This is one of 3 backpacks of the same style I have that are made by Timbuk2. It’s my everyday carry bag when I ride. I also have several messenger bags made by them but for a while now I’ve been strictly wearing a backpack. Recently before swapping the contents of this bag to another just for a change of color, I decided to weigh it.
That doesn’t include the discounted dented canned goods I’ll pick up at the grocery store and the car hubcap I’ll pick up out of the road lol. Below are the contents.
Top left are grocery bags for picking up trash, covering bike seat when raining etc… Under the U lock is a reusable grocery bag. In the blue bag my Mother made me is a headlight, battery pack, charging cords, charging adapter, contact lenses, another (non-bike) multi-tool, lighter, aspirin, bandaids and velcro straps. In the ziplock bag is an innertube. In the Prince Albert can is a patch kit, tire tools and a couple links of chain.
I’ll answer some questions I can foresee someone asking if anyone were to even read this…
Why do you carry so much stuff? To me this is the bare minimum. I don’t know how people get by carrying less. I suppose a person who is riding for exercise or to train could just get by with a patch kit, pump and multi-tool.
Doesn’t your back sweat? Yes my back sweats but my back usually sweats anyway backpack or not.
Why not carry this gear on the bike? I have so many different bikes of different styles I ride, some with front baskets, some with rear racks, some with both and some with neither. Just makes more sense to me to carry it on me. I do on rare occasion put the backpack in the front basket if the bike has one.
And let’s not forget the wind factor… I see why you like a backpack!