Bike commute 2024 edition

[lorenbike]

Looking to the collective for some fresh ideas on transporting gear on the bike commute...I know this topic has been beaten to death over the years but what are you doing in 2024?

For years, I got everything into a small enough bag to fit into a wald basket on a front rack. But my current laptop is too large for this and I'm using a front basket for the U-lock, bike tools and backpack for the laptop.

I absolutely hate a backpack while biking, so looking for some fresh ideas on how to get the laptop off my back and onto the bike. In the past, I also strongly dislike weight hanging off the back of the bike and much prefer the front rack. I do run drop bars, so any larger basket is going to creep up into real estate on the drops.

Is it time to try a rear rack again with panniers? Suck it up and go for the larger wald basket? Switch to flat bars? Panniers on the front rack? Thanks for your suggestions!

My commute isn't particularly far but all downhill in and uphill back makes my back/neck/shoulders just sore enough with the backpack that I'd like to rethink this.

[pdxharth]

I use an old school saddlebag, specifically a Rivendell medium. I just checked, and a 15” laptop fits nicely right in there. Highly recommended.

Here is a link to the updated version. They are not cheap, but they are a quality piece of equipment in both design and build.

https://www.rivbike.com/products/kzs...foiau9ooooe546

Cheers,
Harth

[AngryScientist]

I don’t commute anywhere but if I had to regularly carry a laptop; lowrider panniers seem like the ideal place to carry A flat wideish object like a laptop.

[kiwisimon]

I go with rack and a Ortlieb pannier bag.
My commute is an hour one way with very warm humid summers and freezing winters. Backpack doesn't work for me.

[72gmc]

I haven’t tried panniers. My current setup is a Pass and Stow platform front rack with an Outershell rack bag on a flat bar bike. The bag fits the ginormous MacBook provided by my employer (no option for the smaller size when I was up for replacement). I stash office shoes at the office. I also lock the MacBook in my desk for consecutive office days so I only have two rides a week with it. Most of my commuting is with a light load of clothes and lunch.

I enjoyed a short stretch of commuting with Ahearne MAP bars on my road bike. I’ve switched to an ATB for other reasons, but the flat bar experiment was the proof I needed to switch.

[Peter P.]

Duplicate your files on removable media and keep a second laptop at home.

[mstateglfr]

For the last year and a half I have used a half basket and Swift Motherloaf bag. Change of clothes, food, and a 15" laptop were carried.




Before that, I used 1 rear pannier for many years of periodic commuting.



The rear rack and single pannier is by far the simplest setup.
The basket and bag are more complex to set up, but really simple to use and easily fits everything. The basket is a Soma branded half basket that is the size of a Wald 139. The only reason the bag fits with my drop bars is because my frame size is large and the bars are wide. The half height rack is way better than a full rack. The front platform rack is something off Amazon called 'Gotix' that I modified with different struts and a re-bent diving board.
A basket that's larger than a 137 but smaller than a 139 would still fit what I use. A French brand makes that size and WizardWorks makes a bag for the basket.

[Turkle]

I dunno, folks. The constant rattling and vibrations from a bike would likely destroy a laptop in no time, am I wrong on this?

When I carried a laptop to work via bike, I did so via messenger bag, slung low on the back. Kept it safe from vibrations and the low center of gravity kept it stable.

I cannot imagine carrying a laptop on the bike itself and having it survive.

[Jdm]

I used to run a rear rack with a single Arkel pannier on my Roubaix. The bag had a nice laptop holder to keep the laptop safe.

I eventually changed to an Osprey cycling backpack with a mesh back for circulation. It was an incredibly functional cycling backpack.

[kiwisimon]

Originally Posted by Turkle

I dunno, folks. The constant rattling and vibrations from a bike would likely destroy a laptop in no time, am I wrong on this?

I think it was more of a risk with old spinning disk drives.

[mstateglfr]

Originally Posted by Turkle

I dunno, folks. The constant rattling and vibrations from a bike would likely destroy a laptop in no time, am I wrong on this?

When I carried a laptop to work via bike, I did so via messenger bag, slung low on the back. Kept it safe from vibrations and the low center of gravity kept it stable.

I cannot imagine carrying a laptop on the bike itself and having it survive.

What part of the laptop would get destroyed?
My basket bag gets clothes loaded first, laptop second, and bagged food last. The basket bag has a small bit of cushion and then there are multiple inches of cushion from clothing.
I have never given a second thought to my laptop being destroyed due to putting it in a basket bag or a pannier.
When I used a pannier, I put some clothing in the bottom and then slid the laptop in. Again, plenty of cushion to never cause an issue or even make me think twice.

[p nut]

I use a Zeitgeist bag that fits my lunch and laptop. I used to use a basket but hated the way it made the bike handle.

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by kiwisimon

I think it was more of a risk with old spinning disk drives.

This. There aren't really any moving parts on a modern laptop (beyond the hinge and maybe a small fan). Big shocks from a drop will damage it, but I don't think normal transport in a pannier would be a problem.

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

Duplicate your files on removable media and keep a second laptop at home.

Very few employers are going to issue a second laptop. And even fewer will be ok with an employee moving files back & forth onto a personal device.

[tellyho]

I have two commuter steeds. One has a rear rack only - so Ortlieb back-rollers on that. The other has front (Tara) and rear; on that bike, I use the smaller Ortliebs. I would never carry anything on my back because that sucks. Laptop has always gone in a padded sleeve in the pannier and never had an issue (9 years, probably 15K miles of commuting). This includes nearly yearly ice-induced wipeouts (yes I have studded tires but am sometimes stupid about when I ride that bike).