just that little bit further...

nearing the end of week 3 with my new Dahon Piccolo D3, and so far, i'm reasonably pleased. there are still some modifications i need to make, however---not the least of which is how i carry my stuff along with me.

on any given day, my essential items include: a packed lunch, my Polar Bottle filled with ice water, my wallet, a mini hairbrush and a handful of small similar accoutrements, my contact lens solutions + case, my glasses case, my sunglass case, my mini first aid kit, my umbrella (which is a lovely, small, TOUGH ShedRain one that Spaz got me for a present last year), and perhaps a light fleece or jacket in case i get cold. also usually a book and/or notebook with pen for use/entertainment on the train, and of course my CD pouch w/portable player and earbuds.

since obtaining this bike, i've been dumping off ballast left and right. but a few things have also come to light:

* no matter how much ballast i dump off, as i am an eternal part-time student/full-time worker, i am ALWAYS (well, for quite a forseeable period of time) going to have textbooks to accommodate.

* having a bike with 16" wheels is lovely, but not so much if one wants to fit the sort of panniers that would accommodate all the stuff i carry.

* again, speed is of the essence. as i am a multi-modal commuter, i do have trains to catch, and they do as a rule stick to their stated schedule (barring medical emergencies, etc.).

therefore, taking these three basic things into account, a proper balance must be struck. i need a way to carry my essentials around that's quick, convenient, roomy enough, and waterproof. much as i hated to admit it when i came to this conclusion about a week or so ago, i need a backpack.

i've always been one to have a backpack filled to the brim with various oddments i felt i needed to have (in addition to the ones i actually did need to have) with me. the problem with a normal backpack and cycling is that inevitably, no matter the weather, one's back gets disgusting and sweaty. and one's backpack gets disgusting and sweaty. with a standard backpack, more problems arise the more gear is in place inside the backpack; things such as undesirable shifting of the pack when attempting to pedal/turn/etc., and of course back pain.

my current setup with the Dahon involves what is basically a large messenger-type bag which is quite sturdy, for which i have three straps with red-reflector-enhanced buckles. the bag sits on my rear rack, and the longest strap goes through the handle at the top of the bag, around my saddle loops, and clasps onto itself. the other two buckles secure the bag to the back of the rack by going round the straps that hold the bag shut and clasping onto themselves once they've got passed through the rack wires. while i've gotten faster at this, it's still not speedy enough---although it's a far sight better than my initial attempt at mounting this bag to my rack, which involved strips of hook-and-loop material that worked a little too well and thusly took WAY too long to undo. plus, this bag is absolutely killing my arms.

so lately, i've been looking into optimal backpacks/daypacks/rucksacks for cycling. i'll spare you all the steps i've gone through in narrowing down what i've decided i want, but the main things i'm interested in are: suspension, proper ventilation along the back panel (MUST avoid the sweaty back problem, or why bother getting a new bag in the first place?), waist and sternum stabilising straps (i LOVE these on the bag i've got for my laptop. if only it prevented the sweaty back issue! XD), and of course adequate capacity for my stuff. and waterproofness, or at least a waterproof cover.

after doing rather extensive research (and via the help of some of the people on rec.bicycles.misc), i've narrowed it down to a fight between two companies: Deuter and Ortlieb.

from Deuter, i think i'm leaning toward the Trans Alpine 30 pack. it comes with a hydration system, which is quite lovely and would come in quite handy, but it won't really make or break my decision on a pack. while Deuter's packs are not waterproof, they come with rain covers which are supposed to work quite well. the thing that really makes me like (at least, in theory) the Deuter packs is their suspension systems. check them out and you'll see why. i've read nothing but good reviews of their gear, from hikers and cyclists alike.

from Ortlieb, i'm leaning toward the X-Cursion (and before you have a coronary at the price, i've found it much cheaper elsewhere XD). Ortlieb has a decent ventilation system, and a lot of people rate these really highly as well. the biggest bonus Ortlieb has going for it is that their packs are completely waterproof. COMPLETELY. every review i've read of their packs has likewise been quite complimentary.

both the packs i want can be had for similar amounts of money, although the Deuter is still slightly less expensive. both are reputed to be very well-made packs which feature very high quality craftsmanship. i do think at this time i'm leaning toward the Deuter, although i still haven't quite made up my mind. if anyone's had experience with either/both of these, i'd be interested to hear about it.

there's another company (and again, they're German...hrrm, i sense a theme XD) called Vaude that's supposed to make excellent cycling packs as well, although from cursory explorations, it doesn't appear they're distributed in the US anymore. pity. shall have to explore it further, although good sense would tell me i've narrowed it down so far that expanding my options is kind of the wrong direction in which to go. XD

the cycle never ends...:)