Carrying 30 pounds of groceries on the rear rack...

[Torrilin]

Maybe I should look into a different rack if loads like this are going to become a regular occurrence (usually my grocery loads are more like 15 pounds). Would having it attached lower on the bike rather than to the seat post make a big difference in the handling when loaded? The load would still be up fairly high because I put it all in that plastic crate that I've attached on top of the rack (today it was piled quite high, which didn't help the weight distribution).

I carry my stuff in Axiom Seymour panniers. Most of the weight is balanced along the axle. Looks a bit like Geonz's Extracycle, but without the extra wheelbase.

I find the handling does change. The bike feels more stable in back, and I have to give the rear wheel a bit of help with curbs and stairs. The front does start to feel twitchy if I'm near max load. My rack can handle up to 70 lbs, but that's assuming I have a front rack on the bike... the 45 lbs limit I use is more reasonable for it as a single rack. If the back were loaded down with 70 lbs, it would be really easy to pop a wheelie that I wasn't planning on. Not good.

I haven't used anything like a basket on the back. I'm not super flexible, and I'm clumsy, so I'd probably kill myself trying to get a leg over a milk crate . When I was poking around, most of the commentary on baskets made it clear that they were not a good solution for the kind of weight I haul.

If I start to haul more than 45 lbs at a time on a regular basis, I'll look at a different solution. My partner bikes too, so a rack on his bike would increase our hauling capacity. We may get a trailer. I may end up on an Extracycle or with a touring bike eventually, since both of those have better capacity than my mountain bike. I may also be able to replace the front fork on my bike to get rid of the suspension and get eyelets for a front rack. *wanders off in a fog dreaming of the ultimate utility bike*

[Jolt]

I haven't used anything like a basket on the back. I'm not super flexible, and I'm clumsy, so I'd probably kill myself trying to get a leg over a milk crate . When I was poking around, most of the commentary on baskets made it clear that they were not a good solution for the kind of weight I haul.

Amusing mental image! Maybe I should point out that my bike happens to have a step-through frame, avoiding the problem of swinging a leg over the crate (if I had to do that I'm sure I'd be constantly kicking it too).

[Geonz]

The xtracycle was designed by a bunch of stanford engineers with grant money so it's evolved a bit ... and to my surprise, stuff doesn't bounce out unless I've paid *no* attention to where I put it. Most of the time groceries are in a bag ( http://www.reusablebags.com/ of course ) so it's not as if oranges and sundry gewgaws are trailing me, but it could happen There are also velcro flaps and pockets for stuff that I don't have a bag for, and a zippered mesh pouch.

Oh, and I am also not the queen of flexibility... but the load's 'way in back and doesn't matter for that.

I got a 36-spoke wheel and disc brakes, so pretty much I'm ready to haul the 250 lbs. the Xtra's capable of ... though perhaps not up hill...

[singletrackmind]

Try steering with a watermelon bungeed to your aerobars! Mmmmm, watermelon...

I really like the BOB trailer for grocery (or whatever) loads, though handling with 80# can get a bit rough. Very easy to attach and remove and cars give me a little more room especially if I have the flag on it.

What feels sketchy now should become more reasonable feeling with more experience.