Commuting - new commuter next week!

Hi all,

I just purchased a K2 newport bike for commuting to work :D . I have to wait until next week to start because I have to buy a trailer to take my daughter to daycare, and I have other stuff I need to purchase. I'm really looking forward to getting back into biking, its been about 5 years.

Any suggestions on racks and paniers? I need something to transport work clothes, lunch, etc to work.


Dave

Hmmm... I'd check the size of the trailer first. You might have enough room for both your daughter and your work stuff. If not, I'd recommend a Blackburn MTN rack that mounts to your frame (avoid seat post racks at all costs).

Regarding panniers, ignore any "waterproof" claims if you intend riding in the rain. You're better off to pack your work gear in plastic bags inside your pannier to provide ideal protection. Another tip on packing is to put your work clothes in one pannier and your work shoes in the other to avoid your shirt getting creased.

It's nice to see we have assimilated another! Your world will never be the same :D

Thanks for the tips!

My stuff would fit in the trailer, but I'm probably going to leave it at daycare. That way I can lighten the load for the commute to work.

Dave

what is wrong with seat post racks?

Originally posted by IowaParamedic
what is wrong with seat post racks?

If you put any weight at all on them, your seat post will break much sooner. Having had a seat post break 30km from home last year, I can tell you that is no fun at all.

Seatpost racks weigh much more than good traditional racks, and can carry less load. They cantelever the load at the end of a 1ft lever, which puts a lot of stress on the seatpost.

You can carry a full shopping load on even the cheapest 4-point fixing rack.

If you use panniers every day, they can take a beating. Cheaper ones will wear out. Get models with heavy duty fabric , good stiffening on the back and base and a quick clip-on fitting. Zips are the first thing to break, and generally you only need one main compartment and one external pocket.

One good option for smaller loads is a Carradice saddle bag. These are available in 9 to 25l sizes.

If you want to reduce your load, get extra locks. Keep a good one at work, and carry a light one on the bike for quick stops like at the daycare, or the coffeestop. Only carry lunch, shirt and underwear - keep suit, shoes, towel and shampoo at work.

Check your tire size. I have a cross comfort bike with the bigger 700 tires and the standard mountain rack that I bought did not really work well. I just ordered a Blackburn XR-1 Cross Rack which is taller and designed for the bigger tires. It was @ a great price from www.rei-outlet.com which is where I do the majority of bicycle supply shopping. Also if you don't already have one, get an emergency tool kit. When my last rack disconnected from the bike frame I had no way to secure it, and no way to detach it from the eyelet. So I had a half-attached rack to get home with =(

Another fan of the Blackburn XR-1 Cross rack here. Aside from being a better fit for a 700 wheel-equipped bike, its configuration is better than many for holding a trunk in place (when you don't want to go the full pannier route). Other racks I have tried (when a Cross rack was unavailable) permitted the trunk to slide around on top or sag off the back.

If you do get a Blackburn rack, and if you plan on attaching a tail light to the reflector bracket that comes with the rack, my advice is to order (REI will do this for you) extra reflector brackets, because they do fatigue and you will at some time hear the whang and boing of the tail light falling onto your rear tire and bouncing into the gutter.

I went to REI over the weekend and piched up a Blackburn XR-1 rack and REI brand panniers. The fabric is waterproof, but the seams and zippers are not. The booklet that came with it suggests sealing the seams, but from what I've read on the board, it does not sound like its worth it. Any comments?

Dave

Like Chris/Fatal Justice, I am a believer in the plastic bag route to dryness security. Although I have used 2 mil garbage bags as liners, I find that a collection of Ziplock 1-gallon and 2-gallon freezer bags are large enough for most things, and are tough enough for repeated use with confidence.

Jeans shops have some of the toughest plastic bags, and are exactly the right size to fit in a typical pannier.