I tried both panniers and a backpack for 6 months and panniers win by a mile

Honestly, I see so many people on my commute in Portland rocking backpacks and swearing by them. I did the backpack thing for 3 months and my lower back was killing me by the time I got to work. Switched to a pair of Ortlieb panniers I found on Craigslist for $40 and it's night and day. No more sweaty back, bike handles way better with the weight down low, and I can carry my lunch without squishing it. Took me two spills with a backpack to figure out the balance thing was real. Anyone else make the switch and never look back?

2 comments

2 Comments

lucas_grant831mo ago

Backpacks are fine, you're making this way too dramatic lol.

jenniferwells1mo ago

I hear you, but I think the issue is more about how people treat backpacks in certain spaces. Like on a crowded bus or train, someone with a huge backpack just swings it around and knocks into everyone. And in a packed lecture hall, you can't even squeeze past people when they have those big hiking packs on. It's not that backpacks are bad, it's that people forget to be aware of their space. If you're in a tight spot, just take it off and hold it, or set it on the floor. Simple stuff like that makes a big difference.