YAY! First commute to work!
 

I did it! Okay, it wasn't huge, it's about 3 miles + the train, and I still have to get home later, but I did it! The ride actually wasn't long enough, so now I have to find out how to get to the train stops further along my route. I am addicted.:D

The only issue I have is my laptop, whic weighs about 13lbs including the AC power. Right now it's in a backpack, but having a bag weighing over 10% of my own body slung off my back makes me nervous; what if the load tips or I lean too far over, forgetting I have to compensate for the big heavy thing? Unfortunately, I can't leave the laptop at work, because I also work at home with it nightly. Does body size matter when it comes to how you pack? What do some of you more experienced commuters use: a trunk, a Timbuk2 style messenger bag, or a set of panniers?

Congratulations! The first one is the hardest, it just keeps getting easier. Then sometimes it gets hard after the excitement is gone, but you got started. Congratulations again.

I find a pannier works well for a load of any weight and 13 lbs is pretty heavy. Others find messenger bags work well, but I haven't tried that.

You're making yourself and the world better. Keep it up.

Thats too much weight for a pack.
Check out
http://www.carradice.co.uk/city-rider.htm#bikebureau

The pannier fittings close and release in seconds, and it has a shoulder strap.

do you have internet and a computer at home? why don't you just transfer a floppy. or just email your work to ourself. or if your really geeky FTP it, if you have always on connection.

I love my Nashbar panniers! BIG IBM ThinkPads are no problem. 1000' reelpak of CAT5e on the rack, Cisco switch, and all the tools to install it in the panniers. No problem.

I guess you could say that I love the UTILITY value of the rack & pannier setup.

Good luck & Congrats on your first commute!

Bob

Carry a laptop in a rack or pannier is courting hard drive failure. Hard drives just do not stand up very well to the relatively harsh ride. Split the load, move the AC brick & everything else to a pannier or rack, but carry the laptop on your back.

Or back up your hard drive frequently.

While it may be true that the ride is harsh, the pannier does not receive all the vibrations that come through the seat stays. Further, a little padding can help dampen such an effect. In order to transmit enough vibration to the laptop to cause such damage, you would have to strap it (the laptop) directly to the frame and ride 50 miles a day on harsh surfaces. I guess if someone is sporting a Dell or Gateway laptop they should be VERY worried about such things. I don't worry about that with the IBM ThinkPad. The "fleet" of laptops that I manage have seen much worse daily abuse than 6 miles a day in a pannier and just keep running. ;)

Woa....sounds like we have the same job!

I have a smallish thinkpad, a T21. I use a bag to carry my laptop, console cables, tools, misc cables AC adapers and such. I take it home almost daily. The bag is made by Columbia (but I can't find it on their website right now) and it's a messenger style bag but it has a padded laptop sleeve. I bought it so that I could carry my laptop and all the tools and stuff I need in it, plus I didn't want a bag that looks like there's a computer in there when I travel. It does get a little heavy on longer rides, my commute is only 1.5 miles so it's no prob.

Is vpn possible for you to connect from home?

Congrats. Enjoy the commute. Jandd also makes good laptop panniers, but would it be practical to buy a PC for home? PC's are getting pretty cheap, all things considered. That way you could e-mail yourself the files (or bring them home on a disk). If you could make this work, it would keep your laptop running longer. Also, your company computer geeks might be willing to download the software you need onto your home PC (if you drive it in some day).

As much as I'd love/hate to have a second computer at home, it's not going to happen-- must pay for grad school (2 years to go!). My job now is considered an "independent contractor" position, even though I'm here most of the week, at least until the end of summer. The company is small, has no IT dept., and the building, though alarmed, is not one I feel comfy leaving my laptop in overnight, even on nights I don't need it. Oh yeah, and I don't have internet at home, in any case.

Thanks everybody, for all your responses, support, & ideas!