Random luck: earlier today, I rode a Citibike equipped with a New! Improved! cargo carrier. I was late / had no time for pix, but my email inbox included a survey about the “beta” bike so if I’m dreaming this, it’s a very elaborate dream.

Summary: the new design is unquestionably better; (beta too).

The bike was the newest frame with a NuVinci hub. The “basket” is a black plastic tray, about 14" square, with a very shallow (perhaps 2") rim. There are some holes in the bottom of the tray including one large-ish square hole. A bungee cord is secured at the rear with a hook for the bungee at the front. Should this "basket" enter regular service, I expect bringing along my own elastic-net-with-hooks will probably be more helpful than the bungee attached to the bike, but that’s me. This new arrangement seems to me to offer vastly more options to schlep stuff than the current carrier.

Later in the day, I kept an eye out for other bikes with the new basket. No joy. At this moment, it seems they’re – quoting Brother Theodore – “...as rare as rocking-horse droppings”.