Backpacks. Are they a safety hazard?

[erik]

I take my stuff to uni in a backpack, but I strap it to the pillion seat with a length of rubber bungy cord. I do the same thing on rides. Only time I have the backpack on my back is if I'm carrying something that might get damaged by vibration or the bungy crushing it.

[Waylander]

Carry my stuff in a backpack now just cause it's easier to get on/off and don't have to worry about the load ballance but back when I was riding it to uni and stuff I carried everything in my saddle bags just so I would get curious looks from other students.

[Skyryder]

I use a back pack on the odd occasion. If I go for a run up to Hanmer to the hot pools I use the b/pack to carry cozie towel etc. Can't see the safety issue with wearing one.


Skyryder

[DingDong]

Ive worn a backpack... and dont like it cause I cant move around the bike as freely (it might make me fall off and break my back?)

Im more worried that the straps could rip your arms out if you come'a'crappa... depending on speed OC

[zeRax]

usually the givi top box is all i need, thou when i was prunning i just slipped the loppers through my belt, if i ever came off with them in there O_O quick impale for sure :E

[MoFunthanmost]

Short trips around town have it on my back and havent had probs (except maybe when it's really full and i pull the straps too tight - cant move my shoulders too well) but on longer trips, usually have it strapped to the pillion seat anyways.

Been thinking about getting a hardcase BP but i think that would be more of a safety prob in an off if i was wearing so dunno... putting a BP on and off the pillion seat with bungies is such a pain in the butt, esp only on short trips.

[SixPackBack]

I got six.....wear them all at once!

[Zed]

I notice a lot of people use backpacks. So do I on Li'l Ratty. Have at various times over the years, though I've always preferred saddle bags.

I have fitted the Ventura rack system to my last six bikes, that is my preference. I have never ever ridden with a backpack because I don't want any extra weight on my person that would restrict movement, the safety factor never entered my mind till now.

But some have commented that they could be asafety hazard. And thinking about it that seems like it might be so. Not the bag itself, but what's in it. I have a nasty notion that coming off and landing on your back, when wearing a fullish backpack, could result in a broken back (if things went the wrong way)

I tell you now that if I was wearing a backpack last year when I binned my bike I would have probably been injured badly because during the accident I made a conscious decision to flip myself on to my back protector and slid across the road for 10m - it did a great job! Can remember it like it was yesterday.

[Jantar]

I wore a backpack on a long ride in 1971. NEVER again.

It isn't just a safety issue if you come off, but there is also the fact that it is more tiring, and hence takes the riders concentration off his riding after an hour or two. Thus wearing a packpack is not only more likely to cause injury in an accident, it is also more likely to contribute to causing an accident.

It is easy enough to strap your backpack on the pillion seat, so that is the safest place for it.

[Biff]

That's rather nifty, wiv the built in back protector (I usually wear my helmet on my head and I don't think I could get my head into a backpack - not while attached anyway, and I never trust that bumbling twit Igor to reattach it properly if I detach it). Can you get them in this 'ere country ?

It's a Frank Thomas backpack. I can't find the name of any distributers in NZ, but it may be possible to get a UK company to send one over for you. I've used M&P for mail order goodies in the past, albeit not from here, so I can't comment on their overseas capabilities. But they're a friendly helpful bunch.

Good luck.

Re' the safety of backpacks - I heard a story once (here?) about a guy that carried a container, with petrol in it, in a backpack. He crashed and ended up upside down caught in a wire fence. The container ruptured and petrol spilt out of the backpack into his helmet, where is began dissolving the polystyrene in his helmet! Apparently he was stuck there for a while – and I can’t remember the end.

At least there wasn’t a spark!

[zeRax]

holy crap, i bet he was freaking out, that is one hell of a situation to be in O.o

i dont like wearing a backpack, dont like the feel nor the extra weight on my back, catches wind, just puts you off i think.

topboxes and panniers

[SixPackBack]

topboxes uuuummmm

[Waylander]

Re' the safety of backpacks - I heard a story once (here?) about a guy that carried a container, with petrol in it, in a backpack. He crashed and ended up upside down caught in a wire fence. The container ruptured and petrol spilt out of the backpack into his helmet, where is began dissolving the polystyrene in his helmet! Apparently he was stuck there for a while – and I can’t remember the end.

At least there wasn’t a spark!

Scary thing is I had a petrol tank in my backpack on the bike the other day. Was empty though as I had just finnished refueling the bike to get it home.

[chickenfunkstar]

Used to ride around with a backpack back in the olden days.
A friend pointed out that it could do some damage to your arms if you fall off and the bag gets caught on something.
Also don't think it would be too good if you were carring hard items and fell off at an akward angle. i.e. If half your back fell onto some uni books and half fell onto the road. Might snap something important.

I now use a ventura pack rack. It can fit heaps of stuff in it ( I think about 45 litres ). Its also got straps on it so you can wear it like a backpack when you get off the bike. The only real downside is they tend to create quite alot of wind resistance. You can only really notice once you're past about $1.50 though, so most of the time its not a biggie.

[N4CR]

I saw this guy riding today with a bright yellow refectorised vest on.. safe fellow I thought. When he went past he had a backpack on..... couldnt see the vest thru that.... What was the point in the vest??? Idiot

Thats why I got XXL so it goes over the blardy bag.... some silly people out there I suppose :/

Makes you look really weird though... 'turtle' anyone ;D?

edit: My current backpack is reasonably small so it has a smaller chance of getting caught on something than my old large macpac... great pack but a little too big.