Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
RideToWorky
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Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by RideToWorky »

Hiya all,

Avoided rucksacks on the motorbike, much higher speeds so more dangerous to have the rucksack catch on something in event of an accident, and cause injury etc.

I'm surmising that bicycles are a lot slower, and rucksacks are a viable mode of commuting luggage.

Are there tips and tricks to avoid being sweaty with it on one's back tho?!

The perforations on the back of my windproof jacket have been a revelation, for a much less sweaty ride into work. It would be a shame to block this with a rucksack on the back!

Hope you can advise


Regards
Martin
Last edited by RideToWorky on 27 Nov 2015, 9:55am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mick F
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by Mick F »

My first thought is that you shouldn't use a rucksack riding a bike.

Two reasons:
The sweatyness situation plus the load on your upper body.
The weight is high up.

The weight thing high up isn't efficient. You need any load to be as low as possible. This is because in order to ride a bike, you shift your weight for steering ........... and pedalling especially up a hill, so the weight is continually moving back and forth.

Best thing to do is to invest in a rear rack to strap your rucksack to. When you get off and walk to work(?) you can put the rucksack on your back.
Mick F. Cornwall
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by Sleeper Service »

I use a rucksack with one of my bikes to commute. As the journey is about 80 minutes, it's not a problem, although I do get a sweaty back. Anything longer than that and I use the other bike, which has panniers fitted.
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Heltor Chasca
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Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by Heltor Chasca »

I'm only speaking for myself here but I always used to ride with a rucksack. Then one day I fitted a rear rack and panniers. I can't remember my reasoning, but when I pushed off I genuinely felt that freedom you only get on a bike. The wind in my beard, my hair flying behind, no more sweat marks down my shirts. I had arrived.

Aahhh. [emoji7] What was the question again?...b
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NUKe
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by NUKe »

Martin
How much do you want to carry amd how far ?
Rucksacks are ok for small amounts and relatively small journeys. you can even get ones that have a sort of mesh and foam to form air channels to minimise the sweaty back . A courier bag though might be a better idea. personally I hate having to carry a bag so either use a saddle bag or panniers.
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by kwackers »

Discovering panniers was a revelation.
Rucksacks are fine for 10 minute journeys but beyond that I'd never use one. Prior to that I never found a way to avoid getting a sweaty back with a rucksack and I'm not a sweaty person, I can ride for a long time before I start to get sweaty...
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661-Pete
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by 661-Pete »

I use a rucksack but only lightly loaded. The sweaty back is something I can live with - on my occasional commute I'm fortunate in that I can have a shower at work. On that journey it usually contains just my lunch, a spare inner, and a small notebook.

Of course panniers are the best option for heavy loads - I invariably use them for shopping - but bear in mind that this is adding to your unsprung weight, which reduces the efficiency of your riding. Why else is it that so many motorists in high-performance cars prefer alloy wheels and low-profile tyres, which reduce the unsprung weight? Your body, and anything attached to it, are sprung weight: the springiness is in your leg, hip and arm muscles.

But don't put your back out! I do get occasional bouts of painful sciatica, so I'm careful not to overdo it with the rucksack!
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by al_yrpal »

Carrying a rucksack on your back on a bike, riding on road on a MTB with the original knobbly tyres, having the saddle too low, being in the wrong gear. All these things say to me "that guy hasnt a clue".

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iviehoff
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by iviehoff »

The other important feature of a bicycle to keep your back dry is mudguards.

You do see a lot of people riding with rucksack and no mudguards. They have to change clothes when they arrive. I don't.
Therealsouthstander
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by Therealsouthstander »

The only negative about using panniers is that the wind catches them and slows you right down ,especially if it's a head wind...


We get more head winds here in NE Scotland than anywhere else in the world :D :D :D
RideToWorky
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by RideToWorky »

NUKe wrote:Martin
How much do you want to carry amd how far ?
Rucksacks are ok for small amounts and relatively small journeys. you can even get ones that have a sort of mesh and foam to form air channels to minimise the sweaty back . A courier bag though might be a better idea. personally I hate having to carry a bag so either use a saddle bag or panniers.



Hi Nuke,

I've been looking at the best way to use my Road bike as a 2nd Commuter. A number of posts on this forum


RE:Luggage:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=101927


Answering your questions:
6.5 Miles
In - alot of downhill (yea!)
Home - alot of uphill (Not so good.)


I was thinking just using Rucksacks for light loads when commuting:

Carrying:
1. Shirt, trousers, socks etc
2. Change of cycle gear for trip home - base layer top and cycle shorts.
3. Small Sandwich box
4. small tool bag and spare tyre
roubaixtuesday
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by roubaixtuesday »

I sometimes use a rucksack but much prefer a pannier, because of both sweat & also comfort.

Why not consider a bar bag - clip on & they can be surprisingly capacious, easily enough for your commute.

Can get in the way of lights though
axel_knutt
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by axel_knutt »

I once used the rucsac to go to the shop because I'd already unpacked my panniers at the YHA. I won't bother again, I could feel it bouncing on my back with every bump. Putting luggage on yourself instead of the bike is having a dog and barking yourself. When I was walking regularly, the straps on my rucsac used to permanently smell like a pair of cheesy shoes, no matter how much it was washed.

al_yrpal wrote:Carrying a rucksack on your back on a bike, riding on road on a MTB with the original knobbly tyres, having the saddle too low, being in the wrong gear.


......pedalling with the instep, a chain so rusty it squeaks, flat tyres........... :lol:
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Si
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by Si »

Lots of professional cyclists (bikeability instructors, couriers) carry loads on their backs with no problem. Bit of planning and you can use a back pack all day without much hassle. Thus a short commute shouldn't give any issues. Especially if mostly dh on the way in so less sweating.
Contrary to popular belief, a well set up rucksack won't hurt handling and having the weight higher can be a lot better than having it lower (mike burrows did a bit about this a while back) plus on the body it's dynamic rather than static weight so another bonus. But as the load increases there is more incentive to have it on the bike.
grani
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Re: Commuting - is a rucksack always going to be sweaty?!

Post by grani »

I use a rack bag for my commuting. It works quite well if you do not have a lot to carry and keeps the bike balanced and reasonably streamlined.
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