Utility Cycling - Wald folding baskets: do they rattle?

How much rattling do the Wald folding baskets make when they are collapsed against the side of the rear rack? I'd prefer not to have a rattling noise follow me around all the time, especially when the baskets are not in use.

It's been years and years since I had a pair.
Very useful, but they did sound a little like the Tin-Man jogging when I was on rough roads.

How much rattling do the Wald folding baskets make when they are collapsed against the side of the rear rack? I'd prefer not to have a rattling noise follow me around all the time, especially when the baskets are not in use.



Yes they do, but it is not dreadfully loud.

Had one on my old cruiser and took it off eventually because of the noise. You can bungee it when it is folded closed to prevent excess rattling, but mine was loudest when it was open. I zip-tied all the loose spots and left it open, but over time it still made a little noise. Now I use a Wald front basket and love it.

I suppose they would be a bit noisy since the fit together loosely to allow folding.

That said, One needs to make a choice....utility with a bit of noise...or...utility with no noise
but a fat butt rear profile all the time. You money your choice. ;);)

I've got an older pair that were Schwinn branded that rattle very little but dear wife would
hurt me bad if I took'em off 'cause of a little noise. :D:D

They make a little noise, but it doesn't bother me. If you put a little oil on the folding joints every now and then it helps minimize that, along with bungies.

Mine rattle a bit, but so do the fenders, the bell, the front basket....it is a freakin' utility bike. FWIW my pickup rattles pretty good too.:innocent:



Aaron:)

MIne don't rattle much. Just make sure they are mounted correctly and maybe use a few zip ties. I don't really notice the noise if there is any. It's my bell that rattles when I hit a bump. Even if they rattled as much as my bell, I would keep them because they are so useful.

How much rattling do the Wald folding baskets make when they are collapsed against the side of the rear rack?........... ..

Mine don't rattle when folded. It's a pretty tight package. They do rattle when open and empty but not when full. I have a lot of trips to the store on mine and have had no problems.

I just use a twisty tie on each to cut down the noise. One twisty tie tightly twisted on the bottom seems to cut down the rattle.

I aso used a lot zip ties to attach them along the rack as others have suggested.

I found mine to be a bit too loose for my comfort when I first put them on, but a couple of zip ties later and they're solid as a rock. If I recall correctly, I only needed one zip tie per basket, down near the bottom. They don't rattle at all. The top clip that keeps them shut is very solid and it actually takes a bit of squeezing to get it shut, so it's nice and tight there.

I found mine to be a bit too loose for my comfort when I first put them on, but a couple of zip ties later and they're solid as a rock. If I recall correctly, I only needed one zip tie per basket, down near the bottom. They don't rattle at all. The top clip that keeps them shut is very solid and it actually takes a bit of squeezing to get it shut, so it's nice and tight there.
I was going to say the same thing.

When closed, mine don't rattle much more than anything else on the bike. I did a custom rack though, with big hooks they hang on instead of the little screw-held P-straps.

When they're open, how much they rattle depends on how much weight is in them. With nothing in them, they'd rattle a lot....
~

They didn't too much at first, but after a couple of years, yeah, pretty bad.

I've had mine for about 4 months now and they really don't rattle at all. I use three zip ties instead of Wald's mounting hardware and as aizia stated, that top clip keeps them folded tight.

I use the zip-ties for attachment and run a bunge cord from the left rack hook over the top and hook the other end to the right rack hook. Completely silent.

Get the shopping panniers from nashbar, silent, hold a grocery bag and fold flat when empty.

Huh, I wonder if the problem was the zip ties getting old in my case.

The bike is used for commuting, but we'd like something handy for errands on the way home. A lot of the time, it will be folded, so quiet is nice. The nice thing about the Walds is that they are not easy to steal, and you have them with you without thinking about it.

I'm also considering something like the Nashbar folding ones. I saw transit grocery panniers that had shoulder straps. The shoulder straps seem like they would be more useful for stpping if you have to remove the pannier.

Huh, I wonder if the problem was the zip ties getting old in my case.

Get the black ones...they are usually UV stable. The white ones are not.

Aaron:)

Closed, no rattles, the clip keeps things pretty tight...Open, it depends on how full your grocery bag(s) are or if you are a paper-in-plastic bag sort of person or have your own canvas bag, very little rattle when open. We use bungies over the top of the bags to keep everything from bouncing around too much. Guess it also depends on how smooth your roads are.

Mine don't rattle when folded. It's a pretty tight package. They do rattle when open and empty but not when full. I have a lot of trips to the store on mine and have had no problems.

+1 this is exactly my experience

I agree -- the Wald baskets don't rattle much when they're closed. I've been using mine nearly every day for at least ten years with no problems. I recommend padding the vertical strut of the carrier rack (against which they might bang) with a little bit of bar tape. I also recommend, rather than PVC ties, nylon straps with quick-release buckles to attach the baskets to the rack -- it's nice to be able to take them off quickly when you don't want the weight. PM me if you'd like instructions on how to make the straps.

I have Wald baskets on my beach cruiser. They do not rattle at all when folded closed, the clip holds them very securely. Whenever they are open, I've got enough stuff in there that they don't rattle either. Pretty much a non issue IMHO.

I have a pair on my '57 Peugeot as the stock rear rack would not support a panier whereas the folding baskets were a fairly easy and solid install...

They make a little noise but it is in no way objectionable...

Here are some photos of the straps I've made for Wald folding baskets (pink ones for my mom. Aww...). I can take them on and off in no time, and have been using them for years without any problems -- I trust them enough to carry my laptop, quite often. Just get the sturdiest quick-release buckles and nylon strap material you can find at your local sewing store, then sew the heck out of them. Note that I use fabric-covered rubber bands (aka pony-tail holders) to attach the bottom of the basket to the vertical strut of the carrier rack, which I've padded with handlebar tape (sorry -- I'm a pretty poor photographer). It works pretty well for a while, but then they get stretched out. If anyone's got a better idea for a quick-releasing way to attach the basket to the vertical strut, I'd like to hear it.

Here are some photos of the straps I've made for Wald folding baskets (pink ones for my mom. Aww...). I can take them on and off in no time, and have been using them for years without any problems -- I trust them enough to carry my laptop, quite often. Just get the sturdiest quick-release buckles and nylon strap material you can find at your local sewing store, then sew the heck out of them. Note that I use fabric-covered rubber bands (aka pony-tail holders) to attach the bottom of the basket to the vertical strut of the carrier rack, which I've padded with handlebar tape (sorry -- I'm a pretty poor photographer). It works pretty well for a while, but then they get stretched out. If anyone's got a better idea for a quick-releasing way to attach the basket to the vertical strut, I'd like to hear it.

Very cool, a simple but neat idea.

Note as nice as the straps, but here's what I do to keep things from rattling when closed. Also, this let's me have the extra utility of keeping a cargo net handy...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3185386852_4122b34660.jpg?v=0 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdmitch/3185386852/" title="Wald Folding Basket + Cargo Net by j.dmitch, on Flickr)

Get the shopping panniers from nashbar, silent, hold a grocery bag and fold flat when empty.


+1 ---- or the same from Performance...... on sale for $20 several times a year....No noise at all, and I bungee mine with monkey balls (together) when folded up to keep 'em nice and tight. I also hang them as far to the rear on my Topeak rack to avoid any heel strike. And, I got big feet...

They rattle a little. Even if they didn't fold I wouldn't care about a little rattle, though.

But since they do fold flat, I can shove my bike into a packed bike rack at the grocery store and still carry home a load that'll have me in granny gear out of intersections. They'll hold far more than an aluminum rack can carry, I have the evidence. I can carry my bike through the side garage door with me rather than trying to pull it behind me or push it ahead of me. I can put my bike on the front of the bus when the front rim splits ten miles from home, without bogarting the entire rack. They'll never wear out, either; mine are so old they're galvanized instead of painted.

That's worth a little rattle. Folding baskets, ftw.

Go to the local auto supply store and they should have silicon hose of various widths by the foot.
Find some hose whose interior diameter is the same as width of your basket's wires.
Slit the hose down the middle and fit it like water pipe insulation on the parts of your basket that rub.

Quiet basket.