Originally Posted by InTheRain

I have a new road bike. It's not my main commuter, but I'm enjoying riding it, and with the weather being fairly decent today (dry) I thought I'd give it a try as a commuter. The bike is fabulous. But, I got a reminder of why I don't commute with a back pack. That's how I started about 8 years ago - with a backpack. Then I got a touring bike that became my main commuter (it still is) and went with a rack and panniers. On my previous road bike, I had a carradice quick release block on the seatpost with a quick release bag that carried a good amount of stuff. I don't have that hooked up to the new bike and I don't know if it will work with the smaller diameter seat post. So, backpack it was if I wanted to commute on the road bike.

The pack is still in great shape. I had to make adjustments to the straps as others have used it for various purposes. My load wasn't all that heavy or bulky and it wasn't uncomfortable. The temperature outside was 47 degrees and foggy. I had on an under armour shirt, a thin wool pullover, and a very breathable cycling jacket as the outer shell. About 10 minutes into the ride, I started to get really warm. Soon I was sweating profusely. By the time I arrived at the front door at work, my hair and upper body were soaked. Most of the ventilation on the outer shell of my cycling jacket is through the vents on the back of the jacket. The pack on my back effectively closed off those vents. Work doesn't have a shower. It was a good 15 minutes of sitting in front of a fan to dry off and stop sweating.

It's supposed to be 70 degrees when I go home. I'll be able to throw the outer two layers into the pack and ride home in a t-shirt and shorts. I'm hoping this will be more comfortable, but not expecting it. The ride home is a gradual uphill grade for about 4 miles and the temperature, while comfortable, will still be 23 degrees warmer than this morning. If I want to commute with the road bike, it will have to be with a different method than a backpack. I'm hoping that my carradice quick release block will fit the smaller diameter seat post on the new road bike. And well, the wet weather will be hear soon, so the sane option will be to use the touring bike with the rack and panniers.