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Gerocery Shopping + Bicycle
Reckless
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hey all,
I'm gonna be living in my college town over the summer. I won't have a car full-time, and even though some of my roommates will, I'd still like to explore the possibility of using my bicycle for grocery runs. It's a really bike-friendly town, so that's not a concern. I need a little help picking out a decent method of hauling cargo.
I've got a semi-cheapo hybrid bike. Is there any decent universal cargo attachment I could buy out there? I'm thinking along the lines of the baskets I see below the seat area, rather than in front of the handlebars.
Thanks for any help.
I'm gonna be living in my college town over the summer. I won't have a car full-time, and even though some of my roommates will, I'd still like to explore the possibility of using my bicycle for grocery runs. It's a really bike-friendly town, so that's not a concern. I need a little help picking out a decent method of hauling cargo.
I've got a semi-cheapo hybrid bike. Is there any decent universal cargo attachment I could buy out there? I'm thinking along the lines of the baskets I see below the seat area, rather than in front of the handlebars.
Thanks for any help.
Reckless on
0
Posts
Any bike shop can fit the rack and set you up with panniers.
You can also zip tie or otherwise attach a basket to the top of the rack.
Get a simple duffel bag that you can sling over your back. Make sure you can fit enough groceries in there without off-balancing your bike (which shouldn't be a problem). Heavier items like water and milk might need a second run, but I was able to stuff mine to the top and rest the heavy part on the back end of the bicycle seat. The scooter make it much easier because I just rested the bag on the passenger seat.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
You've pretty much got a tonne of room in it, plus you can strap it all up nice and tight so nothing starts moving around or flying out.
Panniers are definitely the way to go, unless you want to go full on cargo mode and get a trailer.
One of the simplest, high capacity storage units for a bike I've seen. Can be easily assembled out of found buckets/fittings if are particularly handy/have access to a shop.
That's probably not a good option. You're certainly warned against using a trailer with a motorcycle and I don't think there's anything special about bicycles that would make them any safer pulling a trailer.
Lower speed and less mass involved tend to spring to mind. People frequently use trailers with bicycles, they even drag around little kids in them.
You've got tons of options, but I'll just recommend my favorite: Baileyworks bags.
http://www.baileyworks.com/Messenger+Bags/Super+Pro/sizes/#
http://www.baileyworks.com/Messenger+Bags/253+Courier/options/
Uh, have you never seen a parent on a bike pulling a kid in a trailer before? These things are all over the place and aren't particularly dangerous. Not that a baby-trailer is what you should use for cargo. Though I have seen homeless bottle collectors with one stuffed with bottles.
You could get a BOB trailer for larger cargo, like heavy groceries.
Alternatively, a messenger bag will do, but it's more work for you and would be more smushy for your groceries.
So!
Option 1: Rack & Panniers
Option 2: Messenger bag
Option 3: Hold them over your handlebars (you'll probably end up off the road in a ditch-it's a pretty imbalanced ride)
A trailer works just fine with bicycles. Here people do it all the time and you can even get special ones for mountain biking.
Just for groceries I'd say a trailer is more than needed. I have been doing my shopping for years with just a school size backpack and sometimes a bag or two in the one hand. The later is not recommended safety wise but if you drive accordingly it's possible - heck I've driven with a person sitting on the handle bars and another standing on the pegs :P
I've never heard of anyone having problems with bicycle trailers.
Waitrose (supermarket chain in the UK) lend them to people for free, I can't see them doing that if they were regarded as dangerous.
I have never seen anyone on a bike pulling anything in a trailer in the 25 years I've been alive. Bikes certainly aren't all over the place where I live and I can't recall seeing a single bike lane here, either.