jeffisbiking

So I've been using my bike to do all of my grocery trips recently, but I've had an issue with buying bread. I carry all my groceries in my messenger bag, and it doesn't seem to matter how careful I am with the placement of my bread, but it gets smashed on the way home. I would, of course, rather this not happen, so I'm wondering what I could do to protect my bread that doesn't involve just carrying it in my hands while I ride, which I'd rather not do. Note I also can't really afford to do racks/panniers/baskets right now, though I am saving for these down the line.

dynaryder

Put it on the outside of the bag. Put the bread by itself in a plastic bag,and just tie it to the outside so it hangs on top of the flap. That's what I do to keep chips from getting crushed.

supton

Find a box? There are some that can be folded in some sort of fashion -- or you could get creative and cut up a big box to make a custom sized box to hold your bread. Just break it down when bread is not in it.

iPirate

buy stronger bread?

CliftonGK1

+1. I store my bread in a Gladware container to keep it fresh, and I just bring the box to the store with me to keep from squishing my bread on the way home.

ken cummings

Is a backpack OK by you? Put the bread on the top.

jeffisbiking

I like Dynaryder's suggestion, I will probably try that next chance I get. And if that doesn't work as well for me as I'd like, I'll keep my eye out for a box to put it in for the trip.

mconlonx

Buy crustier bread.

wilcode

toast it first

Hobartlemagne 

I keep my bread in my wallet

burbankbiker

I do a similar thing to the "tie it outside" method. My grocery store has a helium tank with balloon string hanging off it. I take a string and loop it through the messenger straps and lash the bread on. I do this with oversize toilet paper packages too.

gwd

I did the hang it thing but better than that is a bread machine with a timer so you get fresh bread in the morning when you wake up. So you just carry sacks of flour and jars of yeast from the grocery store.

burvowski

i use a milk crate on the back of my bike

noisebeam

Agreed. Buy 'better' bread.

Even better buy flour and yeast which don't mind so much about being squished.

Al

gwd

This is more common this year in DC, I notice many women doing it this way.

bmike

a piece of cloth, 2 adjustable straps or velcro straps. strap to handlebars between the hoods. don't squish, just enough to keep it there.

and you can buy crustier bread...

Tom Stormcrowe

Rack, trunk bag and panniers. I put the heavy stuff in the panniers and bread in the trunk bag.

jrafael

I will post pics of "ugly betty" tonight, my rig $20 rack + $7 file crate (a lil bit larger than a milk crate), f***off to bike fashionists.

spider-man

+1

Allen

Shoe box.
Works great for all sorts of things that don't want to be squished in messenger bags.

noisebeam

I noticed after my post that gwd pointed this out 33 minutes before I did.

maddyfish

I've seen these for $10 https://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/wald3114basket.html

Elkhound

Did you not see that the OP said he hadn't the budget for such?

If he can't afford those, how can he afford a bread machine?

charly17201

Bread and eggs always in the trunk bag. Everything else in the panniers.

wahoonc

Couple of possibilities...buy the raw materials and bake your own, buy tougher bread. Pita and tortillas come to mind Shoe box is a good idea, they also make a bread keepers out of plastic, usually $4 or so in the section where they keep the rubbermaid storage bowls.

Aaron