Lol I do still pass my fair share of people :) But I don't think panniers really have the effect you think they do. If anything, I go quicker with panniers than I would with the same load strapped to my back.

I can't figure out how people use messenger bags - whenever I wear one walking (haven't tried on the bike) it just shifts and swings around to places where you don't want it. It doesn't stay put.

Is there some trick?

I've found it actually works better on a bike. If you give it a good swing to the back, the angle of your back supports it some and it USUALLY stays back there.

Unless you look back. Or turn. Or stop.

Thanks. I would think it would just swing from the back and flop over to the side immediately. I'll have to give it a try, I guess.

It does, lol. Just not immediately. If you have long stretches of steady pedaling, it actually is more comfortable than a backpack because they tend to sit more on the small of your back/beltline, so it doesn't get as sweaty back there.

You're probably right about that, but because I have panniers on my heavier, steel bike with wider tires, and studs in the winter, in invariably feels slower, and is slower, so naturally I just associated panniers with slower bike.

My preferred commuter is aluminum that tips the scale at around 19 lbs, with fenders, cage, and pedals. I'll take the backpack on this one.

Thanks again.

I'm surprised there isn't some kind of half-height backpack that sits low on the back but with full cross straps to be secure. It wouldn't hold as much but your back wouldn't hurt or be as sweaty.

I think those are called 'pockets.' :foo:

Or oversized fanny packs. They are making a comeback, or so I hear.

I use all three depending on the time of year and what I'm doing. I generally use the trunk bag to pack lunch and a few other small things on the way to work, in cooler or wet weather I usually like to have more room for cloths so I use a pair of panniers. If the weather is fair and I'm riding the mountain bike over the hill, I take a backpack. The backpack I have has a hard contoured back and when I ride I get some decent airflow and I'm not as sweaty as with a regular backpack. I wouldn't want to use the backpack on the road bike, I feel like it wants to slop around a little more, where as on the mtb I'm more upright and it hangs where it needs to.

I can hardly tell the difference between taking it easy and pushing hard. My commute is about 20 miles and takes around 1:20 +/- a couple minutes depending on stoplights/effort.

Me too.

Wow, thanks for so many replies and insights! Great suggestions and comments, all. You all have given me great stuff to mull over.

I should have also stated that I'm on a road bike, 18 lbs., live in hot Arizona, and commute 14 miles one way. I do carry my lunch, an additional water bottle for inside, and a change of clothes. But I also have other stuff in my pack that I take everyday.

So impressed with the photos and videos that have been provided. I've checked out all the products mentioned here. I very much enjoyed reading all the posts on panniers and trunks. The idea of putting the backpack on a rack is also intriguing as well as a Donkey Boxx-like carrier. And the idea of a messenger bag. I'm still checking out the other backpacks, panniers, and trunks referenced here.

I'm going to re-read all the posts again to glean more perspectives. Keep them coming if you would like to contribute your 2¢ worth.

From less to more, I use:
Trunk bag - up to 5kg
Messenger bag - up to 5kg
Backpack - up to 10kg
Panniers - up to 25kg
Trailer - up to 50kg

I use the backpack only for short commutes, less than 10kms round trip if possible. It increases the weight on your saddle, not good for long rides.

I have never had any luck with any bags that go over on shoulder on a bike. They always swing in front of me, and I spend half my ride throwing the bag back over my back, and/or if they do have securing strap the bags uneven load kills my back (all the weight on one side of my back).

I like my seatpost rack because I can easily take it off, and the bag I got for it works really well for the amount I need to take. I like it more than the backpack that I mostly use, but you can't use the rack with a carbon seatpost which if I end up getting a new bike might be a bit of a problem for me.

I see a lot of roadies commuting in lycra and wearing backpacks here in the South Bay Area/Peninsula, whereas in Los Angeles, it was more the urban crowd (cutoffs, casual gear, messenger bag or rack + pannier). I am a long-time bicycle commuter and belong to the latter category. I wonder whether these roadies are missing something or I am.

I don't think you or I are missing anything. We both do what suits our needs. I would ditch the road bike if 1) I had a commute of less than 10k; 2) didn't put a premium on time; and 3) didn't treat my commute as part of my daily workout. I'd be riding my old and heavy mountain bike with large panniers.

I have a messenger bag that clips onto the rack, and that's how I use it on my commuter bike. I've used backpacks but once I put things on the back of the bike it felt like I was freed from a burden. I also use the messenger bag over the shoulder when I take a Citibike, and that isn't bad either, but I keep the straps so it hangs low for when I'm walking with it, so it does get in the way a bit when riding like that. But this is for a Citibike and usually only a shorter ride.

This was my experience with a messenger bag as well when I tried it briefly to try and alleviate the sweaty back issue. Shortening the strap helps a bit, but it's probably not a good idea to have all the weight on one shoulder, however light it may be.

I know others have described this pretty well already, but I'll add my own explanation as well.

I keep the strap pretty long, about four feet total. When I'm walking, I usually put the strap over my left shoulder and the bag rests against my left hip, where I hold it in place with my left hand. If I'm in a hurry, running for the train or whatever, I'll hold the bag pretty tight. When I get on the bike, the strap goes over my head onto my right shoulder and I shift the bag backward so it's just below the small of my back. It rests against my belt, near the base of my spine. On most of my bikes it is pretty stable there.

How well this works depends, I think, on some specific measurements, including the relative height of seat and handlebar. On my commuter bikes the handlebar is three or four inches lower than the seat. Occasionally I'll ride a different bike, with a lower handlebar, and then the messenger bag isn't as stable, having a tendency to fall off and swing to my left side, which is annoying. Some people prevent this by using a second strap --some messenger bags have a belt for this purpose-- but I don't.

Please don't misunderstand: I am not recommending a shoulder bag, or any thing of the kind. My advice is: figure it out for yourself. Threads like this are excellent for showing the wide range of needs, and the wide range of solutions available. There is an ideal solution; but no one here can tell you what will work for you. We can only tell you what works for us.

In my case, the thing that makes the messenger bag work is its flexibility. It's on my left shoulder when I leave my office; when I get to the CitiBike, it moves to the other shoulder; when I get to the station, it goes back to my left shoulder. When I sit down on the train, the bag goes on the seat next to me, or on my lap if the train gets crowded. When I get off the train, it goes back on my left shoulder while I walk to my bike, then my right shoulder when I get on the bike for my five mile ride home.

In terms of aero drag, from best to worst:

no luggage
backpack on the rear rack
backpack on one's back
pannier
two panniers :)


The higher the speed, the stronger the (head)wind, the more you can tell the difference.

BTW, here is how I rack my pack:

Con for me (other than that it's uncomforable) is that the backpack obscures the reflective vest.

Been working on this for years and have always been flexable to try something new. For me it's a courier bag, then large but close fitting back pack (not thick), then small front handle bar bag...

At 245# I don't need any more weight on the rear wheel...

As I get older its getting harder to accommodate packing anything...

RATS...

i almost never use a backpack. maybe twice in the past year for a 1/3 mile ride. i'm personally strongly and vehemently opposed to putting any more pressure on my seat than i have to. (it's a personal thing....)
my panniers snap on and off in seconds, so no backpack for me, thanks.