Bike Commuting Essentials: Carrying Stuff

The cheapest way to carry stuff while biking is to use a backpack that you already own, or one you can pick up for next to nothing at a thrift store. In addition to a very attractive price tag, wearing a backpack makes you a self-contained unit, so when you arrive at your destination, you don’t have to fuss with any gear or equipment, you simply lock up and go. Backpacks usually feature organizer pockets, so you can have your work stuff and your bike stuff neatly arranged inside. Plus, you can usually clip a blinky light to the outside for extra visibility while you ride.

But at some point, you may want to get the load off your back. If you tend to carry or pick up a lot of stuff, a backpack can get cumbersome and uncomfortable on your shoulders, and impair your ability to look behind while you ride.

A rear rack and well-designed bike bags will vastly increase your cargo-carrying capacity, and extend the usefulness of your bike for traveling to work, running errands or shopping. Getting the weight off your back and onto the bike will lower your center of gravity, and help you carry much more than you ever thought possible with more comfort and stability.

The basics

  1. The number-one, most useful item is a rear carrying rack -- an aluminum platform which sits over the rear wheel of you bike. It provides a good place to carry your u-lock, and, with a couple of bungee cords, it will allow you to carry an unanticipated load in an emergency. Best of all, bicycle racks are designed to fit a variety of standard bicycle bags (or panniers) made specifically for carrying tons of stuff on your bike. Start with a basic rear rack, such as the Planet Bike Eco Rack. Many other racks are available, but this is a great and versatile starter option for under forty bucks, rated to 55lbs.
    You could stop here. A rear rack makes a great base for an ordinary milk crate, which -- if you can find one -- makes a fabulous bicycle "trunk". (Here’s how-to from a post I wrote a long, long time ago.)

  2. Add bags! Most bike panniers mount to the rack either saddle-bag style, with a pair of connected bags draped over the top of the rack, or with hooks that attach to the top rail of the rack. The advantage of the latter system is that you can carry one or two bags, depending on your cargo needs on each occasion.

Bag options

It would not be an exaggeration to say that there are zillions of bike bags on the market, so we’ll just list a few of our tried and true favorites (or click here for a variety of bags available in stock right now). We advocate bags in favor of baskets, since they are generally lighter, removable and offer greater flexibility in commuting situations.

  1. A versatile option is a large open-top pannier known as a grocery pannier (see photo above). It's a collapsible carrier shaped to fit a paper grocery sack. Unlike heavier metal baskets, these bags can be taken off in seconds or folded flat when not in use. Although conceived for hauling groceries, they are useful for commuting, since you can use them to carry your "regular" bag of briefcase, eliminating the need to move stuff back and forth between bags when you are cycling. They can be carried singly or in pairs, and are great for carrying take-out, six-packs, library books, packages to be mailed, groceries (of course!), and many other things you can think of. Such panniers are available from a variety of brands, and range in price from about $45 to $90. Since they are open-topped, they are not waterproof, but some are available with rain covers.

  2. For extremely well-made, durable and completely waterproof bike bags, it’s hard to beat Ortlieb panniers which have an impressively long track record for both commuting and touring. Each set includes a pair of large, waterproof, roll-top bags without dividers or organizational distractions. You can use one pannier or both, depending on your needs. They available in two sizes: Backroller Classic is the larger set with combined volume of 2441 cu in (40 L), and smaller Sport Roller Classic with the combined volume of 1526 cu in (25 L).

  3. Saddlebags, which drape over the top of the carrier rack, are a simple and affordable option with slightly smaller capacity than either of the above options. Although they can’t be separated to adjust for different loads, they are easy and intuitive to use and carry along. A variation on this is a racktop case with a pair of built-in drop-down panniers that can be rolled up when not in use.

  4. A convertible backpack-pannier is a dual-personality bag that offers the best of both worlds for some riders. It has hardware for mounting on the side of the rack while riding, and a set of backpack straps that can be pulled out for carrying off the bike.

The above are of course just a small (but tried and true!) sampling of hundreds of available options. If you need help setting up your bike, we hope you stop in at Cosmic Bikes and chat with us in person. If you need to carry a lot more cargo, or passengers, check this post. We’ve been setting up urban bikes long before Milwaukee Ave became know as the bicycle superhighway, and have many tricks up our sleeve to adapt your bike to suit your personal transportation needs.

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