Commuting to work - What do I need?

You can use a backpack, although I wouldn't want to carry a laptop on my bike. Why not just leave it at work? I mean, who wants to do work in the evenings and weekends anyways.

Don't forget lights, pump, spare tube, tire levers and lock (a good one). For only 6 miles I wouldn't bother with a water bottle.

Haha yea if only it were that easy 🙂 unfortunately I do need to travel with the laptop. Would some sort of waterproof backpack work? I have all that stuff bought already except the spare tire. I bought patches but I guess for a few bucks I should stuff the tire in my seat bag.

If you're willing to spend 120 for a Chrome bag: chromebagsstore.com, go for it. That or a timbuk2 bag. Personally for high school, i'm going to be biking with the chrome mini-metro. It's completely waterproof and can hold your laptop just fine. It won't put too much stress on your shoulder as it rests on your back. Waterproof backpacks work, but you might want to put some spare t-shirts to cushion your laptop, as it might randomly slide around.

Which would be better to get:

http://www.chromebagsstore.com/bags/packs/brigadier-grey-black.html
or
http://www.chromebagsstore.com/bags/packs/ranchero-messenger-pack---medium.html

I plan on taking with me change of clothes, sneakers, laptop, power cord for it, mouse, lunch, bike lock, folders, Motorola Xoom and charger. I can't think of anything else because I've never actually done this type of commute.

I'm thinking both bags can handle it, but the brigadier is much bigger. It depends how big of a bag you're willing to carry on you. The ranchero is smaller, and it might be a tighter fit so you might want the brigadier tho there are some cons to it: The brigadier is more likely to crumple those folders because it's not as formed as the Ranchero. The Ranchero is also made in CA, while the Brigadier is made in china, though they claim that they are both great. Brigadier has 3630 cubic in. of space while the Ranchero has 2052. I'd go with the Brigadier as it has more room and the reviews are great. Both are designed to destribute the pressure evenly between your back and shoulders.

IMO: if you're willing to spend another $50 on a chrome Metropolis, i'd say go for that. It's their classic bag and though it is a messenger bag, it won't hurt too bad.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Andrew131 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I plan on taking with me change of clothes, sneakers, laptop, power cord for it, mouse, lunch, bike lock, folders, Motorola Xoom and charger. I can't think of anything else because I've never actually done this type of commute.

I commute 7.5 miles each way per day and this is fairly short so carrying a backpack is not too bad. I did that for a while but in summer it got my back really hot and sweaty even though it is one that has cutouts that claim to vent air between the bag and my back. So I switched to a rear rack and bag. If there is any way you can figure out how to attach a rack and bag(s), I'd recommend that as being more comfortable and versatile. (You might find you need to carry more some days and can also add a backpack if you have a big load.) I have fenders because a lot of my ride is on a gravel trail that gets pretty muddy if it is wet. I don't know what kind of climate you ride in but if it is cool or cold and looks like rain, I carry rain clothes. (I don't worry about this on warm days.) In the winter, I am pretty warm while pedaling so I don't wear a very heavy jacket (just a good shell), but I carry a warm sweater and wool hat in case I have a problem and have to work on the bike or walk a distance. (I like to be prepared for trouble in the winter.) I have winter cycling shoes that are good on very cold days - better than the neoprene covers over regular bike shoes.

I don't know how heavy your bike lock is but can you leave it and the sneakers at work?

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by AlanG [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I don't know how heavy your bike lock is but can you leave it and the sneakers at work?

I'm pretty sure you can wrap your bike lock (chain) around your waist or hook it on to a belt strap (u) right?

You can get by for a lot less, I have a $10 back pack from Walmart that works fine. If there is any chance
of rain I just put the stuff in a trash bag, carry one in the bag all the time. I take books back to the library
for my Mom all the time, twelve mile ride with fifteen or more books. Very comfortable. Lots of pockets
and nets on the sides to hold extra water bottles.

I got mine at the start of school, they have things real cheap to help kids get what they need. They
are a bit higher now.

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http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=razorback+book+bag&ic=48_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=0

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Nerdbert [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I'm pretty sure you can wrap your bike lock (chain) around your waist or hook it on to a belt strap (u) right?

I was thinking of why he needed to carry that weight back and forth. A lot of commuters leave a heavy lock at work unless they need it elsewhere. And sneakers are bulky to carry every day.

By the way, check out this for commuters here in Washington DC.

streetfilms.orgbikestation at union stationOpen ↗

And there are bike rental kiosks all over the city now. These seem really popular.

capitalbikeshare.comcapitalbikeshare.comOpen ↗

Leave everything at work that you possibly can. Locks, shoes, toiletries, whatever. Seriously. Just do it. Lock your lock to whatever you lock your bike to and leave it there. A good one. Buy a cheapie to carry around at other times if you ride to go get coffee or beer or whatever. 5-minute pit stops: any lock will deter theft. 8-hour workday: your bike will eventually walk away with a cheap lock. At least you work at one place. I work at 4, and keeping track of stuff is difficult. Backpack or messenger bag will be fine for laptop and lunch. Messenger bags are nice, but are currently a bit over-trendy, ie way too expensive. Just make sure it is really really waterproof if you want to bike in all weather. Better to save some money with kinda waterproof and use affordable plastic bags on days that are wetter. However, this works for clothing but not sure if I would risk it with a laptop. C'mon, man don't you have the cloud???

A hardshell backpack would be an option too. Or a clip-on rear rack with a waterproof trunk bag. Most clip on racks won't support full panniers. Get a clip on rear fender if you don't have eyelets - even 6 miles is enough to give your crack a thorough soaking otherwise (that's where the tire sends the water, if you haven't noticed). If you are only going to do 6miles at a time and want to save space you could probably get by with a CO2 dealie-o only. Only the fastest leak would then leave you totally flat before your destination. Having said this, I do prefer the full tube-patch kit-levers-pump and maybe even a spare folding tire rig. But I travel HEAVY when commuting. In summer this is easy to overlook, but a REAL headlight and tail-light are required. I swap mine out for a teeny little Planet Bike Spok thing in the summer months when I am unlikely to be riding in the dark and just need to be seen in rain or fog. A computer is fun if you wanna keep track of stuff but is nothing anywhere close to necessary.

One last option for cargo: if you don't like carrying stuff on your back (can get the trap a little sore if heavy) you could put in a handlebar mounted cargo basket. These come in everything from kitschy to modern, waterproof or otherwise, from a pile of manufacturers. The effect on balance of a bike with mountain-style geometry is, well, amusing. A little better on touring-style bikes. I believe the Opie is the former? An old-fashioned Raleigh Sport or other such big bruising commuter-before-the-word will just love one of these though.

There are the obvious things, like a kit to handle flats, rear and front lights, locks, etc., but the key is luggage and fenders.

I switched from a backpack to a rack last year and it has been the best possible decision. I have a convertible pannier/shoulderbag that makes carrying it around when off the bike a lot easier. Unfortunately for you, without the ability to frame-mount the rack, you're limited in terms of what you can carry. There are clip on fenders available.

Is the Opie a mountain bike? You might consider picking up a cheap road frame off of Craig's list or Ebay and clean it up. Make sure there are appropriate rack and fender mounts. Something to consider anyway.

My commuting gear:

• Bianchi San Jose, with 700x25c road tires (shelved the stock terrainasaurus)
  
• Fenders from Planet Bike
  
• Topeak MTX Tubular Rear Rack
  
• TransIt Metro Pannier
  

I commute to and from work everyday with clips. I leave a pair of worn out shoes at both my jobs (they don't require anything fancy to work on gym equipment and fuel airplanes), if I do take my backpack (which is a photographers backpack, the Adventure 9 by Tamrac) I put my laptop in the laptop pocket, and the books in the rest. It's by no means a lightweight alternative, but I'm confident if I wreck, my laptop is up against my back, and my books are the first thing to hit if I fall backwards. If it's raining, I use two walmart bags for my laptop, one over each side. The same treatment for my books. Walmart bags work great, never had anything leak in to get my books or laptop wet. My laptop pocket IS seam-taped, but that doesn't always help.

***Keep in mind, water RESISTANT is not the same as water PROOF. Water PROOF is fully protected, water RESISTANT will only help in a heavy sprinkle.

My bike lock is a bell, one of those kevlar ones that come in a circular wrap-ish shape when you buy them. I loop it around the top tube and lock it. Simple, and it doesn't bother me like those huge bulky metal ones. Those things are way too bulky. I'm not a weight weenie, but I don't want to be overcumbersome either!

Regardless if you ride 1 mile or 6, ALWAYS bring water! Don't listen to these guys who recommend no water. Heat advisories are all over the US right now, and what are you gonna do if you wreck and tear up your knee? I don't want blood on my bike, rinse the wound with water and prevent infection. Don't be a weight weenie and try to save weight by not having water, that's just irresponsible.

Everyday I ride to and from work I have water, pump, patches, wallet, cellphone, keys for my apartment/bike lock.

Sometimes if I don't carry much (a few books at the most), I use a cheap-o drawstring backpack. Those things will leave marks on you if you load them down, so be mindful of that, but they are great with a small load.

For the winter I dress fairly warm. You will get warm on your ride anyways. Honestly, it will feel great too! It's a good feeling when it's snowing, and your biking heavily.

Spring is usually rainy, so if I do get wet, I dry off with a towel at work. I'm a camper and have REI's packtowels, I haven't used them for sweat yet, but they work WONDERS for when I get soaked.

Summer is hot and humid where I live, what I listed to carry in the first couple paragraphs is what I carry.

Fall weather is good for a while, enjoy the ride while you can!

The Trek people would surely be able to advise you,

isn't there a rack that offers clamping bands to fit to the stays when other mounting options are absent?

I put a rack to my (dorky but fun) Trek Lime Lite last month. It was a simple thing to do, and now,

the choice is whether to get a rack bag, pannier, or kludge (not buy) a basket to hang off the right side for grocery runs.

Some people don't like the idea of having a laptop bagged to their back, in the (nearly impossible event) of a lithium battery failure,
where the battery flames and cannot be extinguished, a most unlikely scenario these days, though. I would not worry about that,
billions of lithium batteries are in laptops and cellphones and cameras today, with nary a flame-failure.

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notes, you can see that it is necessary sometimes to bend metal tangs to make a "universal" mounting system fit a particular bike.
=spent a lot of time online, rack-shopping, but finally shied away from buying sight-unseen. Went to a good LBS and was able
to hold the rack to the bike, and could see it would be adaptable. Other brands may be better, but for my light-duty use,
this one was a fine value, and is simply shown for idea-fodder. How to mount a rack, though, without eyelet holes on the fork????