Originally Posted by
arsprod
panniers on rack and small rack bag - panniers hold work clothes and rack bag has cycling stuff like tools, spares, etc. I hate having something on my back, even in sub zero weather it feels hot and sweaty
My butt is my biggest ASSet.
No, seriously, I'm unusually strong in the thighs and butt, and I have weak arms and shoulders. When I have to do something hard such as carry an air conditioner on stairs, I rest it on my hip and use my legs more than my arms.
So I discovered that carrying my briefcase messenger-style is a lot easier than I expected. And another advantage is that it adds to sprung weight, as opposed to unsprung weight on the bike. Plus it needs less supporting hardware (rack, attaching hardware) than just about anything. There is a limit as to how much I'm willing to carry this way, but it often suits me well.
Backpacks are much harder because of the strain on the neck. They also decrease flexibility and range of motion, which is bad, because it's important to turn your head back to look backwards.
With that said, I often strap whatever I'm carrying to my rack. It takes a lot of time to use bungies to strap down whatever it is, but it's light and cheap to go this way.