jzamor

Hello, just found this forum and in my newfound spirit to delegate more of my errands to the bicycle I've been looking at getting a Tubus Logo rear rack and a set of grocery panniers. I saw all of the recommendations for the cheap and simple Nashbar Townie, but it looks like they stopped making them. Does anyone have any recommendations for something similar? Or perhaps know where I might be able to buy a set? Thanks.

CliftonGK1

Performance has their Trans-It brand grocery pannier, but I think it's a bit shallow and sits too high.

Jandd makes a grocery pannier which is a little deeper, but it's more expensive. They have it at www.bikeman.com along with the Jandd Hurricane grocery pannier, which is the same design but waterproof.

discosaurus

The Nashbar townie basket is back!!! (maybe) I saw it in the last paper catalog, but it's not on the website. Hmmm...

caloso

Check out REI. They have one.

kdiehl

Trek's bag, https://store.trekbikes.com/jump.jsp?...&bShopOnline=1, is a good heavy-duty grocery pannier, but the mounting system is poor. I've retrofit mine with Ortlieb parts for about $50, and that's working out well.

Radfahrer

I use Jandd grocery bag panniers and they are pretty bombproof. Spendy though!

tsl

When you can't find something on Nashbar.com, it's probably out-of-stock. When they come in again, the item pop right up. I've seen it happen a couple of times with the Townie Basket. I love mine. Cheap (especially on sale), durable and they come with rain bonnets. What more could you ask?

bigbenaugust 

I have a pair, and I find them kind of flimsy (but maybe I overload them?). Go with something metal-framed. They are a great size, though.

KeatonR

The REI grocery panniers are very good. I have a pair and used them for about a year. Then I got a pair of REI regular panniers, the REI Transfers, and I find that I use them for shopping (and everything else) b/c they're on the bike anyway, and it turns out they're just as good if not better than the grocery-specific ones. My point being, the grocery specific ones are ... specific, whereas a good set of panniers can be use for groceries and everything else.

wahoonc

I have the Performance grocery getters, but much prefer my Wald 532 folding baskets. If you have a dedicated utility bike they are the only way to go IMHO.

Aaron

discosaurus

Yea, they can be kind of floppy, but when I'm carrying huge things like watermelons or cases of beer I use a couple elastic cables to tie it down. It works well enough for the way I ride.

I only have one, and I love the thing. I've been watching for them to go on sale again so I can get another, but it looks like they've been redesigned. They don't match the one I have.

Jeffbeerman2

I had a pair but gave one to a friend thinking I could get another for $10-$15. I haven't seen them for over a year.

I like them a lot. They are 1/3 the price of many others, aren't too heavy, and have a great rain cover built in. I bought another slightly larger grocery pannier that had the same drawback of sagging under a heavy load, but was heavier, awkward to mount, and so big it was too conspicuous on the bike when folded.

The nashbar product is great. I hope they really are offering them again.

I agree that the best grocery pannier is the wald basket. The big drawback with the wald is that it's a pain to install and remove if you want to use a different pannier. Wald baskets are heavier than fabric grocery panniers too. Some panniers can be installed over the folded wald basket.

Right now I have one wald installed on my rack. The other side either carries a messenger-bag-type pannier or the nashbar townie, depending on what I'm carrying.

dave.lloyd

Can you elaborate on your elastic strap attachment? I also experience beer sag issues.

ConstantRider

another option is the banjo brothers grocery pannier. $35 a piece.

TheatreME

+1 on the Wald 532s.

I have the in black on my lht and havent driven to the grocery store in the three weeks since I installed them.

-E

discosaurus

Two cables side by side. One end hooked at the bottom of the rack (like where the pannier cable hooks), wrapped around the pannier and over top of the load, then hooked on the top of the rack. It's not rock solid, but it stabilizes it enough for my comfort. If my description isn't clear enough, I'll post a photo next time I haul a load of beer.

sean000

My favorite is the Arkel Utility Basket (it's really a bag, but they call it a basket). It's a bit pricey for a grocery pannier, but pretty much indestructible and spacious. At first I was a little put-off by the idea of spending $100 on a grocery pannier, but I've used lesser panniers that were not very durable or well designed.

The only thing is that I have an older version of this bag that is a very different design from the new version. The new version has a zipper around the top that allows the lid to flip open. It also sports an internal frame that helps the bag keep its shape (but is removable). My older version has no zipper or internal frame (other than the flat reinforced bottom). You cinch the top closed with a cinch-cord, and then flip the top down and it clips into place. I'm not sure I'd like the new version as much since the old version makes it easy to strap down tall items (like baguettes of bread) while still allowing them to poke out the top. That said the new version added a few features that would be nice to have... like more external pockets.

https://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/uti...asp?fl=1&site=

One Arkel Utility Bag holds quite a lot, so I don't know if I'd order a second one. it's easy to balance on one side, even when loaded down with heavy stuff like milk and juice (or beer). I like the Wald baskets as well, but the Arkel will hold larger loads more securely. I might get a Wald basket with a cargo net for the other side.

Sean

I also like the Wald baskets

SSP

I use the newer click-on/click-off "Interchange II" model on my Surly LHT for both commuting and shopping.

IMO, they're great. It seems to be a pretty secure system, and they click on and off with ease. I've got nearly 2000 miles on mine, and my daughter has been using the same setup for nearly 2 years (she commutes to work nearly every day by bike, and also does all of her shopping with them).

Bolo Grubb

Milkcrate for the win!

stevo9er

Free with a six finger discount, just ride behind any grocer at night, maybe right before you go shopping haha.

jzamor

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I emailed Nashbar and they said that they should have the Townies in stock in a few weeks. Of course now I'm considering a full-on pannier for the extra utility... Decisions decisions

thdave

I love my Breezer Supersize Grocery Pannier. It has a strap for carrying into the store, so I load it up while shopping, load it back up at the register, and then just attach it to my rack, which is quite simple.

The Lickbike bag looks nice, too, but it is 900 instead of nearly 1400 cu with the Breezer bag.

sukram

I had one issue with the Nashbar Townie bag, it didn't have handles! It had this dinky single handle on it. But you can't beat the price...

I wanted to be able to carry the Townie bag like a regular canvas tote bag. So, I cut the handles off one of those canvas totes and had the shoe repairman sew them onto the bag for a whopping $5... 5 minutes of work.

dave.lloyd

Duh! It's completely obvious now. For some reason I was thinking the bungees were inside the bag.

I blame sleep deprivation due to the recent birth of #3 (we have to get a Bakfiets now).

Cerberusgl

If you use regular pannier bags you can hang them on the inside of the shopping basket and load them at check out. no need for paper plastic or any other bag. A rolled up backpack in the side pocket gives overflow storage if your eyes are bigger than your packs. When I go to costco I bring my trailer and use a duffle bag plus a few bungee cords to hold down the 9lb box of oatmeal. I did dribble some coffee beans down the bike path when I hooked the bungee on the wrong way, hook inward.

p.s. when Nashbar says 45lbs limit, they mean it. The trailer twisted a little when I pack 60lbs into it. Bent back though.