Cycling's a wonderful recreational activity but it's also an incredibly useful means of transportation. I've been riding my bike everyday, 20 miles a day, rain or shine, for something like six years. Every morning, I have a wonderful ride, and come into work awake and refreshed. I maintain my health and keep my sanity simply by getting to school and work.

But it wouldn't be possible if I couldn't take some things with me. For one thing, I need to have a fuel tank-- i.e. food. I also don't leave home without a few tools and everything I need to repair a flat. And there have been more than a few times where I have found myself incredibly delighted that I lug around my rain gear with me all the time. Keys and a wallet are good things to have, too. And then there's always a little something or other that might need to hitch a ride: CDs, a book, some bike part, etc.

So there's got to be a way to carry this. I've tried just about everything there is and here's my philosophy on it. Panniers are wonderful for touring and you can get some killer immersion proof bags (that unfortunately we no longer carry-- we're looking for some other brand to purchase currently) but they're often overkill for the few items I'm talking about. And if you're shopping, you're more likely not to crush your bread if you just get a trailer. Again, this is overkill for a few items. So then there are messenger bags-- and there are some really nice ones out there. Unfortunately, they're designed for messengers: to be easily accessible without removing the bag. This is optimized at the expense of comfort. Try one out for a long ride. It will be collecting closet dust in no time. So then there's the possibility of a backpack which is a rather manageable option as you can get ones small enough to carry just a few things. You can even get ones that have hydration bags built into them. There are even ones with suspension that allow air to flow through your back! Even better, there are bags with ALL of these features.

But then comes summer. And that big thing on your back, no matter how cold the water in it or how well the air is flowing through, makes you all sweaty. And I'm happy to announce that there is a solution. It's called the High Tail Exp bag and mounts to your seatpost with an easy to remove and install KlickFix system. It's got a raincover and is expandable. It's not expensive and doesn't require you keep a rack on your bike (just a simple little clamp). Best of all, it keeps you cool. It does have a weight limit, which is necessarily less if you're carrying liquid (since it sloshes around), but I've found it to be just enough. The other day, I had Tupperware full of pasta, my coffee cup, my Converse All Stars, as well as all the aforementioned items. I never had one before a couple weeks ago but now find it a necessary item. Even better yet, for those that don't carry as much as I do, there are smaller versions! And we have them available. Who could ask for more?

So there you go, another reason to get on your bike instead of in your car! If that's not enough reason, check out fellow Bike Friday owner Katie Alvord's wonderful book Divorce Your Car.

And while we're on the subject of books and since the the Tour is going on, I encourage you all to pick up a copy of Tim Moore's French Revolutions wherein a British non-cyclist suddenly gets an idea to ride the Tour route! It's as hilarious as it is inspiring and comes highly recommended, especially to the novice flirting with the idea of touring. More book reviews later. Ride on!