Alternative to a Basket
 

Hi there,

I recently bought a Women's Trek FX 7.1. When at the bike shop the sales associate warned me against a metal basket since "it'll screw up your bike." Needless to say, I didn't get one.

I just saw these really cool bags on etsy, except they're really ugly. Do these exist elsewhere:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/boneshakerbags?ref=seller_info

Otherwise, do you have any suggestions of a less invasive version of a metal basket? He suggested a wicker basket, but they're also ugly and don't fit with the bike at all.

How would a basket screw up a bike? I have rear baskets on all three of my bikes and they work fine.

Those look like handlebar bags. Check some of the online shop like nashbar or performance bikes for handlebar bags and see if any of what they have would work.

How about a rear mounted rack and some panniers?

One of those bags looks like winner for the front...add a rack and some Wald folding baskets on the rear and your bike can handle some fairly serious shopping.

baskets will not "wreck your bike" they are good for holding stuff. you can even get some that look like *baskets*.http://www.youngsbicycleshop.com/img...s/ashclose.jpg

The sales associate is incorrect. IMHO If you want a front basket get a front basket.

Yeah, unless you're a competitive cyclist or whatever there's no way a basket could "screw up" a bike. Just ignore the idiot salesman and install a basket and/or rack on the rear or front, whatever is more practical or looks better (rear is usually easier I think but there are infinite possibilities)