[lug] Commuting by bike with a laptop

[Rob Nagler]

Wow!  I'm so happy to hear about so many bike commuters.

I have an older MacBook Pro.  Several of us bike commute.  I used to
have a 1mi ride, and others about the same or less.  We had a variety
of problems with our Powerbooks and one Ti-book.  My current MacBook
had the "logic board", CD, and disk replaced.  It was relatively new
so I don't think it was the commute.  I have since moved and commute
7mi each way, and I haven't had any problems with my laptop in over 6
months of relatively frequent riding.

I have panniers and a commuter bag:

http://www.rei.com/product/604989
http://www.rei.com/product/761113

I was wrapping my MacBook in a neoprene sleeve:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017Q8DTQ

but I stopped doing this recently.  We have had Macbooks stay
on and really heat up so I get nervous about all the wrapping.

When I bring home backup disks, I carry them in this:

http://www.rei.com/product/781700

which I modified with sleeping pad foam and aluminum foil.
I can hold two 3.5" drives in their sleds.

I rode all last week, and I was worried about the cold so
I let the laptop sit for a bit before turning it on.  I also fell
quite a few times, not going real fast.  The laptop seems ok. :)

If you ride at night, I recommend a Cateye Double Shot Pro:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R5NR76

With all this ice, it really helps to have a bright light.  This one
says it is 25,000 candlepower at 10m.

Rob


Rob