Every biker needs to carry things to and from the destination. Whether it’s bike packing, bike commuting, short day ride, or multi-day long rides, a biker needs to maximize his storage space by using multiple bags on his bike. This action is necessary to bring all the essentials needed on the bike ride regardless of its purpose.
But how to carry multiple bags while riding a bike? This question will be in this article as we tackle different ways to mount various bag accessories on the bike. Carrying things while biking is normal but maximizing the storage space of your bike is essential to all bikers. This situation can be achieved by finding the proper setup is carrying multiple bags into your bike.
Best Ways to Carry Stuff Into Your Bike
For the record, there is no exact way to carry multiple bags into your bag. You cannot just install different bike bags into the bike and expect smooth sailing in your ride. There are many factors to consider, such as weight management, bike balance, and many more. The correct setup for a particular biker will depend on the number of things you want to bring in the ride and what you will do once you arrive at the destination.
Bike bags are the go-to when it comes to carrying items on the bike. These bike accessories come in various options ranging from small seat packs to big panniers. Some of these bike bags will be attached to the bike using unique mounting systems specially made for this usage. Whether it’s bike commuting, bikepacking, short rides, or multiple day rides, there are bike bags that can be used for your specific need. Please check on our list below:
Biker’s Pocket
In carrying small stuff such as keys, wallets, and other small items, the pockets in your cycling jersey will be of great use. It is very convenient, but please do not put too much as the pockets can bounce around when dealing with steep climbs. Also, there are cycling jerseys now that are built with many pockets, which should be a great advantage to the biker.
Bike Seat Bag
The bike seat bag or saddlebag can accommodate small essentials needed in the bike ride, such as tool kits, wallets, keys, and other related items of the same size. However, larger versions can accommodate larger items such as extra clothing, jackets, and other similar items of the same size.
Backpacks
Bike backpacks come with more carrying capacity and provide a lot of stability during the ride. Most of the backpacks dedicated to biking are light, durable, and offer waterproofing features. Most of the backpacks are also roll-top openings for easy access to the items. However, using the backpack will get your back warm and tend to get sweaty during the ride. Although, most of the backpacks are designed with proper ventilation channels and mesh back to negate this issue.
Messenger Bags
Another option for a bike commuter to bring smaller items is the messenger bag. There are many ways to use the messenger bag during the ride. You can carry it yourself and push it around your back, but it should be less stable than the backpack. Messenger bags work best on documents and other similar flat items.
Bikepacking Bags
Bikepacking bags are different types of bags designed to use in multi-day rides. Whether it’s a long ride or a ride off the road, these bikepacking bags can help bring all necessities of the biker. Some bikepacking bags include saddlebags, frame bags, top tube bags, and trunk bags. The advantage of using bikepacking bags is that they can be used on different types of bikes and supplemented with the other types of bags should you decide to increase storage capacity.
Panniers
If you want to carry more items with your bike, panniers are the solution. This bike bag is attached to the bike rack and provides ple
nty of storage spaces. But, your bike must have a rack to be able to use this bike bag. Most of the bikers use a pair of panniers on both sides to balance the weight. But you can you a single one if you do not need more storage space.
How to Carry Multiple Bags of Cans at Once on a Bike?
Carrying multiple bags in your bag will depend on the items you will need to bring to your destination. To make it simple, it is all about what you will move from one place to the other with your bike. For example, if you are bringing a laptop and few documents going to and from work, a backpack is an excellent option for you. However, should you decide to bring your lunch pack, adding a handlebar bag with thermal insulation can significantly help, keep your food hot until your lunch break.
The above situation is the same when you want to have a picnic in a particular place and want to bring food and can beverages. I suggest using a larger bike trunk bag with a thermal insulation feature that can accommodate the foods and cans of drinks. Of course, when you are doing bikepacking with multiday rides, the bike bags you are going to use will be different depending on the essentials you need to bring on the ride. A combination of the frame bag, trunk bag, and handlebar bag is acceptable, but it will depend on your preference.
As I’ve said earlier, there are many factors to consider in carrying multiple bags on your bike. But the most important factor is knowing the items that you will be bringing to the destination. From there, you will get an idea of the type of bags you will use on the bike. I tell you, there will come a time that you will be in doubt on what bag to use with all the available options. My best advice is to go for a bag that will only carry all the essentials you need on the ride.
Conclusion
Learning how to carry multiple bags while riding bike is essential, especially if you are just starting to know everything about biking or cycling in general. As your experience as a biker grows, there will come a time that you will be going with other bikers in doing multi-day bikepacking rides, which will need you to use multiple bags. And learning how to do it will be a great advantage to you.