Originally Posted by
Hypno Toad
I have both a commuter bike with rack/pannier and commuter bike without rack (Chrome bag on this bike). I ride the non-rack bike most of the time. I only use the pannier bike for days I'm hauling groceries to the office.
As stated in other posts, dress with fewer layers to account for the added warm of the bag. As somebody that rides straight through Minnesota winters, I LOVE the extra warmth my Chrome bag brings with its below zero!
I used my backpack 2 winters ago before getting the rack and trunk bag. On sub-freezing mornings I found that my inner base layer was far more soaked with sweat when I used the backpack vs. when I did not, by the time I arrived at work after 75-80 minutes of strenuous riding. It felt gross to me.