Professional-looking laptop pannier for a man?
December 6, 2014 12:05 PM Subscribe
Hi everyone! I am searching for a pannier bike bag for my husband that is clean, subtle, and professional looking off the bike.
The closest thing I have found is this Loop Pannier from PoCampo, but I need one that carries a 17" laptop. Plus the black one seems to have a purple lining and the brown one looks a bit feminine to me. Another limiting factor is that my budget is probably no more than $150.
I have searched and searched to no avail. SURELY this exists!! Please hope me MeFites!
The closest thing I have found is this Loop Pannier from PoCampo, but I need one that carries a 17" laptop. Plus the black one seems to have a purple lining and the brown one looks a bit feminine to me. Another limiting factor is that my budget is probably no more than $150.
I have searched and searched to no avail. SURELY this exists!! Please hope me MeFites!
Best answer: The Basil Urban Fold, which is both a messenger bag and a pannier, might fit the bill. It says it has a 15.4" laptop pocket, but I just measued my boyfriend's bag and that refers to the actual width of the bag, not the size of laptop it fits. It fit my work laptop no problem, which I am pretty sure is a 17" (I'll measure on Monday and post), and also has a padded section to separate laptops from the rest of the bag's contents. It's available on Amazon or they have distributers in the US listed here. My boyfriend has one and it's quite sharp.
posted by urbanlenny at 12:43 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by urbanlenny at 12:43 PM on December 6, 2014
In my opinion you want Ortlieb's large office bag, probably in black. Waterproof, holds a 17" laptop, nondescriptly masculine, durable (I used one for 10+ years; eventually a plastic fastener broke--repairable, but I was ready to move on) and in the most recent iteration has an extremely adjustable mounting system to avoid heel strike.
posted by pullayup at 12:50 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by pullayup at 12:50 PM on December 6, 2014
Just as a word of caution, it's unfortunately very easy to damage a laptop in a pannier if you go over a big bump and your bag isn't properly cushioned. I ruined a netbook that way. It was in a case but still didn't have enough padding to protect it. Just something else to look out for - having a separate section to protect your laptop is key!
posted by dialetheia at 12:52 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by dialetheia at 12:52 PM on December 6, 2014
If you do go for the Ortlieb, I recommend the Classic model, not the Plus--the Classic's material is heavier (thicker and weighs more) but also more durable in my experience. It's also less expensive--in the $110 to $150 range, depending on sales and discounts. The Plus models are more like $150+.
posted by pullayup at 1:00 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by pullayup at 1:00 PM on December 6, 2014
Another point about the Ortlieb: it does look a bit waterproof, but the mounting system I mentioned in my first comment, called "QL3" by the company, leaves a large part of the mounting hardware semi-permanently attached to the rack. This considerably cuts down on the impression that it's a "bike bag" as there aren't noticeable clips and hooks and stuff on one side. Also, the rubbery fabric is easy to wipe clean and dry in muddy/rainy weather, which makes it much easier to carry in polite or business settings. Fabric bags can be tough to clean off if you husband bikes in inclement weather. And did I mention that they're almost totally waterproof?
posted by pullayup at 1:09 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by pullayup at 1:09 PM on December 6, 2014
Just to make clear, pullayup's comment about waterproofness is just about appearance(i.e. it is pretty clearly a technical bag of some sort). On the functional side, the Ortliebs are completely waterproof, which in my book is an essential feature in an everyday laptop pannier. Also, that Loop pannier looks like a huge pain to attach and remove, while Ortlieb has mounting and attaching down to a precisely engineered science.
posted by rockindata at 1:18 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by rockindata at 1:18 PM on December 6, 2014
It's a bit higher than your stated price limit but I have this Arkel briefcase. It's durable (I've had it for 10 years), looks fine for work, and has a cushioned floating laptop sleeve. You need the laptop dimensions to see if it would fit in the sleeve.
posted by medusa at 1:30 PM on December 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by medusa at 1:30 PM on December 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't carry a laptop in a pannier because the road shocks would probably damage the machine sooner or later. I would carry the laptop in a backpack while riding.
posted by telstar at 3:27 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by telstar at 3:27 PM on December 6, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks so much everyone!! I am also going for somewhat stylish, so the Ortleib, Jandd, and Arkel bags aren't *quite* there. Love both the Linus and Basil bags. Certainly would want a laptop sleeve, and his ride to work isn't all that bumpy or crazy, so I'm not too worried there. Plus, he currently just uses a regular pannier and has expressed frustration with the laptop getting banged around. Please keep em coming if you have other suggestions/brands to look at!! Thanks again.
posted by TessaGal at 4:38 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by TessaGal at 4:38 PM on December 6, 2014
I don't know if this is quite stylish enough, because even at its best it has a fair bit of DIYish hardware hanging off of it, but witha hand drill, a mending brace, two N223-271 boat snaps, and an assortment of nuts, bolts, and washers, you can convert any briefcase into a pannier.
posted by jackbishop at 6:17 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by jackbishop at 6:17 PM on December 6, 2014
This Arkel (for 17" laptops) might be closer to what you want, stylewise (though, again, they are pricy). I chose a vertical style primarily because I ride a folder with small wheels, which caused my heel to bump against horizontal panniers--something that could well be more of an issue with a 17" laptop even if your husband has full-sized wheels. They've got a good, durable quick-release mechanism.
posted by tully_monster at 9:11 PM on December 6, 2014
posted by tully_monster at 9:11 PM on December 6, 2014
I have a Vaude Bayreuth that I bought on sale from Cycle Surgery and it ended up costing me like a hundred bucks including shipping even though it was sent from the UK to California. Got here quick too although I guess I undid the carbon neutrality that the company brags about.
One good thing about the Vaude bags is, they have as far as I can tell the best system for converting your pannier into an office bag. The pannier hardware just pops off so I look insta-professional as soon as I pull it off my bike, without the hardware sticking me in the side as I carry my bag.
Comes in a large size for 17" laptop but pretty sure I could get a 17" in my smaller sized version.
It's practical, waterproof (although probably not as proof as an Ortlieb), roomy, and attractive. I get complements.
posted by latkes at 8:14 PM on December 7, 2014
One good thing about the Vaude bags is, they have as far as I can tell the best system for converting your pannier into an office bag. The pannier hardware just pops off so I look insta-professional as soon as I pull it off my bike, without the hardware sticking me in the side as I carry my bag.
Comes in a large size for 17" laptop but pretty sure I could get a 17" in my smaller sized version.
It's practical, waterproof (although probably not as proof as an Ortlieb), roomy, and attractive. I get complements.
posted by latkes at 8:14 PM on December 7, 2014
You might have a look at Ortlieb's Racktime line, several of which are a bit closer to professional than sporty looking. I've got one of their bags with the Ortlieb QL1 hardware and have been very happy with how securely it fits and how easy it is to get on and off my rack, and I assume the QL2 and QL3 ones are similar or better.
Timbuk2's Shift bag might be worth considering, but a) it looks more sporty, and b) their mounting hardware's not nearly as robust as Ortlieb's. Or even as much as the common hooks + elastic + another hook style, which is ugly and annoying to carry since it catches on things, but usually durable and effective.
I've owned and used several different kinds of panniers, and change it up as circumstances require. I hate that all the stylish-looking bags that have come out lately seem to have those ridiculous floppy loop-and-clip attachment methods, without even any elastic. Sure, they'll fit on absolutely any rack imaginable, and they look attractive and retro, but they're a hassle to use, especially when loaded. Also, they're lousy for fragile things since there's very little to keep them from swinging around a bit as you go.
If you have any local bike shops with a decent bag selection (check the suppliers you see here for local distributors) and this isn't a surprise gift, or if you can borrow his bike in a stealthy fashion, many shops will let you try out the bag on your bike in the shop. I have done this on bags that seemed like they'd be a great idea and they just didn't work on my bike at all and I didn't like them enough to replace the rack entirely to make them work.
posted by asperity at 10:20 PM on December 8, 2014
Timbuk2's Shift bag might be worth considering, but a) it looks more sporty, and b) their mounting hardware's not nearly as robust as Ortlieb's. Or even as much as the common hooks + elastic + another hook style, which is ugly and annoying to carry since it catches on things, but usually durable and effective.
I've owned and used several different kinds of panniers, and change it up as circumstances require. I hate that all the stylish-looking bags that have come out lately seem to have those ridiculous floppy loop-and-clip attachment methods, without even any elastic. Sure, they'll fit on absolutely any rack imaginable, and they look attractive and retro, but they're a hassle to use, especially when loaded. Also, they're lousy for fragile things since there's very little to keep them from swinging around a bit as you go.
If you have any local bike shops with a decent bag selection (check the suppliers you see here for local distributors) and this isn't a surprise gift, or if you can borrow his bike in a stealthy fashion, many shops will let you try out the bag on your bike in the shop. I have done this on bags that seemed like they'd be a great idea and they just didn't work on my bike at all and I didn't like them enough to replace the rack entirely to make them work.
posted by asperity at 10:20 PM on December 8, 2014
I checked my laptop and it is only a 15"; the laptop itself's long side is about 13" wide. You might want to measure your husband's laptop's long side to confirm it would fit in the Basil Urban Fold, but I think it would very likely fit.
I hate that all the stylish-looking bags that have come out lately seem to have those ridiculous floppy loop-and-clip attachment methods, without even any elastic.
Mine did this and I fixed it with a bungee cord clipped onto my rack, but it was annoying before that for sure. They need structural elastics built in if they're not stiff enough on the rack side of the bag.
The Basil I recommended has a very solid rack-side structure, so won't sag or anything. It's also wide enough that it tends to touch both structural supports on one side of the rack.
posted by urbanlenny at 1:28 PM on December 10, 2014
I hate that all the stylish-looking bags that have come out lately seem to have those ridiculous floppy loop-and-clip attachment methods, without even any elastic.
Mine did this and I fixed it with a bungee cord clipped onto my rack, but it was annoying before that for sure. They need structural elastics built in if they're not stiff enough on the rack side of the bag.
The Basil I recommended has a very solid rack-side structure, so won't sag or anything. It's also wide enough that it tends to touch both structural supports on one side of the rack.
posted by urbanlenny at 1:28 PM on December 10, 2014
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posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:15 PM on December 6, 2014