Follow my journey of getting fit by bicyling.

My newest purchase for bicycling has been a backpack.  The reason for this has been twofold.  The first being that I can now carry some of the necessities, and in a sense carry my own weight.  Also, there’s the practicality of being able to go to say the grocery store and having the convenience of the storage space for any parcels that may be accumulated on a given outing.

Don’t get me wrong, learning to ride with something on your back is a whole new experience.  We’ve been weighting the pack with a cable lock and spare tube just to give me the feeling of having something in it.  I’ve actually used it once off the bike as a general use bag just to get the feeling of it as well.  I put much more into it then.

Let me tell you, the first time I climbed on the bike donning my shiny new backpack I was warned that it would change my balance.  I didn’t really think it would affect me too much though.  I mean how different could it really be?  I remembered riding to school as a teen with a pack almost daily.  Boy was I in for a reality check.

I didn’t notice a dramatic difference riding on the road.  I was certainly aware of something but not to the extent that I felt off balance in any way.  However, there’s a point in our route where we encounter a dirt path.  That’s when suddenly I became very aware of something different in my balance.  I was able to compensate for the difference, and from then on was much more aware of my new “accessory”.

Since then I’ve even made a successful trip to the grocery store.  Though I became acutely aware of what would happen should I suffer another fall as I was now wearing food on my back which I didn’t want to damage.  I was also faced with climbing the very same hill on which I’d fallen as well.  This time, I chose an alternate way to get where I needed to go and had a positive experience.

It’s worth mentioning that while I choose a certain style of bag, there almost as many others as styles of bicycles.  There are even baskets a person can mount to the front of the handlebars.  Each style has it’s place and function.  This must be placed under careful consideration before the investment is made.

For those who like to wear their gear, choices range all the way from the messenger-style worn with the strap slung across the body which allows the wearer to easily access the contents of the bag to the high end packs which often contain space for a water bladder attached to a rubber hose-like straw which is then fed through a hole in the pack in order to keep the cyclist hydrated.  These are often meant for longer day trips.  When venturing out on longer trips, these types of packs are often used in conjunction with packs called panniers.

A pannier is a pack similar to a saddle bag which may be placed to the side, under the saddle, or even sometimes at the handlebars.  Again, this depends widely on the style of your bicycle as well as your personal needs.  They come in a variety of sizes, as do all of the packs and bags.

As with all things one purchases, it must be taken into consideration that there are different price points for different items.  Consider your needs as opposed to fashion.  Also, and I can’t stress this enough make sure you get something that’s the appropriate size.  This is especially true if you’re buying a style that’s worn on your back.  From my experience I’d say it’s also helpful to get a product gender specific if possible.  It’ll likely be much more comfortable; thus making your experience much more enjoyable.  Just bear in mind that you will get what you pay for.  Though it’s not impossible to get good quality on a budget.

So you see, the humble pack isn’t just for students anymore.  Though I do see my fair share of students on a daily basis with packs that I’d love to have, but would never pay that much for.  For now I’ll just stick with my day pack.  It may not be the prettiest one out there, but with time I’ll personalize it and make it my own.  That’s a great thing about packs.  They’re a blank canvas.  You can sew patches, pin buttons, embroider.  And of course extremely portable.

Happy cycling, and hopefully some of you feel inspired to try something new and start experimenting with a pack or something similar.  If you’re really new and just getting started, don’t feel rushed.  Take some time to feel comfortable riding first.  We’re not in a competition here.  With that, here’s to the journey…

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