for the last year+ i've been using panniers to commute mainly b/c it's normally HOT and i didn't want anything on my back.
well its been COLD (for us. hey, it was 36 when i left the house yesterday morn)
and REI had the large timbuk2 on sale so i picked it up last night and used it and my cross bike (the construction around here has been NUTS) to get to work today.
i love it!

for the last year+ i've been using panniers to commute mainly b/c it's normally HOT and i didn't want anything on my back.
well its been COLD (for us. hey, it was 36 when i left the house yesterday morn)
and REI had the large timbuk2 on sale so i picked it up last night and used it and my cross bike (the construction around here has been NUTS) to get to work today.
i love it!Yuri-How long is your commute (time wise)? Do you find the mess bag lays on your back, rather than pulls down on a shoulder? How much do you carry, weight wise? Betcha don't use it in the summer...:cool:

Thanks.

Yuri-How long is your commute (time wise)? Do you find the mess bag lays on your back, rather than pulls down on a shoulder? How much do you carry, weight wise? Betcha don't use it in the summer...:cool:

Thanks.
commute is only about 30 minutes each way. the bag laid on my back nicley. I used the cross strap too. i'd guess 15ish pounds.
but you can bet yer hiney i'll be going back to panniers in the summer :D

for the last year+ i've been using panniers to commute mainly b/c it's normally HOT and i didn't want anything on my back.
well its been COLD (for us. hey, it was 36 when i left the house yesterday morn)
and REI had the large timbuk2 on sale so i picked it up last night and used it and my cross bike (the construction around here has been NUTS) to get to work today.
i love it!

Yeah, that's the combo I use. Old Timbuk2 during the summer when I don't have much stuff and the big ol Ortlieb during the winter when I have a ton of crap. For some reason I'm not into the pannier concept.

commute is only about 30 minutes each way. the bag laid on my back nicley. I used the cross strap too. i'd guess 15ish pounds.
but you can bet yer hiney i'll be going back to panniers in the summer :DCoolio, thanks for the data. My mute is 40-45ish, carry about that much in weight depending on if it is going to be 40 in the am and 70 in the pm :rolleyes: Gets up to about 100 or so in the summer, rarely, but that is the hottest. I am a pannier guy for now.

Cheers!

I have not caved to racks yet, but the bag (Chrome) gets heavyish after more than 45 min.

It is way hot in the summer, however, even up here.

I've got a Chrome Metropolis. Loved it. It laid nicely on my back even with it loaded down with a day's clothes, laptop, hard drive, power cord, bag o' toiletries (nowhere to leave them at work, really), shoes, and the kitchen sink.
It was awful in the Detroit summers, though. I have panniers, now, and love 'em. Still... I throw the Chrome on my back for a quick trip or if I'm going to have something a little awkward to haul. I can't strap it to the rack cause of teh trail-a-bike. :(