apricissimus 

I do not. All I ever carry to work are a change of clothes and my lunch. For me, that's light enough that I can get away with just carrying it in a backpack. Occasionally I do carry heavier loads and think panniers would be nice, but it's infrequent enough that I just put up with it.

uke

When going grocery shopping, I just use a backpack. If I start riding to class/Walmart/etc when semester starts, I'll stick with a backpack. It's what I used throughout college when walking, and things turned out okay.

HeIncreasesMe

Yes I do because not only do I carry my change of clothes including heels. I carry my purse too. Oh and my lunch. So I definitely need panniers.

ellerbro

I could carry my commute stuff in a backpack but I prefer panniers. I dislike the back sweat from a backpack and I like the free feeling of nothing strapped to my body. I commuted using a backpack for awhile then immediately started looking into panniers.

apricissimus 

Yeah, I can understand the back sweat thing. And I have to admit that when I go out for rides outside of commuting, I do like the feeling of having nothing on my back. I've probably just been too lazy/cheap to take the plunge on panniers.

Tyrell

I also only carry clothes and lunch on my commute but it's HOT in TX. Too hot to be wearing anything you don't need to. My commute is 9 miles one-way.

Mr. Jim

you need a "sometimes" added to your poll. I for instance use panniers on Fridays and Mondays when I transport a weeks worth of clothing one way or the other. Rest oft the week I use a trunk bag or messenger bag for my lunch, tools etc.

kk4df

Yes. I carry my clothes to change into after my shower at work, my lunch, and occasionally my laptop. I ride with one pannier, unless I'm carrying my laptop.

cooker

I have a fairly large trunk bag now and it works ok. Papers fit in it folded in half, but I rarely carry any paper back and forth anymore. It has light nylon zip-out panniers on the sides if I need them. If I roll pants or a shirt up into a tube I have to slightly scrunch them in there, but they actually still come out ok. However I use a backpack if I am carrying my laptop because I think the trunk bag might give it more jolts.

taliesin

I carry about 10-15 lbs. of stuff with me on most days. My commute is only 6 miles each way, but I go over about a 1/2 mile of slightly technical trail riding each way and panniers make that stretch nearly impossible, so I wear a backpack.

bmclaughlin807

Most often I don't really carry ANYTHING on my commute (Other than tools for flats, etc) so I could ride without pannier... but my grocery panniers are always on my bike anyway and they're really useful if I decide to stop or suddenly need to carry something somewhere.

I used a backpack for a while, but hated how bad I was soaked with sweat when I got anywhere.

JMRobertson

Backpack... I use my bike for road trips and for commutes. I think if I get a second bike it will be strictly commuting and will have racks/panniers/fenders and what all. But I don't want to lug that stuff up the mountain I typically do when I have the time to train. Currently, I use only a backpack... CamelBak.

ban guzzi

panniers for heat, mess bag for cold. Really like pans for groceries, tools, clothes, stuff...

mess bag works good for cooler weather, it holds heat in and its just as big or a smidge bigger than one pannier.

Stujoe

I have been using a big rack pack because I hate backpacks while riding. But my panniers should be arriving next week and I am going to try them for more space.

pinkrobe

Nope, I use a backpack. I leave my work clothes at work and use the pack to bring in incidentals like food. I have no need for panniers.

apricissimus 

Wow, panniers in a landslide.

nashcommguy

This is me, too. I use my single speed conversion tues-thurs w/a FANNY PACK! It's a little oversized and I can get my lunch and other necessities in it w/o probs. Am looking to get a Delta seatpost rack and trunk bag combo at some point, but the FP is working just fine for now. Have SKS Raceblades for rain days and a cheap rain jacket. I use an adjustable visor to keep the rain off my goggles and it works pretty well though it looks a little dorky...well, MORE than a little dorky. but, I'm a guy on a bike...it comes w/t territory. Except to other cyclists/commuters, of course

YULitle

I use panniers for both my commute to school and my grocery store trips.

Sirrus Rider

Depends. When it a commute to my regular job then yes. I use Jannd Mountian Panniers which work well for the task. My weekend job I usuall Ride my Town and country trike and I usually just throw my clothes in a duffle bag into the boot basket.

Hot Potato

Ahh. I have a commuters dream. Only five miles, locker, shower, employer provided clothing, and employee cafeteria! All I need do is show up, everything else is already there. Don't even have a rack.

Mr York

Once I discovered the pure pleasure of having nothing on my back, I have been a convert. I put my backpack in the grocery bag pannier everywhere I go now. I usually only use a single pannier.

HeIncreasesMe

I recognize even with my camelback i am a litttle sweaty. Yucky! I think lugging certain things around in my panniers has helped to make me a stronger rider too. So I just think of the positives.

Rodeo

I don't. I tried a few times but didn't like the effect on the bike's performance. I have about 6 backpacks lying around that I've collected over the years. I settled on a Burton snowboard backpack that is about 15 years old. I have a 20 mile R/T commute. It has thick padded straps and thick back panel and sinches down around my sternum and waist. I haven't weighed it but I do carry a full suit outfit plus small lunch.

DataJunkie

I use a single pannier. With temps in the mid to upper 90s I have no desire to carry a bag of any sort on my back.
Last year I thought panniers degraded my performance. Meh
I was wrong and it must have been an excuse for a sub par engine. However, this is not the windy part of the year so that may be why it seems fine.

pueblonative

I've been thinking about going with panniers. I've snapped both straps on my backpack and something that could keep that off my back and keep me relatively sweat-free would be great.