What are the difficulties in mounting a milk crate over the front wheel of a commuting bike?

I've had a milk crate over the rear wheel of my commuting bike for the past 5 years, and it's extremely convenient - whether I am picking up groceries or just avoiding back-sweat. (see attached picture)

The main downside of a significant load over the rear wheel is the effect on bike handling. More of the weight is concentrated over the rear wheel. I have no problem mounting the bike, but I'm 6'5". But I would like to move the milk crate over my front wheel, for the sake of bike handling while carrying a heavy load.

I want a milk crate mounted on a front rack. I figure I'll need some kind of porteur rack, or at least something that mounts on the fork dropouts/eyelets. Front brake is cantilever, and the cable will sit behind the front rack.
My biggest concern: how does a front milk crate fit underneath the handlebars? I think I'll need to use a flat bar with bar-ends, as a mustache bar sticks forward enough to hang over the crate.
Any other advice or experience is welcome.

I ran a porteur rack awhile. Didn't do too well on that bike. Was OK at speed, but wobbly at takeoff. If you have clearance issues, can't you cut down the height of the crate a bit?
You'll need something that anchors at brake crown or headset and protrudes forward enough to give clearance for the brake assembly.

Wald probably has a rack + basket combo that'll work for you.
https://m.waldsports.com/index.cfm/store/

Doesn't have to be a porteur rack but that would be certainly the way I would go. The most cost effective solution is any front rack that is strong enough to hold the crate will do. For that matter many rear racks would also fit on the front. Look on CL or the local buy and sell and pick an inexpensive rack. If the crate is too high cut it along the top. File the edges smooth and you have what you are looking for.

Why not a basket. It will hold just as much and not be so tall.

I would just go with an integrated bar/basket:

Basket/bar

If you already have drop handlebars, I'd go with a $12 Nashbar or Sunlite front rack and ziptie a Wald 137 ($20-$35) to it. The problem with a crate up front seems like it would be depth as well as height, making a good bit of weight forward. If you're interested in preserving handling, I would go with the somewhat low Sunlite/Nashbar rack and the Wald. I had this set up and it worked very well.

If you're interested in changing bars as well, get flats or risers and get the humongous Wald 139!

Unless your bike is built for it, putting a big load up front is going to change the handling while riding. It's like driving a loaded pickup without power steering. The front load will also drive you nuts with the wheel flopping when you're trying to wheel the bike.

I had a Wald on the commuter. It helped the steering with a heavy rear load on the short wheelbase MTB.


But I didn't like the way it handled at slow speeds, deadly with 2 2ltr sodas. I ditched it for a front rack and panniers.....a MUCH better option.

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...rando-bag.html

I have a basket up front, but a milk crate could fit too. If you're 6'5" (as I am) I suspect you'll have enough room above the tire, but you should be able to measure everything to know for sure.

It depends on the bike and the rider. I ride with front panniers. It's fine. Many others do. Many cargo bikes take the cargo in the front only. Some bikes are more suited to a front load than others.

To add more. I started with a Wald basket and just used their brackets that came with the basket. The brackets and mounting system couldn't handle anything with a little bit of weight. It made the bike unstable. Using a rack and the basket was the way to go. Aaronrob222 suggestion of the inexpensive Sunlite rack and Wald basket is a good one.

It is true that a front load alters the handling of a bike, but you get use to it. Low trail bikes are actually better with weight up front and will handle better. I like what noglider says about panniers. He likes them, you couldn't pay me to use panniers.

Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback, all. Lots to consider.
I want to stick with the convenience of an unmodified milk crate. I can dump a wide range of things in there, it doesn't bend, and doesn't rattle, and the high sides are secure for large grocery bags or an upright backpack.

My new commuting bike has 26" wheels, my stem/bar clamp would be above the edge of the milk crate, and flat bars won't interfere with a milk crate by sticking forward (as mustache bars do) or forward and down (as drop bars).

I fully buy the low-trail-for-front-loads line, but I'm not sure about the head angle and trail characteristics of the bike. Mid-80s lugged Panasonic MTB. Probably a slack head angle like other MTBs of that era. Not sure about fork rake/trail.

That said, even when not considering steering geometry impacts, a basket over the front wheel has the following undesirable characteristics.
* the basket would sit ahead of the axle (as measured along/parallel to the steering axis) and so would affect the steering even if the bike had proper geometry. Unlike typical handlebar bags (or baskets that don't stick so far forward).
* over the rear wheel, a load shifting around in the crate doesn't meaningfully affect steering geometry. However, backpack of groceries shifting in the front basket could affect handling. I'd prefer not to muck around with bungee cords, and have never had to with the crate over the rear wheel.

So, odds are I will stick with the crate over the rear wheel.

'Trail' is a measurement on the ground plane. the head tube angle axis line, is ahead of the plumb line down from the axle .

The lines cross above the ground .. so fork rake and head tube angle the same, trail is less with a smaller wheel..

I went with a milk crate on a front rack over front tire. It was a 90's mtn bike also. Didn't care for the poor handling from adding much of any weight, and also the flopping while off bike. Went back to basket on rear rack.