Hey,

Starting this wonderful thing called cycling to work. Can anyone recommend a “cheap” commuter rucksack that would take a laptop.

Cheers and happy friday!

Alpkit Gordon is cheap and waterproof, although I recommend panniers (Ortlieb) for commuting

As above the alpkit is great.

Slight hijack – can anyone recommend a waterproof pannier, that will take a laptop, lunchbox and a shirt and can be easily carried from house to bike to office? A little less spendy than an Ortlieb would also be handy!

I’d get a standard rucksack and use an Exped Drybag, you can get them with some padding though I’ve not used those.

As @jamiep says panniers (or saddlebag) are better – you don’t get as sweaty on your back, not much of a problem at this time of year but in summer you’ll appreciate it. Carradice do a wide saddlebag that looks like it would take a laptop as well as clothing – looks a bit weird but hey, it’s not as weird as sitting in a tonne of metal and being miserable about everyone 😀

can anyone recommend a waterproof pannier, that will take a laptop, lunchbox and a shirt

I’ve got a New Looxs Mondi
Fabric is sort of waterproof, I stick a spare Altura pannier cover on it to keep it clean and dry. Advantage is it looks like a normal bag when off the bike. Only attaches to the top of the rack, so I belt-and-braces use a webbing strap to lash it down just in case.
Fits my Dell M3800, large lunchbox (fnarr fnarr) and has space for some clothes too.

Osprey flapjack. Great and durable.

Panniers – I have a Carradice bike bureau, but it’s a bit.. weird.

I’d put my laptop in a sleeve and then pack it in an Ortlieb pannier tbh.

Alpkit Gourdons are excellent.
Narrowish though, you might need the bigger one for a laptop?

connect2 – Member

Slight hijack – can anyone recommend a waterproof pannier, that will take a laptop, lunchbox and a shirt

The Edinburgh Bike Coop ones are very good.
Made by VauDe, at least they used to be.

Stepdaughter has used a pair daily for years.

£60.00 at the mo. link.

Alpkit thin drybag(s) in whatever backpack you like. Not sure a Gourdon has much in the way of padding or protection though for the contents.

I’d not want to cycle any distance with a laptop on my back. Trousers, shirt and shoes are heavy enough.

@connect2
I got a “New Looxs Varo Waterproof Pannier Bag” from Planet X. Think it was only about £30.
It’s just one big compartment with a small zipped pocket (for keys, etc) so your laptop would probably have to go in a sleve.

Fits well on the bike and can be used reasonably well as a satchel type bag too (i.e. carrying to/from the bike).
Haven’t really tested the waterproofness of it, as my commute is only about 10 mins each way. Looks pretty good though.

Connect2 – I got an Avenir pannier several years ago off eBay. Waterproof Ortlieb style material, roll top closure, not leaked in several years of commuting

I’ve got an ortlieb velocity backpack. I decided it was worth the money and it’s been great but I’m sure I didn’t pay as much as they are now on wiggle.

this is not quite as spendy?

http://www.ewetsuits.com/acatalog/drybag-daypack.html

have used an earlier version of this for on the bike, works well and main compartment is 100% waterproof – find the straps a bit more comfy for ridng that the Alpkit as well as it being quite a bit bigger

Osprey Momentum. 3 years, all sorts of weather and it’s not skipped a beat. Has an integrated laptop sleeve that will swallow a 15″ laptop and maybe 17″ at a push.

Alpkit for me too.
I’ll be honest & didn’t hunk much of it when it arrived & almost returned it, but glad I didn’t.
Does what it says on the tin & actually quite like the window now, as it’s another place to put an extra light.

Evans have a ‘shop soiled’ sale on with lots of pannier bags etc, found it via the ‘PSA cheap racks’ thread today.
But yes my wife has appropriated my hi-viz alpkitngoudron and abandoned her camelbak plus rain cover for the winter. She thinks its good.

I use one of these on wet winter days Overboard Pro Light.

I got mine for about £45 on amazon. Overboard do cheaper ones but I needed the features of this one – external zipped pocket, internal pocket, side pocket.

This is 100% waterproof.

alpkit gourdon for me. great bit of kit. simple.

+1 for ewetsuits

Great range of products, at competitive prices, and very helpful people too.

I’d spend the extra on an Ortlieb. They are one of the very few cycling products that are just plain “right”.

gourdon 20 – it’s great. if it broke (must be a few years old) i’d buy another one straight away.

I’d get a standard any rucksack you like and use an Exped Drybag

This ^^

or

I don’t carry heavy (or laptop sized) things and I hate panniers,so I now mostly use an Exped Cloudburst rucksack(it’s a drybag).
Super light and they come in bright colours.

cheap AND good

+1 for the overboard per Gary M above. Actually waterproof, doesn’t break the bank, crashes tolerably well.
I found whatever kit you use for commuting gets absolutely hammered, but the overboards seem to be pretty tough.

Thanks all. Would have been a lot easier if you all recommended the same thing….