Commuting - Carrying Hockey Equipment on a bike?

Hey all--
anyone out there with advice/experience/tricks for carrying ice hockey equipment on a bike?

I'm just learning to play, and altho right now I'm storing my gear at a friend's house (he happens to live close to the rink), this is only a temporary solution. At some point I'll have to be carting around my gear, possibly over several km (no car, don't love the bus, and the possibilities for places to play are pretty dispersed...might have to cycle something like 20 km one way with the gear, though maybe not).

anybody have a good setup? what are good ways to deal with the stick?

any other suggestions?

I suspect that at least some of you out there have tried this successfully.

As for the specifics of my situation, i'm a small woman -- about 5 feet tall and 110 lbs -- so my equipment is small and so is my bike. My bike's a hybrid (Trek 7300, 13" frame), and the only reason I can touch the ground when standing over the top tube is because it slants down. So I'm a bit unsure about mounting the stick so that it runs the length of the bike.

any wisdom?

Wear it!

- You'll certainly stand out in traffic.
- Think of how much safer you'd be in a wreck!
- Drivers would steer clear just because you look like a LOON!

I tried to figure this out myself during our early spring we had here in New England when my team's locker room was being repainted. The only solution I could think of was to get one of these (http://www.bobtrailers.com/) but it was too expensive and too small (I'm a goalie). With your small equipment this (http://store.yahoo.com/hockeygiant/sherhkybackpack.html) might work, I don't know about the stick though. Good luck!

-Middi-zon

When I carry long things on my bike, they usually stick out the back quite a lot.
Try strapping the stick to your rack with as much of the handle alongside the frame, and tie a red rag to the end for visibility. Toeclip straps are useful for this kind of application. The rest of the kit might fit into large pannier bags.

never tried a hockey stick, but you should be able to strap it longside the frame - start just after the headset so you can steer and then let it hang out back. i've seen people carry skiis this way as well as other things much longer. just have to make sure it doesn't rattle loose when you're riding as it could be dangerous.

otherwise, just get some panniers or a backpack for the rest of the gear.

Well I will reccomend the Pack Rack.
http://www.bertsdirtworks.com/Utility%20Quad%20Products/Hunting%20Pages/Pack%20Rack.htm
They make a Pack Rack Jr. for lighter loads and the the standard model that can hold heavier objects such as a rifle.

Hockey bag is huge. I'd try a trailer and carying the stick vertically.

If you have a luggage rack you could attach a length of pvc pipe to the member which goes up and rearward from near the wheel hub. You can use radiator clamps to attach it and close off the bottom of the pipe with a fitting meant for that, but rember to drill a drain hole. that would hold your stick nicely and inexpensively. The other stuff you could carry the same way tourists do, using a combination of panniers and rack bags.

I don't believe panniers would be very useful, she would have to bring the bike into the locker room or take about 5 trips from the bike rack to the locker room. Use the big backpack in the link of my post, it would be cheaper than panniers at $20. The PVC pipe is a real good idea.

-Middi-zon

A BOB trailer would be ideal, but they're a little pricey. For a short distance, try carrying the bag on your back. If your hockey bag has a carrying strap, you could try carrying it messenger bag style. Adjust the strap so the weight is down low on the small of your back and maybe use another small strap to keep the bag from swinging around. The soft stuff in your bag will mold to your back and help stabilize things. Just remember your load is wider than usual.
Just lash the stick onto your top tube, blade out front so it doesn't end up in your spokes.
Biking is great for the hockey legs! I played in a tournament last spring after not playing for 3 years, the legs were fine because of the biking I was doing.

hmmm...i did consider wearing the gear. but...no. don't think so. maybe just the socks, elbows, and garters. but...no.

Middi-zon -- have you seen any of the hockey backpacks you linked to? they looked pretty nifty; good price, too.

a bike trailer would be okay, too, but yes, an expensive option, unless I can find some sort of a deal on a used one. I've never used one, however, so I'm a bit nervous about pulling one in traffic, though -- how are they? very maneuverable? a noticeable load? (not that a whole whack of hockey equipment is going to do a lot for my maneuverability in the first place).

i liked FOG's pvc pipe idea a lot, too. will have to think about a design doesn't get in the way of mounting my panniers, but maybe actually trying to make one will help me figure it out.

Originally posted by Hunter
Well I will reccomend the Pack Rack.
http://www.bertsdirtworks.com/Utility%20Quad%20Products/Hunting%20Pages/Pack%20Rack.htm
They make a Pack Rack Jr. for lighter loads and the the standard model that can hold heavier objects such as a rifle.

hey Hunter...

umm, er, ah...a rifle? now that would be something: a bike with a gun rack.

i'm not too clear on how the pack rack is supposed to work -- can't tell from the pictures. Where would it go? Where is it mounted? Have you tried one?

I assume you're suggesting it as a means to carry the stick, or are you thinking of other ways to use it for hockey gear as well?

Originally posted by hunterseeker
hey Hunter...

umm, er, ah...a rifle? now that would be something: a bike with a gun rack.

i'm not too clear on how the pack rack is supposed to work -- can't tell from the pictures. Where would it go? Where is it mounted? Have you tried one?

I assume you're suggesting it as a means to carry the stick, or are you thinking of other ways to use it for hockey gear as well?

The Pack Rack has a v section for loading with tie down straps on the arms to secure the load. It fits on the handlebars. Yes I have tried it and have mounted, bats, bows, rifles, pieces of lumber, and bamboo.
Hockey gear should not be a big deal just be creative. Couple it with a rear rack and your good to go. It sure beats spending almost $300 on a BOB.

I have a similar problem with a different sport (cricket). I don't wear too much padding, but the minimum is two sets of pads (I'm a wicket keeper) and two sets of gloves, plus the clothes, and my bat. I think a trailer is the way forward, myself, but home matches are 20 miles away and wicket keeping involves a lot of squats (270+ per match) and I still haven't convinced myself to try cycling to a match!

I did tie my field hockey stick to the top tube of my Trek 1000 and that worked just fine. But field hockey kit is much smaller than ice hockey!

Ellie

Have I got a deal for you: You can get a bike trailer for FREE from a number of locations around the city! The trailer is pretty roomy and should be fine for your hockey stuff and what doesn't fit can be strapped to the top. The PVC stick holder sounds perfect. I've hauled pretty heavy loads and found the trailer to track really well so no worries there.

The official "rental" period is 2 weeks, but I had one for 2 months (just called in every 2 weeks to renew).

Here's a link to the program: http://www.trek.ubc.ca/programs/cancart/index.html

Some people suggested a BOB trailer, which I think is too short for the hockey stick itself.

For city rides and even highway rides, a two-wheel cargo trailer such as the Burley Nomad would be a better alternative: better capacity, easier to pack (you don't have to keep it stable)...

And I found that a cheap alternative is a child trailer that you can get cheaply at garage sales. It offers more drag than a cargo trailer, so it could be a nuisance on long trips. But if you don't plan to use it for kids in the foreseable future, you might try to modify its canvas to streamline it.

BTW, with two clips, replace the typical red flag by the hockey stick...

Regards,

I've carried all of my paddling gear on my bike a number of times. My paddling gear, after factoring in wet suit, skirt, helmets, dry tops and stuff is probably about the size of a small persons hockey bag. I use a couple of cam straps and a bunch of bungee courds and use my creativity to attach it to my rear rack. The hockey stick could be attached the same way my paddle is, I duck tape it to the front of the bike below the head set and to the back of my rear rack. It sticks out a few feet, but I haven't had any problems. Just make sure ther back wheel doesn't rub against the straps or the bag, that'll rip the straps or the bag mighty quick.

No suggestions... but man, do you love hockey, or what?