So... I'm looking to add a rear rack and panniers to my commuter and need some advice because I am a super-commuter noob.

Requirements:
- Waterproof
- Hold a 15" laptop housed in a protective case which adds approx an in all around

Price: I have no problem paying a little more $$$ for something which is quality. Not looking to cut corners here.

Thanks!

Ortlieb products are extremely durable and well thought out. The Backpacker Plus lacks organizational compartments inside, but they do have a slot for a laptop or a fat stack of papers, also a small mesh pocket, and a fairly roomy outside pocket. It closes by two sets of drawstrings, which can be sort of inconvenient to use, but that's what the outside compartment is for and the main compartment is extremely roomy and expandable. They're kinda pricey but I do not regret buying a pair. Also the attachment mechanism is very solid. I never worry about it jumping up and off the rack.

For a rack, I'm using Surly Nice Racks.
I'm sort of a nub, too, but I'm completely satisfied with this set up.

oh yea, they're extremely waterproof.

You can get bike-mountable briefcase like panniers from Ortleib , Carradice and Arkel.

Anything from Ortlieb is gonna do you well. Me and a bunch of friends went a 4000 mile tour through some pretty nasty conditions and the ortliebs are still good as new. It will put you back about $160 for a pair, but it will be the last ones you ever buy. Some of the people I went with have owned them for years with touring and regular commuting without having any issues.

Axiom also makes some nice panniers. I have their Odyssee rack and Kootenay panniers (not water proof). I've also heard Nashbar waterproof panniers aren't that bad. You can also do like some of us and cover our belongings with a trash bag.

I just bought a sunlite Utili-t bag for 30 bucks its very water proof and its what i use to transport my laptop to and from work when theres foul weather, it seems to be very good quality, mind you an ortlieb will be muchhhh nicer. I found it on amazon. And its big enough to just put my laptop bag straight in to it so need to worry about padding and compartments and such, btw i have a 15.4" laptop.

Somebody will know where it is, but a guy mounted a set of orange tackle boxes he got from a Bass Pro Shop. He laid out all the necessary tool and attachment needs, too. I seem to recall they would fit a laptop. I've already got 3 sets of panniers so I'm set, but if I needed 'sealed' waterproof I'd look at this set up. Do a search and I'm sure they'll turn up.

Arkel Commuter. Add the rain cover so it doesn't get dirty on rainy days


https://www.arkel-od.com/us/commuting-bike-bag.html


Includes a suspended pouch to limit the vibration seen by your laptop which should reduce your exposure to mechanical design flaws (Before I got the Arkel I went through three mother boards on my last laptop due to failed solder joints on the graphics chip; perhaps due to an improperly braced heat sink and the new lead free solder).

Adjustable fore/aft placement - it clears my heels on a racing bike with 40.6cm seat stays.

And it comes off with one pull on a handle.

I like mine a lot.

Check out Ortlieb's pannier range. Not only are they waterproof but they have the best attachment systems by far. I really like my Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic because they are so tough and flexible, but the Ortlieb Office bag is good too.
https://www.ortlieb.com/

Regarding racks, then Tubus makes make the best racks that I know of; they are strong and lightweight and backed with a 30 year warranty, including free delivery of replacement rack anywhere in the world the first 3 years. They use steel or titanium so they look beautifully elegant when on the bike. Consider Tubus Fly for a "cheap" light weight minimalistic rack, or the Cosmo or Logo for heavy duty carrying, or the Logo Titan if you want the lightest and strongest rack on the market. https://www.tubus.com/

I really like my Tubus Logo rack, but that said, there are several other brands that are good enough for daily use. My Topeak Super Tourist DX https://www.topeak.com/products/Racks...tDXTubularRack have served me well in many years; it is not as good or as elegant as the Tubus Logo and it is heavier, but it is also cheaper while still being a very solid product.

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Regards

I don't think they're available yet, but these guys are coming out with some neat commuter oriented racks and bags.

TOBA

I've got a Novara commuter pannier, which uses the "rain cover" strategy to keep things dry. It works really well 99% of the time, but during a particularly nasty downpour last week, water somehow soaked through the back of it (which isn't covered by the rain cover) and some moisture got inside. I only noticed because the cardboard box of my spare tube was damp.

The Arkel bag might be better. I'm just trying to provide some annecdotal insight as to the difference between a truly waterproof pannier and a water resistent pannier with a rain cover.

rear rack, I'm a fan of narrow racks if you aren't carrying stuff on top. I've got an Axiom Streamliner DLX. Works fine. For a 15" laptop get the larger Ortliebs in the cordura material and put a Thermarest Lite-Seat/Sport seat in the bottom and folded up one side. It's a good way to cut vibration.

https://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-...e-seat/product

Another vote for Arkel products. I too use the Commuter and it is a great pannier. My laptop even survived a drop when I butter-fingered the bag removing it from the rack one day. The laptop pouch is suspended inside the bag, and the rear frame is a solid plate. I have ridden in deluges with the rain cover on and had zero leakage. Arkel's rain covers are designed with a "stretch micro mesh fabric" bottom that allows water to escape, while at the same time preventing any from entering. The cover is even machine-washable for when it gets covered with road grime. Even without the cover the bag is quite water-resistant, and will stand up to light rain showers just fine. I don't know if truly waterproof bags like those from Ortlieb are better, although I can see how not needing a rain cover is more convenient. Having said that, I can't imagine a bag being any better constructed or more well thought out than my Arkel.

Arkel offers a whole line of laptop compatible panniers: https://www.arkel-od.com/us/all-categ...e-pannier.html

+ 1 for Ortliebs. Have done multi-week tours with rain almost every day and they are flawless.

I have:
1- older, REI non-waterproof panniers.
2- REI commuter panniers with the waterproof covers
3- Carradice Nelson saddlebag (99% waterproof, but I'd put a computer in a plastic grocery bag just in case, though I've never gotten a single drop of water in them)
4- Carradice panniers front and rear, as waterproof as the Nelson

If I was commuting with a laptop, I would get a Carradice product and either get or make a padded sleeve to put it in. A homemade bubblewrap sleeve would give me enough peace of mind, and I wouldn't feel the need to put it in a plastic bag. I have carried work clothes in the bottom of the Nelson and Carradice panniers without putting them in plastic while riding in a heavy rain. I have never noticed them to be even slightly damp. Also, all but the biggest laptops will fit inside a Carradice Nelson.

My REI commuter panniers are good. However, I live in the Pacific NorthWEsT. It rains frequently. I hate having to stop and put the rain cover on, and Murphy's law being what it is, if I put it on before I start riding, the light rain will stop and render the cover unnecessary. In heavy rains, the commuter panniers have let water in through the back and any item touching the bottom has gotten soaked. The first time I was disappointed, but I quickly learned to put whatever was touching the bottom in a plastic bag. I would not trust a laptop in the REI commuter panniers with just the laptop sleeve and rain cover deployed in heavy rain. I would put the sleeve inside a UPS shipping style thick plastic bag and then the laptop would be safe. For me, this wouldn't be worth the hassle. If you're going to ride in rain, I would stay away from the REI commuter panniers.

If not Carradice, I would go with the Ortliebs. I have no experience with Ortliebs, however, having experienced the simplicity of not having to deal with a cover (ie, the Carradice bags), I would not buy a bag that needed a cover. It seems the Arkels are waterproof with the cover. Even given that, I would get the Carradice or Ortlieb over the Arkel, even if the Arkel was cheaper.

https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...p+Pannier.aspx

I have this laptop pannier and I've had 0 problems with it. It has a draw-string sleeve inside of it for when it's really pouring so that you're extra sure that your laptop isn't going to get water on it. Honestly, I cannot sing enough praise for it.

I use ortlieb office bag large. Great room, nice usage of pockets, easier to clear heel strike (due to angle it has) - I use rack on 20" folding bike with no modification and it clears..
As for water proof, after it rained, I noticed the bag got rather dirty from things on ground... all I did was just shower it with water. Inside remained absolutely clean... (and so did outside after the water shower).
It has 2 major section (I use one for laptop and the other for clothes) and few pockets (cell phone, keys, wallet, usb hdd, etc)
It does come with shoulder strap as well if you need to carry it on shoulder etc... (I just don't bother myself).
Great for commuting to work.

I just bought a Civia Hyland or Hylander can't remember for sure rear rack. Its pretty robust and my Axiom Typhoon panniers fit like a glove. The Axioms are not as large as the Ortliebs but are a good bit less expensive they don't have the fancy mounting system like the Orliebs but are very waterproof. They have a couple different sizes and for my 7.5 RT commute I can carry more stuff than I really need. The Civia rack is really cool though

I love my Ortlieb Backrollers. Got 'em on an REI sale a while back, only used a few times under duress, but superb.

I had the REI Commuter ~18 months ago (?). Returned it. The big honking studs/rivets for the attachment points stick too far into the cargo area. Though they're covered with a little plastic, they were punching big, permanent indents into things like binders, boxes, etc. that I was carrying. I don't know that they would damage a laptop, but they damaged enough semi-rigid things that I was done. Otherwise seemed a nice little bag.

Another Ortlieb Office Bag user here with Tubus rack. I also have the Backpacker Plus for touring.

Great bags. Wayne at the touringstore.com has good prices and offers good service/advice. (he recently sent me a replacement clip for a bag I did not even buy from him).

Paul

Ortlieb panniers and Tubus racks. Pretty much "set it and forget it."

I know you have a few options when it comes to panniers. Here's another option, especially if you're looking for something unique. This pannier fits a 16" in laptop, it's water-resistant and elegant with real leather finishes. PM me if interested.

Overall dimensions: 12" (length) x 5.5" (expanded width) x 17" (height)
30.5 cms x 14 cms x 43 cms

Elegant and presentable everywhere you go:


Back with adjustable straps to fit the panniers to the back of rack and avoid heel-strike:


15" laptop in pannier:


A jacket fits in between main straps:


Transportable - Lies flat when not in use


Optional Personalization - Your own initials on the pannier


Security - A cable lock fits through the handle. Rear pocket is removable so you can bring your small valuables (keys, wallet, etc.) with you. This is very convenient on short stops to grocery store or coffee shop.

Very satisfied with my yellow Ortlieb Backrollers. One nice feature of the Backrollers is if it is not raining and you have something long (e.g. a long loaf of french bread), you can leave the top open and unrolled, creating an extra-tall open-top pannier to carry long items.

Also, Ortliebs easily unclip from the rack and then will clip on the top edge of most grocery carts so you just fill up the pannier(s) as you shop, checkout, refill the pannier(s) and cart your groceries out to the bike. They have both a handle and an adjustable shoulder strap.

If you want additional padding for your notebook computer, Ortlieb offers padded notebook sleeves in three sizes:

Another vote for Ortlieb and Tubus. Those Germans do make some fine products