Rucksac

I like Deuter bags. Their dedicated cycling bags - especially the small ones - do everything I want of them, and are reasonably good-looking too. So I was expecting good things when this parcel arrived. I pulled the pack out and, well, was a bit disappointed. It's understated and unassuming, sure, but looks are not the Deuter Giga's strong point. It looks, to be frank, like the sort of backpack my dad would wear.

Still. Backpacks go on the back, they're not to be looked at. And for everything else, the Deuter is a very useful and accomplished pack.

Ortlieb Vario rucksac

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op's range of Stow rucksacks have been around for a few years now and are much loved by the two wheeled community. This Stow Expert is the biggest of the family, with a capacity of 25 litres and an extra 5 litres available at the tug of a zip. It shares the excellent Aeroflex frame system with its little brothers and that guarantees a less sweaty back than your bog standard backpack, plus you don't get poked in the back by awkward loads.

The Banjo Brother’s Commuter Back Pack might be just the thing if you don’t like messenger bags, or find panniers inconvenient. A two layer belt and braces waterproof design consisting of a “ballistic” nylon outer designed to resist the day to day rough n’ tumble while a nylon liner catches the contents and avoids the bin liner ritual. The subtle satin black livery looks classy sans bike while reflective striping and obligatory Led tab are nice safety features.