Introduction and Question on Bike Trailers vs. Panniers

[Brandon]

I’ve been lurking on the forum for a couple months now and finally decided to join and start contributing. As my name implies, I ride an e-bike currently but please don’t hold it against me! Back when I was younger, I rode a lot commuting for work, to the gym, recreationally, etc. That fell off when I met my now wife and lived further out from the city. Fast forward 10+ years, a couple kids, no exercise, bad eating habits, and I found myself about to tip the scales at 300 lbs. In May, I came across a review of an ebike. I had no idea they existed. So I my opportunity to get back into shape and start biking again and bought one. I didn’t get it until the end of June, so I’ve only been commuting since July really. I live on the Oakton/Vienna border and work in SW DC. When I started, I had to be in the highest level of assistance the whole way (17.5 miles each leg), but as I’ve lost weight (down to 250 now) and gotten stronger, I’ve continued to dial back the assistance to get a good workout while maintaining 15-16 mph so I meet child care responsibilities and eventually get back on my old bike. I generally ride 5 days a week including inclement weather (I only skip holidays, staying home with sick kids, etc.). I’ve also been taking the occasional car day to change out my suits at work and dry clean them but I really hate doing that now, I miss the riding commute.

Which leads to my question: for those that have panniers like the nash that can hold suits, how many could you reasonably fit in there? If I wanted to use it to bring home 2-3 suits and 4-5 shirts, would it fit? What about the 2 wheel gear pannier? I’m also thinking about just getting a used burley and I figured I could stuff it all in there and haul that in and home every couple weeks, but it seems overkill if I can fit them in a pannier set up like those.

Topic

[Emm]

Welcome! I’m really happy to hear that you’ve been able to integrate biking into your commute and had such fantastic results already

There’s someone on my commute from S. Alexandria to SW DC that rides an ebike and has a small trailer that runs behind him. It looks kinda like this one by burley: https://burley.com/product/travoy/ I like it because it seems like it’s NOT overkill for what he’s using it for–he appears to use it to hold his briefcase and a clothing bag. I’m guessing he likes it well enough since he’s been using it for 2+ years now (based on when I’ve seen him.) If you end up going the trailer route, it might be worth considering something like this if the only use you’d have for the trailer is commuting.

[Judd]

Congrats on the weight loss and also to being able to dial down the pedal assist so quickly. Is getting your dry cleaning done at some place near work an option? That would save you from carrying them at all.

[Brandon]

@Judd 164777 wrote:

Congrats on the weight loss and also to being able to dial down the pedal assist so quickly. Is getting your dry cleaning done at some place near work an option? That would save you from carrying them at all.

Thanks!
So I’ve been looking at nearby drycleaners too, but I seem to be in a dead zone and it’s a good half mile or more to the closest one, thought about doing a cab/uber but I hate the thought of making it an odyssey to handle drycleaning every couple weeks (and with a LOT higher prices than by my house). So I’m thinking it’s not worth the effort for higher prices if I can just squeeze it in a garment bag once a week or or lug a trailer in every 2-3 weeks.

[Brandon]

@Emm 164776 wrote:

Welcome! I’m really happy to hear that you’ve been able to integrate biking into your commute and had such fantastic results already

There’s someone on my commute from S. Alexandria to SW DC that rides an ebike and has a small trailer that runs behind him. It looks kinda like this one by burley: https://burley.com/product/travoy/ I like it because it seems like it’s NOT overkill for what he’s using it for–he appears to use it to hold his briefcase and a clothing bag. I’m guessing he likes it well enough since he’s been using it for 2+ years now (based on when I’ve seen him.) If you end up going the trailer route, it might be worth considering something like this if the only use you’d have for the trailer is commuting.

That’s really interesting, especially since I wouldn’t have to fold them over anything at all like the rack with panniers and could use a regular garment bag. It’s definitely more $$ than I was thinking/hoping, but that might be an option.

[Left Field]

@NovaEbike 164778 wrote:

Thanks!
So I’ve been looking at nearby drycleaners too, but I seem to be in a dead zone and it’s a good half mile or more to the closest one, thought about doing a cab/uber but I hate the thought of making it an odyssey to handle drycleaning every couple weeks (and with a LOT higher prices than by my house). So I’m thinking it’s not worth the effort for higher prices if I can just squeeze it in a garment bag once a week or or lug a trailer in every 2-3 weeks.

Congrats on the weight loss as well! I had a performance suit bag/panier until it wore out after about 4 years. I found that I could fit about 2/3 suits, 4 shirts, and stuff a lot of ties in it. As you are taking them home and don’t care about wrinkles, you can use the exterior pockets and up the number. The only issue I had is that if it is raining hard, the seam will leak a little. But that can fixed with an extra adhesive rubber strip around the exterior zipper and that solved the problem. I use regular panniers now (mix of 1 Ortlieb and 1 Transit) and find that I can generally fit 3 suits and if I stuff, 4 shirts in 1 pannier bag, with nothing else in the bag. Folding/rolling the suits tightly is the key to fitting them.

[MFC]

I keep my suit jackets and shoes, in a closet in my office, and carry a fresh shirt, tie and socks (and lunch) each day in a backpack. I also keep a spare tie and socks in a drawer in my office, given my amazing ability to forget things.

[Brandon]

@Left Field 164780 wrote:

Congrats on the weight loss as well! I had a performance suit bag/panier until it wore out after about 4 years. I found that I could fit about 2/3 suits, 4 shirts, and stuff a lot of ties in it. As you are taking them home and don’t care about wrinkles, you can use the exterior pockets and up the number. The only issue I had is that if it is raining hard, the seam will leak a little. But that can fixed with an extra adhesive rubber strip around the exterior zipper and that solved the problem. I use regular panniers now (mix of 1 Ortlieb and 1 Transit) and find that I can generally fit 3 suits and if I stuff, 4 shirts in 1 pannier bag, with nothing else in the bag. Folding/rolling the suits tightly is the key to fitting them.

When you say you could fit 2/3 suits and 4 shirts, did that include the jackets? If so, that would probably be perfect since I can rotate through the stock I keep at my office pretty easily.

[Left Field]

@NovaEbike 164782 wrote:

When you say you could fit 2/3 suits and 4 shirts, did that include the jackets? If so, that would probably be perfect since I can rotate through the stock I keep at my office pretty easily.

It does include jackets. But you have really work on getting the folding technique down. I turn the jacket inside out, they lay it out, fold the arms in the middle, fold the jacket lengthwise in half, and then roll it tightly, really tight, otherwise you are only going to fit two suits.

[AFHokie]

I use the 2 wheel gear bag and can stuff quite a bit into it.

This thread has more information: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?12052-Pannier-or-Backpack-for-Business-Attire

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

[americancyclo]

A forumite is selling a nashbar garment bag on DC Used Bicycle Marketplace for $40

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcusedicyclemarketplace/permalink/2006875942876324/?sale_post_id=2006875942876324

save $20 off the online price

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_563348_-1___

[Steve O]

@MFC 164781 wrote:

I also keep a spare tie and socks in a drawer in my office, given my amazing ability to forget things.

A friend told me it’s also a good idea to keep spare underwear. He said it can be uncomfortable going commando all day.

[trailrunner]

@Steve O 164795 wrote:

A friend told me it’s also a good idea to keep spare underwear. He said it can be uncomfortable going commando all day.

Indeed. In my office, I keep an extra pair of underwear, and an extra pair of brown and grey dress socks. I have learned from experience.

[Left Field]

@trailrunner 164798 wrote:

Indeed. In my office, I keep an extra pair of underwear, and an extra pair of brown and grey dress socks. I have learned from experience.

Indeed, the extra pair of pants and belt as well. I can pull it off without the jacket, but without pants…awkward. It’s amazing what can be forgotten at 4:30 in the morning.

[Vicegrip]

Shoes. Cycling shoes are snappy looking when on a bike but a bit odd in the hallway and a hard to walk in.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@americancyclo 164793 wrote:

A forumite is selling a nashbar garment bag on DC Used Bicycle Marketplace for $40

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcusedicyclemarketplace/permalink/2006875942876324/?sale_post_id=2006875942876324

save $20 off the online price

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_563348_-1___

Forum price $30.

To the OP, taking home for dry cleaning you could fit 3-4 suits with jackets easily. Bringing them in I’ve taken 2 at a time with jackets.

[Author]

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