Thinking of getting a new rucksack for commuting. Commute is short (1/2hr) but I often do training on the way in so ride can be up to about 2hrs, including hill intervals etc.

Up till now I’ve tend to leave clothes at work and just take a credit card to buy lunch if doing a big training session on the way in, but aiming to get more longer commutes in this year so probably need to take more with me.

So rucksack requirements: good ventilation, good visibility (reflectance etc), enough space for a packed lunch, change of clothes and a notepad, ideally waterproof

Loking at the deuter ones. Any other suggestions?

I ended up using my Dakine snowboarding rucksack. I just added some 3M reflective tape. Ideal as it has the hydration pack

https://www.extremepie.com/en-UK/Dakine-Heli-Pack-12L-Ski-Backpack/p3533666.htm?colour=Black

A mate has an Ortlieb one, it’s nice. I see a guy riding regularly on my commute with a Lomo one which also looks decent.

When I use a rucksack (very infrequent) I use a £6 one from decathlon and stick my stuff in carrier bags.

Pannier bag? It’s what I do.

Pannier bag? It’s what I do.

I was wondering about that – better than rucksack you find?

I use a saddle pack made by Bridge Street. It’s excellent and perfect for commuting. No more sweaty back. Bracket is light and unobtrusive when not being used. Clips on and off very quickly. Not cheap unfortunately but worth it for me.

Osprey range is pretty good, they have a bike commuting type range

Personally I use a rack pack

Pannier for me as well. Means I don’t get a sweaty back.

Took me all of 2 minutes down the road to get used to the extra weight on one side.

Having commuted with courier bags, backpacks and panniers, panniers win every time.

the deuter ones

My Deuter has lasted forever(ish). I can’t bring myself to buy another one, but if I did it would be another Deuter.
Hated panniers.

Another vote for the Lomo bike backpack. Had mine about a month and it’s great. It’s fluorescent yellow with reflective strips on it so very visible.

It’s waterproof material that is wipe clean and had a roll top bag – it’s effectively a dry bag.

Plenty of room inside it and comfortable to commute with – even with shoes / laptop / chargers / notebooks etc.

Think it was £30 too, so pretty cheap. Only thing is there’s no internal pockets – I bought a pack of 3 x mini dry bags from Lomo that cost £7.50 which are great for small things.

I’ve been using my regular work backpack with a Hump deluxe cover

I’ve been using my regular work backpack with a Hump deluxe cover

Me too till now, but it has no venting so even when its cold its a clammy back fest after a couple of efforts

cheers for the recommendations, will look into them

I just use the Camelbak I use for all my rides. It rarely has a bladder in it and I like a warm back.

Deuter Air Exp is excellent. Only 18L, but will take a laptop, shirt and underwear. It struggles with shoes as well. Very comfortable and stays well off the back. Good customer service when a clip broke on mine.

Oh and it takes a bladder for off-road duties as well.

+1 Deuter. Tough as.

My preference is to strap a dry bag to a rack, but in absence of a rack I’ve got an Osprey Talon which replaced an older Deuter X-Air. Generally leave shoes, washkit and suit at work if I can – only needing shirt, boxers, food each day to minimize the load.

Further to my previous answer, the reason I don’t use a rucksack is because I use a Carradice SQR Slim, which would be my choice every time.

I like the big saddlebag option because when you take it off you’ve got a normal bike without a rack on. I tried a clamp on rack too, but it was a bit crap.

I can recommend Osprey Radial 34 – huge – take shoes suit shirt files etc.

edit – laptop

I’ve got an Osprey escapist for the summer and a Overboard bag for the winter. The Overboard is fantastic and makes sure that I don’t ruin my company laptop on my commute

Not as cheap as they were, but the Alpkit Gourdons are fine for what you want. Come in a few sizes.

Alpkit Gourdon

I have a red one, which stands out fine, and in winter clip a small rear light to the compression straps.

However, I only use it occasionally and try to commute rucksack free when ever possible.

Osprey Axis for me.

Tried courier style bags and didn’t work for all the same reasons my paper round bag didn’t when I was a kid – with the difference being it was full of stuff I cared about.

I could see panniers working maybe for cranky cranky transportation (nothing wrong with that) but if doing anything at all more adventurous then suddenly it no longer matters how much the back of the bike weighs because you just strapped a load more to it.

I can understand the whole ‘hot back’ thing but I honestly don’t believe there’s a sane way round it that doesn’t involve not carrying stuff to work…

I used my dhb slice 25 a few times then moved to panniers good rucksack quite slim profile for size, I don’t need it now yours for £13.50 posted if you want a cheap option to try.

I also have a bridge street bag, really good and pretty lightweight.

I also have a chrome cadet bag (man bag) which is really good and I tend to use more as its easier to use out and about at work.

Whatever you get make sure its at least water-resistant as its a ball ache pulling a cover out.

http://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/high-visibility-drybag-cycling.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg8aSwsfu2AIV6JPtCh0T6AXLEAQYBCABEgIvkPD_BwE

This is the Lomo bag I’m now using after a similar thread.

I considered the carradice sqr slim /
Sqr dry but I couldn’t get my hands on one to look at and they were more than double the price and non high vis.

Don’t Carradice do a range of saddle packs for this sort of thing?

If you are putting in a decent effort for any amount of time they are all sweaty. Even the “ventilated” ones with a arch on the back. The difference is limited as your top is still pulled tight over your back and the air flow is limited.

I have a large ~40L lomo which is good strong and waterproof but a bit bulky and small 20L decathlon one. Lomo also do a smaller version. Narrow and not too tall. Fits my body well and doesn’t move, and that’s the point you need to try a few on to see what fits you and your riding position.

Panniers / saddlebags etc feel more comfy for cycling but the bike definitely feels more dead and obviously less manoeuvrable so if you don’t have to carry much weight a backpack keeps you feeling more nimble.

Another vote for lomo, I’ve been using the 30L one joebristol linked to for about 5 years now. It’s a bit sweaty if you’re pushing hard but most rucksacks are tbh. On the plus side very comfy even when loaded up, cheap, and 100% waterproof.

hate using panniers

I used a Rapha ruck sack for a quite a few years. Very tough and comfy and a great bag

Now I’m using a Camelbak with a back protector – so double duty for mtb biking and commuting