kookaburra1701

I have a Wald Giant Basket on my bicycle, and I pretty much never use panniers any more. I love being able to just chuck my bags in there and pedal off. It's deep enough I usually don't tie anything down even.

enigmaT120

Like this?



Does it affect handling much? Like, how fast would you go on a down hill ride, or does it make any difference? It would definitely hold a lot.

My panniers are my bags, for now anyway.

kookaburra1701

Once I get going, it's barely noticable. My bike weighs over 50# so I don't get going much more than 15 mph tops, even downhill. It does make it awkward on some bike racks, and when I stop if there's a really heavy load in it I just have to be aware of it and balance "from the front" rather than from the back of the bike, if that makes any sense. I also don't think you'd be able to ride hands-free very well with it on there, but I never really did that much anyways.

auldgeunquers

re : Cold stuff. Another strategy to deal with cold stuff if you are not heading right home is to buy something frozen to use as an ice pack that will thaw without harm that you can use or refreeze at home. I have kids home, so Freezies are always appreciated. They are in idividually sealed protions that I can pack around the dairy or other things that need to be kept cool. Some frozen juices come in sealed plastic containers that work for this as well.

auldgeunquers

Re: heavy stuff. Trailer. I have a kid trailer converted to a flatbed. 4 big flip top totes strap down on it very nicely. Empty I can put some pretty big and awkward loads on it.

Re: "normal grocery shopping". I have 4 regular touring panniers, racks front and back, and a removeable front basket. I keep a largish and lightweight drawstring style backpack in one pannier in case I run out of volume in panniers. The panniers hook to the side of the shopping cart as easily as to the rack on my bike.

Also - I keep a variety of tie-down thingies in my pannier in case I run into something that needs to come home and won't fit into a bag - like a giant family size pack of TP, or a box of nappies. I often use a toe-strap btw in order to keep the front wheel from flopping while loading.

When I am really feeling my oats, I bring all the bags AND the trailer ... or the tag-along bike and the kid.

zandoval 

On the way to Costco!!!!

noglider 

That's a beautiful picture, aside from the "message."

Cyclosaurus

I take my Bullitt, my wife takes her Christiania. Then we can even make a Costco run.

MZilliox

I like to make a list, then ride to the store, then buy the things on my list, put them in my bags, pay for them, then ride home with them. I think you are making a bit too much out of something that isn't anything to be made much of.

in terms of carrying one or 2 panniers, if you are not going far and fast, one on the non drive side is cool, but why if you own 2? just load em both, you aren't going for a race, so why leave one off? then load about equal weight on each side. if i htink i am going ot buy more than what fits in my panniers, i toss a small light backpack in the panniers and then have extra room on my back for carrying some light stuff.

Just do it, you will know how to do it right after 3 or 4 tries.

auldgeunquers

... you guys just aren't taking this seriously enough ... not a rear rack, pannier, or trailer hitch in sight.








(I'm really just sealous because you have two of my dream machines ... and I don't ... )

auldgeunquers

I also think a front fork mounted rack on the Bullitt would be hilarious.

Cyclosaurus

For the record, I do have a seatpost rack on the Bullitt (it's just barely visible in the photo). I'm actually planning to put a rear rack for panniers on it. And technically the bag hanging from the front of the trike is a Timbuk2 shift pannier.

Crawford53

I have two homemade panniers that are more than sufficient for the twice-weekly grocery runs. One is a backpack with hooks to attach to the rack with a bungie cord for security. The other is a medium to large sized soft cooler attached the same way. I put an icepack in and I'm all set. I'm in the process of making bags for my low rider rack, which I have to figure out how to install.

Bigger loads go in the trailer. Got a two-child trailer, removed the hammock seat and bolted a piece of plywood under the fabric bottom for security. It is covered from the sun, has a rain cover and also works as a dog transporter

Lil Bear

Yes, nice... but how do you ride wheelies?

MZilliox has it. It's not hard... get your stuff, put it in something, go home. Once you do it a few times, you'll work out the semantics. We're not car free, but we've found that if we can't haul it on our bikes, we have trouble fitting it in the car, too. We shop more often for fewer things, and plan it into the day. Today was Chai tea, cilantro, jalepenos, celery, cucumber, zevia, bananas, tortilla shells, milk. I think that was all, but it fit on our daypacks and it was on the way home. I kinda like the daypack just 'cuz I can put my helmet in there while I shop. There's a million ways to get stuff from the store to your house. Just do it, then decide what might work better for you.