backpack panniers

[serbring]

Hi all,

I need a nice bag for commuting to work. Till two weeks ago, I had a ortlieb officebag (medium size) which I was rather happy but it was too small for my needs. Moreover, it was not really comfortable for carrying it when I was off the bike, especially for long time. I just need a bag big enough to carry: a laptop, notebook, raining gear, a lunchbox and a little food for the dinner that I occasionally buy on my way back home in markets. So I sold the office bag to buy a new one and for those reason, I am searching for a backpack pannier.In this moment, I am using the back roller but it lacks of organization.
After a long search on the web, I found two possible candidates: ortlieb vario and thule pack n pedal commuter pannier. I don't like of the vario that it lacks of any organization and it has to be asssembled in order to be a backpack. Not a big deal but that means I will use as a backpack just when I need long walks. Moreover, it is rather pricey. The Thule is a real commuting backpack, so it has several useful pockets, it's cheaper than the ortlieb, changing from from a pannier to a backpack is very quick because the mounting system is partially magnetic (really clever). Finally, I don't know thule bag quality/durability but I tested Ortlieb and they are absolutely great. Does anyone has tried any of these bags? Any suggestion is apprecciated.

Thanks

[pete75]

https://www.carradice.co.uk/bags/pannie ... ck-pannier

As good quality as Ortlieb and costs a lot less.Long established Lancashire company as well.

[Randy_Butternubs]

I have no experience just a couple of observations:
- The Thule doesn't become a proper rucksack it just has one strap to go over the shoulder. This doesn't seem all that different to many normal panniers which come with a shoulder strap?
- The Thule isn't waterproof and I wouldn't trust a laptop to a waterproof cover. You could wrap the laptop in a bin bag though.
- In wet weather the inside face of a pannier gets pretty filthy and I wouldn't want it pressing against my back. The Ortlieb system seems to solve that but I'm not sure I'd bother transforming it into rucksack mode unless I were going for a long hike which kind of defeats the point.

Slight derailment: can anyone who has bought Carradice within the last couple of years attest to its quality? I've only seen 2 Carradice bags in the flesh and they were both sent back as substandard yet they get such high praise on the internet. I don't know whether the buyer was unlucky or whether they have gone downhill recently.

[serbring]

@Pete75: I have already seen the carradice, but it is not really nice for commuting to work. The velcro is really bad and the hooka seem to be visible anytime.

@Randy: You have found most of my concerns on the Thule. I think the strap is more comfortable than the back roller as most of the bike backpacks have a similar strap. Yep, it is not waterproof and that is a shame but just few are waterproof. Unfortunately, I live in Italy and heavy rain is really common. Since the ortlieb vario interios is like back rollers and I need to assemble the bag in order to transform it as a backpack, I was also considering to buy the back roller carrying system. The only advantage of the vario is that is the better looking and the special pocket for the transforming kit. Another interesting solution is proposed by altura but what a shame that they adopted that terrible hook system.

[Randy_Butternubs]

That Altura looks like an ingenious solution. Again though I'm not sure I'd trust a laptop to its waterproofness since it uses zips. I'm not sure what you mean by 'terrible hook system'; my current panniers use the same hooks and they are ok. I regularly stuff them full of heavy shopping like fruit and beer and they have held up fine. If you have specific concerns I might be able to answer them.

You might want to look at the Ortlieb 'downtown' and 'office-bag'. Both are meant to be waterproof and I think have internal dividers. You can get them with Ortliebs regular mounting hardware or some fancy looking new version. They both have a padded shoulder strap and you could carry them with the clean, outer side of the pannier facing you.

[serbring]

That Altura looks like an ingenious solution. Again though I'm not sure I'd trust a laptop to its waterproofness since it uses zips. I'm not sure what you mean by 'terrible hook system'; my current panniers use the same hooks and they are ok. I regularly stuff them full of heavy shopping like fruit and beer and they have held up fine. If you have specific concerns I might be able to answer them.

You might want to look at the Ortlieb 'downtown' and 'office-bag'. Both are meant to be waterproof and I think have internal dividers. You can get them with Ortliebs regular mounting hardware or some fancy looking new version. They both have a padded shoulder strap and you could carry them with the clean, outer side of the pannier facing you.

Altura hook system relies to hook elasticity to block the uplift movement. I had a Basil bag and twice, the bag fell down because I kicked the bag with my heel. In fact, falling downs are reported in few Amazon reviews. I had the Ortlieb office-bag, but it is not very comfortable for the off-bike transportation.

[pete75]

@Pete75: I have already seen the carradice, but it is not really nice for commuting to work. The velcro is really bad and the hooka seem to be visible anytime.

What's bad about the Velcro? I've seen one and it just looks like normal velcro to me. So what if the hooks are visible...

[SimonCelsa]

So what if the hooks are visible...

Basically a bad design - if the hooks are visible they will get chock full of threads & other sheizen in everyday use leading to requiring frequent cleaning....not the end of the World but poorly thought out design (considering the cost). This is always assuming the original post was actually referring to these velcro 'hooks' and not the pannier hooks!?

All the best, Simon

[Randy_Butternubs]

Re: the Altura Hardware. You can turn the plastic thing in the center between the two hooks to lock it to the rack. I don't usually bother as the pannier weight is enough to keep it down but I did have an empty pannier come off once while dropping off a kerb.

[pete75]

So what if the hooks are visible...

Basically a bad design - if the hooks are visible they will get chock full of threads & other sheizen in everyday use leading to requiring frequent cleaning....not the end of the World but poorly thought out design (considering the cost). This is always assuming the original post was actually referring to these velcro 'hooks' and not the pannier hooks!?

All the best, Simon

I think it was referring to the pannier hooks, the velcro is mentioned separately. BTW if what you describe does happen it's no big deal and also applies to almost every garment with a velcro fastening.

[mjr]

Altura hook system relies to hook elasticity to block the uplift movement. I had a Basil bag and twice, the bag fell down because I kicked the bag with my heel.

I've highlighted the actual fault for you: "because I kicked the bag with my heel". Don't do that!

If you've got a pannier which secures Ortlieb-style and kick it hard enough, what do you think happens then? The pannier can't gonna fall fairly harmlessly to the floor any more, so at best it's gonna release the bottom clip to allow the pannier to swing around the secured top hooks and at worst... I dunno... snap the bottom clip? Lift the back of the bike up in the air? Bend the rack or yank on a bolt? Damage the bag? Hurt your foot? Something's gotta give!

Why backpack? If you really want one, I think Union34 Stripe has one with pannier hooks. They also do a nicer-looking office bag. Both fairly expensive full-price but often discounted. The Basil Sports Design Single (I think I've remembered the name - it's a more office-looking version of the Sports Single) is also nice (edit: and also an office bag with shoulder-strap, not a backpack) - Basil have a "terrible hook system" with flippable locking bar but the hooks are replaceable if you break them by riding the pannier into a sticking-out bit of bridge (DAMHIK )

[pjclinch]

I got my daughter a Vau De Cycle 28 when she was riding to school and carting a bag around all day without a bike. It seems okay, though since riding to school got very unfashionable at Big School it hasn't seen the sort of use that allows extensive feedback. The attachment is okay and everything gets covered up pretty easily when in rucksack mode, and uncovered pretty easily in pannier mode.

My most usual mixed-mode bag is my old Brompton bag, which doesn't have a shoulder harness but does have clips for a shoulder strap, which I use extensively enough to never bother taking it off. There's quite a few panniers will take a shoulder strap without too much trouble.

Pete.

[pete75]

Just a thought but if you must have a back pack why not just get a normal one and fasten it on your carrier with luggage elastics if you don't want to wear it on your back while you ride.

[simonhill]

...or carry your stuff in one of your waterproof Ortlieb panniers and carry a backpack in the other. When you arrive, transfer stuff to backpack and off you go,.

This way, you have proper panniers and a proper backpack that suits your needs.

[Vorpal]

Vaude do two sizes, 22 and 28 liter: https://www.vaude.com/en-GB/detail/inde ... /124700100

Some rack top bags will take a laptop. They tend to be easier to carry (with a shoulder strap) than many panniers. They also don't get quite as mucky, being somewhat protected by the rack, as well as mudguards.

I did have a set of integrated panniers and zip off ruck sack. I think the brand was 'Bike Pro'. I really liked the design of the system, and it was very handy for commuting and shopping, but the mounting system was awful. They were really cheap, but despite that they seemed waterproof. The rucksack back & straps were zipped into the top between the two panniers, rather like the Vaude Karakorum, only the zip (and protective material) went all the way around the the top sack, and the rucksack straps were zipped into a waterproof 'envelope' between the panniers and top bag.