I have a full-fledge commuter now!

[colorisnt]

Today, I put together my commuter officially. Yesterday, I took it to the LBS along with p-clamps and had a rack installed (mainly because I didn't feel like messing with it. The LBS did a great job. I also got a trek waterproof bag for $50.00 and the whole thing with install came to $100.00 - good deal, I think. It would have cost me more to ship both the rack and the bag than the install cost.

So, that was installed, but I wanted panniers. I wanted something really versatile and didn't find any that I had to have yesterday and if I liked them they were well over $100.00. Because I am a student, I don't want to park something so expensive on campus. Because I will be grading this semester and transferring papers to and from the department, I needed something that was sturdy and could handle blue books, papers, etc.

Well, I found a tutorial on crazyguyonabike.com and made some myself! I am not a very mechanically talented person, but my mother (engineering) is and she helped me find the hardware that would make it even MORE sturdy. It was really easy and took about an hour once I had everything. I used sterilite containers and will paint them perriwinkle and line them with grocery bags. I am also putting very nice reflective tape on the sides. They are secured with hooks and bungee cords and work great. Light too!

For about $40.00, I got a great set of panniers that are so ghetto no one will want to steal them.


Sorry the pics are huge, but I know without pictures, the thread is useless!

[Tri Girl]

bummer- I can't see the pics. Is it just me?

Congrats on your new commuter all ghetto'd out.

[malkin]

Can't see pics either--but I really want to!

[colorisnt]

Darn pictures! Oye. I will repost when I get home from work.

[HipGnosis6]

In middle school, I rode my bike all the time and managed my books by dropping my backpack into a milk crate that was bungeed to my bike rack. I see the same all over town. It doesn't have to be expensive to be effective!