Originally Posted by
hotbike
Well, you might as well get a bakfiets then. My pannier/tailbox ends the dilemma of choosing between saddlebags, or placing the basket on top of the rack... by combining both in one.
Obviously having more options is good. Incidentally, the last issue of Bicycle Quarterly has a reprinted article (from 50's) on the history of carrying luggage on bikes and the panniers evolved, from a box on top of the rack, to 2 bags low on the sides. My personal situation is like OP's, I carry a lot of stuff and it must be manageable on the ground and bike. Repacking is out of question. As to bakfiets, I put a large flat box onto a folder and it works that way. The screws for the box are tripod ones and can be unscrewed with hands only, to retain the folder's transportability.