preferdownhill

I'm looking at handlebar bags for a medium duty touring bike. I'd like something on the larger size but not too large and don't want to spend a lot of money. I'm thinking about putting a smaller wire basket on my bike, and have a dry sack for contents to keep them dry. One problem is its tough to secure(theft) although I'm pretty good with knots and can come up with a way to tie down. Another problem is its tough to find a wire basket thats on the smaller size. A lot are 12+x9x9 which makes the size almost 20liters. I'd like something about 6-8 liters, maybe 10x6x8 so it doesn't stick out so far. It would be nice to have it quick release so I could take it in supermakets while I'm on tour, fill it full of food, then continue riding again. anyone else gaining respect for the front mounted wire basket?

seeker333

Wald has been making bicycle accessories for over a century:

https://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/store/

ironwood

Grant Petersen at Rivendell has been a fan of Wald Baskets for a long time

veganbikes

Wald baskets are old school and sometimes a little klunky and heavy but they are excellent quality made right here in 'Merica. I one day hope to build a bike with a basket and do basket things but probably only when my front rando bag wears out.

djb

I presume this will involve flowers, a cute little puppy and the odd well placed yet secure baguette?

veganbikes

Bread always a good idea but probably not puppies or dogs or flowers. Not really my riding accouterments.

tyrion

Big baskets rule.

If you want a real small basket, you might have to look outside the bike world.

https://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Dive...ll+wire+basket

One warning about baskets though: they can bruise produce. I try to keep produce protected from touching the bottom or the sides of the basket, but often I end up with an apple or banana with a grid-mark bruise.

NedBWalt

I have been commuting w/ a Wald basket for years, using a Rivbike Shopsack in rain and like it. Zip tie the basket to a Nitto front rack with no problems.

https://www.rivbike.com/collections/b...ck-large-olive

Abu Mahendra

The severity of the bruise is inversely proportional to the thickness of the basket wire. Ergo, look for a basket with thicker and fewer rods, instead of many and thin.

NedBWalt

Used Wald basket for commuting for years w/o problems, Zip tied to Nitto front rack, I rode train, so had to be a narrow fit (not wider than the bars). Used it with Rivbike's Shopsack canvas bag in heavy rain n it worked.

tyrion

That would sacrifice the aerodynamics.

Abu Mahendra

Well, you can't have your cake, and eat it too. Bruised produce, or low drag coefficient. Pick your poison.

3speed

travelinhobo

After doing tour #6 with a basket and not a handlebar bag, I'll never go back to the h.b.! So congratulations. We should begin a Basket Club. If you have time before your tour, go to your local thrift shops for finding a smaller basket. Sometimes I see ones in there or baskets that could be used for a bike. As for sticky fingers/hands, maybe I've been lucky, but I've never had anything disappear from my basket (I live on my bike now).

Papa Tom

I've always wanted to ask this of wire basket users and fans...

Doesn't the constant clinging and clanging of items inside the basket start to grate on you after a couple of miles? I know if there is something loose and making even the smallest racket in one of my panniers, I can stand it for about ten minutes at the most.

wschruba

Nope, not particularly. The bouncing keys are quite festive.

Papa Tom

. Really? For ten hours???

saddlesores

to stop simple grab 'n run, motorcycle rack bungy net with 6 or 8 hooks will cover the top of the basket.

want quick release? get a quick release handlebar bag, cut off the top flap. done.

or use the quick release hardware from your old handlebar bag (or can get spares online), and attach that to your basket. you could bolt a L-shaped metal bookend to the basket, then bolt the quick release clip to that.

you could check ebay for cheap motorcycle/scooter rack boxes. use the quick release doo-dads to mount your basket on a front rack.

wschruba

Fair enough. Yes, I generally pack my gear tightly, but the odd jiggle doesn't bother me much.

Just because it's a basket and capable of carying a lot, doesn't mean that I do. It is generally a small amount, lashed in with a cargo net.

Papa Tom

'Not trying to bust your chops. I'm more in awe than anything else. I've done rides that last 8-10 hours, and I know that if there's the slightest rattle in my trunk bag, it will drive me crazy before I get around the block!

SEAJAYBIKE

Basket on front with a SWIFT Sugarloaf bag
https://builtbyswift.com/shop/cascad...af-basket-bag/

wschruba

I did get that, no agressiveness intended...

But perhaps it is just understanding that certain conditions cause noise (going over bumps, etc) and accepting it...as opposed to creaking/groaning/clicking or other irregular noises with no immediately discernable cause.

Zen, if you will...

Craptacular8

Haven't used it, but the Sunlite brand with their version of Klickfix sounds like what you're describing. Perhaps they make one as small as what you're looking for, not sure. I ran across some on Niagra Cycle