Commuting - What do you carry daily IN your panniers/pack?

Here's what I carry every day in my panniers:

-tube, pump, tire levers
-velcro reflective pants cuff tie down thingy
-waterproof/breathable pants and jacket with hood (just replaced non-breatheable junk)
-trash bag liner & twist tie (who knows why, in case I need to really keep something dry I suppose)
-balaclava (3 seasons only)
-2 bungee cords if I need to strap something large onto my rack.
-the day's clothing in an Eagle Creek Pack-It sac
-lunch (tupperware container, fruit packed in an old knit hat to keep from bruising)
-leakproof 16 oz nissan thermos/mug that I can drink out of. I stop at Einstein Bagels for power bagel and coffee
-u-lock (nevermind the BIC pen fiasco). It's heavy, but I hate the tightly wound cables-can't extend them much.
-oh yeah, also a minimalist messenger type bag I shove in one pannier to transport the clothes, lunch etc from bike to shower to desk.

It doesn't feel too heavy on my Giant Cypress SX. I average over 15 mph roundtrip which is 17.7 miles. I figure it makes me a better rider when I get on my lighter road bike on the weekends. I feel much stronger.

So, am I nuts?

-tube, pump, tire levers

I let the bike shop guys fix my tires.

-velcro reflective pants cuff tie down thingy

I just stuff my pant leg into my sock.

-waterproof/breathable pants and jacket with hood

It never rains in southern california

-balaclava (3 seasons only)

It's never cold in southern california (by the way, both those last two comments are lies)

-2 bungee cords if I need to strap something large onto my rack.

One tiny bungie cord.

-the day's clothing in an Eagle Creek Pack-It sac

I wear my clothes. I don't sweat, I glisten. (I'm female in case you were wondering)

-lunch (tupperware container, fruit packed in an old knit hat to keep from bruising)
-leakproof 16 oz nissan thermos/mug that I can drink out of. I stop at Einstein Bagels for power bagel and coffee

Get my lunch and coffee at the office cafeteria.

-u-lock (nevermind the BIC pen fiasco). It's heavy, but I hate the tightly wound cables-can't extend them much.

I hate the tightly wound cables, too, but that's what I have.

I have:
- arm warmers,
- a reflective runner's vest,
- some allen wrenches and
- some leaves and junk that fell in (I've got a shopping-bag style panier).
- money and related wallet stuff

I don't like to carry much.

that's a lot more stuff than I carry, but your commute is a lot longer. I can go home during lunch if I forgot something or to eat lunch.

My commute is only about 1.5 miles, but I often take the long way home 5 miles. Still a whole lot shorter than your commute. Here's what I carry every day.

- cycling clothes in case I want to go for a fitness ride after work
- multi tool
- patch kit
- spare tube
- mini pump
- first aid kit
- bungee cords
- extra velcro straps
- shower stuff (soap, shampoo, deoderant, towel)
- kryptonite cable lock and old u-lock

I also often take food. I'll usually take fixins to make lunch for a few days. Once I went to the store at lunch time and bought a whole mess of stuff, including a 24 pack of sodas. boy did my bike ride different with all that weight!

I carry a U-lock, the bungee that holds the U-lock on, a Gore-Tex hooded raincoat, and rainpants. If the weather is dry and not too cold, I sometimes omit the coat and rainpants.

Paul

about 20 lb of school books
patch kit
spare tube
multitool
mini pump
balaclava & gloves
Tums (electrolytes on the go... plus it kills hunger pangs when I'm riding home before eating dinner)
backpack (which everything goes into once I get to school)
no extra clothes (I wear an undershirt on my ride to school, which I hang up once I get there), but extra shoes (which will change as soon as I get paid again... next paycheck buying me some shimano sandals)
no lock... I leave my bike in the office I work in on campus
deodorant & hair gel

-tube, pump, tire levers

I let the bike shop guys fix my tires.


<teasing>
Do they come to the side of the road at seven in the morning? Or do you carry a cellphone for someone to bail you out?
</teasing>

But, more seriously, my LBS charges exorbitantly for fixing flats, something you can do for yourself in just a few minutes. Personally, I like knowing that I can fix my own flat in a few minutes, rather than looking for somewhere to call home, waiting for a ride, etc.

I carry:
work clothes and shoes
lunch
wallet
tubes and tools in wedge
mini-pump
tailight and light

I keep at work:
a towel
anti-bacterial wipes
face wipes
sometimes spare shoes
deoderant

Will add as the mercury drops:
full-fingered gloves
ear warmers
balaclava
full booties
windpants

I carry less then most, simply because I don't need to lock up at work (bring the bike in my office). I do take:

---Tool kit (minitool, SRAM powerlink, zip ties, patch kit, tire boot, etc.)
---Minipump
---Spare Tube
---Bungee Net
---Digital Camera (never know what you might what to take a picture of)
---Nite Rider Roadrat when needed
---waterproof covers for the panniers

During the winter I might take raingear, in the summer I just get wet. It doesn't rain much here anyway.

In the winter:
---Arm warmers
---Knee warmers
---Ear band
---Glove liners to use under my usual riding gloves

I have a wedge under the seat with a multitool and a patch kit.

Panniers contain (every day):
Lunch, wallet, PDA, cellphone, work ID card (RFID entrance key).

Sometimes I pack the right one if I have stuff to carry to work or to mail.

Work clothes are in a gym bag at work. I keep about a half dozen polo shirts and a couple pair of pants, plus a half dozen sets of socks/underwear. The socks/underwear go home every day, and when I run out I transport another load in. I alternate the other clothes over a couple of weeks, then pack them home in the right pannier and their replacements come back the next day.

If it's cold in the morning and warmer in the afternoon, extra layers are in the bag.

The panniers rack holds my SLA battery for the halogen & strobe (I'm too cheap to go NiMH, would rather carry an extra 2 pounds).

SHould I add that I don't use either backpack or panniers and carry the stuff on my rack?

Paul

SHould I add that I don't use either backpack or panniers and carry the stuff on my rack?

Paul

I suppose you don't have to worry about flats too much, as you could just jump on the subway--or maybe your commute is not too long so that you could just walk home??

I carry the following items everyday in a small Camelback Hawg backpack:

U-lock
Crank Brothers 17 bit multitool
small Vice grips
spare tube
patch kit
Park tool truing key
3 tire levers
Princeton Tec Aurora LED headlamp
Cat-Eye LED light
contractor grade trash bag
cell phone
bandanna
chamois hiking towel
spare balaclava
capilene glove liners
Marmot windshirt
small first aid kit
ziplock back containing GU and granola bars
comb, anti-perspirant and tissues

I love my panniers. I was carrying everything on my back until this summer. I normally carry the following:

-Shoes for work,
-clothes for work,
-clothes for the ride home (quite often 20C warmer in the afternoon than the morning ride)
-multi-tool
-pannier rain covers
-lunch
-bottle of water
-wallet

In the past I have carried the following:
-golf clubs
-coffee
-ice cream
-groceries


I opted for the largest panniers I could find. It is very rare that I notice my bike handles different with the panniers jammed full.

Thanks.

I have a 10 mile commute and all I carry is

1)tube
2)bike tools
3)pump
4)sandwich lunch (banana is in my jersey pocket)
5)Cell phone and house keys
6)shirt and undershirt for the day

Every now and then I'll have Snapple for drinks when I run out of my cache and a magazine to read at lunch if I run out.

Everything else I stash in a locker at my cube at work.

Jay

I suppose you don't have to worry about flats too much, as you could just jump on the subway--or maybe your commute is not too long so that you could just walk home??
That's right -- it's just a ten mile commute and the subway is available, although laughably slow. There are numerous taxicabs. I also use the heaviest, must flat-resistant tire I can find -- have not had a flat for a year.

I think we all carry just as much stuff as we need, and the differences reflect riding situations more than they do personal preferences.

Paul

4 books, a bunch of papers, calculator, tools, and other crap. 35lb weight.

I carry a biking backpack with an extra tube, jacket, wallet, keys, papers I've been grading.
I have a mini pump plus another extra tube and patch kit under my seat.
It's cold in the morning so usually I'm wearing extra jerseys that go in my pack on the way
home. 64 mile commute round trip 3-4 days a week.

10" Adjustable Wrench (Yeah i know)
Screwdriver with 10 heads.
Scissors
Cable cutter
Spare derailleur cable
Pump
Spare Tube
Zip Ties

5 potatoes & 1 Banana
1 to 5 notebooks
and my wallet.

I carry the patch kit, tube, and multi-tool in a wedge, and I have a frame mounted mini-pump. In my paniers I carry work clothes and shoes (which I'll start leaving in my locker at work once I build my legs and wind up enough to commute every day), and food. On sundays, I stuff all my laundry in and ride over to my parents house for a visit. ;-)

I carry the following items everyday in a small Camelback Hawg backpack:

U-lock
Crank Brothers 17 bit multitool
small Vice grips
spare tube
patch kit
Park tool truing key
3 tire levers
Princeton Tec Aurora LED headlamp
Cat-Eye LED light
contractor grade trash bag
cell phone
bandanna
chamois hiking towel
spare balaclava
capilene glove liners
Marmot windshirt
small first aid kit
ziplock back containing GU and granola bars
comb, anti-perspirant and tissues


Man Purse?

<teasing>
Do they come to the side of the road at seven in the morning? Or do you carry a cellphone for someone to bail you out?
</teasing>

Go ahead and tease me but I have never had the strength to stretch the wheel back on to the rim. If worse came to worse I would lock my bike up and take the bus, or just walk, or call someone for a ride.

No rack and panniers as of yet.
In my wedge:
Tube.
Patch kit.
Levers.
Multi-tool.
Wallet.
Phone.
Keys.
Clif bar depending on distance.

On bike:
Co2 inflator.
2 water bottles.

Multi tool
tire levers
2 spare tubes
patch kit
mini pump
work clothes

Bottle of water

Everything else is at work, or at home. I guess I carry as little as possible.

In a rack trunk:

Tire levers
Patch kit
Mini-pump
Chunk of a great painter's soap in a small ziplock (super for washing bike grease off skin)
Glasses mirror that I occasionally try to get used to, then get annoyed by and put back in the bag

Tailight (tied to back of trunk)
Water bottle (nestled on top of trunk)

Wallet, which gets always wet from the water bottle slowly leaking on top of the trunk. I want to get a cage but I've got a non-braze-on, girlie-frame bike and I'm not sure what kind of cage I could put on it.
Cell phone, keys, datebook
Ipod
Work clothes (work shoes stay at work)
Whatever novel I'm reading
NYC 5-borough bike map - I don't often need it but I like to look at it sometimes because I love maps. :D

Headlight on bike, Krypto chain & padlock around waist. All other bike clothes for the day on body.

Apart from my clothes and shoes (yes, I insist on carrying those), I carry the following:

Topeak Alien Multi-tool (including tyre leavers and about 83 other functions)
Spare Tube
Pump (mounted on my frame)
Camera
House Keys
Water bottle

The shoes probably give me more weight than I need to carry, however I don't mind that on my commute. I just look upon it as training for my next tour.

on a raleigh c40 hybrid
in a medium size messenger bag from courierware
i carry the following:

white coat (with stethoscope, flashlight, tuning forks, etc.)
shirt, undershirt, tie
sometimes pants + dress shoes if in the OR & clinic that day
laptop, power cord
notebook, pens
wallet, cell phone, PDA, pager
Nalgene water bottle
city map
tire levers
spare tube
patch kit
mini-pump
U-lock, cable
handlebar opticube light, rear LED
waterproof, breathable rain coat, pants, or a sweatshirt if necessary

Not much. I have a rack trunck bag. In the little pocket on the back I have a spare tube, levers, and a patch kit. In the main compartment are a change of clothes and lunch. Cell phone, wallet and keys go in the pocket on the lid. I have lots of tools available at work in case something else goes wrong, but so not much has happened.

Well, for my ten mile commute (one way)…

In my wedge pack underneath my seat…
one tube
one tire lever (pump straps onto the bike)
multi-tool
rear blinkie (I smashed the front one last week)

In my cooler pack that sits on top of my rear rack…
lunch
keys (work and home)
palm
shades(eye wear)
skull cap
cell phone

left pannier only… (I'm trying to cut down on the weight)
baby wipes
hair gel
deodorant
cologne (just in case)
pants
shirt
socks
underwear (no I don't wear them under my bike shorts… thanks to the Underwear Nazi :) )
city bike route map
$20 cash

On the right side of my ride I strap on a thermos with fresh ground coffee.

A full change of clothes and my black and brown shoes stay at work.

Yes, my aluminum (MTB with slicks) steed weighs in somewhere close to 40-45lbs. With 21 speeds I make good enough time.

My Camelback Hawg is not a man-purse- it's a bike commuter's survival kit....

In panniers:
Topeak Hummer Multi-tool
Patch kit
Tire levers
Spare tube
Tire boot
Small crecent wrench
Bike lock

Wallet
Keys
Cell phone
Watch
Glasses case
Glasses cloth
Work ID badge
Dress shirt
(Once a week I restock a pair of pants, shoes, towel, and weeks worth of underwear and socks in a filing cabinet at work and back haul the socks and undies as they are used.)

Depending on weather I wear or carry some of:
Wool cap or headband
Fingerless or Neoprene gloves
neck warmer, arm warmers, leg warmers
Rain jacket, Rain pants, neoprene shoe covers, helmet cover, helmet visor

On frame:
Pump
Water bottle(s)
Bike computer
Headlight
Taillight

On me:
SPD shoes
Cotton or wool socks
Bike shorts
Bike or soccer jersey
Adidas Evileye glasses w/ prescription insert
Helmet

I have a 15 mi. commute and try to travel pretty light, but the laptop kinda spoils it. If I left the laptop at work my load would probably be < 6lbs.

A typical load includes:
The aforementioned laptop, in a slim case (Tom Bihn braincell). My heaviest item by far.

Clothes: t-shirt, shorts, boxers. A casual office environment allows me to dress light, and I leave a pair of Tevas under my desk to avoid carrying shoes back and forth. I'll probably stash a spare pair of vans or something when the weather cools off, add socks to the load and substitute long pants for the shorts.

Various electronic gadgets (Usually cell phone, iPod, Palm. Ocasionally a digicam gets added to the mix.)

Wallet.

Lunch (generally last nights left-overs in a some sorta rubbermaid or similar container.)

A drawstring bag with tools: 4 or 5 C02 cartridges plus inflator, 1 or 2 spare tubes, rag, multi-tool, extra chain links (Learned the hard way that you should carry extra links, while riding a singlespeed off-road. Obviously the same principle would apply to a fixie.), several pairs of nitrile gloves so I don't have to spend 10 minutes in front of the bathroom sink at work scrubbing chain grime off my hands after having changed a flat.

This will be my first year commuting year-round. Cooler weather and shorter days will be seeing the addition of lights, and warmer gear to the load. About the warmest I ever need in SoCal is leg-warmers, arm warmers, vest, and an undershirt. Maybe something to cover my head (I shave it. Not much insulation up there.), and some lightweight long-fingered gloves. It rains so seldom that I'll generally wuss-out and drive rather than deal with it in the mornings, though I do have a clear rain jacket stashed in a desk-drawer at work in case it starts up after I've already ridden in.

-Trevor

3/8 ratchet with sockets for my axle, seatpost, seat.
Multi screw driver.
Small crescent wrench.
Tire levers.
Spare tube.
Patch kit.
Multi allen wrench set.
U-lock.
A rag for wiping stuff and also to keep all this stuff from jangling.
Usually 1-2 books of some sort.
Usually some small food items.
Mini pump is on my frame.

9 miles each way:

2 Panniers:
A) Laptop in a FedEx Tyvek envelope, wallet, checkbook, plastic envelop to hold misc papers, cell, Sony Clie, multi-tool, CO2 tire inflator, patch kit
B) basketball clothes (Mon,Wed,Fri), work clothes (shoes left at work), windbreaker (and rain pants if nec.).

I leave my U-lock on the rack at work after I realized that only use it to lock the bike at work.

Nightlight (one of those where the battery goes into the water cage).

in backpack on rattrap rack on back of bike:
cable and lock
two fold up tote bags (in case i have to go get 50 hamburgers at lunch, part of my job...)
two multi size closed box wrenches, allen wrench set, pliers,
tire pump, patch kit, tire gauge
clean, dry shorts
loud orange colored windbreaker
reflective ankle bands
female products
3 seasons: gloves, headband or balaclava, rain shell pants
recharger for my phone
spare batteries for my radio and lites
two spare full water bottles
wound wipes for when i skin my knee, tissues, advil
candy
assorted papers

in my reflective vest, or on me:
headlamp
taillamp
pocket radio (the kind with a speaker)
earphones (for on the lite rail)
change for the lite rail or advanced purchased tickets
cell phone (I am bad, when I have a flat, I call home to be rescued and fix it later)
wallet and keys

i keep one set of clean dry clothes at work, and i frequently change from long pants to the shorts for the trip home, but tshirt and jeans that i wear in the morning are okay for my work.

d*** I carry too much stuff!!

random assortment of cards (of the credit/proxy/key/membership variety (no wallet))
house keys
bike lock / locker keys
U-lock (someday Kryptonite will email me again and I'll exchange it)
pressure gauge
patch kit
multitool
occasionally work clothes (mostly I leave those at the bike station)
sometimes lunch/breakfast
usually a book
random assortment of pens (none of which, sadly, are BIC, so I better not lose my lock keys)

I just switched from backpack to pannier last week, and the rides are soooo much nicer this way.

iPod, SONY headphones, 'On The Road' by Jack Kerouac, office workwear, waterbottle and a couple of condoms just in case.



...oh, and some repair thingys too.

Tire levers
patch kit
tube
CO2 pump
spare CO2 Cartridge
Alien tool
Letherman tool
Energy bar in case I bonk
cable ties
first aid kit
Rain coat (year round)
fleece pullover (winter)
lunch
change of clothes for work
wallet
water(hydration pack)
cable lock
book (for reading on the bus)
Phone card
quarters
cell phone
Pencils/pens(for crosswords on the bus)
chain lube
power link

I commute with a seat wedge and rack pack on normal days. On days when I need to bring anything of size to work, I use panniers.

Seat wedge:
-spare tube
-tire levers
-allen wrenches

Rack pack:
-pump (velcros to outside)
-windbreaking suit
-food
-work items

Since I keep my bike in the firehouse, I don't carry a lock. I also keep my uniforms at work, and I can shower after my ride in. Not having to carry or wear my work clothes during my commute is a great plus.

on my 37 km/23 mi commute I carry

pump/patch kit
tire irons
multi-culti tool
water bottle
cell phone
wallet
pda
thera-band
WSJ:Europe (one-way)
odd books
Yogurt (one-way/once week)
Granola (as needed, one-way)
underwear/pants/t-shirts (as needed)

Everything in a fanny pack or under the seat bag

ride on...
Tom

The traditional tools virtually everyone mentions I can carry in a small handlebar pack...The weight in the rear panniers/rack varry drastically by summer/winter..
Summer. Maybe arm warmers, couple bike mags for break, packages of recovery drinks, power bar, small food items for work if needed. Clothes. Do not need a change of clothes for work..Take them in in advance. .... Winter...Afternoon commute in can be reasonably warm going in.... Maybe arm warmers for going in. Coming back can be drippy, chilly, and with fog...Gets light later in AM, when going home...Reflective straps. Small light for early dawn light; but the weighter item is a winter water resistant jacket for the chilly early hour right after sun up. And other winter gear.Maybe shoe covers, heavier gloves than the commute in needs. Personal items,keys, wallet etc fit into rear pack...
Oh, yes..Commute of 26 miles, need room to pick up a low fat muffin, which I feel work merits after a bike commute.

Interesting how different people set up for commuting in different ways. In my panniers I carry my full day's change of street clothes, spare tire (can't get 27"ers at my LBS) lunch, cell phone, reading glasses (gettin' older...), book or mail or other material to read at lunch, one extra bike clothing layer (shirt), balaclava, tubes, patches, hex wrench, chain tool, headlight charger, and lock.

At work I leave a pair of shoes, shower supplies, towel, and a spare floor pump.

The lights are always on the bike so I don't carry them loose.

I use a canvas Trader Joe's shopping bag (has handles) as a removeable liner so I can take out the pannier contents without removing the pannier from the bike. In the winter I put a large plastic bag inside the canvas TJ's bag to keep the contents dry. The panniers just get soaked though. Might try external raincovers some day...

Oops forgot I also carry an energy bar or gel.

Straight commute is 6 miles one way but frequently stretch it to 20-25 one way at least on one leg of the commute.

Loaded pannier weight: 14lb
Bike weight less panniers: 33lb (bike, racks, fenders, pump, water bottle)
Total: 47lb. Rolls nice but accellerates like a cinderblock. Fabulous winter commuter though.

I have a 10.5 mile commute, one way. In my Arkel Tailrider, I have:

Left Pocket:
- glueless patch kit
- CO2 inflator
- 2 16g C02 cartridges
- Topeak X-tool
- 2 Pedro's Tire Levers
- Zefal Pressure Gauge
- KMC emergency chain link

Right Pocket:
- padlock for bike locker
- keys
- headset for cell phone

Inside:
- pants, underwear, socks
- knee warmers
- arm warmers (soon)
- badge for work
- wallet
- emergency $20 bill

I have a Topeak Morph attached to the frame.

When I get a pannier, I will probably start carrying tubes (I have a 406 front and 559 rear).

I keep my shoes at the office.

With 42 replies, here are the running totals:

tube 24
days clothing 19
multitool 18
patch kit 18
pump 17

cell phone 14
lock 12
lunch 12
tire levers 12
books, etc 10
water 10

breathable waterproof pants & jacket 9
arm warmers 6
laptop/pda 6
2 bungee cords/net 5
allen wrenches 5
balaclava 5
co2 pump 5
snack food 5

first aid kit 4
knee warmers 4
taillight 4
crescent wrench 3
cycling clothes 3
extra chain links 3
headlamp 3
booties 2
cosmetic stuff 2
headlight 2
screwdriver 2
trash bag liner & twist 2
windshirt 2
wiping cloth 2
baby wipes 1
backpack 1
bike working gloves 1
cable cutter 1
chain lube 1
cyclometer 1
ear band 1
extra batteries 1
glove liners 1
gloves 1
headlight charger 1
hydropack 1
LED light 1
mirror 1
pressure gauge 1
reflective vest 1
scissors 1
soap 1
socket wrench 1
thermos 1
tire 1
towel 1
truing key 1
velcro pant cuff tie down 1
velcro straps 1
vice grips 1
winter bike layers 1


Huff

I have about a 7 mile commute.

In my messenger bag (I guess that makes me a poseur), I carry clothes, lunch, keys, wallet. If the weather is variable, I also carry knee warmers, tights, a windproof jacket and a polypro shirt.

On my bike in an under seat bag I carry tire levers, a patch kit, a tube, and some allen wrenches. Elsewhere on my biek I carry a pump and some water.

In my messenger bag (I guess that makes me a poseur), I carry clothes, lunch, keys, wallet. If the weather is variable, I also carry knee warmers, tights, a windproof jacket and a polypro shirt.

Are you posing as a messenger, or a commuter? :)

I commute with a Chrome metropolis, and love it. The fact that I have a pair of hypnotic designs knickers that I wear on the cooler days probably makes me a poseur^2, though. :) anyway, I carry:

In the bag:
Laptop (sometimes left behind for the return trip)
Change of clothes & shoes
office & house keys
wallet
city bike map
cell phone
apple
head and taillights
spare batteries for lights

In the underseat bag:
tube
patch kit
tire levers
allen wrenches
mocha cliffshot

Plus a frame pump on the top tube, and a bottle of gatorade/gu2o/whatever in one of the cages. I tried eating something before I left once and ended up having a little hypoglycemic episode on the side of the highway, so I just settle for a sports drink of the way in now.