Commuter bike bags, panniers and racks

Which bag should you choose for riding around town?

With a bike bag rather than a bag on your back, the bike carries the load: your back stays dry and you can turn your head freely to keep an eye on the traffic. The right position depends on what you take with you.

• At the rear, on the rack: single, double or paired panniers, for large volumes, a laptop and the weekly shopping.
• At the front, on the handlebar or a front rack: a handlebar bag for your phone and wallet, a bag or crate for a load you want to keep an eye on.
• On the frame: a top tube bag or a frame bag for keys, a power bank or a snack.
• Under the saddle: a small pouch for the inner tube and tools, or a large saddle bag on a bike without a rack.

Front or rear rack: what carries the load?

The rear rack remains the foundation of city bike luggage. Bolted to the frame eyelets, it takes side panniers and a load laid flat on top; its maximum load, marked on the rack or given in its instructions, caps the total weight of the bags. Bike racks are tested to the ISO 11243 standard, which covers their strength and stability. On an e-bike, the loaded bags, the rider and the bike together must not exceed the maximum permitted weight.

The front rack takes a crate, a shopping bag or a rack top bag that stays within your field of vision. Mounted on the frame, it stays still when you turn the handlebar; mounted on the fork, it turns with it and you feel the load more in the steering. Either way, load it less than the rear and keep heavy items as low as possible. On a bike with disc brakes, check that the struts leave room for the calliper.

Handlebar, frame, saddle: bags for a bike without a rack

Folding bikes, single speeds, road bikes converted for the city: many urban bikes have no eyelets for a rack. A handlebar bag is fitted with straps or on a clip-on adaptor; it must leave the front light, the cables and the brake levers clear. A frame bag slides into the main triangle or straps onto the top tube, behind the stem, without rubbing against your knees. Under the saddle, a compact bag carries your puncture kit; a large saddle bag, held by the rails and the seatpost, takes a change of clothes if there is enough space above the rear wheel.

Rain, darkness, parking: what a commuter bike bag has to cope with

To stay dry, you need a waterproof material, welded rather than stitched seams and a closure that keeps water out, roll-top or waterproof zip. A coated canvas or a water-repellent polyester is enough for a shower, with a rain cover as back-up. At night, reflective strips and prints bounce back the light from headlights, and a few bags have their own built-in lighting.

When you park, a bag with a clip or hooks comes off in one movement and follows you into the office. For a bike parked outdoors, a saddle cover saves you from sitting on a soaked saddle.

Child seat, trailer, backpack: other ways to carry

To take a child along, child bike seats fit on the rack, on the frame or at the front; a bike trailer takes over for two children or for bulky loads. If you would rather keep your things on you, cycling backpacks and bags bring together backpacks and shoulder bags. Bike carriers, for their part, are for taking the bike by car. Everything is gathered on the bags and transport page.

Which bike bag brands should you choose?

Kheax, a French bike accessories brand, has brought out its Izoard pannier in an Edge version: 600D canvas coated with TPU, IPX5 waterproofing, hooks that accept rack tubes up to 22 mm and reflective details at the front as well as on the sides.

Pelago, an urban bike maker founded in Helsinki, designs the Commuter Front Rack, a porteur-style front rack in aluminium or stainless steel that mounts on the fork and includes a mount for the front light.

Basil, a Dutch company based in Ulft, builds a battery-powered LED strip called Nordlicht into some of its bags, extra lighting on top of the bike's own, as on the 41-litre Soho Nordlicht double pannier.

Woho, a Taiwanese bike travel brand created by mountain bikers, road cyclists and touring cyclists, cuts its X-Touring bags from TPU-lined nylon; the Cyber Camo pattern is printed with reflective ink.

Zefal, whose factory in Jargeau makes a large share of its accessories, offers two aluminium racks: the Raider Front, which mounts on the legs of a rigid or suspension fork, and the rear Raider R50, compatible with MIK accessories and child seats.

Newlooxs, formerly a family leather goods business in Wijchen, in the Netherlands, makes its waterproof Varo double pannier, seamless and with a roll-top closure, in MIK or Racktime versions.

Panniers and racks on sale

A discontinued colour or a bag replaced by a new version is enough to join our city bike bag clearance; the latest models listed are easy to spot in new arrivals. Take advantage of Black Friday to fit a new bike with its rack and panniers.

Frequently asked questions

How do you carry a laptop on a bike?

Choose a rear pannier with a padded pocket and a rigid back panel, or slip the laptop into a sleeve before packing it on the bike side, against the rack. Without a rack, a backpack with a dedicated compartment takes over.

Does a handlebar bag make the steering heavier?

Lightly loaded, you soon forget it is there. The heavier and higher it is, the more it weighs down the steering and the more likely it is to block the front light: keep it for papers, your phone and small items, and leave the weight at the rear.

Which bags suit a folding bike?

A folding bike rarely takes a large rack, and the bags must not stop it from folding. Clip-on handlebar bags, bags fixed to a mount on the front of the frame and small saddle bags work best. Check compatibility with your model before choosing.

What should you carry in a small saddle bag?

Everything you need to fix a puncture: an inner tube or patches, tyre levers, a multi-tool and, depending on its size, a mini pump or a CO2 cartridge. Large saddle bags also take a windproof jacket or a change of clothes.

Can you leave your bags on a bike parked in the street?

A bag fixed with hooks or a clip comes off in a few seconds, for you and for a passer-by alike: take it with you or choose a lockable model. A strapped double pannier stays in place more easily, but should not contain anything valuable.