Seeking Recommendations: Rear Rack + Shoulder Bag

[culimerc]

I gave the sling bag and backpack a try. It didnt work for me at all. I started having serious back pain after just a couple of days. Panniers were the only option for me, and they’ve worked great.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@ShawnoftheDread 36663 wrote:

How are you calculating the 9/10 of a cent it takes you to ride?

The number is derived from a complex set of equations known as the “Lon Anderson Principle.” Q=s/(g*m)*(w*b/700c) where:

s = smugness level
g= price of gas
m = molecular weight of chromoly steel
w = number of wheels
b = miles of bike lane
Q = WAR ON CARS

[Arlingtonrider]

Mine are pan – ears. They hear everything.

[dasgeh]

Really? I’ve always said “pan-ee-ays”, though my husband suggests “panny-er” as in “more pantied”

[mstone]

As a motorist, I suggest putting the light on the bike and using a long strip of wide-angle reflective fabric/tape on the bag. A lot of the cyclists I see while driving have bag blinkers pointed at sky or ground, and aren’t really visible from a car. That’s hard to check on the bike, also.

[aflapr]

@mstone 36689 wrote:

As a motorist, I suggest putting the light on the bike and using a long strip of wide-angle reflective fabric/tape on the bag. A lot of the cyclists I see while driving have bag blinkers pointed at sky or ground, and aren’t really visible from a car. That’s hard to check on the bike, also.

Agree – I have a rear light on my seatpost, but after reading the post on improving your visibility – I festooned my bike/helmet/bag with reflectors, reflective tape, and I like adding the extra light. With the cold weather gear, I’m close to looking like Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd when they dressed us as the “aliens” at the end of “Spies Like Us”…

[vvill]

@mstone 36689 wrote:

As a motorist, I suggest putting the light on the bike and using a long strip of wide-angle reflective fabric/tape on the bag. A lot of the cyclists I see while driving have bag blinkers pointed at sky or ground, and aren’t really visible from a car. That’s hard to check on the bike, also.

I do this with my backpack. I like having this setup because then I don’t need to wear super reflective yellow clothes all the time. I also have one of those little red blinkies on the back of my helmet (again – always there, and no need to own several/transfer them unlike bike mounted/seatpost lights).

One thing I also like is having reflective material on your gloves or forearms (my arm warmers have a reflective logo). Helps for signalling (…I imagine).

[rcannon100]

Okay, I have worked myself into a circle.
* I liked mstone’s comments about breathability.
* I read this excellent piece comparing the Arkel, the Ortlieb, and the Vaude – this was actually a review of touring bags – the conclusion for touring is that the author likes the Arkel, but uses the Ortlieb for daily commute.
* Then there is this excellent blog post on the Mid Atlantic Bike Commuting blog which is very favorable of the Arkel Metropolitan.
* I also notice that the Ortlieb is the brand that REI is featuring (I tend to like the REI stuff)
* I like pockets; the Arkel has pockets.

BUT! Looking at the specs, the Arkel has a capacity of 1400 cu in. My old Performance Transit EPIC DX had double that! The Ortlieb has a capacity of 2,441 cubic inches.

Oye. I fill my Transit EPIC bags all the time – well I run with just one bag – but its full. I wince at cutting the capacity so dramatically. So, thinking I was going for the Arkel, I am now veering back to the Ortlieb…. although I really would like it to breath. Shucks, maybe I will go back to the Transit EPIC back. Its not as good as the others – and it wore out – but it has capacity, it breaths, and it has pockets.

Hum. Hum. Shopping is hard! Bicycling is easy.

[mstone]

@rcannon100 36828 wrote:

BUT! Looking at the specs, the Arkel has a capacity of 1400 cu in. My old Performance Transit EPIC DX had double that! The Ortlieb has a capacity of 2,441 cubic inches.

Oye. I fill my Transit EPIC bags all the time – well I run with just one bag – but its full. I wince at cutting the capacity so dramatically. So, thinking I was going for the Arkel, I am now veering back to the Ortlieb…. although I really would like it to breath. Shucks, maybe I will go back to the Transit EPIC back. Its not as good as the others – and it wore out – but it has capacity, it breaths, and it has pockets.

Make sure you’re not comparing single pannier capacity to pair capacity. (The arkel is sold as an individual, the ortlieb as a pair.) A single pannier with 2400 cu inch capacity would be unusually huge.

[rcannon100]

Ah!*

That is an impressive price differential. That makes the Arkel 3.5x more expensive (comparing a 2 bag purchase) than the Transit EPIC DX that I have, and ~2x as expensive as the Ortlieb Back Roller.

Thanks mstone! Hmmmmmmm.

Any bikeshop that might be lurking actually have these in inventory (Bikehouse which is listed on the Arkel website did not have them yesterday)

*Confirmed: Arkel is selling as a single, and is measured as a single. The Back Roller is measured as a pair. The Transit EPIC DX isnt perfectly clear, but the specs uses the plural panniers so I assume they mean both. Comparing Apples to half-apples.

[DaveK]

@rcannon100 36828 wrote:

* I also notice that the Ortlieb is the brand that REI is featuring (I tend to like the REI stuff)

I like buying at REI if they have something I want just because of the excellent return policy. I don’t want to be that guy that brings something back after 3 months, but it’s nice to know I can. Not to mention the dividend.

[mstone]

@rcannon100 36837 wrote:

That is an impressive price differential. That makes the Arkel 3.5x more expensive (comparing a 2 bag purchase) than the Transit EPIC DX that I have, and ~2x as expensive as the Ortlieb Back Roller.

Well, I think the key is the target market. Arkel’s commuter bag, they assume people will run singly and it’s optimized for that (carrying function, etc.). Their non-commuting panniers come in pairs: http://www.arkel-od.com/us/all-categories/touring-bike-bag/t-42-lite-touring-panniers.htm (you know you want all those pockets )

[rcannon100]

Oooh! Those are nice. But what the hell does this mean???

for lighter credit card touring

Is that an ELITE Cyclist way of saying you’re staying at the hotel, not packing a tent :rolleyes:

I had looked at the GT-54’s and just laughed. Pockets good but someone is drinking too much coffee.

[DismalScientist]

@rcannon100 36876 wrote:

Is that an ELITE Cyclist way of saying you’re staying at the hotel, not packing a tent :rolleyes:

Not only that (ditching the tent and sleeping bag) but often eating at restaurants and avoiding carrying food.

For real light credit card touring, buy new clothing every evening.:rolleyes:

[KelOnWheels]

@rcannon100 36876 wrote:

Is that an ELITE Cyclist way of saying you’re staying at the hotel, not packing a tent :rolleyes:

Crabon fiber credit cards. Saves you at least a gram!

[Author]

Posts