Errand bike thread....

[Crankin]

Lisa, when I told Steve you were outfitting your other bike to go grocery shopping, he said, "Doesn't she live on a big hill?"
I like this thread, too. I am not commuting now, either, but I still do some errands by bike. But, I just can't get into full grocery shopping by bike, because of my hill. I too, often ask why did we move here?
Right now I have one nice pannier on my Jamis Coda. It feels really heavy when I have it loaded, although with the mountain gearing, I do get up the hill and my driveway, very slowly when I have a lot of stuff.
My best story is when I converted my old Voodoo hard tail into a commuter last year. I decided to ride to the library (I go to the library in the next town, for a few reasons, but it's about the same distance as the Concord library). I had 3 books to return and two were heavy, 400 page books. I was amazed at how slow I had to go up the hill to the library; I walked in totally drenched with sweat. Then, on the way back, I have to make a right onto a busy road and immediately get in the lane to make a left and go straight up a hill. Now, I did this route on my old commute, but on my road bike. Well, I had new, lighter books in my pannier, but I felt so awkward, I had a hard time getting into the lane. There was a lot of traffic. I almost fell over and managed to get unclipped right before I stopped, pulled over in the shoulder lane. Then I waited until someone stopped and let me run my bike across the street.
The Jamis doesn't feel quite as awkward, but riding with a load feels really different. I go to this same library at least once a week to sit in the carrells and work on my papers, but I have hesitated to do this ride with my laptop in my pannier.
My favorite errand rides are to West Concord, to go to the natural foods food store, the bakery, the acupuncturist, etc. It's really only 2.5 miles, but because of the highway, I have to make it into a 6 mile ride. By the time I get home, those 12 miles feel like 20 after lugging stuff up the hill.

[KathiCville]

.... I go to this same library at least once a week to sit in the carrells and work on my papers, but I have hesitated to do this ride with my laptop in my pannier.

Great thread! Like Lisa, I work at home, but (like Crankin) I do go up to the university's main library 2x a week on average. I feel so virtuous (and younger!) when I pull up in front of the library on my old Peugeot and lock it up with the "kids'" bikes! The ride is only 2 miles, and if I do after morning traffic has died down, it's a quick and safe trip. Crankin, I tried carrying my laptop in my panniers the first couple of times I rode to the library, but felt too unsteady on the bike and worried the whole time about something happening to it. So I bought a Crumpler backpack with a heavy-duty laptop insert sleeve built in to it. The pack is heavier than I'd like (as is my ancient laptop!) but by carrying the laptop on my back, the weight is distributed evenly. If you haven't already tried a backpack, you might give it a whirl. I stow less-breakable stuff in my panniers, usually just my lunch bag.

The most offbeat errand I've done so far on my bike was dropping a small bag off at the dry cleaners on the way to the library---I got a funny look from the folks at the counter. BUT the guy who was parked next to me when I came out said, "Wow, that's great. I should be doing that!"

This thread is inspiring me to give (small-scale) grocery shopping-by-bike a try, too! Nearest supermarket is only about 1.5 miles away. I need to check out security first---I know there aren't any bike racks, and I can't picture an obvious place to lock my bike......Thanks for the inspiration!

[Crankin]

Kathi,
My husband bought a very small and compact sling back style backpack for his lap top, on the off occasion he needs to bring it home when he rides to work. Usually, he doesn't need to, but he did use it twice this past summer. Now, he hates riding with packs, so I may feel differently, but he said it was really heavy. And, his laptop is very small. I have an I Book, so it definitely is bigger. I might try it, though. I know I won't put the lap top in my pannier, after my heavy library book experience. I am not as nimble on the Jamis to begin with, as opposed to my road bike, and although I love it, I won't do anything else to upset my already precarious balance!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Gee how much does a laptop weigh? (sounds like the opening line of a joke)
Can you balance the weight in the other pannier, like putting jacket or a brick in it?
Also, if you only have one thing to put in your panniers, put it on the bike side that doesn't have the gears and cassette.

I think my heavy cable/U-lock combination weighs about as much as my husband's laptop!

Yes, I see that my folding Novara grocery panniers are no longer available on REI.com....what a shame! Guess I was lucky to get them. But if someone calls REI, maybe we will know if they will be restocked again soon.

[KathiCville]

Don't laugh but I DID try the counterbalance act with the laptop before I caved and bought the backpack. Can't remember what I tried to use to offset the weight of the laptop, but it was something akin to a brick. I remember feeling even MORE dangerous on the road with heavy weight added to an already heavy bike! Even now, with the backpack on, I pedal slowly, try to give everyone and everything wide berth, and heave a sigh of relief when I reach my destination. My next laptop will be significantly lighter!

[Biciclista]

i hate it when you finally find a good thing and then they discontinue it.

[7rider]

It might just be sold out for the '08 season.
I bet it comes back - or some slightly modified version of it - for '09. Their stuff definitely has model years and frequently sells out. And once it's gone...it's gone.

[Crankin]

I only have one pannier; I never envisioned doing major grocery shopping, so it's been fine for my short forays to various specialty stores.
But, it's amazing how heavy a few things feel when you are riding up a hill.