grocery bikes

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I ordered the Novara panniers:
http://www.rei.com/product/733820
and this rack:
http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FREXP

We also ordered new 9 speed short reach brifters like the ones on my Luna that I like so much, so I can reach the brake lever way better. That's been a longtime problem for me with the Shimano regular brake levers. They'll be replacing the bar end shifters on it now. It'll be nice to have both bikes with the same shifting system, and it'll make the Rambouillet generally more comfortable and enjoyable for me to ride.
I'll need to buy a heavy duty U-lock/cable combo as well if I'm going to be leaving it outside the supermarket where I can't see it. No more medium weight "latte cable" like I use outside Ralph's cafe. It's not a bike I'd want to lose.
Once we get the new brifters, rack, and panniers on and retape the bars, I will post a before and after photo of my Rambouillet's new incarnation as errand/grocery bike. It might take a week or two though.
(now where'd I put that bell?...)

It's just started snowing, the first of the season!

[malkin]

I have one of these:

http://www.leggero.com/leggero/shop/...IDProdukte=420

I saw them online last fall, but couldn't find a US distributor. We were headed abroad last winter (because I was going to die if I didn't see the RSC performance of King Lear...but that's another story). My husband ordered from the co. in Switzerland and had them ship to our hotel in Munich.

It was kind of a PITA to get home, and US Customs in Cincinati was all kinds of suspicious, but it was worth it.

Maybe TE could be their US distributor?

[malkin]

Hey, there's a Croozer Cargo right now on ReturnsForSale!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My panniers arrived
grocery panniers
I had thought, since most of the other panniers I saw for sale were priced PER PANNIER, that these were $55 EACH, so I ordered two. Turns out the $55 was for a PAIR (they didn't really make this clear on the site), so I wound up with two sets! No problem....my husband can try my set out in a couple of weeks when he puts his rack on, and if he likes them he can keep the second set. If not, we'll just return one set. The great thing is that REI lets you take all the time you want to return stuff, especially if it's still new. I called them to be sure.
My rack should arrive any day.
But I really can't wait to have the new brifters installed, as that will make my Rambouillet more comfortable for me to handle. I'm bringing it to a good LBS for 48 hours for that procedure, and I'll pick up a heavy new lock then too. If I'm lucky it might all be ready within a week to 10 days.

Incidentally, today I took my car to the supermarket and loaded up on the really heavy or bulky non-perishable stuff like cat sand, detergent, TP and paper towels, sugar, etc.

[tulip]

My experience with grocery panniers is that they work a whole lot better if they have a strap that goes over the top of the pannier to stabilize the side away from the bike. Mine did not have such a strap, and my groceries spilled out all over the street because the weight shifted to the outside when I went around a corner (centrifugal force). A bungie cord would work well. I got rid of mine after that because I was so disappointed with them, and my food coop was only three blocks away, so I walked.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My experience with grocery panniers is that they work a whole lot better if they have a strap that goes over the top of the pannier to stabilize the side away from the bike. Mine did not have such a strap, and my groceries spilled out all over the street because the weight shifted to the outside when I went around a corner (centrifugal force). A bungie cord would work well. I got rid of mine after that because I was so disappointed with them, and my food coop was only three blocks away, so I walked.

Wow! Can you say what brand and type your panniers were?
Did you put the bungee cords across the middle of the top of your pannier parallel to the bike, or cross-wise?

[tulip]

Wow! Can you say what brand and type your panniers were?
Did you put the bungee cords across the middle of the top of your pannier parallel to the bike, or cross-wise?

Mine were Nashbar, but they look alot like yours. In my case, the pannier needed additional support over the top of the pannier, to keep the top closed and the groceries tucked in. I did not use a bungee because I decided to walk for groceries, but I thought it would help the situation. Some sort of elastic net might also do the trick.