Errand bike thread....

[Tri Girl]

Congrats, Lisa!!!!! Souds like you had quite the adventure! You hauled quite a load up that hill. You're quads of steel are on the way for sure!
I always wind up getting too much stuff. Last weekend I thought I was OK until I tried loading it into the panniers. i had to rig things to the tops & the side. It was a strange sight. I'm hoping my eyes will soon adjust to seeing the exact amount that will fit on my bike.

[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.

[SouthernBelle]

Those panniers aren't on the website either. They may be gone. Hopefully they'll get them back soon. You might try calling the 800 number and asking.

[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!