I don't commute to work for many reasons, but I would like to use my bike more for where I can. Running errands around my subdivision where the roads are more bike friendly. One place I see a real use would be the grocery store. Rather than wait until I have to go, load up the car and return, I could go a few times a week on the bike. But how to get 20 or 30 pounds of groceries home on the bike? I really don't want to hang a bunch of bags off if it so I ruled that out. I have a back rack, so large saddle bags might work, but that much weight on top of the rack makes the bike to tipsie (LWB 'Bent) as it is above my waist. I don't want to spend a bunch of bucks (OK wife won't let me ) so what options are available?
Thanks

If you have the space, get yourself a $25.00 bike at a yard sale and put a big wire side-saddle type basket on the rear. Yup - the big wire baskets like kids used to use in the 1960's for delivering newspapers.

A wire basket used will cost about $5.00 or new about $30.00. For around $50 or $60 you get a bike and a basket rig just for shopping and you leave your main bike untouched/unweighted and ready for your favorite use.

You can easily get from two to five full bags of groceries on this kind of rig. Need more? Throw on a full-size back-pack and load it up. More? Add a front basket.

Now, you can see that all this weight adds up. I have loaded my bike with over 300 lbs of shopping + my own weight (that's 300 lbs total, folks, not 300 lbs of shopping). For this kind of abuse, you might consider looking for and old Schwinn (even an old Varsity or Collegiate 10-speed). They had steel frames that were welded (not brass brazed) = strong.

I've seen trailers made for bicycles for about $200. These hook directly to the axle of the back tire. I haven't tried one of these, but they look like they would be neat to use.

https://www.bobtrailers.com

As car-free newlywed grad students, my wife and I used to go grocery shopping with two huge framed backpacks, plus the Pletscher mousetrap racks on our bikes. If I were doing heavy grocery hauling today, I would try either baskets or panniers. For light-to-moderate grocery trips, I have a "Bike Bag," which I keep permanently attached to the Blackburn Mtn. Rack on my mountain bike. The bag, a $3 yard sale treasure, is superb for fragile or dense grocery or hardware items I would prefer not to carry in a backpack.

Shopping/utility duty is where a basic old 1970s 10-speed (if you have hills and traffic, as I do) or 3-speed can really shine. I have successfully used a Schwinn Varsity and a Peugeot UO-8 in this application. Lighter bikes, such as my 1959 Capo, can get pretty squirrelly when loaded even moderately.

The other very popular utility bike in my neighborhood is any basic balloon-tyred coaster-brake middleweight, with a surfboard rack. My neighbor relishes the freedom from wallet and car key hassles he obtains by bicycling instead of driving to Moonlight Beach, Grandview, Swami's, Stone Steps, or Beacon's.

I often stop off at the shops on my evening fitness run, and make one big shop a week. I have a light touring bike, with a cheap, but good Blackburn look-a-like rack, and 2 very tough Carradice pannier bags. I can carry more than I can pedal, up some of the steep slopes. An elastic bungi chord is also useful for bulky items on the top of the rack (6-pack of toilet roll). You can t break a bike with a shopping load.
A few times a year I rent a car or use a pool car from work and take the opertunity to stock up on bulky items and refil my wine and beer cellar.
On a bike I pay close attention to the altitude of the shop, esp when picking up heavier items.

I think most 'bent riders would tell you to try a trailer.

Why not commute? There's always a way to do at least some of your commuting by bike (although personally I'd be scared to ride a 'bent in urban traffic).

RichC

I use a messenger bag to carry all my stuff. Timbuk 2 makes bags in all sizes and the larger ones can carry a amazing amount of items and still be comfortable.

I've not ridden a bent so I can't comment on loaded stability, but if you're unhappy with bags I'd look at trailers or probably, better still is Mike's suggestion of another bike. I find that with a pair of panniers (supposedly 25 ltr in total, but I'd say a fair bit more) I can carry enough food, wine and beer, catfood, odds and ends for atleast a couple of days. My wife's 3spd has a large wicker basket on the front and a small basket on the rear rack and can carry a similar amount.

Richard

I just gave my old ATB (pre mountain bike days) 10 speed to my dad but I didn't like riding it because of wrist and back pain, BUT I did not have room for it along with my LWB (man is it big ) and all the other (ahem) "stuff" we seem to have to keep. So maybe something like saddle bags that fit over my back rack (not on) would work if removable Or a trailer that folds flat. Any suggestions?
Thanks

The burley nomad cargo trailer is excellent. It folds flat, tows well, and holds quite a load. I have one and have done some pretty long distances with it.

One concern with the LWB bent plus trailer--its gonna feel like your driving a very long train. U-turns and parking will be a bit of a pain.

Why not? I've found this is often the best solution. It may be different with a bent, though.

Paul

I don't know about how they would hang on your bike, but Jaand folding grocery baskets are great. Look at https://performancebike.com or https://bikenashbar.com
Also my LBS sells panniers that are connected and drape over the back rack--very convenient.
Or: check out https://cobbworks.com and look at their Oyster Buckets
I just searched and found this link to a recumbent basket idea:
https://www.humboldt1.com/~mhp/rubbermaid.htm
and here's another one: https://www.ihpva.org/pipermail/workb...q3/000633.html
These links may lead to yet more links. I've spent hours doing that many times looking for basket advice.

well, i've been doing most of my grocery shopping by bike for about 4 years...

i use a variety of methods depending on how much i'm buying...

i have a BOB trailer for when i really have a lot and i can pretty much fit an entire shopping cart in it - i think i've had almost 100lbs in it before (i think the trailer's only 'rated' for 70lbs but it did OK) - and it's pretty stable even with 60+ lbs in it -- the BOB is awesome (also great on singletrack for camping) but expensive at about $250...

i usually just make do on the way home from work with 1 pannier and my backpack (my usual commuting gear)... i'm only buying for myself so i don't usually have soo much to buy.

but if you do a combination of 2 basic panniers and a backpack you can fit a lot for pretty cheap (i assume you already have a backpack - i have 4 now and have always had at least 2 but maybe that's just me) and you should be able to find basic panniers for like $50 or less (i have the Ortleib waterproof bags that are awesome! about $100)

i've also loaded up my 70liter trail backpack with lots of stuff, but it's not so comfortable sitting on the seat with more than 30lbs in the pack... but it works if you don't buy lots of liquid stuff to keep the weight down...

and the basket idea sounds good too... never tried it myself

One problem may be with your bike. A LWB is going to sit lower than a SWB. For commuting etc. where you are going to turn a lot, it is probably beter to be sitting a little higher with more maneuverability and visibility. One reason I mention this is because recently I have seen a guy around town with a SWB recumbent and he had a pannier on one side and a cloth basket on the other. The way his bike sat he was higher up and the weight was below his waist. In fact, the weight of his panniers seemed such that he could have carried quite a bit without being unstable. If you can only have one bike, maybe a different 'bent would be better. Of course at $1500...

I thought of something else. Maybe you could post a picture of your bike so we can see what it looks like. That would help with ideas. You mentioned on your website that you are planning on moving. Maybe after you move you will have room for a second bike. Then you can get one of them fully upright springy seat bikes. No wrist or back pain then. I've always wanted a tricycle with a monster basket in back. You could get one of those and ride it with a big cowboy hat.

My Avatar :thumbup: is a picture of my bike......
It is a Lightfoot Cycles Explorer.

CyclePro makes a set of rear panniers that are designed for grocery store runs. Anyone know anything about CyclePro?
Thanks