Anybody got any good recommendations for a backpack primarily for cycle commuting? Previous bag was a Dakine Heli Pro but one of the seams has started falling apart. Not surprising as it has given me ~12 years of pretty much daily use as a cycling/running/gym/skiing pack. Would get the same bag again, but the new one seems to be smaller and I don’t think it’s going to be big enough.
I work from a lot of different offices, so unfortunately often need to carry pretty much everything in one bag - laptop (very small one), suit, shirt, shoes, microfibre towel. The Dakine was just about big enough (think it was 22 litres), and was perfect as the 2nd compartment was big enough for my shoes, so they could be separated from the clothes so they didn’t get them dirty. Ideal bag would be:
at least 22 litres
2 large compartments so I can keep clothes and shoes separate (guess I could just have 1 compartment and put the shoes in a bag)
extremely hard-wearing, gets a lot of use
plenty of adjust-ability to make sure I can get it comfortable and stabilised for different load sizes
water resistance is a bonus, though I put a hi-vis waterproof cover over the bag as well
Has anyone used a Chrome Industries bag? They seem to be practically indestructible and fully waterproof as well, wasn’t sure how comfortable they were though.
Chrome bags are great. But they are heavy, and the ones I have don’t have anyway to separate shoes from the rest of the main compartment.
Mine have been extremely durable, waterproof and comfortable for my 60-70 minute commute each way. They definitely have plenty of strap adjustments to keep the contents from shifting even with light loads.
Thanks. Heavy I don’t mind too much, durable and comfortable is much more important. Which one(s) do you have? I was looking at the Barrage Cargo or the Bravo
I’ve had an Osprey Radial 34 now for about a year or so. I use it for bike commuting, but also as my daily pack even when I’m not riding. I really like it. It has a built-in high-vis rain cover and reflective elements. There is a place to mount a tail light, and it has several compartments, so you can keep your laptop, clothes, snacks, bike tools, etc., all separated. It keeps the pack up off your back nicely - it’s well-ventilated. The laptop compartment could use a bit more room, or at least have the zipper opening be larger. Overall, it’s very comfortable and I would recommend it.
Unfortunately, it looks like Osprey has discontinued the Radial series and replaced it with their Manta series, so I don’t know if those are better or worse. I do feel Osprey makes a good pack, in general. They’re a bit spendy, but well-made.
I have a Cutom Barrage (which is the same as the Barrage Cargo AFAIK) and a Citizen.
I usually use the citizen, but the Barrage is better on days I take a laptop. The Barrage also seems to hold more stuff.
I also a have a Dueter race lite. It is pretty small so I don’t use it much which it makes it hard to comment on durability, but I do not expect it to last half as long as my Chrome bags. I bought it th9inking that the mesh back air vent would be useful, maybe it would be useful for a 25-20 minute commute, but after 60 minutes I am sweaty as hell either way.,
While it’s only 20 liters, the Swig from Timbuk2 is what I use for commuting. It works well for stashing the laptop, tablet, & shoes. There’s plenty of room for slacks, shirt, and towel, though those items get stashed in an RX Trunkpack from Topeak while on the road.
I recently bought a Apidura saddle bag (https://www.apidura.com/product/saddle-pack-regular/) exists in 2 sizes - technically, it’s not really a backpack, though. It fits my cloths and a small ipad sized computer. Shoes can be attached on top or put inside, as there is place. Personally, I prefer it to a regular backpack in terms of cycling comfort!
Check out granola products. They aren’t cycling specific, but they are a quality backpack, hand-made by a small company in Chattanooga. I have one of their backpacks. It is very simple, but solid as a tank. I have had several other backpacks and they seem to have a very short life-span. I have a feeling this granola bag will be the last one I need for a long time.
Lululemon All Access Backpack - go check it out. I did a lot of research and went to physically check out a lot of bags over the last month to make sure I found the best commuter bag I could. This thing rocks. Incredibly well made and designed.
That looks awesome at first glance. But after watching the video, I can see that the bag is not very big and even if it were, I would also have to blow money on a Topeak Rack to make it work.
It is well built and shows little sign of wear despite daily use braving everything from massive rain storms to 100F+ summer days. There are probably better bags out there, but I’m pleased with this one: it looks subdued (though you can make it look as wild as you want), keeps my stuff dry in the wet, has a padded laptop section, and is comfortable to wear. Plus, made in San Francisco.
Timbuk2 also has a bunch of other packs that might be worth looking at:
