Beer Rack
 

I just picked up my Surly LHT about a week or so ago and have been using it to run errands with much success. I have a large BaileyWorks bag that hlds all the grocery I need except for my beer. How do other people transfer beer by bike? If I were just buying beer it fits in my bag, but when I buy others things it is a tight fit and smooshs everything else. I am looking for (I think) a rear mount basket, or maybe a rack and basket combo.

Any suggestions?

- Kyle

My milk crate holds exactly 32 tall boys (2 layers of 4X4)

I've got a rack and grocery panniers on the back of my bike. I can (and regularly do!) load up around 90 lbs of groceries and supplies on it.

Generally I'll put most of the heavy stuff in one pannier, and lighter stuff (stuff I'm worried about crushing) in the other... or load down the back, and carry chips and bread on the handlebars if I'm really loaded up.

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Do grocery stores where you live deliver?

I usually have the store deliver all the heavy stuff to me.

Does your rear wheel often need truing? What type of rim, spokes, etc do you have?

I've had good luck with old mountain bikes. 26" wheels will take a heck of a lot of mistreatment, and you're only hauling that weight a relatively short distance a couple of times a week. Much less likely to devour wheels than touring, and in any case, replacement mtb wheels are practically common and often cheaper compared to 700's. And it's easy to find 26" street tires in larger sizes, which do help by taking some of the abuse instead of the rims.

Besides, mtb's usually come with little tiny granny gear chainrings, which makes me happy. I can winch a week's worth of groceries up a half mile 6-7% hill without even breathing hard! :D

Easy, buy the rack and basket cheap at any bike store or large XMart type store, IF you live in Europe. In the US not so easy. Rack should be available but you can use wire baskets from refrigerators and or under counter kitchen supplies. Zip ties are your friend.
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Do it!

Not if you guys have seen it, but I thought I'd post a link.

http://www.ahrensbicycles.com/Bottle-Opener.htm

Expensive, but I like the idea....

You could always get a cheap trailer off craigslist or something. You can even modify a child trailer to have a fir bottom if you use some thin plywood.
I had thought about making a "grocery store" bike once, until I stole a shopping cart and welded axels to it. ;) I was going to get the doubt panier baskets and one of those folding "milk crate" style things for the rack.

That bike had 27" wheels... I true my wheels whenever I notice that the brakes are rubbing (Generally once every couple of months)

My current bike has 700c wheels... hrmm... doesn't even have a brand name on them? They say 'Heat treated alloy' and 'Phoenix' on the sticker (Rear wheel)

Generally when my wheels are out of true enough to need to be trued up, I can generally pin it down to either being bumped by a car, a pothole, or a curb I hit too hard while avoiding an idiot in a car.

Oh... and all my wheels have been 36 spoke.

I've got a 27" wheel with a freewheel with a 37 tooth low on it. That bike had a 30 tooth granny on the front... I could climb cliffs on that thing! :D

My setup is a rack with panniers and a large backpack. I carry a weeks worth of groceries for two, usually including six beers. I find the key for the beer is to take it out of the six pack. It seems to take up much less space this way. I also put the beer in the pannier as the idea of falling on it with my backpack sounds unappealing at best.

I can fit an entire twelve pack (again out of the box) in my panniers with room to spare.

I put everything into a basket because the idea of wearing a backpack for any reason while bicycling is unappealing to me.

I bungee a 12 pack to the top of my rack if i plan to wait a while before opening one (gets shaken). If opening right away I carry in backpack. Meaux

^Simply the greatest contribution to society offered on Bike Forums.
What is you milk crate to day/hour :eek: ratio?

So was the tortise in my avatar;)
I use 2 panniers and a bungie trunk rack. The store is only 3 miles round-trip for me. I just make 2 trips if need be. More miles=bonus!