The $600 Back Pack
by Jack Taylor, Southern Bicycle League, Atlanta

You enjoy rides with your friends and bicycling is an important part of your social and recreational life. You are competent in your bicycle handling and traffic skills. You've even given some thought to bike commuting to work but you just never seem to get around to it, or maybe it just isn't practical. Does this description match you? It is the description of a bicycle rider. There's nothing wrong with being a bicycle rider, I used to be one myself.

But now it is time that you bring one more facet of cycling into your life, and that is called utility cycling. Utility cycling is every bit as fun and rewarding as bike-commuting without any of the hassles. What's more, it moves you up one level in the cycling hierarchy. You won't be a bicycle rider anymore, you will be a cyclist.

What does it take to get to the status of Cyclist?

It takes a backpack. That's it. Get a backpack and use it for utility cycling. No panniers, no fenders, no rack, no lighting systems. The backpack attaches to you. You can use your high-performance road bike to zip to the drug store today and cruise old-faithful to the mall tomorrow. No worry about leaving your possessions chained to a utility pole, they stay with you. You can even toss your pump and toolkit inside and attach your helmet to the strap.

Here's the best part: a wide choice of utility-cycling backpacks is available at just about any discount store. Target has an especially nice selection. For around $20 you can get all the backpack you'll ever need. But don't walk in and ask for cycling backpacks. The store mistakenly thinks they are bookbags. If you can't afford the $20 you can stop by any bus stop and mug a third grader.

Find a nylon bag if you can- they seem to flatten better than fabric when they're empty. At least one additional small pocket is a big plus, and high-visibility color a bonus. Look for comfortable straps that are fairly wide and padded. Some may have an additional strap that fastens around the waist, it's completely unnecessary. Oddly, the least expensive, smallest one they have is likely to be best.

Try the bag on in the store. Raise your arms above your head and make sure that you can adjust the straps so the bag stays low enough that it will not rub against your neck. The bag might be a little stiff at first but should soften-up with use. They're all somewhat waterproof but you'll want to carry a heavy-duty plastic bag for those trips home from the photomat. You might have a little stiffness near the base of your neck the first ride or two, but after that you will forget you are even wearing it. A backpack will absolutely not make you top-heavy or uncomfortable, certainly not for normal distances or reasonable loads. Anyone who says otherwise must never have used one.

You now have a $600 packpack.

That's right! You'll save about 10 cents a mile in real cash outlay every time you drive your backpack instead of your car. That $20 bag is going to save you more than $600 before it dies. Find something else with that kind of return. It's really a $2000 bag if you include things like car insurance and depreciation in the mileage rate.

Use it two or three times a week and you'll save a hundred dollars a year. Make a weekend run to the office, stuff your sweats and roll to the gym, pack a picnic and surprise your sweetheart. Every time you use it, it's like getting things for free. Go pick up a free newspaper, from now on your ice cream is free at the Baskin Robbins, get some groceries at a discount, there's no charge for stamps at the post office, rent one movie and get a second one free. You'll be bikin' all the way to the bank.

But who cares about money! You'll be non-polluting and energy-saving and ozone-friendly and all that pro-environment stuff. You'll lose weight and sleep better. Your cycling skills will improve and you will magically be in better shape for your recreational riding. Thats not all. To every motorist, to every merchant, to every neighbor, you will be a powerful and visible advocate for cycling transportation. You might even be an inspiration.

That's it! It's just that simple. Do it! Your $600 backpack will put you on the road, literally, to utility cycling. Once you start you will love it. It's the difference between "bicycle rider" and "Cyclist", and the difference feels good.

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P.S. by Pete Clark: Many serious commuters may question the feasability of a backpack with no rack, panniers or lighting systems. But this is addressed to recreational riders who may be used to riding in daylight, during longer, warmer days without these things anyway, and who need to know just how easy it is to make the jump into the magic world of utility cycling. They can always invest in these things later, after the bug has bitten them.
Note: just remember, never ride in darkness without proper lights.

Ah, yes, the garden variety backpack, an underappeciated cycling accessory. I've had the same pack for 5 or 6 years. I've made a few mods to it. Added reflective tape to the straps and on the side that faces rearwards. I've also come up with a system where I stuff the pack inside out into one of the zippered pockets and then use some small straps I sewed on to attach it to my handlebars. What do you think?

here it is stuffed inside out into one of the pockets and strapped to my handlebars. great for those rides when you want the pack just in case.

Dual handlebar mounted reflectors courtesy of Regularguy.

WOW! I didn't know just how close to being a cyclist!

I make trips to the video store on my bike now and to the local quick mart! Beleave it or not I have 5 back packs under my bed that are brand new! I only paid 2 bux each on clearence before Christmas, I guess they needed room for other stuff! They where $30 packs before then so I bought them to give to the kids next summer for school. I can't take the chance that they will find out that I only paid $2 instead of $30 and disgrace them you know!

I guess ole dad will have to break one out for himself now!! I have been just tying the plastic bag around the handle bars before now, thanks for the hint!

My children think I am weird for making trips like that on my bike now. I just don't see any reason to start up my truck and make trips that will take me 5-15 mins. on bike and help the old man stay 1 step ahead of them.

Speaking of backpacks, I just ordered a Deuter Bike 1 from sierratradingpost.com for 39.95, much cheaper than the usual 69.95-100 dollars I have seen it for. I can't wait till it gets here!!!

It's kinda funny... I use my Camelbak H.A.W.G as a backpack a lot... especially for picnics in the summer, and for barbeques and stuff.

It's perfectly sized if you release the straps on the outter part. I love it.



Well written article bro!

I'm glad pete is concerned with our safety as well

i stole one of my daughters school bakpaks for work commute , it lasted 6mnths before it completly tore in 1/2 i now use a bum bag she got me for xmas & put my tool-kit in an extra bottle holder, makes riding a lot easyer, i think the bakpak partialy restricted my breathing on the uphill pinches, the bum-bag also restictes the amount of tucker i take for lunch, wich should be a good thing but i usualy end up buying bacon butties & chips for lunch/ tea or brekkies ,depending on what shift im on , bad thing, but then this makes me ride a 50k route home to burn it all off ! but my weight stays around 87kgs so i must have it about right

I made my first trip to the movie rental with the back pack to night. My wife thought I was crazy to ride my bike in the cold but I went anyway. I hardly knew it was there. I also have a flashing front led and a red flashing rear light.
The back pack worked out great for the short trip, now I will have to try it out on a longer trip!