mal228

Is it a style thing, low cost thing, or do they actually drink that much milk? I don't get it.

DVC45

Its cheap (sometimes free), durable, functional and thief deterent (makes bike looks like it belongs to a homeless).

johnny99

99% of them are stolen from grocery stores.

no1mad 

If one doesn't try to obscure the company logo, it could be considered free advertising.

Mark Stone

+1! They are very practical. I don't think it's a "style thing", it's just they are so useful.

WPeabody 

You can also buy lighter versions of them from home improvement stores, they are pretty cheap but hold up nicely. I used to have it on my rear rack but now strap it down on my trailer along with a red storage container. Securely holds all the groceries.

AlmostTrick

Not to mention a milk crate is worth 100 extra "Fred" points.

nubcake

x2

no1mad 

Milk crates make sense for quite a few. I used to use one, then I graduated to a beverage crate that fit my backpack better. I still have both, but no longer use either, as my commute and cargo needs changed.

But think of the crate as a blank canvas for reflective tape or lights- think of how many PBSFs, DZs, and Radbots you could mount back there <insert drooling smiley here>

DiabloScott

89% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Burton

Not to mention being MUCH cheaper than the Topeak folding imitation milk crate! A frugal Fred needs to have personal standards and insist on genuine recycled stuff!

nubcake

I use that line often and even that % tends to change slightly every time.

fuzz2050

Hey, mine was given to me by an honest to god milkman.

To the OP, It's an easy way to carry a nice looking, relatively cheap bag that does a good job on the bike and off. For short urban commutes where you want to look somewhat stylish, I have yet to find a better solution than a nice bag in a milk crate. For longer rides, it's still a pretty good choice, even if you get more Fred points than many of us want.

Loose Chain

Bum sheikness perhaps.

Mark Stone

Not even. Connecting a shopping basket to your dropouts and using it as a trailer, now that's bum sheikness - but just the milk crate? Naw . . .

Mark Stone

Y'all need to get older. There's a certain age, maybe 40-ish (?) where appearance begins to get less important. When you get to my age (59 this month, and that's not really very old!) then what your bike looks like (or, better stated, what others think about your bike's appearance) is not important at all. Hence, The Rig. Milk Crates are a wonderful strap-on carrying device that usually don't cost a penny, and who cares what others think you look like? Don't be a dork! Use a Milk Crate!

I'm a restaurant manager by trade, and so I have milk crates, plus the "shells" that bottled sodas come in and any number of other items to strap to the bike to make utilitarian use easier.

AdamDZ

Why not? Isn't that obvious? They're either cheap or free and they're light and very strong. I bough a few for storage, they were like $4 at Target. Then I was using one of them on my bike for a while. I stopped using it because it made the bike very top heavy when loaded so I just stuff my panniers with heavy items and attach light things to the rack with cargo net.

For me it started in mid 30s. Now (44yo), I can't stand anything that puts form and looks over function and utility. I still try to make stuff look good, if possible, but it's my secondary concern.

AdamDZ

How many points for this? Dual MagicShine. There is a 2l compressed air bottle for the AirZound in on of the panniers



I don't have it set up like that any more, but damn.... that actually looks good!!!

Burton

It DOES look good!

ThimbleSmash

I love my milk crate on my rear rack, got it for free and I can say its been a worthy investment. Sometimes you don't gotta spend money on made-to-fit accessories in order to get a job done effectively. Love the milk crate for "stow-n-go" so much I'm adding one to my C&V project once its done.

wolfchild

Yep, I admit I am guilty. The funny thing is that after I took One, I went by the same store the next day and there was 10 more. Often times people who work at grocery stores use them for sitting while taking smoke breaks.

no1mad 

Though I don't smoke, members of my crew did the same when I worked in food service. Even had the one guy who was a dwarf work various stations in the kitchen by standing on one.

Condorita

Sheik? Or chic? There's a difference. Go Google 'em.

DavidOglesbee

On bus racks, milk crates tend to damage other bikes. If you combine bus travel with cycling, look into the spacing problem before you mount a crate.

David Oglesbee

DVC45

It is hot!