I use a rear basket on my rack - legal sized wire basket I found the letter sized a bit small).
From Staples or any business supply store.
I can fit my Lands End bag I use for work and a bag of groceries on it, with a bungee to secure it.
No need for the bungee if its just my bag.

I love my paniers and rarely seem to leave home without them...



The small ones tend to collect less stuff...



I do have a hydropack that carries a fair amount of crap (plus a good deal of water) and use it for when I'm riding the mtb or one of the other bikes with no rack.

I can't forget these either...

no, just my mess bag for now, but thinking bout the transition to panniers.

backpack for laptop, binder, books, etc.
rear rack for gym clothes and towel, etc.

I am lucky enought to have my own office and a spare 4ft drawer to keep a few weeks cloths in. I can carry my lunch and small needed items. I tie a sports bag on top to switch a few days cloths at a time.

In my efforts to find the perfect cargo solution for me I've tried everything. Panniers, backpacks, messenger bag, etc. What I've been doing lately is using the panniers when I need more room (grocery or beer runs) and using my new messenger bag when my needs are less and/or I want to bring stuff with me after parking my bike.

I did pick up a milk crate but it won't quite fit on my rack right now as the rack is tilted somewhat forward and the saddle is in the way. I'll either have to trim off part of the crate or make something to extend the rack stays so it is back further.

This is all I need:

I just bought a used pannier rack for my back-up bike. Turns out it'll be installed on the build for my wife to ride, instead.

Most of the summer I commuted only using a backpack because I jacked up the old pannier rack. I just recently fixed this, and I bought a used Axiom Hunter grocery pannier. That, along with my new Sunlite handlebar bag and the frame pack I bought at Goodwill for 99 cents, and I pretty much go without the backpack I used for most of the summer. I didn't mind the backpack at all, though.

If I ever have to carry one more piece of gear, I'll switch to a set of panniers to balance the load. I just know if I install panniers I'll load them up. I can't have anything on my bike and not use it completely. As it stands, everything I carry fits nicely in my backpack.
Ernest

I use a Messenger bag.

Reasons:

My commute bike is also my recreation bike, and while it doesn't bother everyone, Having panniers on a recreation ride seems a bit silly. When I am riding with nothing, I want to carry nothing. with a Messenger bag, once I take it off, there is nothing on the bike. a Rack is a bit more of a pain to take off every time I'm out on a rec-ride.

Secondly, It's pretty stylie.

milk crate. It's like having a pickup truck, just toss everything in the back. Easy to pickup bagels, milk, veggies from the farm stand. Lots of places to hang lights and reflectors.

I used to use a backpack, but got sick of the sweaty back and having to bring it everyday.

I finally bought a rack and panniers for my IRO Rob Roy and now I load it up with clothes, food, etc once a week and heft it in. Other days I just ride my road bike with nothing but the clothes I'm wearin', a cell phone, and a basic tire repair kit. Having nothing to carry on most days is the best and allows me to do a lot of extra "training" miles.

No option for musette?

Not true panniers. I use a rack top pannier bag from Banjo Brothers. I like the bag, but there are times when it seems a little too small for all the things I'd like to pack. For the trip to the gym and office, I need to pack: An extra shirt, swim trunks, toiletries, towel, rain gear, lunch, clean undies, and personal stuff (cell phone, wallet, and all that crap). I have a little extra space left, but when I have to add something else, the bags are packed. Luckily it's a well built, sturdy bag and sturdy zippers.

Thats a nice set-up. What bag & rack?

Michael

I am a roadie....commute with next to nothing...cell phone in pocket, frame pump on bike, patch kit/spare tube in teeny tiny saddle bag....commute is "only" 20 miles round-trip.

I just switched from a lumbar pack to a trunk bag on a seatpost rack. I find it a lot more comfortable riding in the 15mi to work without a backpack or bag on my back. The bag is one of the topeak qr bags with the expandable panniers. Works great to be able to fold them out for days when I need to carry extra stuff or keep it small for light days.

x2

Carradice Cadet saddlebag for me. Easily holds my lunch, tool kit, hoodie, and lock.

I hate backpacks. That is why my race bike gets used the least.. So much of my bike miles is done doing errands and commuting.. Once in awhile something goes wrong I have to commute on my race bike. Besides often I carry so much stuff in doing errands, no way you could fit all that stuff in a backpack.

You have a Trek 700. Suspension. What kind of commuting does your commute involve. Road, ? MUP.? How you like your Trek.

Once you upgrade to panniers you will never go back to a backpack. I only use a backpack if I'm carrying a small load. Anything heavier than 15 lbs is pannier all the way!! My lower back loves me now.

Backpack in Atlanta SUCKS. Makes you sweat like nothing else. Pack gets the stink after a while as well.

I use a Topeak Explorer rack and a MTX trunk bag. It has fold out panniers if the wife gives a "on your way home" call. I have as yet used them in 2 months of having this bag. The trunk portion has been fine for lunch, Sunglasses, Towel, Lights etc.

Now I have had some issues where I wish I had gone with a Pannier like the Novara Commuter or Arkel Commuter and a Wald fold out on the other side. That would leave the top of the rack open so my Kids We Ride can be connected but I still have a bag for snacks tools etc or if I need to carry leftovers from lunch home the top of the rack would be free(that need to be upright because of the container). It would also allow me to carry my laptop when needed and haul a LOT more then the Topeak MTX carries for the "on your way home" calls.

I can't use a backpack, everytime I wear one (no matter how light) I end up with a crick in my back. And since my round trip is approximately 2 hours, that is one very very sore back at the end of the day. I use the panniers, one for my clothing and one for all the paperwork I haul back and forth everyday. Then there is the small wedge with tools. Getting those panniers was the best thing I ever did. (Partially because I got them used, from a friend, for free. The best kind.)

The backpack works well enough for me that I really don't need anything else. Besides, panniers are just not my style.