OK to take a laptop on your bike?

**jim.cox** · 7th April 2009, 15:04

Originally Posted by 3umph

is there a tech mount around so one can be used while riding???

I made one for mine out of an old clipboard, a couple of bicycle toe straps and a couple of clips. Not pretty and it leaves the laptop exposed to the elements, but it works.

I think a tank bag would be better

**breakaway** · 7th April 2009, 16:35

Laptop, desktop, rack mount, no problems.

**Rych** · 7th April 2009, 16:36

Originally Posted by retro asian

Hi Everyone,

Any ideas on if it's a good idea to take a laptop to and from work on the cruiser?

It would probably fit inside my seat, but I think I'd pop it in the backpack so there are less vibrations... haven't got a laptop bag/case yet...do they make them for bikers?

I've done it a few times no probs. Put it in a backpack and I just rapped it in a jumper for bita protection.

**musicman** · 7th April 2009, 17:15

Originally Posted by 3umph

is there a tech mount around so one can be used while riding???

That'd be awesome, then one could ride the twisties AND surf/post on KB AT THE SAME TIME!!

**rainman** · 7th April 2009, 17:21

Originally Posted by breakaway

Laptop, desktop, rack mount, no problems.

Might struggle to take the rack though.

I ride 25kms each way almost every day, with the laptop in a laptop bag cargo netted to the back (Givi boxes look crap on cruisers...

) So far no problems, although it's a crappy HP laptop so the hinge has bust and I've been through 3 power supplies so far...

**Hiflyer** · 7th April 2009, 18:59

you can get a "logitech" laptop bag from their sirplus store (or whatever its caled) or noel leeming, i got one for free so im not that fussed, theyr like 90 buks think and theyre very hard on the outside and have padding thru the inside so my laptop has survived many a knock.

**Hiflyer** · 7th April 2009, 19:00

but i think if you go to their surplus store you can get it for cheaper than noel leeming themselves buy it for. haha no jokes either

**CookMySock** · 7th April 2009, 19:14

Originally Posted by jim.cox

I'm not fond of back packs so I just carry mine in a satchel over my shoulder

That sounds a hell of a lot more dangerous and distracting than a backpack.

Steve

**nivram** · 7th April 2009, 20:32

I've got this one: http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/49db0f...ct/View/XH9792

Handles the rain well, and is pretty well made for the price.

**retro asian** · 7th April 2009, 22:29

Originally Posted by EJK

Less vibration? Come on it's a 250 haha

I put an oldish digital camera in my seat a while ago, a few days later it started acting all funny... not sure if it was the vibrations, or maybe being banged around from the twisties?

I think my current backpack actually has a laptop compartment...its a well padded thin section... dunno how it would stack up in a bin situation though...

**mdnzz** · 8th April 2009, 08:21

boss cruises in on his fxd some days and has his lappy stachel strapped between the sissy bar and number plate.
Seems to work fine for him and it still runs like normal.

O it is his second one though......his first one wasn't secured properly and fell off then was squashed by the following car

**Blairos** · 8th April 2009, 08:42

Just been to Welly and back (via martinborough) last week, good old Work laptop in the Givi Box, bubblewrapped a little, surrounded by clothes - no problem!

**Ecclesnz** · 8th April 2009, 12:56

Okay, so the general consensus is it's fine to carry a laptop on a motorbike - how you choose to do this is up to you.

Some people are very cavalier about it and not worried at all. Personally I don't have a lot of disposable income to pay for replacements / frequent insurance execesses.

Small vibrations will probably be the hardest thing on your laptop (apart for a major bin of course). SO you will want to try and minimise these, fortunately this can be done very cheaply. If carrying your latop in a case / milk crate attached to the bike / whatever put some foam in the bottom to help absorb most of the vibrations (para rubber will have it cheap), if it has an open top ask for something weatherproof and put a few small holes in it to help water drain away.

I would try and have something to help hold it down as well (don't want to hit a bump and have it fly out now do we?). How you do this can depend on yoru budget.

If you have a milk crate drill a couple of small holes in the sides near the bottom. Take a couple of long bungy type cords and cut one end off. Remove both hooks, feed the cord through from one side the the other and then tighten so it has just has all slack taken out of it. The just tie a knot in the end you have just fed throughto stop it slipping back through.

If you get a givie type box and there's noting immediately suitable inside it you can still adapt(I would still use something to hold it down if I did not have anything esle sitting on top to stop major movement). The last one of these I did for someone involved getting 4x matched pieces of 2" wide velcro.

Glue the hook part of these to the inside of the the case so that they will be across from each other and about 2/3 the width of your laptop. Buy 1 meter of 2" wide elastic strap in the colour / style of your choice. Make 2x straps that will go across the box and hold your laptop down. Here's a cunning tip - allow a little extra to allow a loop to be made at either end to make it easier to take off. Then just have the velcro sewn onto the elastic.

If you are carrying it in a backpack it's not such a worry, your body will absorb most of the vibrations, however a backpack designed for latops _may_ have more supprt and fare better in the event of an off, however this will be on your back so persoanlly I would go for thicker soft style padding over a hard shell in the bag.

Fortunately with laptops being so popular these days they are a lot more robust than previously, really it's just about minimising the chance of problems without looking at huge budget. - Hell you're on a cruiser just get some saddlebags to use. Carry it in a reasonable laptop bag and it should be fairly safe.

Ok, so it's a wall of text - sorry guys.

**rosie631** · 8th April 2009, 19:06

What about carrying a bottle of wine in the saddle bags for a couple of hundred miles. Going away good Friday and thinking bout taking one because nothing much will be open. Only trouble is my bike vibrates like shit and I don't want to end up with an exploding bottle. Anyone tried it?? Should be ok if I let it sit a good while before opening??
PS - Not drink riding - this is for the end of the day.

**Hiflyer** · 8th April 2009, 20:36

Originally Posted by rosie631

What about carrying a bottle of wine in the saddle bags for a couple of hundred miles. Going away good Friday and thinking bout taking one because nothing much will be open. Only trouble is my bike vibrates like shit and I don't want to end up with an exploding bottle. Anyone tried it?? Should be ok if I let it sit a good while before opening??
PS - Not drink riding - this is for the end of the day.

does wine explode? i actually dont know haha but im sure if you wrap it in layer after layer of clothes it would be ok?