laptop backpacks when riding...

[Frost]

anyone uses them?...what's a good one?

[EvilScooby]

I am also interested in some advice on backpacks for my lappy.

[JamesG]

I always advise ppl not to use backpacks on bikes since I saw a story about a guy who broke his back after crashing and landing on his back. The pack concentrated enough of the force of the impact to break and displace several of his vertibra leaving him a para.

If you don't want to shell out for side bags or a top case, you can just get one of those laptop case/bags and cargo net it to the passenger seat.

Joe Rocket sells or used to sell a tank bag that had two parts a 4" lower one with the magnets for attaching to the tank (which some dirtbag stole out of my house!) and a bigger slanted part that zippered to it, but that had shoulder straps, nominally so you could unzip and walk off with the top part. But I found that I could use a pair of velcro straps and and attach it to the passenger seat of my bike as a kinda tail bag. The shape of it looks pretty good.

It's very convient and could carry a laptop by itself or in a very slim case. I wouldn't leave anything valueable in it, but by itself its secure enough, and it comes off easlily enough (as a backpack no less).

[SmoothDave]

I was using a cargo net to strap my laptop to the seat, but it took me so long to strap on that I gave up and just started using 2 bungees.  It seems secure, and it is quick on and off.

Smooth Dave

[scorpi0]

Joe Rocket sells or used to sell a tank bag that had two parts a 4" lower one with the magnets for attaching to the tank (which some dirtbag stole out of my house!) and a bigger slanted part that zippered to it, but that had shoulder straps, nominally so you could unzip and walk off with the top part. But I found that I could use a pair of velcro straps and and attach it to the passenger seat of my bike as a kinda tail bag. The shape of it looks pretty good.

It's very convient and could carry a laptop by itself or in a very slim case. I wouldn't leave anything valueable in it, but by itself its secure enough, and it comes off easlily enough (as a backpack no less).

I believe it's this one you're mentioning http://www.newenough.com/joe_rocket_sport_tank_bag_page.htm

[richard]

I ride to work every day (well, when I'm not going back and forth between Orem, UT and Las Vegas, NV every week like I have been for the last two months), and I just use a laptop bag I picked up at circuit city.  looks like a normal backpack, but designed to hold my 17" laptop and has a beltstrap thingy on it, which I recommend if you ride a lot with a lot in the pack.

That said, it is a little more dangerous to wear a pack while riding, both for  you and your laptop... I guess I just live dangerously.  :mrgreen:

for anyone interested in specifics, this is the pack I use: Targus Sport Deluxe Computer Backpack