Living Car Free - I Want Potato Chips

I can't seem to get my potato chips home without them getting a bit crunched. Believe it or not I have this problem with Pringles, the ones in the can. Before I put the Pringles in my shopping cart I pick up each can and turn it over to listen for noise. If there is a lot of noise it means that the chips are already broken up a bit. I put those cans back and only buy the ones that are nearly silent.

I pack them in my back pack to help them avoid the shocks that they would otherwise encounter on a rack. My bicycle doesn't have a full suspension but it does have a Thudbuster LT suspension seat post. I just ride on the sides of roads or in the lanes. Most of the roads and paths that go to the store are smooth, though they do have debris and rocks that sometimes give me a jolt. There are no curbs for me to hop so that isn't a problem. I stand for curbs anyway.

Does anyone have a solution for this other than riding on super smooth roads or riding at five miles per hour?

I would buy a bunch of helium balloons and tie them to the back rack and then attach the pringles to them. That should provide a shock-free ride for the chips.

Are you sure it's not a devious bagger damaging your goods? ;)




I admit this idea may not always be practical, but hopefully it will get others inspired to find a creative solution to your problem.

Open the can in the store. Eat some chips.
Wonder to the deli section and grab a napkin.
Stuff the napkin in the top of the can, snap the lid closed.
Now the chips can't bounce around in the can.

BTW, loading/unloading a truck is considered a contact sport by many stock and warehouse employees.

I haven't had issues with chips breaking on the ride home, although I tend to buy tortilla chips, not pringles. When I am grocery shopping I either bring the trailer (cycletote) and jut put the chips on top of the other bags of stuff, or for a quick run to the store, I use panniers - with the panniers I have an elastic mesh pocket on the side that seems to hold a bag of chips pretty well. Grocery store is 1.5 to 2 miles from home, depending on which one I go to....

Haven't noticed any unusual damage with my chips when transported by bike...but then again I usually have the open can in my front basket and munch a few as I ride down the road.:D

Aaron:)

Hrm. I always buy bagged chips, and those tend to have very little excess breakage. I also tend to go for chips that are as much like I'd get at home as possible... so pretty thick cut, with a short ingredients list. Pringles are pretty heavily processed by comparison, and they tend to be a lot more fragile.

Hang your chips from your backpack.

I normally use the compression straps and then place the bag handles in them.

Make sure you pack them standing upright, without pressure on the sides of the package? I dunno.

Wrap them up in bubble wrap before putting them in your bag. I don't eat chips but whenever I buy something that is fragile, I put it in my handlebar bag rather than my panniers. I have not had any bread squish or pretzels break.

You need to buy Kettle Chips - they are stronger and crunchier!

You can make a gunny sack full of chips for $1.50

10# bag of spuds is a dollar.Take a cookie sheet,slice potatoes,spritz with oil,put in oven for 15 min,salt,eat.Yummy.

I know this is sacrilegious.... but I simply don't care if my chips are broken.

Stop buying wimpy chips, and get yourself some Kettle Chips.

They won't be defeated by some namby-pamby bike trip... hell, some of those forkers will break your teeth.