I went grocery shopping!

[TJ_Relic]

The velcro straps on mine are so weird and I completely do not understand them. But I just wrap it around the sides of my rack and have had no problem I went shopping again today and got even more heavy stuff and it was fine.

Where would you put a plastic buckle?

My problem is the velcro is too short to reach or the bars on the rack are too far forward or something. But it goes through this plastic slot thing, and I thought I would buy a slightly longer skinny strap with a buckle to use instead.

[Kano]

I went grocery shopping today!

Haven't done that before, but have been plotting "errand commuting" all season, and slowly putting the old bike into riding condition.

So, today, I put the "kid trailer" on the back of my 25 year old Trek antelope 820, and headed down toward town to

COSTCO!

Costco is about two miles from my house, down hill all the way. You know what that says about my ride home with two gallons of milk, five pounds of peanuts and 9 pounds of assorted cheeses. There was more, what the heck was it? I added it all up, and figured about 35 pounds of groceries. I have not weighed the trailer, nor have I weighed the little chromoly bike.

DH and I figure that I trailed all the weight I've lost in the last year. I trailed it in the granny ring, and total granny gear on the biggest slopes.

BUT, the most exciting part is that I made it! The trailer is probably in need of grease in the wheel hubs, and who knows what else, since it was a garage sale find that we picked up to trail our grandkids around. I should slime its tires, since we have all kinds of things that could help flat them -- I carried a tire pump too.

Figuring out how to put the trailer onto the back of the bike was quite a process -- the gizmo that went on the bike wasn't with the trailer, but elsewhere in the shed.

The tires on the bike are OLD -- original equipment, and they look a bit scary. I think I'd like to get smooth ones, but will start with putting the tires that were on my "comfort beast" when I got it on this one for a while first. I'm trying to avoid making a really big financial investment before I know for sure I'm going to keep up with this "errand commuting" thing. The front brake needs some adjustment. I have to figure out how to do that.

I'm pretty sure DH thought this was a less than stellar idea. I called him this morning and asked when he was heading home from work. Suggested I could meet him somewhere along the way, but we need to do some grocery shopping, so how about I bring the trailer down so we could try a Costco run. He had been talking with a friend about doing that "one of these days" last night. I told him that HE would probably have to bring it back up the hill, and he seemed glad when I later called and asked how the heck do I get this thing attached to the bike? He suggested I give it a few more minutes, then bring the car instead.

I was already at Costco, bike locked up, a bottle of water downed, when he called me from another part of the parking lot to say, don't bring the trailer, bring the car, the wind is nasty. He didn't sound pleased to hear that I was already there, locked to the bike rack, wondering where he is.

After we loaded the trailer, I said I'd give it a try. That I'd probably be pretty slow, but I'd give it a try. I might decide he could tow it up the bigger of the two hills, but I'd give it a try at least up the first. There was a church parking lot where we could have safely swapped.

I was really slow up hills, even for me, but I made it. I thought about stopping part way up the second hill, but realized I'd never get that load going again if I did, and would have to walk the rest of the way (I had told DH that if I had to stop, I would be able to, unlike him, since he has the guy-thing going, and wouldn't stop if it killed him) so I am pretty pleased to be able to say I made it!

I wanted to take the dog for a ride when we got home, to see how he would do, but DH wouldn't hear of that. Apparently, it's just plain stupid to carry dogs along on a walk, or take them for a bike ride in a trailer. We'll sneak out sometime when he's not around. I'd like to be able to take him to his grooming appointments in the trailer rather than in the car. He's not a quiet car passenger, so the trailer might not be an option -- he could turn out to be just too squirrelly!

Oh, and: I'd forgotten what a nice little bike my Trek is! Now I'll REALLY never ride the comfort-beast again...

Karen in Boise

[Melalvai]

Karen, that sounds fun! I remember my first grocery trips, and then the first grocery trips in the rain, and the grocery trips on icy roads...those are some true adventures.

I'm the stronger rider, so I pull the trailer, but when I was new to getting groceries by bike trailer, my husband liked to follow me on his bike. He did that for several weeks before he was comfortable letting me do this by myself. Too bad! He's not a keen cyclist so doesn't ride with me often otherwise.

[beccaB]

Those adult tricycles that some older people use-they could haul a lot of cargo. I bet we might start seeing some more of those. Also, there is some sort of weird looking bicycle on the website for Project Rwanda, and the Wooden Bike Coffee company. It's a fairly expensive bike ,at least it would be for me.

This reminds me of back in the 70's we had moved from Florida to Virginia. My Mom wasn't used to driving in the snow, and had a car accident. We had to hike to the grocery store with our mammoth sized Kelty backpacks on, to carry the groceries home, because she was afraid to drive for a while. I guess my Mom was probably a revolutionary of her time.

[madscot13]

Well, if you thought the panniers were hard you should try the milk crate sometime!! There's a thread somewhere on this site involving me having an *interesting* ride home with a load of groceries that was heavy and didn't fit into the crate very well. Getting groceries on the bike is definitely satisfying--seems I'm not the only one who's discovered that.

biking with groceries is the easiest part (I've only lost one egg in the history of my bike commute- and the whole carton flipped out); it is the loading them into the panniers that always gets me.

[madscot13]

Well, if you thought the panniers were hard you should try the milk crate sometime!! There's a thread somewhere on this site involving me having an *interesting* ride home with a load of groceries that was heavy and didn't fit into the crate very well. Getting groceries on the bike is definitely satisfying--seems I'm not the only one who's discovered that.

biking with groceries is the easiest part (I've only lost one egg in the history of my bike commute- and the whole carton flipped out); it is the loading them into the panniers that always gets me!

[Kano]

I've got an addition to the story about Friday's Costco trip.

Yesterday, I had to meet the kids down there. Daughter and SIL wanted to get a card. Since referring someone to be a member nets a couple of their pizzas, a $20 value, it was worth going down to Costco.

It was mighty hot out, and I was feeling exceptionally lazy, so I took the car. DH said, get more milk, please, cuz we should have gotten two boxes (four gallons) but, he went on, "I thought I was going to have to tow the trailer, so I just got one box."

TODAY, we biked into town to meet one of his friends at a coffee shop where we got some coupons a few weeks ago. Been drinking free coffee for a while now! Anyway, DH was telling Mark about how we'd done the Costco thing with the bikes and trailer. Mark asked him how was pulling the trailer up the hill.

DH grinned at him and said it was easy as pie!

He DID fess up that he didn't do it.

I'm wondering if the wheel hubs need some attention -- we did pick it up dirt cheap at a garage sale a couple of summers ago, and it's probably a Walmart version kid-trailer. Follows well, but maybe it should be more enthusiastic on the downhills?

Karen in Boise

[Melalvai]

I'm wondering if the wheel hubs need some attention -- we did pick it up dirt cheap at a garage sale a couple of summers ago, and it's probably a Walmart version kid-trailer. Follows well, but maybe it should be more enthusiastic on the downhills?

Do you have pictures? Not that I'd be any help just because there's a picture...I just want to see it.
I made a flatbed trailer out of the axle, wheels and hitch of a walmart kid-trailer. Actually I don't know where it was purchased from. I got it off craigslist for $20.

[Kano]

Do you have pictures? Not that I'd be any help just because there's a picture...I just want to see it.
I made a flatbed trailer out of the axle, wheels and hitch of a walmart kid-trailer. Actually I don't know where it was purchased from. I got it off craigslist for $20.

Just for you, Mel!

DH went for an early morning ride one Saturday and spotted it at a garage sale. He paid $25.

Karen in Boise

[Melalvai]

That is the best kind to get imo. Why pay $200 for a burley or bob when you can get a used kiddie trailer for so cheap?

[Kano]

My "plan" for this errand commuting package is to keep costs down, so yeah, this trailer is perfect! I can get an "SUV bike" someday when I know I'm going to keep this up, y'know? For now, garage sale finds are ideal -- except maybe for the tires that I'll put on my little Trek.

Dang, I'd forgotten how comfy that bike is!

Karen in Boise

[fastdogs]

I got groceries once on my bike, and it was much more fun than regular grocery shopping! I ride during my lunch break at work sometimes, a little 5 mile hilly ride. Near the turnaround point, there's a road that goes to a grocery store. So one day I took my messenger bag with me, and rode to the store. My bike is a downtube folding bike, so I folded it up, put it in the shopping cart, and picked up a couple of sodas, some bags of salad, breakfast bars in boxes, and a few other things. The messenger bag was really loaded (and it's a large one) but it was comfortable for the trip back to work.
It just felt very satisfying, although I don't like attracting attention, and the hot pink bike in my cart got a lot of looks.
vickie

[madscot13]

I went grocery shopping today with my bike but some friends found me! we made some plans for the evening and they offered to drop my groceries off at my house and take me to the meet up place. Instantly the items in my cart doubled!

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I am going through an almost obsession with riding my bike everywhere! I thought you guys who grocery shop would enjoy this....I figured out a route where I hit 2 'honor system' farm stands and one Saturday farmers market. Total round trip is 35 miles on back country New England roads. I like doing this ride on Sat. morning as the market starts 8 a.m. LOVE IT!

I'm having problems with packing though. I bought a milk crate for the interim, I didn't like the Basil panniers and saw the slick wire pannier baskets on here and I think I will get them. The milk crate seems a bit...well...unstable! I would like to just have something open I can toss my backpack and other stuff into when I ride to work and then use it on the weekends. Sigh...I just can't make up my mind...

But last wknd I didn't have the milk crate so I just strapped a cardboard box to the back. I loved it because everyone at the farmers market had something to say about the box and was instructing me on how I should get panniers or had some story about carrying food on a bike! But alas...I was the only one with a bike there...

I think biking really makes you look at what is going on around you...if I didn't start riding the roads, I would never have found these farm stands because they are on back roads I wouldn't be taking...

The trailer looks like a good idea--if you took them into the store that would be a good deal. We have Stop and Shop here in Mass...do you have them where you are ? You can scan your groceries and bag them, then pay at the end. If you did, you could pack your trailer and would not have to unload it to pay again. That would be ideal!!!

[Kano]

My daughter thinks I need to buy bread -- baguettes -- when I'm riding my "grocery bike," whether I need/want any or not, because it will be great to have it sticking out the top of the pannier. I suppose that means I should be buying carrots with the greens still on too!

The kids are amused by this new "notion" of mine, and were amusingly upset the other day that we weren't going to have a car for one day because she was borrowing one and the other was in the shop for service. They couldn't figure out how we could POSSIBLY get around without the cars!

Karen in Boise