I'm not sure what the ultimate solution is for me yet. I used a backpack for a little while, then went to a messenger bag for many years. My back and shoulders had been sore ever since a couple of snowboard "learning experiences" this past winter so I've been using panniers for the last few weeks to allow my back to completely heal.

My back already feels better but for various reasons including those already mentioned, I'm not sold on panniers. A simple example is the fact that I like to stop at a convenience store for a beverage right before getting to work. I used to lock my bike to a railing by first hooking my handlebars (drops) over the top. With the extra weight on the back of the bike, this proved a little more challenging.

Then once I had the bike locked I realized that I had a bit of dilemma. What do I do with my stuff? One of the items I carry is a laptop and that's not something I just wanted to leave there. The panniers are not THAT hard to get off but they're not that nice to carry around either.

There's also the fact that I ride a performance road bike. It works fine with the panniers but it's not nearly as fun to ride as it is without them.

So now I'm thinking about going back to a backpack but one that's designed for cycling. Should be easier on my back and shoulders than a messenger bag though not as convenient. That may be a trade off I have to live with.

I'm not sorry about the pannier purchase though. There are times when I've wanted to carry more than I could put in my mess bag and times when I had room but was not very comfortable. So it'll be nice to have them on those days when the backpack alone isn't enough or when I plan on going for a longer distance.