tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post9219283033098928359..comments2023-11-10T04:17:00.492-05:00Comments on View From The Porch: Bicycle grocery shopping, part 2...Tamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-47108263831062360172010-04-06T13:07:55.963-04:002010-04-06T13:07:55.963-04:00Howdy:
I apologize up front for the length, but t...Howdy:<br /><br />I apologize up front for the length, but this might give you an idea as to options.<br /><br />I have managed to haul ginormous things with my otherwise unremarkable mountain bike.<br /><br />Let me take you through an evolution of my bike-hauler concept...<br /><br />In the beginning, there was the bike rack:<br />http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/2670377876_6b8c9ce43f_b.jpg<br /><br />This is my "rack, bag, & 550" concept. Stuff all your booty into a sea bag and use 550/para cord to secure it. When done, you have a slim, svelte bike with no big mass up top or side projections.<br /><br />Given that bulky paper products are not too dense, going vertical is not a big deal.<br /><br />One downside to the rb550 is lack of the "toss & book" option, as you gotta tie it down.<br /><br />And the bike rack was good. But the bike rack needed a companion or two...<br />http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2714212936_a459d28066_b.jpg<br /><br />Yes, those are milk crates. No, I did not steal them. <br /><br />The crates work great for "toss & book" as well as giving a hellaciously big platform to strap things on. I'm talking Costo-sized volumes of TP, not those wimpy gro-store "bulk packs."<br /><br />The downside is fixed width. I found them a pain when using the local light rail money pit, when I'd hop on that to make some major distance. Too stinkin' wide for public transpo.<br /><br />But those companions did sin in the sight of jfruser, and were banished when the One True Basket was vomited forth by Grainger, the Light Bringer...<br />http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2859346513_e01bb1b66f_b.jpg<br /><br />The basket is one from the Worksman industrial tricycles. I couldn't find one retail to save my life online or anywhere. So, I called up Grainger, set up an account, and ordered one. Honest, I tried to pay retail. Here it is:<br />http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1VJX2?Pid=search<br /><br />550 or bungees are still advisable, but it will haul a lot of stuff and has remained my preferred solution for a long while. <br /><br />I did add on soft, water-proof panniers on the rear for even more space, but those collapse and don't take up space when not in use.<br /><br />And, LO, jfruser was fruitful and multiplied, increasing his load and taxing his strength...<br />http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/3008109757_bfe8d46329_b.jpg<br /><br />Yes, that _is_ a small child's bike strapped to the top of my bike basket.<br /><br />The trailer is a cheap Wally World steel-frame dealie for $100. One kid starts out riding his bike and then tires. He goes in the trailer with the younger kiddo and his bike goes on top of my basket.<br /><br />Total number of pounds hauled is..._considerable_ for an all-day outing with wife & kids.jfruserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01002178940479903025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-80411959028585411762010-04-06T12:02:05.618-04:002010-04-06T12:02:05.618-04:00Depends on the purpose to which it's being put...Depends on the purpose to which it's being put, I guess.<br /><br />I don't want to wear spandex and special shoes, I just want to get my stuff from the store.Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-33665317158795435632010-04-06T08:46:42.616-04:002010-04-06T08:46:42.616-04:00To me, a bike with all sorts of gizmos and attachm...To me, a bike with all sorts of gizmos and attachments is like an AK with gizmos and attachments. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.jesperskibbeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10082144463596628703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-85767869281768745022010-04-05T16:12:23.724-04:002010-04-05T16:12:23.724-04:00I knew an elderly lady in the local college town n...I knew an elderly lady in the local college town nearby who could be seen tooling around the campus in a trike with a huge basket in the back. Her reasoning was identical to yours, Tam. I was shocked the first time I saw her in a car-- she had places to go outside of her two mile radius.Matt Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03500429239798601210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-41964101511626728722010-04-05T14:22:19.429-04:002010-04-05T14:22:19.429-04:00Yep, makes sense, and you are producing the power ...Yep, makes sense, and you are producing the power for the movement, double bonus points, ride on, ride on. Why do we think we have to have more storage room?Earlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794620086508373660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-85279981479113885052010-04-05T13:54:00.422-04:002010-04-05T13:54:00.422-04:00Noah D: We just bought an Odyssey and love it! Wi...Noah D: We just bought an Odyssey and love it! With two kids and a dog, family trips in the sedan or SUV just weren't working. It was nice to have only one vehicle to deal with while the inlaws were visiting this weekend. <br /><br />Tam: Fenders are fantastic. I leave them on my Surly LHT full time now. BTW, there is a growing "utility cycling" movement out there for folks who use bikes as tools rather than toys. While my lifestyle and home base doesn't allow for full time utility cycling, I welcome the movement for what it means for the activity.<br />If you ever want/need a 2nd bike, this might be ideal for your grocery runs: http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=ute<br /><br />Lest you think I'm mocking, I'd have one in a minute if I had somewhere to store it. MSRP is $900, which is pretty reasonable for the bicycle equivalent of the pickup truck. <br /><br />ChrisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-66051724246481068162010-04-05T12:59:52.000-04:002010-04-05T12:59:52.000-04:00You don't wear one of those Obama-weenie helme...<i>You don't wear one of those Obama-weenie helmets do you?</i> <br /><br />Hey don't be hatin' on the helmets. Some of us want more than coloring books for Christmas.Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10952078709114872197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-7250931506408456472010-04-05T10:57:01.956-04:002010-04-05T10:57:01.956-04:00Maybe too much money to be worth it, but maybe you...Maybe too much money to be worth it, but maybe you could think about one of <a href="http://www.kymco.com.tw/products/models/racing/racing.asp" rel="nofollow">these</a>. I have one as well as two other bikes but I use this for the grocery run and taking my dog to the park or the beach.mikehttp://www.mirrorsignalmove.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-22501140796590952362010-04-05T08:57:53.830-04:002010-04-05T08:57:53.830-04:00You Americans and your obsession with more. You c...You Americans and your obsession with more. You can't just get the four pack or the single roll of paper towels?<br /><br />Paper products make Gaia cry.<br /><br />Shootin' BuddyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-19879647743602435442010-04-05T08:17:07.451-04:002010-04-05T08:17:07.451-04:00And besides, I have no intention of buying more ge...And besides, I have no intention of buying more gear for the bike.<br /><br />Well, maybe a front basket.<br /><br />And if I get rain gear, I may buy fenders.<br /><br />But that's it.Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-43651450263537192642010-04-05T08:14:51.863-04:002010-04-05T08:14:51.863-04:00"You couldn't just wear a backpack like t..."<i>You couldn't just wear a backpack like the Maxpedition rig that I got you instead of screwing with more gear for the bike? Simple is better.</i>"<br /><br />You may have missed the earlier discussion, which was about transporting 8-roll packs of Bounty and 18-roll packs of Charmin on the bike. They're not going to fit in that awesome Maxpedition pack, either. :)Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-28544301422430497112010-04-05T08:10:18.465-04:002010-04-05T08:10:18.465-04:00You couldn't just wear a backpack like the Max...You couldn't just wear a backpack like the Maxpedition rig that I got you instead of screwing with more gear for the bike? Simple is better.<br /><br />Shootin' BuddyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-70561363627962267002010-04-05T01:31:44.374-04:002010-04-05T01:31:44.374-04:00Is this making sense?
Completely. I'm lucky e...<i>Is this making sense?</i><br /><br />Completely. I'm lucky enough to live in a great suburb that's within a mile of the only real 'shopping center', and within 2 of 'downtown'. Ah, Zionsville. :) The bikes work great for that, and my kids love it. Bike to the 3-playground Lions Park and hit Grandma's house along the way? No problem.<br /><br />For longer trips, I have Homer.*<br /><br />*Honda Odyssey. Best. Minivan. Evar.Noah Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-63331000237059693952010-04-04T23:33:16.454-04:002010-04-04T23:33:16.454-04:00It's very location-dependent; it works here. ...It's very location-dependent; it works here. <br /><br /> With my bum knee, I can't walk nearly as far as I can bicycle.Roberta Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-75864931789562245242010-04-04T23:01:44.403-04:002010-04-04T23:01:44.403-04:00Reminds me of the day...back when I was in grad sc...Reminds me of the day...back when I was in grad school, and everything in town was within 2 road miles.<br /><br />There was lots of good stuff at the 10-minute-plus driving distance, all the way out to an hour of driving. But in town, I didn't need the car.<br /><br />In the winter, it was drive/walk; in the summer, it was bike.karrdehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-18169346577346462962010-04-04T22:59:10.449-04:002010-04-04T22:59:10.449-04:00Ayup. Makes sense.
Saddlebags? You could get a l...Ayup. Makes sense. <br /><br />Saddlebags? You could get a little extra storage without the inconvenience, <i>and</i> pull 'em off sometimes, throw 'em over your shoulder, and go all John Wayne impersonatin'. :)Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682072668997410668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-82772334146429731702010-04-04T21:00:38.143-04:002010-04-04T21:00:38.143-04:00Skip the trailer thing, google "xtracycle&quo...Skip the trailer thing, google "xtracycle" and "radish" for an example of "long tail" bikes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-90499088185205946912010-04-04T20:04:49.359-04:002010-04-04T20:04:49.359-04:00As Tamara noted, the convenience of riding a bike ...As Tamara noted, the convenience of riding a bike to/from stores is dependent on many factors, most of which can be rolled up into "Where you live."<br />"Where I live" it's a very short straight line distance to the nearest grocery store, but there's an interstate in the way, which more than doubles the road distance, most of which is 40 MPH highway, with no sidewalk. I could do it--if my bike were ridable, which it's not--but I feel safer in the car.<br /><br />Back in then70s when I was working at my buddy's bike shop, a lady came in with a flyer for a motor to mount on your bike, called a "Chicken Power." Which would do nothing to make the ride safer...Dranghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08082177597135236652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-4531582299599019302010-04-04T18:32:11.401-04:002010-04-04T18:32:11.401-04:00We live a couple blocks North of you in Carmel, an...We live a couple blocks North of you in Carmel, and ride bikes frequently for much the same reasons. I have a trailer on my bike essentially all the time, due to kids and groceries and whatever else needs to be hauled around. Most of the new trailers can be attached and detached with a cotter pin in about three and a half seconds.<br /><br />It is more work to drag a trailer around (especially with a headwind!) but that's part of the reason we cycle anyway.alathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07774862634576632497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-57748371814533538352010-04-04T18:06:30.378-04:002010-04-04T18:06:30.378-04:00Makes perfect sense to me. Biking a couple miles o...Makes perfect sense to me. Biking a couple miles on a nice route to pick up a bag or two is fun. Hauling an off-tracking trailer with that extra mass and inertia is <i>work</i>.On a Wing and a Whimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00754595334684845895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-68091542261598244272010-04-04T17:26:53.700-04:002010-04-04T17:26:53.700-04:00Everything makes sense except for the colander. I&...Everything makes sense except for the colander. I'm pretty sure you can dremel a mouth hole in a plastic one.<br /><br /><br />wv = "ratein"; the kind of protein that you can only get from eating vermin in the post-EMPocalyptic world.TJPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-98476519980522152010-04-04T17:11:38.292-04:002010-04-04T17:11:38.292-04:00I like the idea of a bicycle trailer, until I have...I like the <i>idea</i> of a bicycle trailer, until I have to pedal the damn thing home full of whatever (in addition to my X00# ass of course). Personally, I'm holding out for one of <a href="http://neodymics.com/" rel="nofollow">these</a> before I decide on a trailer option. Sadly they're not yet being manufactured for the general market (the pictured item is the/a prototype). A potential investment opportunity for the fiscally flush, I think.<br /><br />Actually, I'll probably end up buying something from <a href="http://ampedbikes.com/store.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> this summer. No patience.Will Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13454533450309633627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-37995477365680205352010-04-04T16:53:43.195-04:002010-04-04T16:53:43.195-04:00The 10+ minute drive to school is a 5 or less minu...The 10+ minute drive to school is a 5 or less minute bike ride for me. The stoplights despise me, but I can flit down side streets and skip half of them on my skinny little single speed.<br />Plus I can only imagine that getting that baby up to speed is as close to flying as I'll ever get, smooth, quiet, and very responsive, all in the fresh air.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12141654754595945677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-32303752977687014872010-04-04T16:03:37.732-04:002010-04-04T16:03:37.732-04:00I live about half a mile from the nearest grocery ...I live about half a mile from the nearest grocery store, so I know what you mean about the time factor.<br /><br />As for the convenience of putting the trailer on the bike, if not for the fact that ours doubles as a toy box in our basement, it would only take me a few extra seconds to connect it to the bike. <br /><br />Speaking of which, it's a beautiful 75deg day here in NoVa, I'm going to take Things 1&2 for a ride in the trailer. :)<br /><br />ChrisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-64152556800761870612010-04-04T16:02:35.279-04:002010-04-04T16:02:35.279-04:00I bet you're cuter than a speckled pup on your...I bet you're cuter than a speckled pup on your bike with your hair flying in the breeze. You don't wear one of those Obama-weenie helmets do you? Where was I? Oh yeah, adding a trailer into the mix would blow the cute factor away. Nix the trailer.netfotojhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691962599013712115noreply@blogger.com