Commuting - Functional and Practical Front Basket

There are so many baskets out in the market that is difficult to decide which is functional and practical. My cruiser came with a small basket but I want to improve quality and size, is obvious that depending on the style and color you pick will make a difference in the bike looks.

Now I've also experience from the first time riding with my pooch (doggy) and it was fun and she enjoy the ride. She is a very small Chihuahua but you can tell she is a little uncomfortable in the basket I have now, I also sometimes carry a small errand I did on the day so for me is very important to have a basket that will fit a little more however I always carry a backpack but I would like to carry less in my back. So if you can share with me your experience and basket feel free to post a pic so I can have an idea on what to get I will appreciate it.

Thank you!

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You can go to town on baskets at the Wald site: http://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/baskets.html

Their 157 Giant Delivery basket, with the fitted liner, looks like it might be a hot option for you:

http://www.waldsports.com/files/WaldSports/157PLYBAG_250px.jpg

The 157 Giant is awesome! I have one on my grocery bike and I can fit 3 bags of groceries up front. I've also used it to carry 3 gallons of coolant and 2 gallons of motor oil, an air filter and 2 oil filters, and a radiator hose all in one trip. It really is a *GIANT* basket; no joke.

I have a smaller, black wire, Wald basket that I really enjoy. However this coming spring I'm going to mount it on the wife's bike.

It appears Wald has improved the adjustability of the struts supporting the Newsboy Baskets.. :thumb:

now there is a big and small hole in the bottom.. the small hole for fork tip eyelets

The 157 Giant is awesome! I have one on my grocery bike and I can fit 3 bags of groceries up front. I've also used it to carry 3 gallons of coolant and 2 gallons of motor oil, an air filter and 2 oil filters, and a radiator hose all in one trip. It really is a *GIANT* basket; no joke.

I've thought about getting a front basket, but might have to change out handlebar (and possibly replace the cables- depending) and then would have to figure out where/how to mount my bar light again...

For riding with your dog, I suggest springing for a Nantucket pet basket. My mother has one on her cruiser. It's nice an roomy and has a secure cover so that the dog can't jump out (but she can still see and enjoy the ride). The basket is easy to get on and off the bike so it's useful for shopping, too. My mother likes it a lot.

I prefer something smaller, lighter, less expensive, and more practical. I highly recommend a "wire" basket over a straw or mesh one. I use this generic one that I got at my local bike store. It's medium sized and holds my everyday work bag filled with 10 pounds of junk plus my lunch bungeed on top. (The bag acts as a basket liner so nothing falls through.) If I need to carry something else, I can always carry my bag on my shoulder and use the basket for packages, etc. The advantage of this style of basket is that I can clip, secure, tie or otherwise attach a variety of things to it in a variety of ways. You can always use a liner and/or padding with it if you want to as well. It's very versatile.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8024/7198854226_9916e7de0b_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drv1913/7198854226/)
Bike to Work: Loaded Basket (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drv1913/7198854226/) by drv1913 (http://www.flickr.com/people/drv1913/), on Flickr

Wow some of you folks really care the stuff.Hats off to ya.

What is the advantage of steel wire over traditional wicker baskets? Wicker lasts for decades and the dense weave prevents small items falling through. It is pretty dog friendly. Which is heaviest for any size?
For any basket, you need to pay attention to the mounting arrangement. there are lots of bad mounts including 2 leather straps around the bar, massive plastic blocks bolted tight to prevent rotation, fugly metal clamps with sharp bits sticking out and hooks which are badly formed.
From what I have seen, the best basket mounts are BasEasy by Basil and Klickfix by Rixen&Kaul.

What is the advantage of steel wire over traditional wicker baskets? Wicker lasts for decades and the dense weave prevents small items falling through. It is pretty dog friendly. Which is heaviest for any size?
For any basket, you need to pay attention to the mounting arrangement. there are lots of bad mounts including 2 leather straps around the bar, massive plastic blocks bolted tight to prevent rotation, fugly metal clamps with sharp bits sticking out and hooks which are badly formed.
From what I have seen, the best basket mounts are BasEasy by Basil and Klickfix by Rixen&Kaul.
I've never used wicker myself, but I've seen lots of problems arise from mounting on my kid's bike. It will get stained, moldy, and limp if soaked in the rain. Wicker can be brittle and crack, and permanently deform if moist for too long. Steel has none of these worries, nor any off the others wicker has, like holding snow.

i don't know the BasEasy system, but the Klickfix, while definitely sane and easy, has very low weight carrying capacity which may be an issue.

I have two bikes with Wald baskets which I love. The commuter bike just uses the hardware that came with the basket. It isn't very heavy but is limited in what it can hold, weight wise. My other back up commuter has a Gomah Porteur rack with the basket installed on top. I am sure that basket could easily carry another person. The drawback is the Gomah Porteur rack weighs quite a bit so there is a compromise. I am tempted to buy a small Nitto front rack to put my commuter basket on so that I can carry a little more without worrying about the stability of the basket.

Now that I have a basket I don't think I could go back and use anything else. I even bought a Topeak cargo net for the top so nothing flies out it while I ride.

I love wald baskets:thumb:..have them on 2 of my bikes. These baskets can handle a lot of weight, I am surprised how strong they are.:thumb:

Love my wire wald, but for a pet I'd look around for something designed for them. Also - if you have an open basket you should probably restrain your dog with a harness rather than a collar in case it jumps out.

http://nantucketbikebaskets.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=15&Itemid=3

http://www.5leafclover.com/product/cisco-pet-basket/


http://www.pettravelcenter.com/products/detail/302/14

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and feedback, getting the right basket is not an easy task. I like the Wald's for their reputation, and probably in the future I will get one of those but for now Santa just left me underneath my the Christmas Tree a nice Bell Basket and a Schwinn rear Rack for my bicycle I'm so happy :)