Luggage

Courier bag. Beats using a rucksack in the city. Strap it close to the front of the body to allow a) protection from pickpockets, and b) easy manoeuvring through crowds (how many times have you been wacked by a passing rucksack?). If you use a bicycle, strap it across your back and it doesn't affect your balance like a rucksack or pannier.

I was all about panniers for a long time, till I had a bike that couldn't take a rack, used to hate having anything on my back. I still don't like doing a ride longer than an hour or so with something on my back, however I like a courier bag for around town for much as Snoball says.

Still evaluating what I will want to do when I want to carry a laptop with me every day on the bike come January.

i carry a laptop in courier bag. a backpack (is that what rucksack means?) sucks on a bike unless you have like nothing in it. but a courier bag sucks for walking with the weight on one shoulder, unless you have nothing in it.

For heavy loads panniers are the way to go - for example when I do supermarket shopping - but for everyday use I'm another big fan of a courier bag. I agree with the above opinions: that they're great for cycling, but not so perfect for walking (though I do use if for that too, e.g. as airplane carry on); that, despite this, they are preferable to a rucksack for ease of maneuverability in a crowd and for ease of access.

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7941/bikebureaunfrontlb2.jpg

this thing has been great, feels like i live out of it.

...and i live out of this:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/images/products/609carradice_l.jpg

carradice saddlebag.

and/or something like this:

http://www.mandiberg.com/shop/images/0908.jpg

courier bag FTW. Messenger bag, as we call it stateside. I love my Baileyworks bag.

I love the Carradice saddlebags even tho have never ordered one, they just look like prime touring gear. But less so when you have you leave yr bike parked outside, is the problem.

If you use a bicycle, strap it across your back and it doesn't affect your balance like a rucksack or pannier.

A zillion couriers can't be wrong but I still don't get this. It doesn't look like the weight is any lower than with a rucksack.

When my large backpack is full of groceries it makes a big difference in my bike handling, but I think it's a poor design for loading up -- it protrudes backwards, rather than keeping the weight wrapped around the body. So it's probably pulling my center of grav backwards regardless of how "high" or "low". But for going 5 blocks, I can live with it.

courier bags ftw for versatility (have carried legal boxes, groceries, v v large flat things (4'x4'), and lots of beer) and load handling. backpacks ride too high by design: they're meant to have weight supported on your waist, which pushes the load up behind your head on a bike. every time i've worn a backpack riding, i've let out the shoulder straps a ton so that it rides lower. and flipping a courier bag to the front is excellent for crowd navigation, esp when you've got a HUEG bag like me (L Baileyworks).

they suck for walking around, tho. like, bad. and now that most of my riding is commuting (ie - same stuff everyday), i'm thinking of getting panniers. then again, they blow if you're trying to do any kind of fancy bike handling

courier bags suck for the backsweat, tho, man. i was changing shirts every day when i got to school this summer.

I love the Carradice saddlebags even tho have never ordered one, they just look like prime touring gear. But less so when you have you leave yr bike parked outside, is the problem.

this is a good point. for my primary use (commuting), it's fine, since i can bring the bike indoors at point A and point B.

gbx, tell me how you got something 4 x 4' in your courier bag.

i didn't put it "in" the bag, Laurel!

0) Put empty bag flat on the ground
1) Open flap.
2) Lay v large flat thing (usually a print of some kind, in a cardboard sheath) on top
3) Take the straps from the flap and make them as long as possible
4) Clip!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2066/2492596157_fe5256dae2.jpg?v=0

kinda like how this dude's got a box under the flap, but not in the bag

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/images/productImages/OU2673-031x.jpg
has been great thanks to highly adjustable straps. If it's really heavy I'll strap it to my rack.

Bike-specific rucksacks (not too heavy mind) are way better than courier bags which are unstable and poorly weighted. But fashion always wins these polls.

*yawn*

i mean, do you really think that fashion dictated anyone's decision here?

Yes! Do you really not? If it wasn't for fashion everyone (who needed to carry stuff often) would have panniers.

There are definite practical advantages to strapping to you back; speed of dismount and width of bike. Your balance and turning characteristics will be different too.

I am trying to decide between panniers and courier bag for school in january.

incidentally I saw a vaguely fashionable ladies handbag with pannier clips yesterday which I was pretty impressed with.

Carradice Bike Bureau is an awesome piece if yr using a pannier rack. I have an Ortlieb office bag, and the Carradice is better IMO. The Carra SQR bag, if you have 2" of seatpost or more showing, is fantastic, really hard to beat.

Yes! Do you really not? If it wasn't for fashion everyone (who needed to carry stuff often) would have panniers.

― Mark C, Thursday, October 23, 2008 6:59 AM (1 hour ago) [IP: 85.211.101.65] Bookmark

No, I wouldn't. Panniers can't carry boxes, groceries, and funny-shaped things. Their capacity is limited when compared to a large bag, and they fuck with how your bike handles. "People who carry stuff often" = most couriers, and they don't use panniers, by and large. If everyone were serious about carrying shit, they'd all have big ass front racks and be riding extra-cycles.

I must say ~I prefer panniers for groceries, my poor back can't cope with that much beer.

I guess now they wouldn't hamper my grocery getting, in that my trips are much smaller now that I live really close to the store. Then again, I live close enough to walk, now.

wow looks like carradice changed the bike bureau back to leather straps. i like the look of leather, but would hate to use a that style buckle. that said, the fastex ones on mine arent great either. i was hoping they would improve them.

wtf they went to a spring loaded rixen attachment that imo is fucking dire. booo.

Pannier v courier bag boils down to extra weight on bike v extra weight on rider. As Ed points out, the placement of the weight affects handling. Riders going shorty distances in urban areas prefer the nimbler handling and look to courier bags, while more long haul riders probably would favor panniers.

Though it can't be great for bike handling, I usually ride with just one pannier. When I commute I use the left pannier to carry my work shoes, my three (count 'em) locks, my lights, etc. and have a rucksack on my back with my actual work stuff. When I ride at the weekend I use the right pannier to carry various tools, inner tubes, maps, food, drinks, etc. This way I don't have to keep packing and unpacking them depending on the type of ride.

i always ride with just the left pannier, and even with 30lbs in it, once you're rolling you dont feel any imbalance. its very wtf.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I personally think panniers should have beaten rucksacks, but there you go.

For me:
Courier bag ~ Panniers >> Rucksack

LUGGAGE ADVICE SOUGHT

lookin to get some new luggage - not fancy but well constructed - a big rolling suitcase and a garment bag that attaches to it so they roll as one

plz recommend - and for bonus points tell me where to buy in nyc

airline crew IIRC get Travel Pro luggage for free

Site New Answers strikes again? Wasn't the orig thread an ILB one?

lol also ps i love to ride my bicycle

http://velorbis.co.uk/images/stories/slideshowimages/Long_John/VELORBIS_Long_John_2.jpg

Ortlieb make an airline carry on rolling bag that is also a pannier, not what you wanted but worth knowing about.

the lightweight internal sleeve on my carradice bike bureau is tearing at the corner seams. its not robust enough to carry a netbook + legal pads.

i would recommend bike bureau to anyone though. it is otherwise very bomber and very smart, i use it for everything.

think im gonna make bucket panniers

and get a small backpack, sick of the mess bag

carrying records on a bike - any great ideas other than strapping a milkcrate to a rear rack?

Panniers?

how many records? I wouldn't want too many in a milk crate, too top heavy.

something like 30 records, over 17 miles or so.

Big panniers could probably work but I was trying to be cheap. Weight distribution wise that is probably the way to go though.

msgr bag imo

pretty sure someone makes dj bags, dont know capacity tho.

was this ever ported