Joe_Hoffmann

I'm looking for a good rear rack or folding baskets for my bicycle, but all I see in bicycle stores are really tiny rear racks. (usually 1 ft by 4 inches...if that)
tiny...tiny racks. i want something I can put a backpack on and not have it drape over, or carry a couple backpacks in each side.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

thank you!

prathmann

Much easier to make a small rack have a larger top by clamping a platform onto it than to make an overly large rack smaller.

I've sometimes strapped some pieces of wood to the top of my rack to carry bulky items that would otherwise be awkward to carry. But usually I find that panniers work well for my needs. And I've modified a backpack with some clips at the corners so it works as a single pannier.

fietsbob

Wald has a Newsboy rear rack ... welded on are the baskets .non-folding .. LBS, here, stocks one

https://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/...-twin-carrier/

rack not included there's these ..
https://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/...olding-basket/

Joe_Hoffmann

ill just pick up a cheap one then.

Joe_Hoffmann

those look great. I think you have a winner here.

no1mad 

Something like this? The bag is a large Banjo Brothers backpack that is only partially full that I folded up- a fully loaded 'pack easily fit "inline". Depending on weight, handling was compromised a bit, but at the time I was using this combo, I only had a few blocks to navigate to the trailhead of a MUP that I took for miles, so it wasn't a big issue for me.

MichaelW

Correx platforms can be ziptied on.
PlyWood, wired-on is good for heavier loads.
get a rack with an open framework top, not a solid mudguard style.

fietsbob

how about something like bike buckets? The Bike Bucket - Bike Buckets contents stay dry.

take it in the grocery store and maybe, like one of them here, they credit a bit off the grocery cost
for not needing one of their carry out bags ..

Joe_Hoffmann

bike bucket may be a little on the large side, but good idea.

the folding wald bakets are nice, but they are expensive new with shipping. Perhaps i can find a used one.

J.C. Koto

It's really hard to beat the versatility of a rack+milk crate. Not a real milk crate though since it's probably illegal to own one.

I've owned the double-sided Wald 520 Twin Rear Carrier integrated basket/rack combo and would warn a potential owner of heel-strike problems. It seems like a great product, very practical, but it might not work on certain bikes. The Wald folding baskets are nice, especially since they can be placed in a good fore/aft location to avoid heel-strike, but they're pricey-ish and now there are nice folding grocery panniers, though I haven't seen any I'd particularly recommend offhand as being an especially good value.

roadandmountain

I saw a ton of people using a milk crate with a rear rack when I was in college. Very cost effective and quite practical. I'm not sure how they secured that thing--any thoughts on this?

That's pretty much the only reason why I want a rear rack: the ability to carry two bags of groceries securely.

J.C. Koto

Zip-ties. However, if theft of the crate is a concern, hose-clamps are a bit of a PITA to remove if situated with the heads facing inwards, toward the wheel.

roadandmountain

Thanks JC.

And thanks to OP for starting this thread and everyone else for their contributions. I was just going to ask about this topic and now I don't have to.

wahoonc

Wald 520's on my beach cruiser, Wald folding baskets with a Wald 137 front basket on my beer bike. (no picture of the Beach Cruiser for some reason)

Aaron

Wanderer

I love the grocery panniers from Performance. I've had lot of big stuff, and a lot o heavy stuff, in them. They fit a recycle grocery bag perfectly, and fold flat when not in use. Inexpensive when on sale, too!

fietsbob

Dear Joe H
not if you walk into a bike-shop and buy it in person , the online seller is a retail outlet,
just by being too lazy to go get it , the convenience of the post retail sales shipping to you
is a cost you incur.

retail margin includes shipping from the distributor to the shop.

nfmisso

kitty litter buckets; a couple of L-brackets at the bottom, a couple pieces of aluminum angle at the top and an Avenir rack hardware kit. The buckets come with 35 or 38 lbs of kitty litter in them, and are cheaper than the buckets alone..... The bright yellow is visible - does fade in the sun.

no1mad 

Yes and no.

If a shop normally carries the item, then the price of shipping is figured into their sticker price. If the item is out of stock, and you can wait for the replen order, shipping costs are generally absorbed by the shop as well. But if you can't wait on the shop's normal delivery, then you can be charged for shipping.

At least that was my experience at my LBS when I bought a backpack. They told me that I was lucky in that they were getting ready to put in a big order and that my item could be "tossed in" w/o incurring shipping, but I had to wait like 2 weeks. Otherwise, they would have treated it as a special order and charged me for the shipping.

fietsbob

Its spring , the LBS here is full of boxes for the season's restock..

in the dry season additional restock orders are almost weekly ..



too bad about where you live , them tornados keep saying 'Move away' .
but people are settled and rebuild, instead.