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Do you have a front basket on your commuting bike?

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View Poll Results: Do you have a front basket on your bike?
No
56
80.00%
Yes, a quick-realease one--put it on only when I need
3
4.29%
Yes, I've have one installed.
11
15.71%
Voters: 70. You may not vote on this poll

Do you have a front basket on your commuting bike?

Old 08-21-10, 12:10 PM
  #1  
vol
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Do you have a front basket on your commuting bike?

Just curious. Thanks for taking the poll.
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Old 08-21-10, 12:48 PM
  #2  
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No need for a front basket. Two rear panniers already allow me to carry more stuff than I should.
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Old 08-21-10, 02:35 PM
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What about picking up some grocery on your way home?
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Old 08-21-10, 02:45 PM
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I don't, but two of my coworkers do. On vintage 3-speeds.
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Old 08-21-10, 04:39 PM
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No, but I want one.
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Old 08-21-10, 04:50 PM
  #6  
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My regular commuter uses two rear baskets - no front.

My folder has a quick release front basket.
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Old 08-21-10, 05:43 PM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by vol
What about picking up some grocery on your way home?
That's what the panniers are for.

My commuting panniers are plenty big enough for a quick stop on the way home. For weekly grocery runs, I use grocery panniers instead.

Besides, a front basket would block my headlights.
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Old 08-21-10, 09:32 PM
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Gosh we're not tourers . . . . err, we're not touring. If you can fit everything into panniers and trunk bags, why sacrifice steering nimbleness?
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Old 08-21-10, 09:47 PM
  #9  
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Sometimes wide panniers could hit other vehicles, or make it hard to pass a narrow gap between two cars. Besides, you can't see them, what if someone took your stuffs (of course doesn't matter if it's just an onion ).
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Old 08-21-10, 10:56 PM
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I kind of have a basket on the front...well, a porteur rack at least. I have a carradice on the back, but it is certainly handy for grocery trips on the way home, hauling my fishing gear, bringing food for potlucks at work, etc. Basically, if it isn't part of my normal commute then it goes on the rack.
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Old 08-22-10, 01:02 AM
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I would have one if I could find a reasonably priced unit that does not need to be mounted to the bars or canti-brake studs. A milk crate on a front rack is starting to sound ok at this point.
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Old 08-22-10, 01:11 AM
  #12  
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My daughter has one on her little Trek. I've thrown an extra lock in it when we all go for a ride someplace so it comes in handy. On any of my bikes there's too much going on in terms of cables to make fitting a basket very pleasant.
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Old 08-22-10, 02:51 AM
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I voted yes, because I was riding a bike with a front basket (Schwinn Breeze 3-speed) for most of the past year. But my current bike does not have a basket, and I think I am happy with the rear rack and Wald folding basket attached to it.

The front basket is nice when you want to throw something in there, or have easy access to something you are carrying, but I don't like having much weight on the fork, due to the way it affects the stearing. You can put 2 gallons of milk in a Wald front basket, but it make for interesting handleing!
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Old 08-22-10, 03:40 AM
  #14  
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I'm commuting on a swb recumbent..... hard to fit a front basket.
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Old 08-22-10, 09:33 AM
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I don't have a front basket on my commute bike. It is a drop bar and carbon forks so I kinda don't way to put anymore extra weight on the front.

On my non commuting cheapy Wally world bike, I do have a basket with a homemade cover on the handlebar. It is made for my 11 lbs poodle/Maltese mix dog. He likes to come along for rides around the neighbor. The steering gets very interesting when he moves around the basket. One time he tried to get out after seeing a neighborhood cat ran arcross in front of the bike. I lost steering control and both of us went down like the Titanic and resulting in me having to get my rear wheel true at my LBS lol.
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Old 08-22-10, 09:39 AM
  #16  
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Japanese Bicycles

90% of my Japanese commuter bicycles have plastic or stainless basket. It's very common on Japanese commuter bicycles. For folders they have quick release baskets.

My latest acquisition, a mamachari with quick release basket and child carrier. Both attachments are interchangeable.


Last edited by Sancycles; 08-22-10 at 09:50 AM.
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Old 08-22-10, 09:45 AM
  #17  
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I have a handlebar bag and matching rack, does that count?
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Old 08-22-10, 09:54 AM
  #18  
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I'll settle for a front bicycle rack and panniers, which I have on my winter commuter, but not for a front bicycle basket. I didn't like the reduced steering capabilities of just having a small set of loaded panniers up front, much less a higher center of gravity basket, and especially when I work urban traffic on a daily basis.
I now only use the front bike rack and panniers for carrying lightweight items, like my tire repair kit, foul weather gear when its not being used, tie down straps, etc, that way I can free up my rear basket and panniers for any heavier cargo carrying needs that I might have.
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Old 08-22-10, 11:26 AM
  #19  
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I have found that on my commute/ utility bike (1988 Specialized Hardrock commuterized), I like to have the easy access of a basket on the front. I have Pletcher racks front and rear. The rear only is used to for grocery panniers (not really an approved use) but the front has a large Wald basket zip-tied to the top. It does affect steering and makes the front wheel floppy but I'm not zipping thru urban traffic either, and the easy access of the front basket outweighs the issues for me, at the moment. It also makes it easy to zip around campus when needed without bringing along my bag or panniers to carry stuff. Finally the big front basket makes the bike easily identifiable and sorta crappy looking which (I believe) cuts back on the risk of theft.
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Old 08-22-10, 12:03 PM
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Brompton, Big front 'touring' bag, though an open top basket that folds flat off the bike when empty is available.
Most of the year and for more volume, the waterproof panniers are best.
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Old 08-22-10, 12:49 PM
  #21  
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Yeah, a Wald 198gb or whatever it's called -- a cheap and great basket.

For headlights I had to go with the minoura mount (front fork) because my headlights needed a new place.
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Old 08-22-10, 01:08 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by TurbineBlade
Yeah, a Wald 198gb or whatever it's called -- a cheap and great basket.
My neighbor has exactly the same. The LBS charged him $35 for item and installation. Does that count as cheap?
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Old 08-22-10, 01:09 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by vol
what if someone took your stuffs (of course doesn't matter if it's just an onion ).
Where is it that you live, where starving thieves dash wantonly into the street, snatching onions from passing bicyclists?

Last edited by tsl; 08-22-10 at 01:12 PM.
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Old 08-23-10, 11:58 AM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by tsl
Where is it that you live, where starving thieves dash wantonly into the street, snatching onions from passing bicyclists?

Now damnit! I NEEDED that onion for my Waldorff salad and my family, who resemble a nomadic tribe of starving Visigoths, couldn't wait while I went to the store!

Nothing to see here. Move along.
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Old 08-23-10, 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by vol
What about picking up some grocery on your way home?
I wear a messenger bag. I'm actually going to pick up a small tent after work today for a camping trip this weekend. Should fit in there ok I think.
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