...

I carry mine home frequently. I agree with the recommendations about getting a good quality sleeve. I put the sleeve inside my pannier (meant for grocery bags) and add the cover if needed to keep out the rain.

I use a Timbuktu messenger bag for my laptop. I telework two days a week, so it rides with me home except on Friday afternoons and Monday mornings. I have the laptop in a nice padded sleeve inside and have not noticed any problems even in down-pouring rain. The timbuktu is nice and waterproof, with the sleeve as added protection.

Honestly, I'm not paranoid about it as it is a work laptop and not my own personal computer.

At first it was heavy, but the neck muscles have strengthened a bit and now I hardly notice it on my 20 mile round trip.

I throw mine in a backpack that has a laptop sleeve along with my change of clothes, coffee, etc. The backpack then is dropped into a grocery pannier. Simple, but very effective.

I haul mine to work and back daily. I leave it in suspend mode, or powered off, so the disk drive isn't spinning. I use a jandd sleeve the jandd commuter pannier. It's been fine for the past year.

I once left it running to find the wireless networks along the way. Survived just fine.

I'm hesitant to carry mine on the rack in case it gets jolted; I feel it is safer on my back. I only take it to work about once in two weeks, and the rest of the time I carry my stuff on the rack.

I also use a Timbuk2 messenger bag for my laptop. It rides with me every day and has not suffered any damage even after a couple spills. The bag has a pretty well paded sleeve, I also store hard stuff on the sides to protect it extra, like the power cord, and a glasses case. The bag also has lots of extra room for other things including the obligatory repair gear. I also always carry a stow-able jacket, and 1-2 books with me each day.
Its stayed bone dry inside even in the heaviest downpours (if only I could have fit myself inside the bag..)

Only down side, lots of Velcro. Velcro is annoying, and loud.

I'm a student and carry mine everyday. I put it in my backpack, and put the backpack in the milk crate on the back of the bike.... Works like a charm

Billy

I just carry a USB drive in my pannier instead of the whole laptop. Much lighter, and I don't have to worry about shock and vibration messing up the laptop.
+1
I loaded Ubuntu on a 4-gig USB stick so not only can I carry my stuff with me I can boot the computer I'll be using it on thus cloning my computer from home. Here is where you can get Ubuntu.
http://www.ubuntu.com/

It's also an upgrade from Windoze Vista.:D

I use one of these: Tom Bihn Brain Cell (http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0300) in a big messenger bag. Seems like great protection; I haven't crashed with my laptop yet, but I expect i would largely survive.

+1 on the Brain Cell, I have done assisted touring with the Brain Cell inside some luggage and the laptop was fine....very high quality products.

I usually just stuff mine in my backpack and go. No problems so far. However I would still recomend a good sleeve to put it in. I don't think there is really any need to buy any kind of special bag when I can make what I have work.

I need my computer at school every day. Last year, I carried it in my backpack, which was workable, but certainly not comfortable (~46 km round trip). This year, I switched to panniers...much, much better. My panniers are not fully waterproof, so if there's more than a light drizzle, I'll toss the computer in a plastic back first. I haven't had a problem with it getting bounced around, etc, but I also haven't crashed with it yet.

I got decent Trek panniers but they were a non-working PITA and I got to hate the sight of my laptop falling off the bike. Now I use a Swiss Gear laptop backpack, so the laptop doesn't fall off the bike unless I do.

I throw mine in a backpack that has a laptop sleeve along with my change of clothes, coffee, etc. The backpack then is dropped into a grocery pannier. Simple, but very effective.

+1

I place the 15.4 widescreen laptop in an Ortlieb laptop sleeve (http://www.rei.com/product/764005) that then slips into the laptop sleeve of an Ogio backpack. I added extra velcro straps to have the laptop stay firmly against the back. The backpack has a spare jacket, hand towel, and bike kit. Somedays, I wear the backpack and ride to work; other days, I drop the backpack into a Delta pannier. Occasionally, I place the laptop in a Targus laptop carry bag and place that into the Delta Pannier. So far, no issues. I always shut the laptop completely off. Which of the above has worked best for me? Wearing the backpack on my back. I get off the bike and take the backpack into work.

I use an Axiom I bought at my LBS. Has lots of pockets and a padded innerliner that protects my iBook as I travel from school to school and to home and back.

I would take a look at the following commuter pannier from Arkel... it looks really nice:
http://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/commuter/overview.asp?fl=1&site=
It is really nice. I've been using this for about 6 months now, and I love it. It's got a good sleeve for a 15" or smaller laptop, and plenty of room for everything else. I also use it to carry around my laptop even when I'm not riding. Arkel panniers can be spendy, but you'll never need to replace it. I've had the Arkel Bug for almost 3 years now and it's showing no signs of giving out anytime soon.

If you're at all worried about rain, make sure to get the rain cover with it as well.

I started out putting it in my messenger bag. My commute it 18 miles round trip. After a day I decided that that sucked because it was heavy, made it harder to breath, and made my shoulders hurt. Maybe my laptop is too heavy.

Then I started putting it in a sleeve made by timbuk2, then throwing that in a pannier bag. That worked out nicely except for one day when I couldnt find the sleeve (because i'd left it at work) so I just threw the laptop in the pannier bag. It rubbed up against a pop rivet or bolt and wore a spot on the top the laptop down to the bare metal. Good thing it belongs to my company and not me...

These days I commute on my faster bike which I don't want to put a rack on, so I usually just take the laptop home on weekends, putting in a locked drawered at work during the week. So far I've driven to work on Monday and Friday, so I transport it there and back that way. If I start commuting 5 days a week instead of 3 I guess I'll have to either put a rack on the bike, take the other bike, or find some other system, but this has been working out well for me so far.

I put mine in an extra large ziplock bag. I then pack it in my panniers along with my clothes. The clothes also act as a cushion for the laptop and the ziplock bag gives extra waterproofing.

I transport my 5.1lbs. laptop five days a week in a Timbuk2 laptop messenger style bag - 17mi RT. Once its on my back (vs. shoulder when walking) I don't even know it is there.

Al

I'm on call, and need to have my laptop with me at all times. Currently, I'm hauling it home in an Ortlieb Office Bag, which works quite nicely. It's waterproof, so I don't have to worry about getting caught in the rain, and it's really easy to put it on my rack, as well as taking it off. It's a little more expensive than a lot of bags, but it certainly has done a great job for me so far.

I just toss it in my Arkel Bug. I should probably get a sleeve.

I transport my 5.1lbs. laptop five days a week in a Timbuk2 laptop messenger style bag - 17mi RT. Once its on my back (vs. shoulder when walking) I don't even know it is there.

Al

I find the bag is actually more comfortable with a laptop in it, because it shifts around less with a bit of weight inside. I think their stock large messenger bag is almost exclusively designed for the Macbook Pro 15" though which is a bit of a downside. They do do custom bags though, so you may be able to customize the laptop pouch for some extra dough, they have 13" and 17" bags as well plus if its custom you get to pick snazzy colors!

I find the bag is actually more comfortable with a laptop in it, because it shifts around less with a bit of weight inside. I think their stock large messenger bag is almost exclusively designed for the Macbook Pro 15" though which is a bit of a downside. They do do custom bags though, so you may be able to customize the laptop pouch for some extra dough, they have 13" and 17" bags as well plus if its custom you get to pick snazzy colors!

The Laptop in mine is an IBM T40 with extra battery. I think I bought it before Timbuk2 had the laptop bag in different sizes.

Al

I use an Axio hard shell for my MacBook Pro.... I think it'll save me in a drive by as well.
http://www.axio-usa.com/

I have the Arkel Briefcase, which is a really nice bag...but is kind of heavy. It weighs over 4 pounds and I can't figure out where that weight is coming from. Arkel's other urban panniers, like the Commuter, weigh half as much and offer more capacity.

Sean

I've got an Arkel Briefcase as well. I have to lug my laptop around 4 or 5 days a week. I can also a change of clothes, a thermos full of coffee and my lunch. Not to mention my pump, multitool, spare tube 'n patch kit. Yes, it gets heavy. Once it's mounted on the bike it's fine though, but I use the Briefcase even on the rare days I take the subway.

Only a few things I'd change about the Arkel Briefcase, like adding some reflective tape and making the handle a bit wider 'n plusher so that when it's heavily loaded it's more comfy to carry by hand. Shoulder strap is good.

I haven't tried the Commuter, but it looks good too.

+1 on the laptop sleeve and Timbuk2 messenger bag solution. For my short commutes it works great. Plus plenty of room to stow your bike's lights, tools, etc. as needed / desired, depending on where you may have to park your bike & etc.

Steve

I use an STM small cargo bag (http://www.stmbags.com.au/small-cargo-specifications.php) and carry mine everyday. Back and forth to work, to coffee, to meetings downtown, whatever. It looks nice, is really comfortable while riding and even comes with it's own laptop sleeve.
I used to use a hard sleeve and throw it into my panniers, and this works well if you have good panniers and a bike set up to use them. But I end up clipping them once in a while with my heel and that bothers me when I know there is a nice laptop inside.
My laptop is not heavy at all, but I think the bag really matters not the mass of the computer. Before this bag I used a cheap one not designed at all for this purpose, and the same laptop would make my shoulder and neck hurt.

I did all last year, and it wasn't bad. I have a "Cannondale Backpack" that Nashbar had on clearance, has a rainfly and a laptop sleeve. Worked great, even with my then-ginormous 10lb widescreen laptop. I felt kind of bad, right before I left that job they had bought me a nice new svelte 5lb Thinkpad :).

This year I just leave my laptop at work. I have a smartphone that fills in the blanks at home, and when I'm at home during the week I'm generally wanting to avoid the laptop anyway. On weekends for DR purposes I take it home, but bring it back on Monday. It's a Dell Latitude, and probably weighs about 6 pounds.

While I don't like doing it, I generally don't notice it.

Well i've been commuting for a year in all kinds of weather. i swear by the Arkel Commuter bag. it's expensive, but it was a good investment in my opinion. My laptop is secure, it won't move around and it was of the only bags that could carry a 17" MBP, so I was limited in that regard. Not sure what kind of comp. you have but many of the new ones can wistand some pretty harsh hits. I fell 3 times on ice and landed on the side that my laptop was on, and it was problem free in the ARKEL bag.


I have a backpack I use (no longer available) for when I use my mountain bike.

Go with the arkel if you can and you'll be fine.

http://bbpbags.com/ FTW

I'm on sabbatical out of the country. My laptop goes in my panniers every morning and every night. No problem except that betwen that and the rest of my crap, I am dragging around some serious weight in a area where >16% grades are not uncommon....

Panniers are a good idea. I use an ortlieb that is waterproof (about $85 at REI), which is a good idea and worth the extra money.

I drop my laptop in a large padded envelope from the mailroom, then into the pannier. It seems to work well.

I lug my 17" MacBook Pro, clothes, pump, lunch and assorted junk each day (about 16 pounds). I used to use a Messenger bag (Spire), but the weight on one shoulder was uncomfortable, and quick starts/stops or foot down could make the bag swing to the front. I bought a Banjo Brothers bag that is a back pack with a single top-loaded space (which is basically a very waterproof big plastic sack) with fold-over enclosure with 2 shoulder straps, chest and waist straps. I keep the computer in a padded sleeve. It took a little getting used to, but I like it now.

You can see it at http://banjobrothers.com/products/01150.php

I use to use a backpack, but now I'm using panniers. The laptop goes on the side with clothes, and I carry two garbage bags just in case it rains.

I use the Arkel Briefcase. It has an internal suspended pouch that holds the laptop, and has a rain cover to keep things nice and dry in snow or rain.

Clothes, lunch etc go into an Arkel pannier on the other side of the bike.