Errand bike thread....

[oxysback]

I never thought I could do anything this ambitious.[/I] And in the below freezing temps and wind, too. Who'dda thunk?- not me!

I'm psyched and I feel like I won a prize.
Next trip I might try to load up a tad less though.

Congrats, Lisa! Way to go!!

[sfa]

Good for you, Lisa! I'm assuming pictures of the bike with actual grocery-laden panniers are on the way? Or did you forget to take a picture in all your excitement?

I went to REI to buy their grocery panniers for my sister for Christmas, and wouldn't you know they don't have them anymore! Grrrr. So much for THAT brilliant idea!

Sarah

[emily_in_nc]

That's great, Lisa -- but I never doubted you could do it!

The summer before last (this summer we were too busy taking care of our new puppy and my husband's baseball team, and just not riding) we biked to the food co-op a bunch and would come home with our panniers loaded. I carried about 15-25 lbs of groceries, plus the extra weight of two racks and four panniers. Our ride home was 14 miles of mostly uphill (nothing a very steep grade but lots of gradual, long climbs). It was hot and very tiring, but we did it, and we were not particularly well trained as we hadn't been riding much prior to starting up with it. So I knew your short ride, even with the tough hill, would be doable, because you wouldn't be doing the hill after miles and miles of tiring riding -- you were still fresh, you know?

Good on you!

[SouthernBelle]

Good job!

The mental pic of you running to weigh your groceries is so funny.

[Biciclista]

ah, now i feel even more stupid for my miscellaneous trips down our hill to buy groceries in A CAR.

YOU ROCK! nice job, you can throw away your car keys. You beat the hill, the weight and the weather!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Good for you, Lisa! I'm assuming pictures of the bike with actual grocery-laden panniers are on the way? Or did you forget to take a picture in all your excitement?

I was too damn COLD to try to take a picture! I will soon- maybe a pretty snowy grocery picture?

I went to REI to buy their grocery panniers for my sister for Christmas, and wouldn't you know they don't have them anymore! Grrrr. So much for THAT brilliant idea!
Sarah

Wow, that's a shame! Maybe if you call them they can tell you if they are restocking them soon?

The mental pic of you running to weigh your groceries is so funny.

I know, I felt pretty silly rushing to get the bathroom scale and then standing on it while holding the bags of groceries, and then without. I was convinced the 2 bags must have weighed 30 lbs....but no, only 20.
Well, they felt heavy.

Thanks for all your supportive comments, guys.

BlueWildflower- I hope you are recovering from your painful fall. Keep us posted.

[7rider]

Great going, Lisa.
I always have to remind myself....don't buy TOO much when I'm on the bike (and I don't have grocery panniers). It's always a challenge, too, trying to figure out how to pack bananas and a dozen eggs (the 8-pack fits better ) in my Ortliebs without smooshing things!

[pardes]

I know, I felt pretty silly rushing to get the bathroom scale and then standing on it while holding the bags of groceries, and then without. I was convinced the 2 bags must have weighed 30 lbs....but no, only 20. Well, they felt heavy.

FAR OUT, Lisa! It's a blast, isn't it? I've been grocery shopping by bike for 4 months now and not only do I feel good for the GREEN effect, I'm also eating better food. Everything is judiciously though over before buying and I'm noticing that healthy foods weigh less!

I thought I might regret biking in cold weather but it was 26 (19 degrees F chill factor) this morning and I was warm as toast. Amazing, just amazing.

And like you, I haven't taken photos yet of my new Winter bike loaded down since I've been tooooo busy biking to do so.

Congrats and see if what you buy at the grocery doesn't evolve with time too.

[malkin]

Just a tip: If you don't weigh the groceries, they can weigh however much you say.