So, on my motorcycle I use ratchet straps to hold down camping gear and stuff or saddle bags to carry smaller things. I can't break that habit on the bike. Sure, I can use paniers but the few times that I tried to carry something on the "naked" rack I had it strapped down pretty tight. I can tell you right now that you can NOT apply the same strapping force to a loaf ow white bred that you can to a tent, and have them both be functional at the end of the day!

So, what tactics and techniques do you hard-core utilitiers use to keep your items aboard with going OVERboard?

I have some adjustable bungees that I purchased back in 1984 for my then new Grand Touring rig. I just replace the bungee cord now and then. I can strap tightly or loosely since both ends of each cord will adjust. For bread or chips, I "bunge" the shopping bag handles so the only pressure is against nothing but plastic and rack. The soft payload does not go anywhere since it is in the plastic bag and is not crushed as no force is used against the soft payload.

Things like bread and poundcake usualy get put into a basket, and I try to avoid singletrack with rockgardens on the way home. Every once in a while I am on a fun ride with a basketless bike, and I get a call to pick up some bread or something. I usualy find some cardboard, and fabricate a container that holds tortias, or bread, or once a bunch of books I found at a yardsale. Usualy I carry several straps around the seatbag so that I can lash something like that to the frame, usualy inside the diamond, sort of hanging down. Once I rode home with four ten foot lengths of 1.5" pvc pipe strapped to the top tube. Looked pretty crazy, but it worked. my jersey pockets were stuffed with fittings and a valve. My father had called and asked me to pick them up. when I pulled in on a roadbike with all that on it he did not even bat an eye.

Bike Dork doesn't go anywhere without at least one pannier.

I don't much care for bungies. Even when very tight they allow the load to shift on bumps. Straps are much better, but are a bit pricey.

I use rope. A half dozen or so 1/4" kern mantle in about 7 foot lengths. 6mm x ~2m for the imperially challenged. You need to know a few decent knots. I will often fasten the middle of one rope with a larks head, then bind the load tightly with a Dutchman on each end. A Dutchman will let you apply serious tension and I also like them because they really don't look like they should hold. Google up the mother earth news article on the Dutchman for nice illustrated instructions.

I use a combination of pannier bags, trunk bag and a Yakima Big Tow trailer. I also have a bungee cord cargo net as well as two of those bungee cords that are joined together with an adjustable slider. My Yakima Trailer came with a cargo bag. I generally fill the cargo bag with my grocery bags, then anything soft and easily deformed like bread I'll run the handles of it's plastic bag through the bungee cords or through the handles of the cargo bag. Or I'll hang it off of my handlebars. I also use the smaller bungee cords to secure things to my pannier rack, as well as using the bungee cord cargo net to do the same thing.