Laptop backpack for cycling

casion3

Hi all
Apologies if this has been brought up before.
Did a search and can't find anything recent.
Looking for a backback for cycling to work.
Needs to hold 17 inch laptop.
Hour and half commute so needs to be water proof.
The best I can find is this one from Decathlon

https://www.decathlon.ie/ie_en/waterproof-bike-backpack-elops-speed-500-25l-en-s300846.html

And user experiences let me know

Wishbone Ash

casion3 wrote: »

.. needs to be water proof....

Wrap the laptop in a couple of bin liners and don't worry too much about the waterproofing as, in very heavy rain, it's virtually impossible to stay waterproof. I've being doing that without fail for years as I wouldn't trust any back pack to keep it dry.

Carfacemandog

Saddle/pannier bags might be a better idea. I started cycling to work last year, and found myself constantly out of breath on steady ascents even when my legs felt perfectly fine... now I did need about 4-6 weeks to get fitter and used to the cycle anyway, but literally the day I made the swap from a backpack to pannier bags the breathing issue completely stopped (and the dreaded 9am sweaty back died off almost entirely).

casion3

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Wrap the laptop in a couple of bin liners and don't worry too much about the waterproofing as, in very heavy rain, it's virtually impossible to stay waterproof. I've being doing that without fail for years as I wouldn't trust any back pack to keep it dry.

Ya I think the the bin liner is a good idea.
Picked that bag cos it only one I could find that would fit 17" laptop.

Not there with panniers yet. Think the bag might be useful on non cycling days as well.

If you want 100% waterproof, get an Ortlieb pannier

Biker79

Can recommend the Rapha roll top. Its held up perfectly on a 20 km commute in heavy rain. Does the job for grocery shopping as well.

https://www.rapha.cc/eu/en/shop/roll-top-backpack/product/RBT01XXDGN

casion3

Biker79 wrote: »

Can recommend the Rapha roll top. Its held up perfectly on a 20 km commute in heavy rain. Does the job for grocery shopping as well.

https://www.rapha.cc/eu/en/shop/roll-top-backpack/product/RBT01XXDGN

Thanks. Will only fit 15" laptop though

casion3

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If you want 100% waterproof, get an Ortlieb pannier

I'm not sure I can attach panniers to carbon frame. Defo no eyelets
Sounds like a lot of D**King around for the one or 2 days a week I'm in the office

at1withmyself

I have used Deuter bags for over 10 years and find them great, they come with detachable rain covers which are hidden in the bag itself so always on stand by.

However I wouldn't fancy carrying a 17" laptop for more then a few km's as that's a lot of weight on your back. I carry my 15" the odd time and find that's pushing it for comfort. I suppose my point is when scoping a backpack then consider the weight of the bag itself.

https://www.deuter.com/ie-en/shop/c27778-backpacks

Biker79

casion3 wrote: »

Thanks. Will only fit 15" laptop though

Oh yeah. Panniers are probably the best bet then.

beauf

I dunno what you are doing that you need to lug a 17" around on a regular basis of on a bicycle. I think I'd rethink that. I'd buy a more portable 13" or smaller usff machine and leave a monitor at your location. Sync to cloud or an encrypted disk or something.

I say that as someone who used to haul a 17" laptop around for design work but I was in the car. I've only ever had a cloudbook with me on the bicycle, and that eventually got replaced by an external drive then a usb stick.

Panniers are much better than a back pack. If a carbon bike can't take panniers. What's the point of carbon bike if you're lugging a massive computer on your back.

WOT

casion3 wrote: »

I'm not sure I can attach panniers to carbon frame. Defo no eyelets
Sounds like a lot of D**King around for the one or 2 days a week I'm in the office

Topeak beam rack plus ortlieb laptop bag. 5mins on and off again.

I did pannier plus conventional ortlieb roll top, with the laptop itself in an additional case for 2 years. Never an issue with water.

To actually answer your question how about an ortlieb messenger:
https://www.ortlieb.com/en_us/products/backpacks

silverharp

I used to carry mine in a pannier no issue, probably better to get one that doesnt taper at the bottom but didnt find it an issue

casion3

beauf wrote: »

I dunno what you are doing that you need to lug a 17" around on a regular basis of on a bicycle. I think I'd rethink that. I'd buy a more portable 13" or smaller usff machine and leave a monitor at your location. Sync to cloud or an encrypted disk or something.

I say that as someone who used to haul a 17" laptop around for design work but I was in the car. I've only ever had a cloudbook with me on the bicycle, and that eventually got replaced by an external drive then a usb stick.

Panniers are much better than a back pack. If a carbon bike can't take panniers. What's the point of carbon bike if you're lugging a massive computer on your back.

It's a company laptop and the size is handy for screen size.
Wasn't an issue before as I'd just leave in office when cycling in and out.

Not due a replacement so asking for smaller in a pandemic not an option.

Only one or 2 days in the office now. The rest is at home.

The point of the carbon bike is that I have it already. It wasn't specced thinking of carrying around a laptop.
Neither was laptop tbf.

Bigserious1

I used one of these for years and never had a drop of rain get into it. Still holding up great too. Not very fancy though and only one big compartment so may not be suitable for a laptop though. The chest straps were great though to stop the bag moving around when cycling.

https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/high-visibility-drybag-cycling.html#SID=119

Wishbone Ash

beauf wrote: »

... I think I'd rethink that. I'd buy a more portable 13" or smaller usff machine....

Many of us don't have the luxury of deciding what equipment we use and are blocked from making any changes to that equipment.

Highway_To_Hell

I would be wary if the laptop doesn't have a SSD. I use to commute with a laptop in a side pannier and destroyed it due to harddisk failure caused by the reparative shaking while cycling, this would be less problematic with a SSD harddisk and carried on you back and not a pannier. Rain was never an issue as I use a foam laptop case and put this in a decent plastic bag.

beauf

I used a ortlieb waterproof pannier bag with rolled top. Only issue was it has only one compartment. So getting something out of it quickly like a phone, wasn't easy. Also the strap on mine for carrying was too thin and light for anything other than carrying from the car park to the office. You are a lot cooler, with a pannier than a rucksack. But if you come off the rucksack might break your fall. (did mine).

triggermortis

I have an Ortlieb roll top backpack and it’s been brilliant for the 5+ years I’ve had it. Totally waterproof and doesn’t make my back too sweaty.
It does only have 1 compartment, but there’s a small pocket near the top for phone/ keys/ whatever.
I wouldn’t use anything else now.

CramCycle

I use a Chrome bag, overpriced but has lasted for years (I think its 15 years old this year and still doesn't look more than a few months old) and waterproof. Never had an issue with the laptop getting damaged.

Khumatmibro

casion3 wrote: »

Hi all
Apologies if this has been brought up before.
Did a search and can't find anything recent.
Looking for a backback for cycling to work.
Needs to hold 17 inch laptop.
Hour and half commute so needs to be water proof.
The best I can find is this one from Decathlon

https://www.decathlon.ie/ie_en/waterproof-bike-backpack-elops-speed-500-25l-en-s300846.html

And user experiences let me know

I just use a regatta back pack (most are water resistant). I line it with a dry bag on the inside and just put books and laptop in there.

eeeee

I use a deuter bike bag for my 40k round trip commute (pre covid).
You need something that doesn't just sit on your back. The deuter ones have a mesh and channels that make a gap between your bank and the load, otherwise it's manky sweat city and all that goes with it.
I've gone through heavy rain, snow etc, I just pull the rain cover over and it's fine. If it's a really stormy day I'll put the laptop in a plastic bag in the bag.
They have laptop compartments in them too.
You're also gonna want something comfy to wear, strap wise too too distribute the weight. I tried normal backpacks and went with the deuter one, it's comfier, less sweaty and easier to carry stuff in it.

site_owner

id recommend geting a comfortable backpack for 90mins each way and put the laptop in a decent sleeve inside it.
17in is probably on the heavy end, and you likely have other gear to carry.
since you cant fit panniers, get something thats not going to be torturous to cycle with

might be overkill but as an idea for a sleeeve
https://aquaquestwaterproof.com/products/storm-laptop-case?variant=31800106483789

casion3

site_owner wrote: »

id recommend geting a comfortable backpack for 90mins each way and put the laptop in a decent sleeve inside it.
17in is probably on the heavy end, and you likely have other gear to carry.
since you cant fit panniers, get something thats not going to be torturous to cycle with

might be overkill but as an idea for a sleeeve
https://aquaquestwaterproof.com/products/storm-laptop-case?variant=31800106483789

That might be a good idea.
I think I can get the amount of gear i need down to minimum, if I had extra charger etc so that I wouldn't be moving that back and forth.

I will have to live with the discomfort of carrying a bag on my back me thinks.
sweaty back here i come!

When I did it before I got pretty organisied had my cloths and food and all that ready at work so I didn't have to carry anything in with me.

I have a few recommendations there now to check out thanks

CramCycle

casion3 wrote: »

I will have to live with the discomfort of carrying a bag on my back me thinks.
sweaty back here i come!

I found it's not as bad as people make out if you wear the right clothes cycling. It is worse in the summer but at this time of year, you would hardly sweat at all, just don't start TTing into and out of work. During the summer, its not even that bad and my bag is one that hugs your back completely, I found the padded ones with "sweat gaps" to just cause very localised sweating. Also my Chrome bag has on occasion saved my skin from getting ripped off as I turned it into the ground while coming down.

casion3

CramCycle wrote: »

I found it's not as bad as people make out if you wear the right clothes cycling. It is worse in the summer but at this time of year, you would hardly sweat at all, just don't start TTing into and out of work. During the summer, its not even that bad and my bag is one that hugs your back completely, I found the padded ones with "sweat gaps" to just cause very localised sweating. Also my Chrome bag has on occasion saved my skin from getting ripped off as I turned it into the ground while coming down.

Cool, ya I've spent the day on MTB and adventure races with bag on back. Bit uncomfortable. The laptop will be a bit heavier. I'll just have get used to it. Worth the sacrifice