why no laptop bags?

[beanboy99]

I am trying to get set up for commuting on a road bike (no rack mounts) and I'm striking out on good options for carrying a small (13") laptop on the bike itself.

I have seat and frame bags that carry clothes and snacks. But nothing is shaped/sized (flat 12x9) to hold a laptop. It appears I just have to mount a rack and panniers or wear a backpack--both of which seem like overkill for just the laptop itself.

Am i missing some solution that would fit a macbook air without wearing it or mounting a rack? seems like a handlebar bag of the right shape would work, no?

[JAGI410]

Rivendell has a few larger saddlebags that can do this.

https://www.rivbike.com/collections/...foiau9ooooe546

[beanboy99]

I think I came across this before. Very quirky web presence. Looks like the one you link and the larger model might fit my computer. But it's still odd to me that "will fit a 13" laptop" is not a major selling point. I guess most folks are using a backpack or messenger bag.

[BobbyJones]

Carradice SQR Slim was the closest thing i've used to match what you're describing. This was before the bikepacking thing was in full swing though.

Seatpost mount. Rigid design. A little goofy. Worked well for what you're describing. (laptop and shoes) I tend to ride FAR back, so it didn't work out over the long run with the back of my thighs hitting. I seem to be one of the few where this is a significant issue with everything behind my saddle.

Gonna preach (again) the solution that i'm currently running: Tubus Fly and Arkel Drylites. A little over 2 lbs all in, traditional center of gravity, and pretty versatile. The Drylites act as a semi compression bag, which is an added bonus to keep things compact.

Edit: Just noticed you don't have rack eyelets. The Tubus QR adapater set up works well. I use this setup on my Vamoots with breezer dropouts.

Good luck with your search!

[beanboy99]

Originally Posted by BobbyJones

Carradice SQR Slim was the closest thing i've used to match what you're describing. This was before the bikepacking thing was in full swing though.

Seatpost mount. Rigid design. A little goofy. Worked well for what you're describing. (laptop and shoes) I tend to ride FAR back, so it didn't work out over the long run with the back of my thighs hitting. I seem to be one of the few where this is a significant issue with everything behind my saddle.

Gonna preach (again) the solution that i'm currently running: Tubus Fly and Arkel Drylites. A little over 2 lbs all in, traditional center of gravity, and pretty versatile. The Drylites act as a semi compression bag, which is an added bonus to keep things compact.

Edit: Just noticed you don't have rack eyelets. The Tubus QR adapater set up works well. I use this setup on my Vamoots with breezer dropouts.

Good luck with your search!

Thanks, these are getting closer. Would you put the Carradice on a carbon post?

[kppolich]

Originally Posted by beanboy99

I am trying to get set up for commuting on a road bike (no rack mounts) and I'm striking out on good options for carrying a small (13") laptop on the bike itself.

I have seat and frame bags that carry clothes and snacks. But nothing is shaped/sized (flat 12x9) to hold a laptop. It appears I just have to mount a rack and panniers or wear a backpack--both of which seem like overkill for just the laptop itself.

Am i missing some solution that would fit a macbook air without wearing it or mounting a rack? seems like a handlebar bag of the right shape would work, no?

A rear rack like this will use your brake bridge or seatpost instead of rack mounts as well as the Thru Axle or QR skewer.

https://www.ebay.com/p/1824202214?iid=292974821773

[BobbyJones]

Originally Posted by beanboy99

Thanks, these are getting closer. Would you put the Carradice on a carbon post?

Carbon wrapped like you'd find on mid-range TrekaSpecaDale? Yes.

Full carbon? No way.

I still ride with Al seatpost and bars. More for economy than safety though.

[zennmotion]

Having commuted for many years in Montreal, NYC, and DC with a laptop, I wouldn't want to carry a laptop that I cared about on the bike at all, just too much bouncing around and risk for damage and too much fuss loading and unloading as a daily thing. On my back seemed much easier and safer, even for 15 mile each way commutes. Traditional messenger bag kept it against my hips instead of directly against my back and felt cooler than backpacks especially in DC tropical summer swelter and I liked being able to just dismount, lock up the bike with no fussing about and walk into the office, and I could ride different bikes if I wanted to ride something besides the trusty commuter. YMMV...

[fogrider]

since your bike doesn't have rack mounts, there is no way to support a laptop and keep it stable. it should be able to fit into a large frame bag like this: https://www.brandscycle.com/product/...MaAr3dEALw_wcB
but I'm not sure how you will keep it from bouncing around.

you could mount a tailfin on the rear and that should open up some options. that said, they are not cheap...there are carbon ones and aluminum ones.
https://www.tailfin.cc/discipline/commute/

Originally Posted by beanboy99

I am trying to get set up for commuting on a road bike (no rack mounts) and I'm striking out on good options for carrying a small (13") laptop on the bike itself.

I have seat and frame bags that carry clothes and snacks. But nothing is shaped/sized (flat 12x9) to hold a laptop. It appears I just have to mount a rack and panniers or wear a backpack--both of which seem like overkill for just the laptop itself.

Am i missing some solution that would fit a macbook air without wearing it or mounting a rack? seems like a handlebar bag of the right shape would work, no?

[beanboy99]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Having commuted for many years in Montreal, NYC, and DC with a laptop, I wouldn't want to carry a laptop that I cared about on the bike at all, just too much bouncing around and risk for damage and too much fuss loading and unloading as a daily thing. On my back seemed much easier and safer, even for 15 mile each way commutes. Traditional messenger bag kept it against my hips instead of directly against my back and felt cooler than backpacks especially in DC tropical summer swelter and I liked being able to just dismount, lock up the bike with no fussing about and walk into the office, and I could ride different bikes if I wanted to ride something besides the trusty commuter. YMMV...

Yep, that’s where I’m headed I think. I’ve done it before for around 10 miles each way so I know it’s doable; I just was hoping to try something else.

[beanboy99]

Originally Posted by fogrider

since your bike doesn't have rack mounts, there is no way to support a laptop and keep it stable. it should be able to fit into a large frame bag like this: https://www.brandscycle.com/product/...MaAr3dEALw_wcB
but I'm not sure how you will keep it from bouncing around.

you could mount a tailfin on the rear and that should open up some options. that said, they are not cheap...there are carbon ones and aluminum ones.
https://www.tailfin.cc/discipline/commute/

The tailfin stuff looks so sweet but I’m afraid it’s beyond my needs and resources at the moment.

Looks like I’ll just need to keep it on my back for the time being. At least the bulkier stuff will be on the frame.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by beanboy99

I am trying to get set up for commuting on a road bike (no rack mounts) and I'm striking out on good options for carrying a small (13") laptop on the bike itself.

I have seat and frame bags that carry clothes and snacks. But nothing is shaped/sized (flat 12x9) to hold a laptop. It appears I just have to mount a rack and panniers or wear a backpack--both of which seem like overkill for just the laptop itself.

Am i missing some solution that would fit a macbook air without wearing it or mounting a rack? seems like a handlebar bag of the right shape would work, no?

I have a laptop bag from the 90's that was excellent. Mounted to the side or top of a rear rack. I'll have to find it. But I wanna say it was Jandd. Has a side flap that zips up to cover the pannier hooks so it looks like a normal laptop bag when it's off the bike. Other than that, I am not sure who else made something like that. But I wouldn't put it on a seatpost, only a pannier or rack top.

[coffeecherrypie]

Maybe it would be a lil goofy on a road bike, but an alternative to rear rack is a small front basket that can fit a small laptop flat.

Alternatively if you’re looking to try a bag that would hold the laptop on the small of your back (ish) while riding, something like this could be perfect (I have the larger version of this and like it): https://www.rivbike.com/products/sac...grabsack-olive

[beanboy99]

Thanks for all your suggestions. The answer seems to be that a simple, sleek, secure laptop-on-frame solution doesn't exist in a US mass-market form. I did find a few boutique items that are intriguing even if i'm not likely to buy them new.

https://www.amerigomilano.com/en/urb...-bag-libeccio/
https://www.fastcompany.com/3059254/...uter-conundrum
https://thegadgetflow.com/portfolio/...m-bicycle-bag/

[benb]

I spent a lot of time commuting with a 15" laptop in the past.

They're really crappy things to have to carry around on a bike just due to the size and weight and how it is a big flat piece.

Unless it was really long riding I would probably rather carry it in the messenger bag. Maybe with a real nice upright position on a dedicated commuter bike.

I really found the panniers (rear) even to be pretty obnoxious if I had to carry my laptop. I actually gave my panniers away last year during the pandemic.

The laptop was just such a heavy dense thing in the panniers... getting out of the saddle and such the weight was way out over/behind the rear hub and it just wrecks the way the bike feels.

I think some of it is just that bike gear gets designed for touring and rando stuff and no one wants to carry a big laptop along for that.

If you had a steel bike some kind of very thin laptop bag that attached to the top tube and downtube with some kind of clamp/wrap style mount might be quite excellent as long as it wasn't in danger of getting wet from the water bottle. It would centrally mount the laptop in a way it wouldn't upset handling so much.

A front basket strikes me as a good option too, or maybe a front pannier.. I think a front pannier might be better than rear for some reason, but it might depend on the bike.

Small laptop has never really been an option since my employer was always picking it out, and for my job it's always a matter of "what is the absolute fastest laptop we can get" which tends to preclude the smaller ones.