Ed Holland

I prefer to use a backpack, despite the drawbacks in comfort. The pack I use at the moment has a mesh that keeps the main body of the pack away from my back allowing some air to circulate. This works well when riding in just a jersey. It is less effective when wearing a jacket, since the jacket is held against one's back but I'm OK with that. I prefer not to attach too many "bits" to my commuter (road) bikes... basically, sheer vanity has steered me away from using a rack of any kind . I cover about 10 miles each way to work.

Cheers

Ed

Paul L.

I do 20 mi. one way and find a rack and pannier system necessary for me. My back gets too sore when I ride both ways with a backpack (and sometimes just one way too). A backpack is unbearably hot in the summer when the lows are in the 90s at 5:00 AM.

chumpslacker

Chrome bags baby, chrome bags!!

ollo_ollo

Some enterprising young people here in Olympia, WA have been fabricating & selling a pannier system based on those square plastic buckets you see everywhere. They fabricated an aluminum mounting system & incorporate a lid hold down. They were selling them at the annual fair at Evergreen College. I see a lot of cyclists using them around here. One of my fellow commuters at work uses one. I think they have a web site, I'll see if I can get it. I bolted a small Rubbermaid container to the rack on one of my rain bikes & it makes a good waterproof carrier. Even put a red reflector on the rear. Don

madpogue 

That's https://www.cobbworks.com/ .

There's a guy here who does the same with empty cat litter and Purina ProPlan cat food buckets. Much lighter duty and less fancy than the Cobbworks, of course.

ollo_ollo

Thats the ones. See them on bikes all over town, lots of times just a single on one side. I'll have to get a picture of my Rubbermaid special as it was much cheaper.

froze

When I commute I try to prepare for almost anything so that I can be at work on time, thus I end up arriving about 30 minutes early. When I commute I take a backpack with my shoes, jacket and a lunch. I ride on Specialize Armadillos to try to prevent most flats, but if I do get one then in my seat bag is a spare tube and tire plus 6 glueless patches and a boot patch. I also carry tire irons and a tool called the VAR, as well as a Park MTB mini tool and a pair of minature folding pliers and some other stuff such as spare batteries for the taillight and cash. The seat bag I always carry even when not commuting.

MichaelW

I wonder what kind of pannier fittings people are using, that take an age to remove, and swing around. Maybe something from the 1970's. Modern clip-on panniers are quick to clip on and off, don't swing, and are used for off-road touring.