discosaurus

+1!!!

Arkel bags are so, so good. If you're willing to throw down some cash, it is well worth it.

bkbrouwer

I talked to Nashbar and the Townie should be back in stock in the next week or so. I have one and love it. I need another.

ginsoakedboy

I have the Jandd and have been using it for 4 or 5 seasons now -- love it. Go to the grocery store with it, as well as take a 10 mile ride to the Mpls farmers' market once a week during the summer. I have also had a chance to closely examine the REI Novara bag, and it seems well made also.

jzamor

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. In the end I liked my Arkel Tailrider so much that I went ahead and got the Utility Basket (UB) for groceries, shopping, and hopefully a few day trips with my "serious" camera.

I just made a successful grocery run this morning and it was easier than I thought it would be. I took the Tailrider and UB inside and then just loaded up the Utility Basket as I went along. Worked really well, no one from the store interrogated me while shopping, nor while using the self-checkout.

The store is ~1.4 miles away and at the bottom of a decent sized hill. I don't plan on making many grocery specific runs as the store is on my way home from work, and on those days I'll just ride to work with the UB attached. I will need to go more often, but I actually kind of like the idea of that. I always buy way more than I need when shopping by car, and a surprising amount spoils before I ever finnish it.

Here are a few snaps from this morning. Gives a good idea of how big it is and how much fits in one:





On the bike. At this point I had already put the groceries away, so it's a bit of a pose:







In total it was ~15lbs of food consisting of: 1 big box of Cheerios, 1 half gallon of milk, 2 frozen dinners, and 2 boxes of granola bars.

Also for those whom have been waiting, FYI it looks like Nashbar has the Townie back in stock.

So far I'm quite impressed with the setup. I may in the future add a Townie-like open basket on the other side for oversized items like the Cheerios and frozen pizzas. But for now I think I'll just wait and see if I really need more capacity over the next few weeks.

wb647

Glad you said that.. I called Nashbar, and the Townies were back in stock. Mine came in the mail today! Can't wait to use them. They were a little more shallow than I thought they would be, but they will work nicely. I was aiming for a bag I could bring in the store with me so I could avoid wasting grocery sacks, so that's my next project.

wahoonc

I use the reusable grocery bags...we bought 6 of them. My wife keeps a set in her vehicle, we have a spare set at the house and I keep a set on my grocery getter bike.

Aaron

sparky221

Can the Arkel Utility Basket be used on both sides of the bike? I am looking to get 2 of these and I need to verify whether or not I will have to special order or find another solution. I am planning to start commuting, but I need a bag that is BIG to haul bulky, light weight stuff (laundry). I'm a massage therapist and I haul 4 sets of linens per day and a normal pannier simply will not be big enough for 4 sets of flannel twin sheets.

If I can't find a commercial solution, I may just have to sew my own. I'm trying to get kitty litter buckets for the short term, which can hold 3 sets of linens, but that means that I will have to make multiple trips once or twice a week just to move the overflow between house and office. Any other suggestions?

jzamor

Yes, the Utility Basket can be used on either side. Check out Arkel's site for specs:

https://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/uti...asp?fl=1&site=

jrockway

I have a set of the newer version, and they're wonderful. They attach quite strongly (you can use them to lift the bike), they're well built, and they're quite spacious. The frame works pretty well; it gives the panniers a nice shape and makes them very easy to load. They are large enough to hold a whole paper grocery bag (or a 15lb box of cat litter, if that's your thing ). Anyway, highly recommended. They are worth every penny.

FWIW, the set is often too much space for my needs, so I frequently ride with only one. The bike handles fine; once you get moving you don't even know it's there. (Obviously this is true with any pannier, but just in case you've never ridden with an unbalanced load... there's no need to worry, you'll do fine.)

Anyway, I wrote a few blog articles about the Trek panniers I had before. They were utter crap, at the top of my list for "worst product ever":

https://blog.jrock.us/articles/Trek%2...20panniers.pod

https://blog.jrock.us/articles/Pannier%20update.pod

wb647

Hit the grocery store the other day, and suprise! They were finally selling re-useable sacks! Pretty sweet- they're Tyvec (at least they appear to be), with a flat bottom like a paper sack, and they were only $1.00! They fit perfectly in my Townie baskets.

erikrocks

Hi--I'm in the market for a pair of grocery panniers. I've read a lot (mostly from folks on this forum)--thanks for all your input.

Has anyone had any experience with the Sunlite Grocery Getter Pannier Bag? It looks pretty cool, but I'm not sure if it's worth twice what I would pay for the Wald 582.

Thanks!

bugly64

I have the Detours Toocan grocery bag panniers. They are really heavy and rugged with thick rubber bottoms. I stuff them with groceries at least twice a week. I am the primary grocery getter for a family of 6.

BBnet3000

ive only got five on each hand....

apree

I bought the Novara 'Round Town grocery panniers when they were on sale at REI around Labor Day. https://www.rei.com/product/733820

They're...OK. I have to use 4 bungees to get them to stay on, mostly because I can't center them on my rack so the hook at the bottom doesn't work. I have one bungee on each side, and two on the top. It works, and is pretty secure, but at some point I'm going to want to get something nicer. They are nice and roomy.

wb647

The one handle, combined with the bungie/hook thingy is more trouble to take off than its worth. The hook will get caught up in the shopping cart. I just use re-useable grocery sacks, which when folded in half stay tucked nicely in the Townie bag when collapsed.

Surlydean

I have two older Nashbar Townie baskets, and have ordered a new pair at 22.99 each. I hope the new ones fit my aluminum I-beams I tapped for screws to hold the hooks on. I've used them year round for several years. Once reinforced, these will easily carry one thirty pack of beer. Over time, with heavy loads, the lower corner of the bag will bend into the spokes. When this happens, switch the sides, and you have a lot more time again. Don't ride to festivals, it carries too much beer, and they won't put your bike in the ambulance.

canklecat

Thanks, I was considering those bags this week and hesitated to confirm the order and missed out on the 40% off sale. Next sale I won't hesitate. I mostly use a large trunk bag, but for some errands it would be quicker and easier to use a basket that fits a traditional paper sack perfectly -- like Braum's still uses.

Arcanum

I use the Banjo Brothers Market Panniers. Market Pannier, Red | Banjo Brothers

That Arkel City Basket looks nice, though, and (surprisingly) is a little bigger than a Market Pannier.

mr geeker

I own a pair of axiom dutch shopper panniers. I love them but haven't replaced my rack to put them on my bike again. They're cavernous! Each pannier holds roughly a big paper grocery bag. They're even good for touring if you don't mind the lack of separation. Unfortunately, they're no longer made.

Joeyseven

Nashbar has 20% off sale today.
[h=1]Nashbar Townie Basket $29.99 each,so about $24 each [/h]Free shipping at $49.lol

[h=2]I'm also looking at the Bushwhacker Omaha - Bicycle for about $60.I just not ready to buy right now.[/h]

canklecat

Oops, I missed that Nashbar sale again. But there will be others.

Thanks for the Bushwhacker link -- that's nearly perfect. I may snag a pair of those instead.

lost_in_endicot

I've got the Bushwhacker Omaha bags, and I like them. The biggest complaint I saw about them(Amazon reviews) was that there isn't a way to cover them to keep things from falling out. If you don't over stuff them and avoid potholes, you shouldn't have any problems. I haven't had any yet.

irwin7638

Our regional big box stores (Meijer) makes their reusable grocery bags with grommets to reinforce the handles. I made a pair of grocery panniers by using S hooks and a 1/8 inch hardboard I had lying around. I have since replaced the board with corrugated plastic, but they work just fine and didn't cost an arm or leg.



If you want real durability and don't mind the weight, I recommend the Wald folding baskets.

Marc

canklecat

I ordered a pair of Nashbar Townies with their most recent discount, and I'll report back with photos and impressions after using them a couple of times.

I decided on the Nashbar Townies after reading user pros and cons on the Townies and Bushwhackers. My impression was the Townies would probably suit my rear rack better.

Both are similar designs -- open top, not quite as tall as a traditional paper grocery sack -- and should suit my needs for local shopping trips which are usually only a mile. I can toss a cargo net over the top if necessary.

Mostly I found myself routinely needing just a bit more carrying space after a few months using a large homebrewed trunk bag (actually a large picnic style rolling insulated drink/food bag), and always needing to carry a few items in a shoulder bag.

I tried homebrewing some panniers from other bags I had around the house but none of 'em worked out. I always worried about snagging in the wheels or chain. I prefer to save money whenever practical, but one trip to the ER would wipe out the $50 I might try to save over a pair of grocery panniers.

We'll see how it works out.

canklecat

I just received the pair of Nashbar Townies. Haven't used them yet -- rained all day and these are open top baskets. But after a trial fitting my first impression is good. I'd rate the design a 9 out of 10 and the build quality a bit lower, maybe a 7 or 8. I'll find out after using them awhile.

I may come back and add some photos to this post later. Might do a video demo too, because some design and attachment elements weren't clear from Nashbar's photos and description.

Attaching/detaching to/from my bike's Bontrager BackRack S is quick and easy, a big plus since I have one bike for everything and don't want to keep bulky bags on the bag full time when I'm just out for a 10-30 mile exercise ride. For several months I've been using a homebrewed trunk bag that works really well, other than the laborious hassle to attach/detach the bag. I finally zip-tied the trunk bag to the rack, but even when it's empty I can feel the weight and effects of crosswinds.

• Hook the metal hook/bungee cord through the eyelet on the bottom of the rack.
• Lift and drop the Townie's top hooks over the rack's top rails.
• That holds pretty snugly, but if preferred you can wrap the three Velcro safety straps around the rack's top rail.
• The Townie basket has a pivoting metal frame inside that folds flat or flips out to support a thin, rigid plastic bottom stiffener.
• Velcro side straps hold the basket open or closed as needed. Closed is great for storage or navigating my bike through my cramped apartment hallway.
• The Townies are perfectly sized for standard paper grocery sacks, which Braum's still uses, with about half the bag protruding above the tops. Fine for short errand rides like mine.
• There are nylon loops on the sides for clipping on reflectors or blinkies, but also for hooking a cargo net or bungee cords across the tops of the open top Townie baskets. Handy if your grocery store uses plastic rather than paper sacks, or if you just toss stuff loosely into the baskets.
• The Townies are also perfectly sized for holding a large jug of cat litter, although I'm not sure whether the baskets can support many trips with those 20 lb jugs. We'll see.
• Using the Townies precludes using my homebrewed trunk bag, which is designed to fit over the BackRack S top rails. I'd need a thinner trunk bag to use in conjunction with the Townies.

My only concern would be long term wear and tear. The typical nylon cordura type ripstop fabric appears strong enough, but the material, fit and finish are a bit less rugged than I'd hoped. Not shoddy by any means, but I'm not sure they'll hold up to routinely hauling 20 lb jugs of cat litter or pet food, and probably shouldn't be used to haul tools tossed loosely into the baskets. However I can see extending the life of the material by patching worn spots and corners with Gorilla tape, white duct tape (better than the gray) or other heavy duty tape. So it should be maintainable for years.

But for 5-15 lb sacks of groceries these should do fine, and the quick on/off convenience makes the compromises in material seem reasonable.