Commuter bike setup: panniers, trunk bag, milk crate?

[CyclaSutra]

Hey, chickadees,

I'd love to hear your opinions on the optimal commuter bike cargo setup.

Does anyone use a trunk bag? Front basket? Milk crate? panniers that work well on a small size frame mountain bike?

I'm converting my old aluminum Trek 8500 to a commuter. I will be adding slicks, lights, fenders and some sort of cargo system. I want to be able to lug home a few groceries (just enough for dinner for two) or other purchases, and have room for work clothes/shoes/lunch.

It's 10-14 miles each way to work (depending on route). The shorter route is about a third rough gravel road, the long route is all paved along the busyish highway. So because of the rough road, I'm not swapping out the old compression fork (It still travels about an inch, tee hee).

[DeniseGoldberg]

I use a rack and a single rear pannier when I commute to work. (Actually, I use one of the smaller front panniers, just carry it on the rear rack.)

I carry my work clothes, toilet articles, and lunch - and the weight is light enough that using a single pannier does not make the bike feel off-balance.

Depending on the amount of things you plan to pick up at the store, you could add a 2nd pannier (which admittedly is a more normal setup anyway...).

--- Denise

[caligurl]

hubby has arkel panniers and trunk bag on his commuter!

[annie]

Just a trunk bag for me, but it gets pretty stuffed sometimes. I'm thinking of moving up to the trunk bag with the small panniers off the sides. But I never carry groceries......... just my clothes. If I need to carry a lot of stuff, I put the BOB on, but that's overkill most of the time.

annie

[Duck on Wheels]

A few years back, when I lived in sunny California for a year, I bike-commuted and bike-shopped. Used double panniers on the back, which was usually enough for the grocery shopping for just myself and (then) teenage son if I shopped a couple times a week. I also have a backpack, which I used for lightweight but bulky "overflow".

[nuthatch]

I use one of those cheapie saddlebag style panniers that has two side connected with a piece of fabric on the top. It's filled to the brim on both sides with clothes, shoes, lunch, spare jackets, etc., etc. in the winter. But in the summer, I can get away with a trunk bag because summer clothes pack so small. Back in the student days, I did use a milk crate and then a wicker basket on the rear rack. Bad for balance but great for access!

[sydney_b]

I commute year 'round and have to lug a laptop for which I use the Jaand laptop bag. It's worked very well. The only complaint so far is the little rubber thingies that protect the rack from the hooks -- they slide off. Opposite the computer bag is my grocery pannier with my work clothes and miscellaney. Now that it's warming up, i have room to pick up small numbers of grocery items. But, I usually leave groceries for when I get home and can have the boys go with me on their bikes.

The bags are heavy, but it makes me much faster on the weekends after lugging that load around.

[newfsmith]

I've tried messenger bags, rack trunks, back packs, lumbar packs, cat carriers, a plastic tool box, and single or double panniers. I like the panniers best. In the summer I can bring home a dozen ears of corn in one and still have room for the rest of my junk in the other.

[CyclaSutra]

OK,

So I ordered the best of both worlds, I hope. I used the REI refund AND the 20 percent member discount and got the Topeak MTX Trunk Bag with expandable side panniers, AND the rack that it's supposed to just slide right onto and click into place. See the bag below...

http://www.rei.com/product/47802472.htm

I did NOT buy the optional metal brackety doodads that help hold the expanded panniers out from the spokes. I figure the rack should do that. And I can order them later if I need them.

The problem with being out in the middle of nowhere with exactly two decent bike shops in town is that they never stock all the cool stuff and you have to mail order everything and can't be sure that it will fit. I am a tad worried about my heels striking the panniers when they're expanded, because it's a pretty small (15.5-inch) frame, but I will just have to worry about that when the setup arrives.

I have, admittedly, been a returnaphobe, but if this doesn't work you'd better believe I'll be sending it back! Caligirl, your hubby's setup sounds really good, but I want to be a _tad_ more streamlined than always having two bulky panniers. Expandable seemed to be the way to go for me.

Wish me luck!

[Veronica]

I use a large Baggins Bag on a rack. Here it is on my road bike. I've since gotten a Bridgestone MB1 and now it's on that.

V.