I ride everywhere with my backpack, in fact I feel a little strange when the rare occation comes up that I don't have it on. I hate the hip belt, since that is what it is for, resting on your hips so the weight of your gear is transfered off your shoulders which just doesn't happen when riding a bike. I do however use the sternum strap, it pulls the two shoulder straps together so when they are tight the load is extremely stable even if its heavy or awkward.