Quote Originally Posted by wildstreaktn View Post
Wow,thanks for all the input,ladies.I'll check out those sites and let you all know what I come up with for my new daily 24 mile round trip commute!
As usual, I'm late to the party...

Wildstreak, my commute is pretty much the same length as yours, and if I were buying *new* equipment rather than just figuring out how to make do, I wouldn't go for a backpack if I were you. I used one for awhile when I first started just because it's what I had, but it was hot, uncomfortable if I needed to carry more than lunch, and made me feel kind of unstable and like I couldn't see behind me as well as I'd like.

Right now I'm using an old Schwinn touring bag that I picked up on Craigslist, and while it's still not perfect (the weight is still not low and balanced), it's sooooo nice not having weight on my back and in my way!

But I think the best solution for long-ish commutes like ours is the pannier/rack combination. I plan to pick up some Ortliebs as soon as I can afford them, maybe as a self-awarded prize for reaching a mileage point.