Rucksacs

[clarkey]

I'm tempted to get one of these: www.comuta.co.uk/axio-swift.html
Seems ideal - tough case with plenty of room for laptop, etc.
What opinions do you have on wearing a rucksac on a bike? How safe is it? Weight wouldn't be a factor, but I'm concerned about what would happen if I fell off - could it act as a back protector, would the hard case or laptop break my back, or would it not move and my head would smash backwards, breaking my neck or smashing my head??? Or would it be the least of my worries?

What are your thoughts? Riding a bike into London is dangerous enough without increasing the risks of injury when some tosser pulls out in front of you.

[dern]

Personally I wouldn't wear one but it's your decision. I got fed up with my stuff getting wet so I caved in and got a top box. Keeps my stuff dry and is great for weekends in france. Looks toss though I grant you...



...but it's a lot less hassle than the other options

Mark

[Steve_T]

I found a rucksack tended to impede my movement, so went for a baglux tank bag. A bit odd to get used to, but I do prefer it now. You could also look at a tail pack, I used to have one of these before the tank bag. I dumped it when I heard there have been bad accidents from these - when the bungee straps go on one side, the bag can end up jamming your wheel. The BiB at the Bikesafe day I did at the Ace cafe mentioned this as well as another friend who rides.

Re. hard surfaces in your rucksack and risks to your neck/back, TC on this forum has mentioned in the past that people do have a greater risk of spinal injury, if their back protector has a hard edge/outer shell to it. On that basis, a hard ruck sack may present a risk to you. I'd say tank bag or top box as a commuter, yeah you aren't going to win any prizes for looks, but probably safest if you're unfortunate.

Steve.

[DennisTheMenace]

dern said:

Personally I wouldn't wear one but it's your decision. I got fed up with my stuff getting wet so I caved in and got a top box. Keeps my stuff dry and is great for weekends in france. Looks toss though I grant you... ...but it's a lot less hassle than the other options Mark

Fastest pizza delivery in the uk
If i was commuting and using the bike i would fit hard luggage , rucksacks are ok for occasional use i have got a reebok jobbies should i need to transport things , it gets flappy at 150+ though

[iguana]

Expandable tanks bags are top banana, you can fit loads in.

I find racksacs are a right pain on a bike.

[rsvmilly]

I've got one of these rucksacks, the R35;

www.kriega.com/

Very comfortable and has a built-in back protector. Streamlined and doesn't catch the wind too bad. Mine came with a laptop sized waterproof lining too.

Fine for occassional use but, like the others say, hard luggage is the way to go if you're commuting.

[S2rr Kitty]

Dainese do some (expensive) rucksacks with a back protector built in to stop sharp objects digging into you.... I have one and the biggest problem is that it is not waterproof in the slightest... not even showerproof!
Last summer when I wanted guaranteed 'waterproofness' for wallet/passport etc. when touring in France & Spain I bought some Kriega kit - it's really good... totally up to scratch - very expensive but fantastic - the 'bum bags' are really substantial & 100% waterproof & their rucksacks are awesome - spread a heavy load evenly accross very thick padded straps.... Ideal for touring & unpredictable weather! not sure if ideal for a laptop but would give Kriega 10/10 for quality & also for customer service!!

www.kriega.com - Mail order only I think - haven't seen them in 'shops'

[rsvmilly]

Yeah, mail order only when I bought one - they were still called Krug at the time.

Unless its heavily loaded you can almost forget its on there. Lots of thought gone into it to make it easy for a glove-clad biker to use.

[Yoda954]

rsvmilly said:

Unless its heavily loaded you can almost forget its on there. Lots of thought gone into it to make it easy for a glove-clad biker to use.

Hmmmmm......well it's gotta beat Reebok's finest (£9.99 form Toys R Us a few years ago). Mind you, resplendent in yellow & black.....at least it matches me old levvahs - luuuvely !

[Davel]

Used a rucksack for a while. They can be a bit of a pain at speed, so have just bought panniers for the BMW.

Don't like top boxes because they seem to feel the wind more, but solid luggage does work best.

The only thing with the panniers is that they can restrict your filtering ability, especially mine which are expandable.

Have heard one or two horror stories about people wearing rucksacks in a smash but, for occasional use, still use them on short trips.

[dern]

Davel said:

Don't like top boxes because they seem to feel the wind more, but solid luggage does work best.

I was worried about the effect of the top box on my bike but after an initial period of adjustment I haven't found it a bother at all. On a trip to france a couple of years ago it didn't affect my ability to keep up in the slightest, you just get used to it just as you would get used to a new bike with slightly different weight distribution. The only problems come if you load it up with lots of heavy stuff. I can confirm that it's perfectly happy at 150 though despite the warning on the inside of the lid.

I used rucksacks for a while but never found them comfortable. I used a pair of soft panniers for a while but found them insecure, a pain to fit and never water proof (the shower cap simply inflated and caught fire / melted on the exhaust (I had to flag down a bloke on the M'way once who had the same problem). I used a tank bag for ages but found that it just got in the way and leaked in very heavy rain which wasn't much use.

Regards,

Mark

[Davel]

Should have explained that by wind, I meant strong side wind types, especially driving along open roads etc.

Having said that, any hard luggage must be the better option.

[dern]

Davel said:

Should have explained that by wind, I meant strong side wind types, especially driving along open roads etc.

I realised that. I found that it didn't make much difference.

[rsvmilly]

Yoda954 said:

rsvmilly said: Unless its heavily loaded you can almost forget its on there. Lots of thought gone into it to make it easy for a glove-clad biker to use. Hmmmmm......well it's gotta beat Reebok's finest (£9.99 form Toys R Us a few years ago). Mind you, resplendent in yellow & black.....at least it matches me old levvahs - luuuvely !

It's a while since I've seen you post on here.

BTW Love the blade. That shape and colour is one of my favourite bikes

[Yoda954]

rsvmilly said:

It's a while since I've seen you post on here. BTW Love the blade. That shape and colour is one of my favourite bikes

Thanks Milly - I love it too Funnily enough I was considering a RSV (yellow of course), but the blade was the 'one for me'.
I'm usually to be found lurking these days