I'm working my way up to commuting to work. I've bought a better bike to handle the hills and now I'm sorting through what the best configuration of bags and panniers would be. I thought I wanted the Topeak DPX trunk bag until I realized it's not ideal for my laptop and I probably won't like having it on one side of the bike. So I started simpler -- a saddle bag that could hold a tire repair kit, a Power bar, and an Ultraflate. I got all that setup only to realize it probably gets in the way of whatever I buy next to carry my laptop and I'll probably want a handlebar bag anyway to carry the contents of my purse.

So please fill me in on the iterations you've gone through to get your bags right, what you settled on, and what you tend to carry around in them. Pictures would be great, too!

Thanks!
GaPavedTrailRdr

Get a padded slip case for your laptop and toss it in the pannier. If you haven't already bought a pannier then you can buy one that has a padded laptop pocket on amazon. As long as your pannier doesn't fall off your bike and get ran over by a car your laptop will be safe.

I second YF's recommendation for the padded-slipcase/pannier setup. My Ortlieb Large Office bag has an unpadded sleeve that accommodates a laptop slip-case perfectly, and the QL2 rail clips hold onto the rack (Tubus Fly) rail flawlessly. In three years of pot-holed urban riding I have not had a single problem. Just remember to turn off the laptop completely and dock the hard-drive before you stash it for the ride.

The Ortleib roll-top touring panniers are just about as good, but lack as many useful internal divisions as the commuting-dedicated bag.

I've always been a one or two pannier guy. Depending on what I need to bring. I have been fortunate and only needed to schlep a netbook for a couple of months.

I just put out in its neoprene sleeve and went. No issues.

In 10,000+km I have only lost a pannier once. That was on a new route with a bridge and bad expansion joint at 25 km/h. The expansion joint has since been improved.

I have recently started using a top tube pannier. I put my keys, phone, wallet or money clip and my battery pack for my light. I only secure it with one Velcro and pop my lights off and into it and bring it inside with me. Easy peasy, my man biker purse. I add snacks as needed. Only if I stuff it with everything two sandwiches and an apple have I had problems hitting it with my leg.

My panniers aren't waterproof but I just lined them with my unused kayaking dry bags and then load them up.

Edit. My pannier is one open hole, no divisions and I prefer it like that. I have one outside pocket which I put my tools in. Two mesh pockets I put my pump and lock in. Top pocket on the outside for hat in the cold. Top inside pocket for map, emergency bus fare, minimal first aid supplies and a candle and matches and knife.

[MENTION=389176]Archwhorides[/MENTION] nice BMC.

I've gone through some iterations on my several commuting bikes, tending towards putting as much of the payload as feasible on the front. Assuming conventional low slung front panniers, that helps keep the center of gravity low, as well as minimizing loading of the rear wheel, which is already doing more than it's fair share of load carrying with no payload. In my standard setup, I have a small trunk bag with all the permanent support items (tools, tires, tubes, patch kit, rain covers), which I move from bike to bike as I rotate my mounts. Then, each bike has either front panniers and a handlebar bag (preferred setup), or a front trunk, for the daily cargo. Overflow cargo goes in a rear pannier, when necessary. With these setups, I've never needed two rear panniers, unless doing grocery shopping on the way home, or carrying extra items for some reason.







I have one other vintage bike with a classic front pannier setup, but no photos handy that I can find.

Xootr Crossrack fitted with their huge capacity-- 60L, IIRC-- Crossrack Bag, but the rack will carry any standard mount pannier. Gotta have seatpost space and airspace between tire and seat to run like this. I love it, perhaps as much for the style as anything, though having the pannier tucked in behind the legs in the slipstream feels more aero than hanging off the side, especially in a headwind.

That's a pretty sweet looking setup you got there!