Travel By Bike Thursday - COMMUTING BACKPACKS/SEATPOST REAR RACKS

So you want to commute but your bike doesn't have rack mounts - what options do you have out there?  To me, a lot of it depends on how long your actual commute is.  I have met people that ride 1 mile or so for their commute and for that a backpack or messenger bag would be just fine.  If your commute is longer and you don't want to invest a true commuting bike with mounts then lets look at a couple of different options out there for you:

You could get a seatpost mounted rack and hang panniers from that.  We have a customer that just attached this type of setup to his Specialized Shiv and rode back to Buffalo from the Lake Placid area.  If you are not planning on doing any heavy hauling this is a great option.

Another option is to backpack it.  I do this about 90% of the time on my commute and the only time it is bothersome is when the weather has been like it was this week (Hot & Humid) because the backpack just causes so much more sweat to flow with a lack of airflow on your back.  In the morning it is generally not a problem, but the afternoon commute is not always enjoyable.

I actually have this exact backpack from Banjo Brothers and love it.  It has a lot of storage space, is comfortable and best of all has a waterproof liner that is replaceable (which I am nearing time to do because mine is about 4 years old already and is getting beaten up pretty badly!).

You could use a simple day pack from any of the stores out there as well.  Another option would be to get a smaller hiking backpack which I have done for training purposes as well.  In the end, I prefer my commuter backpack and use it as the go to for the majority of my commutes.  For more information on racks, panniers, or backpacks for your commute stop by the shop and let's talk!



Time to start planning your winter training so stop by and sign up for our Fall or Winter Race Series.  Slots are filling up fast so don't delay!

 

Service Clinic coming up September 26, 2013 - 7:00 - 9:00pm

 

XTerra is Returning to WNY - XTerra ASP September 28, 2013

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