Novara Commuter Rack Trunk

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

I have used this trunk/pannier for commuting and touring. I have no complaints. The installation is simple AND sturdy, which surprised me since all it's just a couple of Velcro straps sewn to the bottom.

The panniers seem a little thin, and may not be durable enough for long trip tight stuffing, but mine have held up strong. You can't fit a sleeping bag, but my one person lightweight tent fits well.

I love the trunk portion. I keep the bike tools in there for long hauls. I pack my sleeping bag on top of it, since there's no need to have immediate access to tools.

It's very water resistant even without using the included rain cover.

The panniers pack up neatly and tightly which is nice, because I'm not always touring nor needing them.

This really is a well thought-out very convenient product.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

This is a great pack. I like the visibility of the yellow material, and the reflective piping, while not a lot of square inches, is highly visible. The panniers hold a surprising amount - like a 5 pound bag of dog food with room to spare. They won't work for serious grocery shopping, but should be plentiful for many commuters (probably won't hold a laptop computer, though a netbook would fit - would need its own padding, though.) The main part of the trunk isn't huge, but I easily keep a cable lock, spare tube, tire levers, patch kit, small first aid kit, and a multi-tool in it with room to spare. The rain cover is a nice plus, though know that it won't cover the panniers in their deployed position. I like the fact that this is constructed with recycled materials. I'm going to be adding another bike to my stable later this year, and will absolutely buy another of these packs for my second bike. The strap for a tailight/blinkie is properly sized to securely hold a light (presuming the light's clip is properly designed - my Planet Bike tailight is very secure.) The only complaint I have and it's minor is that the double zipper for the main compartment, with the two zippers linked by a strap, has remained pretty stiff for a couple months now and takes a bit of jockeying to open most times. Overall, I'm completely pleased.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

Another great deal in the Novara product line! The bag holds my rain suit, tools, tube, patch kit, pump, cell phone, keys, and a couple of other small things without using the panniers. It has a built-in raincover that's genius. It's light, adds visibility, and has a neat little place to hook your taillight on. I love mine. Maybe a bit small for serious touring but absolutely perfect for long-distance (32 miles each way) commuting.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

Easy to attach and detach. Holds enough gear and snacks for a day trip. A bit of a stretch for multiday, but you will be able to pack stuff on top of it.

The panniers can be detached and you have a trunk with extra side pockets for shorter rides.
Seems sturdy but I cannot speak for durability since I have only had it for 1 month.
Easy to wash and fully water proof.

Only one complaint that took one star away: it does not provide with a method of carrying it once it has been detached from the back rack, and it becomes an awkward bulk item to haul around when you are walking.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

This trunk has been the best addition so far to the rear rack on my commuter bicycle. It is always packed with a spare tube, a toolkit, a cable lock, and some energy bars. In addition I can carry my wallet and cell phone in the main trunk section without having to cram everything together.

When I'm going farther than the office, the fold-out panniers are perfect for stashing not just my raingear and extra clothing, but gear for a fellow rider as well. I can keep a spare pair of shoes in one pannier comfortably too. They're not big enough for a laptop, but I already ride with a Timbuk2 messenger bag when I need to carry mine.

The panniers fold in very nicely when not in use. The raincover hasn't been necessary so far, but I expect I'll use it this fall -- in the meantime, it can be taken out to make more room for carrying soft items in the top zippered section.

The versatility of having just a little bit of extra carrying space makes this worlds more useful than previous trunks I've had, and the pockets and zippers are all quite durable. Mine has even survived being hit by a car with just a cosmetic scuff to show for it -- great quality gear!

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

I looked at several trunks and read the reviews and picked this one. I don't know if I'm missing something or if the model has changed since some of the reviews. I would love it if the panniers would come out so I could just use the side pockets, but the are sewn in. I haven't gotten a chance to use this yet as I need to get a rack for it.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

I got this from the store and it rang up at about [$] (I note this must've been a clearance item at the time because they are now selling these for full price at the store). I was immediately sold based on the price and features.Originally I was looking at Topeak trunks however they were more expensive and had less features.There is plenty of room for everything in this trunk. For long rides, I can keep my cell phone, wallet, keys, lunch, anything else I might need for a ride. Best of all, I don't need a backpack to carry anything.I've never used the panniers, however I use the side pockets all the time and the rain cover when necessary (a great feature to have!).I was hesitant about all the yellow, but it's actually pretty good for visibility.Since the trunk seems to slide around a bit on my bike rack, I purchased a separate cargo net which holds the trunk firmly in place. Since I keep the cargo net with me all the time, if I can't fit everything inside the trunk, I can stack stuff on top of the trunk and the cargo net will hold that.The only problem now is I bring too much stuff biking with me and that adds a lot of weight!I guess it gives me a better workout.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

This is a great bag! I have an unusual rack (very narrow - 15 x 3.5-4.5). I first bought the Navarro basic commuter bag, but the bag's design prevented me from installing it on my rack. I thought I was wasting my time buying the (larger) Commuter Rack Trunk, but I was totally wrong. The bag fit easily on my rack. On top of that, the fold-out panniers add a surprising amount of storage space. I don't know that you can put a ton of weight in the bag (you aren't going a major grocery trip with this bag). But, I was easily able to visit my public library and fit my (heavy) U-lock and cable along with a library book, a DVD, and a couple of CD's and had room to spare. I also like that I can fold up the "mini'panniers" when I don't need the extra space. The internal pouches will likely come in handy (haven't had to use them yet). I like the spot on the back of the bag for a rear light to be clipped on. And the sale price (I paid [$]) just can't be beat. I was surprised by the earlier comment about no carry handle. If the bag isn't stuffed with heavy items, the strap for the dual zippers should provide an easy way to tote this puppy.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

This trunk is a permanent fixture on my primary bike. It is always fully deployed, containing spare tubes, parts, tire pump, first aid kit, backups of things I tend to forget or loose (gloves, hat, etc), a cargo net, rain covers for the helmet and seat and more. The load is always unbalanced due to the central lighting battery pack in the near side pannier, but the product stands up to those stresses well.

I appreciate the lighter color even though the trunk is normally concealed under the fabric covering streamlining my large recumbent bike. You never know when the cover will not be usable and visibility is always critical. The one thing that is a bit annoying is the Velcro attachment, due only to the lack of clearance between my particular rack and fender arrangement. Things are very secure once attached.

The trunk stands up well to daily use totaling over 10,000 miles a year, including an average of 145 days of bike commuting a year. I am on my second one, as the elastic cords that secure the panniers got beat up after a few years and I did not feel like fabricating new ones. I am purchasing my third one on sale to have on standby in case I manage to trash something again.

While I have carried a netbook in the trunk pannier on the Seattle To Portland ride, I normally need an additional commuting cargo pannier for my thermos, lunches, clothing, papers, etc. and a grocery sack pannier for shopping. My wife says I carry too much, but I perfer to reduce car usage. I can strongly recommend this product to anyone who is not committed to carrying nothing that will not fit in their jersey pockets.

Comments about Novara Commuter Rack Trunk:

This was a surprise gift. I used it to bike a three day trip and catch trains to airports in St. Louis and Chicago. It hugs my Brompton bicycle rear rack easily. I had filled pannier when traveling in between cities; I emptied them (and left the contents in the hotel room) but left the 'trunk' in place with the panniers folded up...this worked well. I felt that it was less attractive for people to be attracted to rifling though empty panniers! I liked the smaller capacity as large volumes makes one carry too much stuff. Zippers are good quality; rain sack great feature for our misty northwest. Z