What can I get for panniers to commute with my 17" laptop? I have looked for a pannier that can hold my 17" laptop for a couple of years. No such thing exists. I tried contacting a couple of places to make one, but they never replied. So, now I'm trying to make or combine things to get myself a rain-safe pannier for my laptop. Are there any ideas on what I can use? Here are the details of what I've got to work with.

My laptop dimensions:


17" screen
16.5" x 11" x 1.5" dimensions.


I bought an Arkel Cam Lock Hook Kit 10". That looked like a great way to attach a bag to my rack whether I use an existing bag or somehow make my own bag.

I also have a couple of laptop sleeves I got thinking I could put the laptop in a larger pannier in the sleeve. The sleeves ended up only protecting against scratches. The panniers I tested all stretched to leave room for the laptop, but the laptop corners were left very vulnerable with almost no protection.


I have a Specialized 2011 Globe Haul 1. The rack is built-in and can hold up to 50kg (110 lbs). As the bike is designed to haul so much, the bike was geared very low when I bought it. I had an additional gear added to the front sprocket so I could ride better when going down hills. Even so, this is very decidedly a commuter bike, not a speedy racing/road bike.

What I have been using: I was strapping a laptop backpack on the rack (on top) with bungee cords, but the backpack is worn out. I'm afraid of getting caught in some Dallas rain, in which my backpack, with ripped sides and broken zipper, can't protect my laptop. Also, I had a really hard time strapping my lunch on with my backpack, and I sometimes avoided riding because it took awhile to get everything strapped on, so I'd like a pannier that makes it fast to get loaded and off riding. I will not wear a backpack or a messenger bag, but I'd be happy to modify something so I can use it as a pannier. I've got analysis paralysis so I'm reaching out for recommendations on what to use.

On vibration: I have one SSD and one standard hard disk. When I bought replacement disks, the new ones were thinner than the old, so I used some spare foam (static safe black foam for packing electronics in) to keep the drives in place. As such the drives actually have some cushion just for themselves).
Having a 17" laptop does limit your options.

If I understand it correctly, you want to carry your laptop on your bike (not on your body), in a bag that gives it some impact protection.

If you feel handy and are willing to throw some money at the problem, I'd recommend getting a hard-shell case filled with egg-crate foam, drilling holes in the case to install that Arkel mounting kit (or a different mounting kit), and sealing the holes with silicone caulk. I did a little poking around and found a well-known hard-shell case brand that does have briefcases for 17" laptops.