Hey all,

Going to start commuting next week as soon as I get my bike and was wondering what people usually do with laptops. I was planning on getting a rack and possibly some bags for it, as I don't want to wear a backpack to avoid sweating provusely as well as wearing me down.

For my work clothes, I was planning on getting them all ready on Mondays, and bringing them with me in gym bag to keep at work for the week. However, I must bring my laptop to and from work with me everyday. It's a pretty small one, only a 13 inch Dell, so not too big.

Just wondering for those of you with laptops, what do you all do? Any good bags or packs that work well in particular?

Thanks!

My laptop lives in a BUILT neoprene sleeve. I mostly use a backpack for transporting the laptop. I did use Detours Toto panniers last summer, which proved to be no problem at all.

Mine goes in a protective sleeve/cover then into my pannier behind my clothes. I've got a MacBook Air so size/weight isn't much of an issue.

I leave mine at work. But my previous job required people to take theirs home every day. I feel your pain.

Get some panniers, and TEST THEM. Mine are falling apart - the screws that hold the attachment points, go into plastic. It would be easy for them to come apart on a ride, dropping the laptop when you hit a bump at speed. Anyway, once you know you have reliable ones, get some foam padding.

Thanks for the info. Can you point me in the direction of the panniers you use? I've looked at the local Trek store but they seem extremely overpriced.

Cheap? then try a gunny sack ..

Axiom dry panniers are reasonable.. Dry stuff inside is good

I have a thule case for mine. It's a semi-hard case, so I think it's a little more protective than the simple neoprene ones.
https://store.apple.com/us/product/H3422LL/A

I rarely carry my laptop to work though, mostly because it's just extra weight I don't need, but when I do I just put it in my backpack in its case.

I don't usually carry a laptop but when I do I put it in the company-issued laptop bag and bungee it to my rack. So far, so good.

I was actually thinking about doing this as I have one as well but the Paniers look interesting too. I have a backpack for it as well, but I'd like to get away with not using one.

Thanks for all the responses.

Mine are Detours. I wouldn't recommend them.

I use a side pannier of my Topeak MTX trunk bag. My towel for showering goes between the laptop and the rack frame. Works great.

i just started using the racktime workit https://www.racktime.com/en/bicycle-bags/workit2 along with a 10 buck laptop sleeve i bought at tjmaxx and i dont have any complaints so far. you can find this pannier pretty cheap on ebay

I carry a 15" laptop every day. It goes in a sleeve. The sleeve goes in the pannier. The clothing goes next to the laptop.

I currently use a single Arkel GT-54 touring pannier - they're big, so I only need one for commuting.

In the past I used a variety of different panniers. I do recommend making sure the pannier won't come off. I had a problem with two different sets of panniers that could come off when I was standing and pedaling. I dropped the laptop in traffic several times. Luckily, nobody ran over it. It suffered no damage.

I briefly used a backpack. It's probably the gentlest on the laptop, but I hated having the weight strapped to me.

I use panniers but put clothes, lunch, etc., in them. I could probably get the laptop in there too (as dcrwowell does) but the bungee thing worked fine and I was able to bring all the junk that was in the PC bag home as well (AC adapter, mouse, etc.)

I use a sleeve and an Ortlieb Office pannier. It's pricey, but it's solid and waterproof. It uses a spring loaded locking hook to keep itself attached to the rack. Arkels are good choices too.

It's perhaps more elegant than you need to, but here's my solution:

Arkel Commuter

Has a suspended laptop pouch, latching rack attachment which is adjustable for fore/aft location and comes off with a pull on one handle, has super-tough fabric, is water resistant, and you can get a fitted rain cover for down pours. Just big enough for laptop, lock, rain clothes, warm cycling clothes, work clothes and a few other random things.

I also have a 4-year next business day on-site service contract which I expect to use (I went through three main boards, one screen, and one hard drive in three years with my last Dell commuting with a back pack).

If your software needs are compatible, your files on a thumb drive or virtual machine on a USB hard drive would be easier to accommodate. Mine aren't.

https://www.amazon.com/Topeak-MTX-Tru.../dp/B000FIAU0W

I use the Topeak trunk bag with panniers. The panniers are somewhat flimsy; so, i use neoprene sleeves for my2 computers. I put one in each pannier. I already had a rack; so, I got the universal bag that doesn't require the Topeak rack. It is easy to remove from the bike and carry into the office except it is heavy with 2 computers.

I have a more traditional Swiss-Guard computer backback. I use a carabiner s-clip to clip the backpack's reinforced handle to one of the seat-rails, ($4, rated for 75 lbs) and then a bungee net ($6) to secure the rest of the backback to the rear rack.

I do a multi-mode commute on a folder, so the pack goes on my back or the train floor for some of the ride, and then on the rack for the long bike ride and the other train. It just takes a minute to do the switch.

-Warr

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

It's great quality and is impenetrable by water. Additionally, it has an internal waterproof sleeve that you can drawstring closed in the event of heavy downpour.

3 main boards, a drive, and a screen?

Were you sitting on the backpack ?

I carried a Dell for a few years. The power button and the status LEDs started going a bit wonky but I have no idea if that had anything to do with commuting.

For the last 3 years or so I've been using an SSD equipped Macbook with no issues. I carry it in a small case inside a Banjo Bros. waterproof commuter backpack. The case takes up a bit more room than a sleeve but has a shoulder strap, pockets for AC Adaptor and other accessories plus room for a thin file folder or two.

I'm really mean and nasty to my laptops, I just literally throw them into a pannier bag, no padding, and go. I've been doing this for approx. 8 years with 3 different laptops and never have had one fail. . . through Colorado's snow, potholes, 3-digit-heat, curb drops, etc.

I have theory that if I wrapped it and babied it, it'll fail. If I just beat the dirt out of it and not worry, it will never break. So far, so good......

I use one of Jandd's Commuter Panniers, but don't have the laptop sleeve thingie that can be attached inside of it (I don't have to carry my laptop home very often). After 2 years of constant use, I can recommend them whole-heartedly. They are made in the USA to last.

Thanks for posting this. I too have a Swiss-Guard backpack and was trying to figure out the best way to attach it to my rack!

Really? What did you do to that poor thing!

I've carried three different laptops. Two of them took multiple tumbles (several times when pannier fell off, once during a wreck). I never had a problem with any of them.

The oldest of the three is my personal laptop, a Lenovo bought in 2007. It still hums along at home doing light-duty.

My 19-year old daughter is the laptop destroyer. She spilled Coke in hers. It still works, but requires an external keyboard as the built-in one no longer works. She's also destroyed a few power supplies by wrapping them around the machine.