grocery bikes

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mary, thanks for the very cool pictures of your great project!...amazing and professional job. I especially love the purple streamer 'broomstick' sticking straight out the back!

This is a great thread with all kinds of different solutions that people have found for hauling groceries and shopping bike setup. I'm sure many people will get good ideas from it in addition to myself.

I came to realize while looking at panniers that touring panniers are somewhat different than grocery style panniers- something I never thought about before.
I did like those metal folding panniers, but considering my intense aversion to extraneous rattling noises on my bike (and even my DH's single well-secured wire Wald basket rattles on the front of his errand bike), I think I'm going to order the REI folding Novara panniers that Divingbiker pointed out:
http://www.rei.com/product/733820
My DH is researching various rear racks now.

If I eventually get strong enough to get up my hill with both panniers full, there is also my roomy Carradice Nelson saddlebag that I can put on top of the rack. And theres' always the front of the bike too (though I doubt I'll ever be at that level of strength).
I'll start out by using the panniers with my medium sized Little Joe bag in back though- I suspect it'll take a while to build up strength. I already need to be in my lowest low gear just to get up my big home hill even without any pannier load or rack. And my bike has quite low mtn bike gearing.

[Tri Girl]

Mary, your panniers turned out really great!! I loved the slideshow. It provides great details. I'm really impressed!!!

[mary9761]

Thanks Ladies,
I have figured out a few things I might do differently if I make another set. I'll likely cut notches in the lid as well where the rope cleats can be seated and help the lid sit better. I will also try to figure out a way to make the handles useable. Right now I can't get them up over the cleats to be able to carry the pannier when off the bike. I may put the handle above the cleats, but then will need to secure the handle so it doesn't bounce or catch when on the bike. The paint does scuff, but I may try using a sharpy. They also make a black duct tape so the next pair may be covered in duct tape LOL. Get black and international orange and make them striped

[PscyclePath]

I invested in a pair of the Jandd grocery panniers a month or so back that have been giving good service. They hold a paper bag's worth of groceries or other stuff with ease. I don't have a picture of the bike with them mounted yet, but may have to get out and play with the camera soon...

I did approach the problem of packing a 20-lb sack of dog food home from Petsmart... mounted the grocery panniers, strapped the bag over the rear rack, and tucked the ends of the bag into the pannier on either side. A little wobbly at first, but it worked (at least out on the flats, where I live )

I really liked Mary's rig... I've got a couple of empty detergent buckets hanging around, so may have to hit the hardware store and build a set of those, too...

[Blueberry]

I did approach the problem of packing a 20-lb sack of dog food home from Petsmart... mounted the grocery panniers, strapped the bag over the rear rack, and tucked the ends of the bag into the pannier on either side. A little wobbly at first, but it worked (at least out on the flats, where I live )

I've done this too - with cat food. And with extra large pizzas.

CA

[PinkBike]

love that picture of raleighdon's bike with a trailer AND aero-bars!

[mimitabby]

love that picture of raleighdon's bike with a trailer AND aero-bars!

he's ready for ANYTHING!