Cycling in Brisbane Australia

Cycling Backpack Recommendations

Hi,

I'm thinking of going back to using a cycling Backpack and would like recommendations on what to get. My current cheap/free backpacks I have at home leave me with a very sweaty back at the end of my ride.

A mate at work recommends the Deuter Race EXP Air but they are fairly expensive ($100). Does anyone have any alternatives I should be looking at or is this sort of money I should be spending on a backup that doesnt leave a sweaty back/

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Permalink Reply by DamianM on November 23, 2011 at 11:09am

Well you're about to get bombarded with comments about why you should use panniers instead.....

I like backpacks, because I don't like permanently attaching stuff to my bike :) (and that drives my purchasing decisions on all sorts of things, especially lights)

I've got the Banjo Brothers Large commuter backpack, and I think it's pretty awesome. It's totally waterproof, I have no doubt I could submerge the thing for a minute or two and the stuff would come out dry. It's tough and it fits an amazing amount of stuff. That said, you shouldn't aim to carry the stupid amount of stuff I carry when I do commute (laptop, shoes, full change of clothes, etc) because most people have a permanent place of employment where they can leave stuff.

They do a smaller one though which is worth a look. But not much cheaper than the Deuter ones so yes I think you need to spend some money on it.

That said, it's Brisbane, you will get a sweaty back. I think the Banjo Brothers backpacks are better than the cheaper ones I've used in the past.

I'd also look at messenger bags, if you're not carrying too much stuff a Crumpler bag is great. I found that a large load over a long distance in the Crumpler gets annoying, but they are awesome for short grocery shopping runs, or longer rides without too much stuff. They also make it easier to see over your left shoulder (something the Banjo Brothers bag is also good at, they sit a lot lower than regular packs).

SO there's my 2c, now you can hear from everyone else about why I'm wrong and panniers are the only way to go :)

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Permalink Reply by Shaun Moran on November 23, 2011 at 11:42am

I wish I could use panniers - but no easy way (that I know of) to attach them to my carbon frame. My trip in to town is about 30km so I think a messenger bag would be annoying over that distance.

Haven't heard about Banjo Brothers before - they have some interesting stuff. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by DamianM on November 23, 2011 at 11:43am

The solution is simple then.

Buy a second bike!

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Permalink Reply by Shaun Moran on November 23, 2011 at 11:50am

Working on it - However the bike I have my heart set on (Gazelle Innergy) will take some serious saving on my part :-)

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Permalink Reply by CamDS on November 25, 2011 at 12:08pm

I bought an old steel malvern star to commute on... then a clamp on rack (the topeak one with the MTX Track)...

added bonus it weighs about 2 metric tonnes so my carbon bike feels even lighter

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Permalink Reply by Gordon on November 23, 2011 at 12:44pm

or a Trailer?

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Permalink Reply by Terry Burn on November 24, 2011 at 8:51am

I hate the sweaty back syndrome and also the higher centre of gravity tends to make me feel not as stable. Panniers are great, I can get away with one on my rear rack for my work commute. I also use it for shopping for the quick top up shops or the dinner run. I really appreciate the airflow around my back and less strain on my neck.

A possible solution may be those rear racks that attach to the seat post and a rack bag mounted on that-depends how much you are carrying but it would probably exceed $100, so maybe not an option for you, but worth considering

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Permalink Reply by Lyn Stern on November 24, 2011 at 2:09pm

$2...plastic container..chopped holes..attached with stretchy things...weighs about 100 g...perfect for my grocery run..and if more is needed then I hook over the back carrier a deep wire basket found in a bike shop in Amsterdam..and when it comes to bikes gear, the dutch do it so well! That very same deep wire basket carried back five pairs of shoes..but thats another story..