Rucksac vs. panniers

[summerdays]

I like the idea - black panniers are boring - but it would have to be more than just a fashion statement - that is it would have to work too... be waterproof etc.

To be stereotypical for a moment, I suspect that most women are more interested in 'nice' design, and men in 'utility' - lots of straps and pockets and stuff. I, of course, buck the trend, and perhaps most 'serious' female cyclists are the same (as opposed to ladies who just use a bike to pootle to the shops)... I'll stop there, before I dig myself any further into generalisation. Perhaps I should say, that is the manufacturer's idea of how it is...

I will have to be semi-serious and want both - nice design and utility. After all look at my bell!

one pannier unbalances the bike?

I'm a pannier person - usually just the one which I have just weighed and I cycled 3 miles back from town (uphill) with 12kg of work in my pannier. I don't find it unbalances me, unless I'm trying to walk with it, cycling no problem. (Unless its windy - then I think a cross wind can push against the pannier, rather than going through the wheel.)

 

[BentMikey]

Soon I am going to get one of those Topeak tail rails of whatever they are called. They clamp onto your (non carbon) seatpost and can take a fairly moderate load - perfect for commuting IMO.

I would vote for a Carradice SQR bracket and a carradice bag. I have the longflap camper. It's stable and I can carry a LOT of stuff in it, and I reckon it's the ultimate in eccentric English bike kit.

 

[Tynan]

I'm a pannier person - usually just the one which I have just weighed and I cycled 3 miles back from town (uphill) with 12kg of work in my pannier. I don't find it unbalances me, unless I'm trying to walk with it, cycling no problem. (Unless its windy - then I think a cross wind can push against the pannier, rather than going through the wheel.)

indeed

I carry that much i suspect and do 30 miles round trip and don't notice it at all other than the weight on hills

people do come up with the most absurb arguments to justify their prejudices

 

[biking_fox]

"people do come up with the most absurb arguments to justify their prejudices
"

That aimed at me?

on my bike with my loads I definetly found that carrying a single panier very notably effected the bike handling. Not a prejudice at all. Perhaps I'm prejudist in that I don't want to carry two bags, when I've only got enough stuff to fit in one. But it seems sensible to me. I tried all the alternatives, weighed up the pros and cons and took the decision which seemed best to me.

I quite accept that for your bike and your loads the panier is the best solution, but it's not a one bag suits all solution.

 

[BentMikey]

I'm with Tynan, I've never had any issue with carrying a single heavy pannier on one side.

 

[gambatte]

Just done 22 miles, for the first time with a fully loaded offside pannier. No problem

 

[Tynan]

not in particular fox although it does sound very odd indeed

I've seen odd arguments for almost anything that might seem to justify people not doing things they don't want to

hi viz is in fact lo viz

reflectors are stupid

helmets will make you more likely to hurt your head

lights are a bad idea in the day time

 

[BentMikey]

You can make anything sound stupid at the cost of only listening to or quoting evidence that supports your own view. In the end the only person who loses from that strategy is you.

 

[Tynan]

erm yes, right

 

[tdr1nka]

I use pannier/panniers as I simply prefer to ride without anything on my back or shoulders.
There again, a rucksack is fug all use on my 'bent trike as well!

 

[domtyler]

I have a single solution for you.

Possess at least two different bikes, one with a rack, one without, also possess panniers and a decent rucksack. You will then be free to choose which method to use on a day to day basis.

 

[gambatte]

Panniers V rucksack....



Whats up with saddlebags?

 

[wafflycat]

Panniers V rucksack....



Whats up with saddlebags?

Certainly for a day's leisure ride, I find that I've got ample space using THIS on the rear rack of my tourer. I also have a Brooks cotton duck saddle bag, but I prefer the dhb rackpack. Ideally, I'd like a saddlebag lift on me road bike & I'd have the saddlebag on that for a day ride. On my road bike I currently have THIS with THIS and whilst it's very good, the bag is just that bit small compared to the dhb rackpack. A much better buy would have been THIS

 

[gambatte]

Guess its horses for courses. I've got a roady/commuter and an MTB.

I've got panniers, saddlebag, wedge bag and hydration/rucksack.

The panniers don't go on the MTB, but I'd use any of the others in any combination, dependant on the circumstances

 

[Tynan]

all good waffly, rack bags always look a bit shoot to me when i see them, before they get very big at all they start to look unsteady and wobbly, the cool looking wedge one look good but perhaps a bit small as you suggest the lest one looks plain huge

it's all got so complex since I moved on from a plastic bag and a bungee