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Commuting luggage options

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MattH:
Returning to cycle commuting due to finally getting the new office up and running (hurrah!), I need to look at luggage. Basically I need to be able to carry a laptop (no bigger than 15"), lunch, some clothes, and a bit of room for tools and general junk.

For many years I used a Carradice Bike Bureau, but gave that to my youngest as a commuting bag for uni and he loves it so much there's no way I'm getting it back  :thumbsup: My intention at that point was just to buy another if and when I needed it. Now I'm wondering if there are any other options I should be considering or just to do that as I know it worked.

Any ideas for other things I should be considering? The Audax MK3 has a rack and SQR block (the rack is one of the really narrow top ones that's just suitable for hanging panniers on), the Roubaix just has an SQR block, but if I'm using that I'll probably not carry a laptop so be OK with the couple of bags I have for that. I've also got a Bagman QR, but MrsH says I'm not allowed the leather satchel Carradice sell now.

Any wizzy new options before I just buy another Bike Bureau?

Ham:
Over the years I've used many different bags, the Bike Bureau - as long as you don't mind it's bulkiness and weight - is the best, especially long term. Just do it, you know you want to.

Greenbank:
I moved to panniers and used a generic neoprene wallet thing from eBay to protect the laptop[1], just found it more flexible and panniers with a good shoulder strap were easier to carry at each end (100m walk from where I lock my bike up at each end) and I often had 56L of panniers filled with football stuff, work clothes, towel, laptop, lunch(es), etc.

Unrelated but the most useful change was getting an extra power brick so I could have one at home and work meaning I didn't need to transport that each time. On a older W-series Thinkpad this was important as the power brick was enormous, current T-series Thinkpad less so.

1. The laptop belonged to work so I was never fussed if it got bounced around too much, nothing ever happened to it in 3 years of 3 days/week back/forth.

Frank9755:
I just use an Altura version of Bike Bureau.  I've used it for about 20 years and it has never damaged a laptop and never leaked - and it looks presentable enough to take to meetings. 

I expect newer versions should be as good.  I'm sure that other solutions would also work, but if a BB has always worked for you, I'd get another one of the same. 

MattH:
The laptop is company issue so I'm not too concerned about that (although at the moment we are very, very short of laptops due to issuing them to people to work from home, so if I break it it'll take a while to get sorted). I've got a couple of padded sleeves, I'll have a look at standard panniers - though I liked the way it suspended the laptop above the bottom so if the big did fill with water (never happened) it wouldn't be sat in a puddle.

On my old bag I did put a really nice shoulder strap onto it as I also used as my travel bag, with everything for a week away in it. The Swedish office had buildings about a mile apart with meetings in any of them, so I'd spend my working day cycling between offices (which was a really nice destress method) and lugging all my kit in it.

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