Originally Posted by
AdamDZ
Panniers and a rack, totally. I'm never going back to wearing a backpack on a bike except maybe a small Camelbak when mountain biking. The wind resistance is negligible for me. Unhooking is easy. I need to carry too much stuff on my commute carry it all on my back. I actually have rear and front waterproof panniers. I can run errands, go shopping, go pickup stuff or drop off something at UPS, whatever. For me commuting means utility cycling too. I would love to commute on a Big Dummy but it won't fit in many elevators.
On the one hand I can see how having the ability to carry more stuff would be beneficial when running errands. On the other hand, as a new pannier user, having panniers has turned out to be more of a hassle if I have to make multiple stops. Maybe there's something I just don't get but when you stop someplace between work and home with your panniers full of valuable cargo, what do you do with it ? With a backpack or messenger bag, it comes with you. You can choose to take your panniers with you too, but it's not nearly as convenient.