Did errands on my bike!

[skhill]

Thanks for the reminder of the thrill it is to do errand-y things by bike for the first time! It's become kinda old-hat for me, and it's easy to forget how fun and empowering it is to leave the car behind....

My favorite annual errand to do by bike: renewing my car's registration, down at the county clerks office. There's no way I'll ever drive there again-- the free parking is in a garage that looks like it's about to fall down, and it's less than 2 miles from my home. Showing up for jury duty in December by bike was awesome too, and brought on a lot of interesting reactions.

I find that grocery shopping on the bike can help cut down on impulse buys. Even with both panniers and bungees for attaching stuff to the rack, there's still limited space.

[emily_in_nc]

Curious how you guys haul things like groceries? I love the idea of running errands on my bike, but get stumped when I think of things like grocery shopping.

Rack and Arkel panniers. We initially bought them for touring but use them for grocerying now! You can also buy (for a lot less $$) metal folding baskets that fit on your rear rack, one on each side. Put a grocery bag inside each one!

Here are a couple of photos. One shows my DH's bike (I'm behind it) when we got home from a grocery store run. The other shows DH getting ready to take packages to the post office.

[eofelis]

I have a rear rack and panniers. The rack is permanent, and the panniers are easy to take on and off. I bring my panniers into the store with me, so I don't use any plastic bags at all. Best of all, it's fun!

Same here. I usually have a front rack on my commuter bike. I don't at the moment as I'm playing musical forks with another bike for a while for a while.

I've grocery shopped with a bike for quite a few years. If I know I'll get a buncha stuff I'll take the front panniers too. I've never managed to buy more than I can fit into all my panniers! I've had bystanders watch with amazement as all those groceries disappeared into my panniers. I also keep a bungy-net with my bike for strapping large bulky things on top of rear the rack.

It's amazing how much stuff you can carry on a bike.

[alice]

For grocery shopping I take both panniers, and a backpack, and a cargo net to strap stuff on top of the rack. I buy a lot of groceries.

But it's fun!

Also, unlike most of you dedicated people, running errands is pretty much all I do on my bike. I can't motivate myself to get out there unless I'm going somewhere. Which is not to say I don't sometimes make up places I "need" to go, but I always have a purposeful destination when I'm on the bike.

[hebe]

Well done! It really is empowering, good for you, and saves a bundle of gas as short car journeys are the least economical. I drove into town one morning last week as I just had too much to do to get everything done and ride in the time I had, and it felt really strange as the last three weeks I've cycled in.

Depending on how much I have to carry, I use either a clip on basket, panniers on the rear rack, or a trailer. I also have a cargo net that can stretch either over a full basket or over the rack for boxes. A lot of errands don't need a lot of storage space though - dentist, bank, optician, post office... it's quite surprising how rarely need more space than the basket. I do get my big grocery shop delivered.

[Grog]

Good for you! I hope it's the first of many opportunities to use your bike for practical stuff. .... or perhaps you'll get a second bike for running errands?

[shootingstar]

Isn't it great!

I'm to the point where it's unusual for me to take the car to do errands!

Except for 1 bike (which is used bike) I've always had a bike (I have 4 bikes) where each bike had a rear carrier and always threw on the pannier(s).

I don't have a car. If it's not snowing much or not a ton of rain, I go grocery shopping by cycling there.


Frankly, cycling to grocery shop is...semi-survival for me. The other alternative is public transit which I will use in snowy winters.

Grocery shopping is usually more enjoyable. Sure the loads maybe heavy, but it isn't for long usually and a good fitness ride if it is.

[Melalvai]

I have a trailer with an enormous plastic bin on it that I use for groceries. It's a flatbed trailer which I made using the wheels, axle & hitch off of a kiddie trailer that had broken. I just attached all those things to a piece of plywood, and added hooks so I can strap down the plastic box.

[Susan]

I just use my rear rack and a basket on this rack. For groceries I take a big bag with me and put it in the basket afterwards, and use some bungee straps to be sure everything stays in place.
If I have _really_ big or heavy things to carry like potting soil, beer crates or furniture, I use a small trailer.

[Jo-n-NY]

I also just began running errands by bike. Our lease was up on our mini van and with the nicer weather I felt it was not necessary to replace it just yet. Having one vehicle is working out just fine, husband drives me to the train station in the morning, we lock up my bike to a light post in town for me to be ready to ride home. Hubby prefers to take me in the morning. If I need anything at the store it is by bike. I take the car on Sundays to do the bulk of my shopping. I am really liking this. Today is fog an mist as is expected for the week so my few miles riding home should be interesting. I put a plastic bag over my seat so it is dry when I am riding home and I am wearing a rain jacket.

I have a train friend that would be happy to drive me even part way home, but I really rather ride as I want to hold off on getting another car until the fall if possible because I am just not feeling that inconvenienced by us having one car.

[emily_in_nc]

I also just began running errands by bike. Our lease was up on our mini van and with the nicer weather I felt it was not necessary to replace it just yet. Having one vehicle is working out just fine, husband drives me to the train station in the morning, we lock up my bike to a light post in town for me to be ready to ride home. Hubby prefers to take me in the morning. If I need anything at the store it is by bike. I take the car on Sundays to do the bulk of my shopping. I am really liking this. Today is fog an mist as is expected for the week so my few miles riding home should be interesting. I put a plastic bag over my seat so it is dry when I am riding home and I am wearing a rain jacket.

I have a train friend that would be happy to drive me even part way home, but I really rather ride as I want to hold off on getting another car until the fall if possible because I am just not feeling that inconvenienced by us having one car.

Congratulations, JoAnn, that is very cool! My only worry would be about my bike being stolen being locked up that way -- I very rarely let mine out of my sight. But very good for you for doing the one-car thing. We've found that as long as we're flexible and open-minded, it works great for us. Helps that DH is retired (and an avid cyclist) and that I have access to a bus line to get to work, not every day but at least 2-3 times per week. And work at home one day a week. Our gas budget has gone way, way down, even with the increase in prices at the pump.

[TrekTheKaty]

"If I have _really_ big or heavy things to carry like potting soil, beer crates or furniture, I use a small trailer."

Potting soil or furniture? You rock!

[Velocivixen]

This post inspired me to do light grocery shopping by bike - first time in literally 25 years! Rode 3.5 miles to store, bought groceries & they all fit in my pannier. Bike was still there when I got out (used 2 locks, but Portland Metro is replete with bike thieves), and got home. Whoo hoo. It wasn't bad.

[emily_in_nc]

This post inspired me to do light grocery shopping by bike - first time in literally 25 years! Rode 3.5 miles to store, bought groceries & they all fit in my pannier. Bike was still there when I got out (used 2 locks, but Portland Metro is replete with bike thieves), and got home. Whoo hoo. It wasn't bad.

Good for you! Thumbs up!!!

[Jo-n-NY]

Congratulations, JoAnn, that is very cool! My only worry would be about my bike being stolen being locked up that way -- I very rarely let mine out of my sight. But very good for you for doing the one-car thing. We've found that as long as we're flexible and open-minded, it works great for us. Helps that DH is retired (and an avid cyclist) and that I have access to a bus line to get to work, not every day but at least 2-3 times per week. And work at home one day a week. Our gas budget has gone way, way down, even with the increase in prices at the pump.

Thanks Emily. I have been wanting to do this for the longest time. I chose to lock it on the street lamp post as it is on a town street in front of stores. We felt it was safer there than under the train tressle where there are bike racks but also where kids hang out with there skateboards. My mtn bike is not worth more than a few hundred and should anything happen it would be a loss but not as big of a loss than my road bike. That will also mark the end of my commuting. So hopefully this will work into the fall season.