Carrying a laptop on a gravel bike

Seriously tempted to dip a toe into the world of gravel (coming from MTB)

one role such a bike could fulfil would be occasional gravel commuter. But how to carry a laptop? It’s a fair sized 15” mobile workstation rather than an ultra compact

are panniers the only answer? Carbon bikes I’m looking at (and even some alloy ones) seem to omit pannier mounts to my eyes. Is there a more elegant solution from the bikepacking world?

I seriously hope you’ve got a gravel-specific laptop, or this’ll all end in tears 😬

Carradice do such a bag.

How far is the commute? I tend to put my 15” HP elitebook in a rucksack which isn’t unpleasant, 5.5 miles each way, down hill all the way there uphill all the way home…

A rack holding the laptop above the rear wheel will be far more aero than a pannier. 😉

Pannier and pad it well with sleeve and clothes. 👍

Things on racks tend to get rattled around a fair amount on gravel bikes, with a laptop I’d be more comfortable with a rucksack.

But if a consensus to get it on your back so far…

with my own googling I’ve so far discovered front racks are a thing, which is interesting. I’ll also look up the carradice bag.

route will be 12 miles each way, flat, at the smooth end of gravel for sure.

Tailfin will probably sell you a perfect solution for one million pounds.

Get a £5 rucksack.

Leave the laptop at work?

Was a bit of a cost but got one of these on the bars now for my commute so don’t have to carry anything on me. It’ll take the laptop, shoes, trousers and a shirt as well as as a toolkit and spare inner in the side pockets. It’s beautifully made but does come at a price. Makes me use it though and will probably still be going fine when I retire.

https://www.wizard.works/shop/bags/bike-bags/shazam-saddle-bag/

A backpack…why would you use anything else.to carry it?
Evoc do some great bags for this…I commute with a 17″ Mac laptop in that. Sits nicely on my bag and doesn’t wiggle around.
Panniers seem more likely to get hit, bumped, knocked or removed.

I used to do 12 miles off road each way with the laptop and used a rucksack. It was a bit of a weight on my back, so I’m glad I don’t do it now.

I’d be a bit concerned about putting it on a rack unless it’s well padded in a pannier.

Super C SQR Slim – Carradice

Had mine 5 years for daily commute. Still as waterproof as the day I got it. Stays exactly where I put it and removeable.

That Shazam saddle bag looks very, very interesting. dimensions seem adequate. I’m not averse to spending on something that does the job well and lasts.

as for those saying backpack, no. Been there, done that, no thanks. And as for leaving it the day before, yes, again, I do own a MTB and do this occasionally. I’m looking for something better – more flexible, more comfortable.

im gonna look into front panniers/pizza racks a bit more, but the big saddle bag route looks compelling, would isolate from a lot of buzz.

im not too worried about shock impact and vibration . I’d use a thick neoprene laptop sleeve I already have, and as an electronic engineer I a) know when to worry and b) know work would replace it if I’m wrong 😂  but I do appreciate all the input and warning.

I fitted an Ortlieb Quickrack and use a single old Ortlieb Classic Roller pannier for exactly this. Waterproof, easy to fit/remove, and spacious for added crap (campervan headlights last Thursday)… Mrs Davy90 also has one for her road bike.

My carbon Giant Revolt has mudguard/rack mounts on the seat/chain stay for the fittings, and the Quickrack strap goes around the seat post.

I dislike carrying rucksacks on a drop bar bike, Laptop is a Surface Pro 8 in a padded case which I appreciate is small.

Rattles a bit over poor surfaces but with lowish tyre pressures in 40mm tyres and padding it seems fine on my longer (17mile each way) commute which takes in particularly bumpy bits of towpath alongside the River Lea.

The Quickrack takes seconds to fit/remove and is rock solid when fitted, great bit of kit and whilst there are cheaper racks about, it cost a lot less than a Tailfin.

Ortlieb quickrack and Downtown pannier.

This is the current set up with the Shazam bag. The front rack definitely helps stabilise it with something to rest on (without strapping it to the rack) but could run it without.

Is it a fashion thing not to carry rucksack on a drop bar bake? Worried about aero marginal gains? I use the same clothes and rucksack regardless and carry a laptop once or twice a week over some pretty rough ground. It would get a proper shaking in a pannier. My only other advice is put laptop in a separate dry bag, your bag / pannier / pack probably isn’t as waterproof as you think.

Is it a fashion thing not to carry rucksack on a drop bar bake?

well, I don’t like wearing a rucksack on my MTB either, so no.
but I get it that a rucksack is a very simple solution that suits many.

wow, I don’t even own a drop bar gravel bike yet and I’m already feeling the tribalism! Heaven forbid I ever consider getting an e-bike… 😂

I am sure you could get some custom luggage made up,just be aware as soon as you use the word ‘Gravel’ the cost will triple. 😉🤣

Mines been in the same pannier and or caradice camper long flap for the past 15 years. Various laptops mind as they die from old age periodically. But never from being rattled around on the bike.

I had one thrown from a helicopter once. That died from being rattled about…… I mean it did bend like a curly C on impact.

Both bags have been on anything from my cross bike to MTB to my Kona rove with and without mounts.

Is it a fashion thing not to carry rucksack on a drop bar bake?

On a drop bar bike you are more leaned over, putting more of the rucksack weight through your hands and arms. Its not very nice. I do it because i bus and bike and extra bags on the bike are hassle getting the bike into the bus rack. but its pretty grim over my 10mile each way cycling portion.

I just put my laptop in my rear pannier. It’s in one of those protective spongy laptop cases, and the pannier has a laptop sleeve so it can’t bounce around too much. Never had any problems yet.

I did it for years with the laptop in a wetsuit style sleeve inside a standard carradice pannier bag.

I definitely worry about a laptop being rattled around. Probably less of an issue now where most laptops are system-on-a-chip things but I wouldn’t have it in direct contact with the wheels. Maybe I’d feel differently if I wasn’t paying for it.

Conversely I’ve commuted with a laptop on my back for years. My current Osprey bag keeps the contents off my back and is very pleasant.

but I wouldn’t have it in direct contact with the wheels

I recommend putting it inside the pannier. Not on the wheel

A backpack…why would you use anything else.to carry it?

And

Is it a fashion thing not to carry rucksack on a drop bar bake?

Because your weight distribution is more forward and weighted on your wrists and hands.

Rucksacks make your back more sweaty too/give less space to dissipate heat. Some better than others.

This question is perhaps better asked the other way round…

Why do mountain bikers use rucksacks?

The answer to that is primarily a combination of weight/weight distribution and the resulting bulk of the bike for technical riding.

Also frame design.

Dolan GXC has lots of rack mounts – whilst it’s a gravel frame I’ve built mine up with road components mainly for the commute. It’s a pretty light frame too.

I have a pannier rack on and run 2 panniers for my commute – I tried with one but the bike rides odd with lots of weight on one side and not the other. My work laptop so far has been fine in the pannier – they’re not rigidly mounted to the rack (they have a bit of movement) and actually I put a backpack inside the pannier bag so I don’t have to carry the wet mucky bag into the house.

I commuted for years and years with a backpack but it’s much nicer not having the weight on my back these days. Bike feels less nimble but I don’t get back ache. Winner.

I use an EVOC Explorer Pro 30 rucsac to carry my laptop and work stuff, with laptop in a separate padded sleeve. Not cheap and a bit OTT perhaps but very comfy bag to wear and does well to spread the load. Plus EVOC bags generally bombproof so should cope with gravel-gnar no issus.

I did several years of using a carradice saddlebag, but then moved to a carradice SQR slim for year or two, but found that affected the handling – obviously carrying the same weight but it’s a little bit further away behind you.

So that has recently gone on ebay and has been replaced by a new carradice saddlebag.

You know how the shazam bags are kind of copies of carradice saddlebags? Well, the carradice I’ve bought seems to be a kind of copy of the shazam, very pretty IMO but less than half the price.

It cinches down much smaller than the picture when it’s only carrying a laptop, sandwiches and a wind/rain jacket

https://carradice.co.uk/products/limited-edition-cambrian-saddlebag-ranger-hx-sand

Mine just goes in a rucksack and it’s fine. Packed lunch and a dry base layer, and a clean t-shirt for the day. Everything else I leave at work, jeans and shoes and some dry riding kit in case I get rained on on the way in. I swap some of the clothes there for clean ones when I drive. Usually in the office twice a week. 12 mile commute on a drop bar gravel bike (Cotic Escapade so not a proper racer tuck)

I went back to a rucksack after a couple of years with panniers, they made the bike handle very strangely, and doing a more interesting route home was unpleasant, the extra unsprung weight makes it crash and thud about all the time on any little drops.

rucksack. then a shower.

or find a way to ride unencumbered – leave it at work etc.

Carradice Nelson Long Flap here.  Supported by a mini-rack from amazon,

I don’t even put mine in a sleve, though I probably should.  Some pipe lagging slit lengtheways to protect teh edge of the laptop resting in the rack would probably be advisable…

Is it a fashion thing not to carry rucksack on a drop bar bake?

No, just a desire to reduce sweat and discomfort. Carradice FTW.