Add =your= thoughts for the short haul of groceries (and other stuff that helps you and your bike)

[Reid]

 

[devhead]

Rigid baskets seem nice. I use soft panniers and have had them get caught up in the rear spokes due to hitting bumps/potholes at excessive speeds. Not a good sound or feeling when this happens. I like how these baskets collapse when not in use. The only thing I get curious about is the rattle factor at speed. I just might have to re-think my panniers.

As for the cargo net with hooks, my daughter would ask the question...Ghetto or Genius...I put this one in the genius column. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Reid]

10-pack of the bags shown above

 

[Reid]

Rigid baskets seem nice. I use soft panniers and have had them get caught up in the rear spokes due to hitting bumps/potholes at excessive speeds. Not a good sound or feeling when this happens. I like how these baskets collapse when not in use. The only thing I get curious about is the rattle factor at speed. I just might have to re-think my panniers.

As for the cargo net with hooks, my daughter would ask the question...Ghetto or Genius...I put this one in the genius column. Thanks for sharing.

Hi, devhead, the rattles of the open basket are mostly going to be prevented by the tension of a cargo net.

And the joints of the basket are certainly subject to dry squeaking. Just oil if wanted (though I never do).

The Wald basket is naturally flexible and will be reliably silent only if you make it so, and that is easy: constrain movement with elastic.

Many of this type of cargo net have the metal hooks. I've tried both and much as I wish I could like the nice, double-catching plastic hooks, the metal ones plastic covered and up above, color accented so you can see them against a black background, seem to annoy me the least.

Hooks on both sides of a net when using only one Wald basket or when not using a basket at all, caused me frustrating wrestling matches in trying to set the net quickly from one side. Opposite side hooks unhooking when slacked...

 

[Reid]

Irrigation stuff, sprinkler nozzles, toted home from Home Depot an hour ago,

and unrelated: a 2.35" front tire running with only 15PSI.

A pendant bag, on one side or on both sides, automatically gimbals.

Thus, the bag/s do not much affect steering, so long as the bag/s do not swing hard against the frame, and even if, who cares because it is not a real problem if you are going more or less straight and not trying to negotiate quick turns.

In normal riding, the bag/s do not buck against the bike, and therefore they do not cause any instability issue at all.

 

[TForan]

Here's what I use. Works out well.

 

[NeilCruz]

@TForan

I have the metal folding Wald 528's, which are too square for my re-usable grocery bags.

A) Which paniers are these?​

B) Are they perma-mounted or are they "take with you or else they will be stolen" type?​

C) Do they fold flat when empty​

D) Do they hold their shape if you put a gallon of milk in 1?​

E) Do they sit far enough back to not hit your foot?​

F) Do you need a bungie-net or does it come with something to "close the top" so nothing bounces out?​

Thanks!

 

[rich c]

Hauling is not my issue. It's letting the bike unattended while I go in the store. I very rarely let it out of my site. My local drug store lets me bring the bike in since they don't have a rack, but not much issue hauling a bottle of ibuprofen.

 

[TForan]

@TForan

I have the metal folding Wald 528's, which are too square for my re-usable grocery bags.

A) Which paniers are these?​

B) Are they perma-mounted or are they "take with you or else they will be stolen" type?​

C) Do they fold flat when empty​

D) Do they hold their shape if you put a gallon of milk in 1?​

E) Do they sit far enough back to not hit your foot?​

F) Do you need a bungie-net or does it come with something to "close the top" so nothing bounces out?​

Thanks!

A Bushwacker Omaha
B Easily removed
C Yes
D Yes
E Yes
F I've never had anything bounce out but easily secured

 

[Asher]

Banjo Brothers Market Pannier. Biggest pannier on the market AFAIK.

You could also put a milk crate on the rack, and buckets on the sides.

Many options...

 

[Reid]

Hauling is not my issue. It's letting the bike unattended while I go in the store. I very rarely let it out of my site. My local drug store lets me bring the bike in since they don't have a rack, but not much issue hauling a bottle of ibuprofen.

In use for months now with entire satisfaction, see the alarm @ 53 seconds in? And the frame lock and chain, great for short stops. I just don't worry. Am in an area at high risk of opportunistic theft, low risk of bolt cutters and angle grinders, especially for short term parking at public places. I wheel my bike into the Home Depot. It's my shopping cart. But I have to leave it in front of local supermarkets. Risk of theft seems low with the "cafe lock" and its defeatable chain. But the ALARM that no thief expects, is the great comfort provider. If I am within earshot I just don't worry about my bike being picked up and carted away etc. And the Abus cafe lock is super quick and convenient to set.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

Nice videos, @Reid , and thanks also to @TForan and @Asher for sharing their set-ups.

I use the Wald baskets too. I don't notice any rattle at all. I've used zip ties at strategic locations to snug them down.

The first two pictures show them on the bike, one open, the other folded. I never take them off. I got some inexpensive canvas totes from Amazon that fit the baskets perfectly. Put a quick square knot into the handles, and there is zero danger of anything bouncing out. Or I can use the Rok Straps to strap something in.

You can see the Rok straps in their usual mode, securing my U-lock and cable and one canvas tote onto the rack.

So long as I'm doing Show and Tell, I may as well point out some recent mods.

First, you can't be too visible. I put this tail light under the seat. It will burn steady, or has two flashing modes. It will do turn signals, although I don't use this feature. And it will put those laser lines down on the pavement; they show up pretty well in dim light.

Second, I started getting a grinding noise when pedaling. At first I wondered if I was about to have bottom bracket problems, but then I decided that the bearings in the right pedal were going bad. I liked the look of the red pedals on Reid's bike (we've been trading ideas back and forth for months now) so I bought these. Grinding noise ceased.

Finally, the front fender got trashed so I tried another similar set. Amazon sent the wrong size (too narrow, just could not get them to stop rubbing the tire no matter how I fettled them.) Sent them back to Amazon and bought this mountain bike fender instead. It won't give as much protection to my lower extremities and I may have to add an extension, but I like the looks and it works well enough.

 

[Drew]

Great topic! I always like to see how other people are doing things!

I have been using a pair of Giant "Grocery Getter" panniers since 2012. https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/grocery-getter-pannier I got 'em with my first eBike and just transferred over to my new eBike. I have hauled many bags of groceries home in these guys!

I initially used zip-ties to keep them attached to the rack rail, but now use these "ball bungees" which I am finding nearly as handy as zip ties for lots of things!

 

[john peck]

One of my better $4 Goodwill finds is this thermal insulted, front bar bag. Being curved it serves as an excellent fairing. A while
back I got caught off guard by a sudden downpour & had to race for home. When I got there the bag was drenched, but my
thighs & chest were merely damp. I use it for mail or misc. I can fill it with ice & something cold to drink.

 

[MisterBritcom]

I zip tied a milk crate onto the rack. With a few bungie cords I can haul almost anything.
Not terribly stylish but neither am I

 

[john peck]

I zip tied a milk crate onto the rack. With a few bungie cords I can haul almost anything.
Not terribly stylish but neither am I

Hey, function before form. Quite a few milk crates in the Port Townsend area. I think of it as rez chic. Lots of bike here that look
pretty clunky at a glance, but are actually very good vintage rides. I live in a very bike friendly part of America's most bike friendly
state.
My latest build

just kiddin'

 

[MisterBritcom]

I like the low profile of just being an old dude on a bike with a ratty milk crate. Nothing flashy to see here, just move along.
And it provides lots of space for extra reflectors or tail lights, as well as a ton of bungee points.
My wife crinkled her nose at it, but what could be more elegant? I like those collapsible wire panniers also, I'll have to see if Santa might bring some this year.

 

[christob]

I picked up a Banjo Brothers Minnehaha Canvas Utility pannier on sale early on... which has been fine for my casual rides (holding a small towel -- always know where your towel is! -- bug spray, sunblock, perhaps a light rain jacket...) But as summer came on, I needed to start carrying my work clothes + lunch into the office; at 750 cubic inches the bag quickly reached "stuffed" capacity on commutes. While I love the look of it (black canvas with a tan leather strap running centered from top to bottom with chrome buckle) it is just slightly too small for my summer commuting, let alone considering a grocery run (beyond perhaps 1 bagful.) So I have yet to try a grocery run of any size, via bike.

But this weekend I picked up a Bontrager Town Shopper Large -- while not nearly as stylish looking it delivers a whopping 1,700 cubic inches. A zippered top opening, center strap + buckle to cinch down/compress when not full, plus reflective tape, an outer zip pocket and an inner zip pocket. I like that it is completely "rectangular" in form, inside, like a traditional kraft paper grocery bag -- 4 straight walls and a flat, rectangular bottom. The Banjo Brothers canvas bag tapers down to a narrower bottom than the opening at top; creates a nice, sort of tailored look, but at the cost of usable space.

Heaps of room now for my summer office commuting needs (besides the daily pair of pants, shirt, socks and my lunch -- I could pack in different shoes and still have room for sunblock & bug spray, a rain jacket and even more.)

And it definitely has me thinking I should try a grocery run soon... Being single, I could probably retrain myself to make more frequent, smaller grocery runs, vs. the traditional once-every-8-to-10 days car trip (usually resulting in a far larger, heavier grocery load than I could effectively bike home, even with this big pannier.)

 

[Bruce Arnold]

I picked up a Banjo Brothers Minnehaha Canvas Utility pannier on sale early on... which has been fine for my casual rides (holding a small towel -- always know where your towel is! -- bug spray, sunblock, perhaps a light rain jacket...) But as summer came on, I needed to start carrying my work clothes + lunch into the office; at 750 cubic inches the bag quickly reached "stuffed" capacity on commutes. While I love the look of it (black canvas with a tan leather strap running centered from top to bottom with chrome buckle) it is just slightly too small for my summer commuting, let alone considering a grocery run (beyond perhaps 1 bagful.) So I have yet to try a grocery run of any size, via bike.

But this weekend I picked up a Bontrager Town Shopper Large -- while not nearly as stylish looking it delivers a whopping 1,700 cubic inches. A zippered top opening, center strap + buckle to cinch down/compress when not full, plus reflective tape, an outer zip pocket and an inner zip pocket. I like that it is completely "rectangular" in form, inside, like a traditional kraft paper grocery bag -- 4 straight walls and a flat, rectangular bottom. The Banjo Brothers canvas bag tapers down to a narrower bottom than the opening at top; creates a nice, sort of tailored look, but at the cost of usable space.

Heaps of room now for my summer office commuting needs (besides the daily pair of pants, shirt, socks and my lunch -- I could pack in different shoes and still have room for sunblock & bug spray, a rain jacket and even more.)

And it definitely has me thinking I should try a grocery run soon... Being single, I could probably retrain myself to make more frequent, smaller grocery runs, vs. the traditional once-every-8-to-10 days car trip (usually resulting in a far larger, heavier grocery load than I could effectively bike home, even with this big pannier.)

So, I'm guessing you will use both? Or have you sidelined the Banjo Brothers pannier? I like 'em both; I can sure see why they appealed to you.

Regarding more frequent, smaller grocery runs: we make a major run once a month in the Outback and stock up on the necessities. Then we go on our bikes as often as need be -- has never been over twice per week -- for perishables. Been doing this about six months and it works well for us. Since we go more often, I buy milk in half-gallons instead of gallons, as an example of a change we've made. I buy a loaf of bread pretty much every time. Into the freezer if we don't need it right away. I wish we had a farm produce stand nearby, for fresh veggies. There used to be several but development has displaced them.

It reminds me of when I lived in France; we'd walk over to the nearby market with a string back 2-3 times per week and bring home milk, veggies, bread, eggs, etc. We didn't have a huge refrigerator so this worked on so many levels.

 

[christob]

So, I'm guessing you will use both? Or have you sidelined the Banjo Brothers pannier? I like 'em both; I can sure see why they appealed to you.

Interesting question -- I hadn't considered using both at once, and with the capacity of the Bontrager, I don't *need* both at this time for commutes / joy rides. (Though, if I do make a bike grocery run soon, I could consider taking both just for a little more cargo space...)

My "go-to" grocery store is actually just 2 blocks off the bike path of my office commute -- so there's no excuse there.
However, I don't believe I recall seeing a bike rack near the entry! (I'll have to confirm that on the ride home tonight; perhaps there is one out in their parking garage somewhere; which makes me a bit more apprehensive somehow, leaving it unattended, locked of course, but well out of my sight for easily ~20-30 mins in a busy parking garage (serving more than just the grocery store) where nobody would likely bat an eye if they even noticed someone sawing through a bike lock...) I don't think I'd want to take the bike inside (nor I suspect, would they even allow it -- it is a compact grocery store, and even navigating a push-cart is a challenge on busy evenings.)

I might need to consider a form of insulation for frozen items... I tend to stock up on say, Lean Cuisines as a convenient office lunch. They'd probably be ok on the ride home (about 3 miles?) but both panniers are black, and in the full summer sun that could make the interior toasty, quickly...?