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23
Finally gave panniers a shot after years of backpack commuting
I overheard a guy at my local co-op say he cut his commute sweat by 70% just by taking the weight off his back. Made me realize I was getting soaked every morning for no good reason. Tried a pair of Ortlieb rollers my buddy lent me for a week. After 3 days I noticed my lower back didn't ache during my 8 mile ride into Portland. Now I can actually carry my lunch and a change of clothes without feeling like a pack mule. Anyone else make the switch later than they should have?
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kair652mo ago
I switched at 32 after my buddy saw me getting off my bike looking like I went for a swim. He had these old Nashbar panniers that were beat to hell but he let me borrow them for a week. That first ride home I barely broke a sweat and my shoulders felt like they were on vacation. The big thing for me was not having to hunch over the bars to balance the weight on my back anymore. My lower back pain went away after about two weeks of using them consistently. Now I just keep a small frame bag for my phone and lock and let the panniers handle the heavy stuff.
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roses692mo ago
My buddy tried panniers and hated how they made the bike feel sluggish.
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