Hi just got back from a 14 miles each way commute with a messenger bag

Got a day away from the office tomorrow so needed laptop etc and it nearly killed me !

Weighed it when I got home and it was 8.5kg-

What sort of weights are you carrying and how?

Given that weight would I best getting all tourer and putting a rack on?

Cheers

8.5kg is a chunky laptop.

I’ve always been all tourer,and have carried 7kg on 20 mile each way commute. I’d go for that

I had panniers and a rack for a while. Couldn’t get on with them and the effect the weight had on riding. BUT – massive caveat – this was a very stop/start commute across London. On the bits where I had a clear run it was fine and carrying the weight became unnoticeable.

I have a really nice but enormous Mission Workshop rucksack which balances nicely so I chuck everything in – laptop, lunch, spare clothes, shoes, shopping…. I did once pick up my bike in one hand and overstuffed bag in the other to find the bike was lighter (and it’s not carbon 😯 ).

That was when I had a short commute – 15 miles total per day.

These days it’s 40 (not every day) with 1000m climb and I really cut down what I have to carry. Still do it with the laptop when unavoidable but, as I say, it’s not tenable every day.

It’s the etc that adds the weight!
Tbh my run is fairly clear but I leave the bike at the station so would need to be able to remove panniers
Looking at the likes of ortlieb tho and they are top dollar!!

I commute with nothing more than wallets phones and keys.
D
I have an undulating 17 miles and am of clydesdale physique.

If I have to bring heavy stuff home or to work I have the advantage I can easily use the train one way. For me a weight like that makes the commute too much pain and not enough pleasure.

If I had to carry that weight I think I would rather a rack and panniers, although I am going to give a traditional duck saddle bag a go on the road bike to at least carry a packed lunch and a few other bits around. Messenger/rucksack always feels odd on the road bike (but not the mtb).

Got a smaller laptop coming on Monday so will see if that helps- I also think I need to give more thought on my packing technique etc

Phone, sandwich, apple, maybe some chocolate is all I carry.
Doesn’t slow me too much for the quarter mile on my BMX 😆

ignore me

Cheers- bike is a spesh singlecross so can take a rack- may hamper its performance offload a bit though!

Now you’ve made me look like I’m talking to myself!

misread your ‘would I best getting all tourer’ as getting a tourer- as in changing bikes just to fit a rack.

A cross bike will give plenty of heal clearance with a rack on and you won’t really notice its there off road. You won’t really notice a pannier on it on your commute either. You’d quickly come to resent having any sort of back pack on, let alone a heavy one once you’ve fitted it.

The issue with a carrying a laptop in a rack-mounted pannier is that it gets some pretty severe shocks from bumps, manhole covers, kerbs etc.

I used to use an old karrimor rucksack on my 14mil each way commute. It would get very sweaty.

I got an osprey for my birthday and haven’t looked back. Very comfy, doesn’t get so sweaty and room for (sometimes) 2 macbook pros and some lunch. I often take the offroad route (over South Downs through stanmer park into brighton) and it doesn’t annoy me when it gets a bit bumpy.

Use it on my mountain bike and cross bike. No rack means I’m more inclined to take the fun routes.