Taking a laptop to school

[Rosshammer8899]

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Hey everyone,


I will be starting undergrad. (pre-med) soon at the school of my choice. I have a laptop (a dell) and I plan on using a bike to commute to classes. I will run into rain almost every two weeks or so. I have to bike 1.5 miles. Do you guys and gals have any recommendations for me? I would really appreciate any good advices about riding a bike with my laptop (since I've never done so before).

Regards,
RH8899

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Hey everyone,


I will be starting undergrad. (pre-med) soon at the school of my choice. I have a laptop (a dell) and I plan on using a bike to commute to classes. I will run into rain almost every two weeks or so. I have to bike 1.5 miles. Do you guys and gals have any recommendations for me? I would really appreciate any good advices about riding a bike with my laptop (since I've never done so before).

Regards,
RH8899

I would just invest in a nice waterproof laptop case or waterproof backpack. Both, if you can afford it. Plenty of people commute with laptops in the rain, but you need to make sure you're protecting it sufficiently from moisture. Just a small amount of water can ruin your laptop. I accidentally fried my old HP because I had a leaky water bottle in my bag.

 

[AestheticGod]

Hey everyone,


I will be starting undergrad. (pre-med) soon at the school of my choice. I have a laptop (a dell) and I plan on using a bike to commute to classes. I will run into rain almost every two weeks or so. I have to bike 1.5 miles. Do you guys and gals have any recommendations for me? I would really appreciate any good advices about riding a bike with my laptop (since I've never done so before).

Regards,
RH8899

http://www.thewaterproofstore.com/backpacks.html
Waterproof backpacks can't be quite expensive, but you WILL need it. You don't want your laptop or books getting wet.

Me personally, I would buy a macbook air if I'm gonna be on a bike everyday lol. Laptops are still heavy man. But then again, not everyone has funds for a new laptop

 

[911 Turbo]

Hey everyone,


I will be starting undergrad. (pre-med) soon at the school of my choice. I have a laptop (a dell) and I plan on using a bike to commute to classes. I will run into rain almost every two weeks or so. I have to bike 1.5 miles. Do you guys and gals have any recommendations for me? I would really appreciate any good advices about riding a bike with my laptop (since I've never done so before).

Regards,
RH8899

A good alternative to a laptop is a flat rectangle of compressed cellulose, otherwise known as paper.

 

[tenndoc]

Weather channel. When raining or a remote chance of rain, stick it in a waterproof case or if you are cheap like me a plastic bag. Plastic bag has saved many a phone from rainy football games and strolls through campus.

 

[flodhi1]

Yes people do take laptops to school and they also check the weather forecast utilizing something called the Internet.

 

[TheShaker]

I use one of these sleeves (http://www.booqbags.com/us/sleeves/) and carry it in my Jansport backpack. I can walk through the heavy rain and nothing really happens to it. Then again, I live in CA and I might not get as many rainy days as you.

 

[Rosshammer8899]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate your comments.

I will definitely look into getting a laptop sleeve.


Can you please comment on this bagpack?

http://www.amazon.com/Ibex-17-Inch-Notebook-Backpack/dp/B000VOC90Y

Is this waterproof?

 

[BABSstudent]

I take my laptop to school daily (I recommend having a 14 inch or smaller). I just stick it in my Dakine backpack and walk to school. Even in the rain and snow, the backpack keeps the wetness out.

 

[Renaissance Man]

A good alternative to a laptop is a flat rectangle of compressed cellulose, otherwise known as paper.

I never used my laptop for class either. However you could get a large poncho or rain jacket and wear the backpack under the jacket.

 

[von Matterhorn]

Might wanna look at motorcycle backpacks. I have one because I ride a rocket, but they aren't too pricey and they're quite waterproof.

 

[augeremt]

You can also get a backpack cover, which is essentially a rain jacket for your backpack. It's cheap, transferable to any backpack, and keeps all the contents dry, not just your laptop.

Here's an example from the first result off Amazon (just search "backpack cover"):
Mountainsmith Rain Cover - $11-27

 

[chrismenz4]

I ride about 2.2 miles to school every day. I chose to get a macbook pro 13' so its not too heavy or bulky, but even with all my other books my backpack weighs at least 35lbs which isn't too bad at first, but gets old after having to ride every day...

As far as rain is concerned I have a pretty rain resistant north face backpack for light rain, and if it's really coming down i'll don a pancho, and bring an extra pair of clothes/ shoes (cause nobody likes to sit in class soaking wet)

the one thing i still need is a road bike though for sure, i hate having to ride my mountain bike because the bulky tires make it much more inefficient.

 

[ljpm8224]

don't screw around getting a crazy $$ h20-proof backpack. just carry an emergency supply of two or three of these in your bag:

apply 2 laptop prn 4 rain.

 

[Vespertilio]

I would just invest in a nice waterproof laptop case or waterproof backpack. Both, if you can afford it. Plenty of people commute with laptops in the rain, but you need to make sure you're protecting it sufficiently from moisture. Just a small amount of water can ruin your laptop. I accidentally fried my old HP because I had a leaky water bottle in my bag.

thx babe

 

[Rumalum]

Don't go spending obscene amounts of money. I used the same bookbag I had in high school, and I had a 7 mile bike commute rain, shine, or snow in Chicago. At the very most, just use a plastic shopping bag to cover your laptop and books (I didn't even do this)

 

[unnamedlord]

usually people take the shuttle on the day it's supposed to rain cuz generally u're more worried about slipping on the road and hitting ur head somewhere (even with helmet) than getting ur laptop wet. My friend last year slipped off his bike while going to school while it was raining. His bike chain which was dirty, though hot, sliced through his skin and went quite deep into his leg. Thankfully there were people nearby.

 

[Long Way to Go]

If you're just going to be at school for class and won't be studying there afterwards, there's often no need to even have a laptop. I learned that I often pay attention better if I'm just taking notes on a printout or in my notebook.

 

[Ellie Arroway]

Chrome backpacks or Ortlieb panniers are invincible even if you're the type to ride through a half hour of torrential downpour.

 

[Ellie Arroway]

Also, what the person above me said. 1.5 miles is like a 10 minute ride and I would just take a pad for notes unless I'd scheduled a 10 hour school day with lectures & labs & long breaks in between.

 

[angemon89]

I'd recommend an ultrabook like a Samsung Series 9 or a MacBook Air (if you're a mac person). They're super fast (SSD with new ivy bridge chips) and really light.

I bike everywhere and always carry my MBA with me. It's like it's not even there!

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Eh, in college I used my laptop primarily to either look crap up or to surf the internet in between classes. I could never use my laptop for most of classes because most of the teachers like to draw relevant diagrams that you cannot reproduce on your laptop as well as on a piece of paper.

But if you're bent on using a laptop, well get one of those cases from Staples for like 10 bucks, wrap it up and keep it dry.

 

[mikevick]

contrary to popular belief, dell laptops are waterproof

 

[red7]

Don't go spending obscene amounts of money. I used the same bookbag I had in high school, and I had a 7 mile bike commute rain, shine, or snow in Chicago. At the very most, just use a plastic shopping bag to cover your laptop and books (I didn't even do this)

Seriously, listen to this guy. Just use a regular bag and a regular laptop cover - it takes a LONG time for rain to soak all the way through the material that backpacks are made from and make the computer wet. Keep in mind also that when the computer is in the bag, it will most likely be sitting right up against your back, which is the driest place in your bag. If it's really coming down and you think the rain might soak through your bag in the ~7 mins it will take you to get to school, then put a plastic bag over your computer too and it will be fine.

I used to live in the Pacific Northwest where it rains almost incessantly for 8-9 months of the year and rode 5-10 mi. per day with my computer and never had a problem. No offense to anyone who posted here, but there are always people saying you need some expensive accessory - it's unnecessary.

Just make sure that whatever type of bag you get is a bright color. I often saw people in bright clothes riding around with black bags. The first thing a driver behind you is going to see is the bag, so make sure it's a bright one that is easy to spot (mine was yellow), and perhaps one that has a place to clip a light.

 

[Hemorrage]

OP i would suggest you just use a regular backpack. I use a swiss-gear backpack that holds practically everything i own. (Laptop, iPad, chargers etc.) In terms of getting wet swiss-gear backpacks are made of a special material that dries very quickly. I've had it completely soaked in the past and the water never penetrated the inside. Their quite pricy (~70-90) but believe me its worth it as a long term investment.

 

[Toastayy]

If you need a laptop backpack and since someone mentioned a non-waterproof one for 90 bucks, you might as well get a waterpeoof one for the same money. Specifically the timbuk2 messenger bags are durable, waterproof and designed specifically for bikers, but are however pricy from 50 to 120 bucks.

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