Carrying a laptop?

[Deleted member 17694]

I use my bike to commute and carry some wet weather gear, a wad of paperwork and my sarny box in a bag bungeed to my rack. Is there a good way of carrying a laptop?

I don't need to do it all the time, but sometimes I need it to carry it home (and later back) if I'm going on a trip the next day. I could of course commute by car on those occasions but I'd much sooner be on two wheels.

Any ideas?

 

[anotherkiwi]

Not on your lap...

If you laptop doesn't survive an accident in its padded carry bag it is usually a serious accident. Worst problem is water and for that I use rubbish bags to keep everything dry.

 

[Angelnorth]

Lots of pannier bags have a separate laptop section. There are even ones (here's an example - lots of other out there too) that convert from pannier to rucksack to make it easier to carry off the bike if you need to do that.

 

[Alan Quay]

I always carry my laptops in a dedicated laptop rucksack, regardless if I'm on the bike or not. I just bought a new one last week and its really good:

http://uberlaptopbags.com/store/targus-drifter-ii-laptop-backpack/

I had the previous version for 15 years, and its still OK. I am quite hard on this kind of equipment as I have to take it to some relatively extreme environments.

I only replaced it 'cos it really needs a wash!

 

[EddieH]

I only replaced it 'cos it really needs a wash!

At that price i would have washed it.

 

[Alan Quay]

At that price i would have washed it.

Trust me, if you knew some of the places its been you wouldn't.

 

[DAJ]

Carry it in a pannier, I took a fall in April and landed on my back. I was wearing my courier bag that has a dedicated padded laptop section but fortunately I wasn't carrying it at the time. I dread to think of the damage the laptop would have done to me, not to mention the other way round!

Put it in a waterproof pannier bag, keep the weight low and you safe.

 

[Deleted member 17694]

Excellent responses, I shall get a pannier bag for it. I like the look of that CarraDry, bit pricey but a lot less than the laptop. I might get another more basic one just to balance the load.

I've had the misfortune to topple sideways once, on that occasion it was my own stupid fault, but I was able to stick a leg out and kind of put the bike down and jump off at the same time.

 

[Angelnorth]

I like the look of that CarraDry, bit pricey but a lot less than the laptop.

Shop around a bit if you decide to get one - I found it at closer to 50 quid with a Google search (SJS Cycles - on my phone at the moment so adding a link is a bit fiddly, sorry!).

 

[anotherkiwi]

I am about to buy a Kriptonite with cable for the front wheel and the seat. I already have a frame lock for the rear wheel with a chain to attach to urban furniture. Hoping that this will put off the casual thief, nothing will stop an angle grinder!

People carrying battery powered angle grinders should be whisked away to the police station for questioning unless they can provide a professional reason for having one... There I go, old age is setting in, soon i will be saying nice things about orange or pink faced men with stupid hairdos...