Usually I carry the stuff for my commute in a messenger bag. Computer, a few folders, planner, lunch and a change of cloths along with my tool kit and air pump. I wanted to experiment with not having to carry this bag draped over my shoulder with the extra weight driving me down onto the saddle. That was getting uncomfortable. I started looking at panniers but my one main requirement was that I needed a bag with a designated laptop area that was padded, waterproof and safe from impact. That's way the messenger bag worked so well for that. I looked into commuter brief cases that are like the messenger bags but with the added feature of a mounting system that latches onto the rear carrying rack. My only problem with these was the expense for the really good ones. Did I really want to drop more bucks on another messenger-type bag? So looking around for alternatives I came across a milk crate I had in the garage and having seem these used a million times as a bike carrying crate I bungeed it on to the rear rack and dumped my messenger bag into it getting a better feel for riding with the weight in back of me and not on my shoulder and back. It worked great, gave me the freedom I wanted on the ride and it wasn't too wobbly. Cost was zero. Will I use this instead of a high end bag? For now I will, using it as a kind of test of concept plus it has the added advantage of being the most unpretentious, basic. get something that works starting solution I could find at the moment.
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