I Got a New Bike!
 

OK, no I didn't. I did take off the rack, bag, and panniers and the transformation is absolutely astonishing. My bike is fun to ride again!

When I first rode the bike, I was absolutely amazed. I was gliding. GLIDING. Amazing ride. Then I figured, "I'll do the right thing," put a rack, panniers and a bag on the bike and haul groceries to save gas, save the environment and overall do the right and honorable thing as a Green Party eco do-gooder.

Yeah yeah yeah, the bike suddenly became a leaden, slow to turn, very harsh-riding, slow to accelerate, knee pain inducing monstrosity. I rode it that way for almost two years for grocery hauls. I hated it, but I was unwilling to give up on the illusion that bikes can and should be used for utility. I've given up on that dream and ride for fun now. I took off the rack and everything attached to it, and bingo! It's wonderful to ride again. For whatever reason, I don't get that same huge grin-inducing fun factor I first had when riding but it's a huge step up from boat anchor rack/pannier days.

Oddly enough, carrying the u-lock and cable don't seem so onerous in a backpack. Stowed in a rear bag along with the rack and panniers was just awful. For whatever reason, carrying weight on my person poses less of a problem than hauling it on the bike. Adding a ton of weight to the rear of the bike impacts handling adversely to a degree that I never suspected possible.

Of course, the problem is, I either have to drive or make multiple trips hauling groceries in my backpack now whereas before when I had two panniers, one smallish bag AND a backpack it only required one. But that's a tradeoff I'm willing to accept. I choose fun over utility.

Terrific?

haha cool! I stripped a bike this fall w the intent to sell it but I haven't yet. been toying with the idea of taking it for a bare bones ride

Most civilised countries have nearly free nationwide food delivery from major supermarket chains to your door. Just book a one hour slot and it's done.

Do you not have that? What backwater country are you living in?

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https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/featur...ng-uk-3636669/

start here:

https://www.ocado.com/webshop/startWebshop.do

personally, I just cycle over to ALDI or LIDL with a backpack and it's not a problem. Backpacks always win, hands down. Panniers are useless for mutlimodal commuting.

You're missing the obvious solution: Dedicated Cargo Bike.
When in doubt, N=N+1.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d293d3ba4d.jpg

This. Because you're not usually riding far on them, a cargo bike doesn't need to be fancy or expensive. I often find worthy candidates on the curb on trash day. Certainly under a hundred on CL.

how are panniers useless for multimodal commuting?
1 of my panniers is the size of a backpack. If I commuted with multiple modes, I could simply detach the pannier and carry it just like many carry a bag while commuting.
bike to train?- simply unhook and carry.
bike to car?- simply unhook and carry.
Car to bike?- simply carry and hook.
train to bike?- uhoh that could be an issue. Oh wait, it isnt. Simply carry and hook.

Get yourself a Burley Travoy trailer for the days you want to carry a load of groceries and keep your bike the way it is. I agree with you, there is something liberating about having a unladen bike.

You didn't account for the rack itself. It's more fun to ride without it.

You've opened up a can of worms. That comment right there has a potential to create a heated debate which can drag on for 10 pages:lol:...Personally I also prefer a backpack for commuting and errands.

preference of one over the other makes sense. We are all different, have varying needs, and the number if options is appreciated to fit our styles.
making an absurd declarative statement calling one way useless is going to for sure get some pushback.

I put skelatal racks on most of my bikes. They add ounces and are there if need be ...

+1 for the trailer idea. If it's serious shopping and semi-decent weather, just pull the trailer. Get home, un-hook and you have a naked bike :D

Although I also agree on rescuing a toss-away bike to make an errand bike out of. It's saving one from the landfill/crusher and it keeps the fun bike, fun :)

`htfu

Fair point. Been pushed for time recently and my commentary has become more terse of late.

A pannier is quite optimal for riding to work/home and picking up stuff. If I lived in a city with proper wide bike lanes, like when I lived in CPH, I'd go with a Christiana bike hands down. The UK doesn't have these lanes, so a standard bike it is. I think it's about the fit of the backpack and not having too large of one. I try to keep my commute distance moderate as transport is expensive in the UK and traffic is a nightmare. I also live/work on an island thus any coming on/off is constricted, so I want something for short distances.

I don't need cycling specific clothes and I find that a 20L backpack more than serves my needs (food for a few days). A change of clothes will also when I'm flying somewhere.

I like the weight of a proper backpack on my back (I've had the same Arc'teryx Spear 20 since 2010 when living in Frankfurt and it's been stellar.)

The pannier/backpack options are always uncomfortable (Ortlieb makes great stuff but it's not really suitable for daily life as a backpack, plus they're always dirty).

HTH and I'd answer more questions should it be necessary.

So, you'd lose the use of a hand while walking long distances?

My two most common multimode commutes are:

House in city, bike 1, to train 1, to London, to subway 1 and 2 (1 miles walk and three subway changes), new train 2, new bike 2, second house 2. I have to say that sometimes I want a hand free to hold a coffee and/or push a button to open a door or a ticket machine. Losing a hand, carrying a dirty bag to rub on my clean clothes isn't good at all. This along the southern coast of England to Cambridge.

House 2, to bike 2, to hovercraft 1, to bike 3 to train 1, to London airport 1, to CPH, to other bike 4, to flat 1. I definitely don't want to deal with a dirty pannier into the overhead bin and through airport security. I want both hands free for shopping for gifts/drinking coffee while walking/answering phone/etc...

Anything that loses a hand is a big minus, also the panniers can quite dirty, and I don't use cycling specific clothing, so I don't want the dirt on my clothes. The Ortlieb stuff is good as pannier, but it's horrible as a backpack. Also, shopping will holding a pannier isn't so nice.

Honestly, at least around around metro Europe, a backpack always wins, which why you always see European tourists with them around the US.

I think anyone who lives in an urban area would go backpack. Anyone living in the woods and having a 25 mile RT commute to work in a metro might have an argument for a pannier, but once something needs to be carried by hand or as an uncomfortable backpack it's out for me as that degrades daily life too much.

I don't mind, I doubt that people multimode like I do or even have the option to. I've been down this road many times and with kids on way backpack wins even more, especially when running a front childseat for commuting.

Not gonna way over here. In a non-medieval city like Toronto perhaps, but just about anywhere in Europe, with the exception of NL/S/NO/SE, trailers are way too wide/cumbersome. I'm going the usually route of front kid seat and rear Römer Jockey as it gets older. I'll evaluate the backpack/kid seat combo in 18 months, which could make me change my mind.

I suppose the 1.5# a quality aluminum pannier rack weighs is noticable. I admittedly only have a rack on the bike i use when wanting to carry things(commute, tour, shop), so its awesome that removing a rack has made riding more fun for you.

again, there are many options available for the many ways which people commute. Preferences create options to cater to what people want.

you declared panniers are useless for multimodal commuting and that's the issue I disagree with.
a pannier would work perfectly for a 3mi bike ride to the train and the half mile walk from the train to work. Other options could work great too.
walking with a bag, briefcase, etc in one hand for 7min isnt for you, but its managed to work for millions upon millions for decades(centuries?).

Again, it's great that many options are available to allow for individual preferences. Declaring something as useless just because you don't like it is absurd.

ok, so what you do is great for your situation. It's cool to hear the different setups people use to commute.
declaring an entire setup as useless is what creates disagreement because it isnt useless, its just not ideal for you.

if I had a 15mi bike ride, to a 20min ferry ride, to a 5min bike ride unto work- my back would be a swesty mess with a backpack so that wouldnt be ideal for me. Perhaps it would work for someone who doesn't sweat as much.

options allow more people to commute in the way they like the most. That doesnt mean other ways are useless.