Cycling with loads-sometimes freaking myself out

[shootingstar]

Now, I have not yet hauled 100 lbs. of weight to match my body weight (but I know Eden did).

I just bike with 2 rear panniers when grocery shopping. At times, the grocery weight is heavy enough that there are times I wonder if I will get a flat tire or warp my bike frame as I bike along homeward. During summer, I'm piling in local fruits and veggies.

Occasionally at times to be safe, I find I have to get off the bike to make a sharp left turn. I just don't feel safe enough without the feeling I'll fall over from the rear weight.

[Eden]

With panniers you really do have to be careful when you load them..... when I was touring I had to move a pair of sandals from the left to the right pannier as I tipped over twice in a row at stops from being just a tiny bit overbalanced on my clipped in side...

It's highly unlikely that you will ever break a bike with weight.... My husband did break some spokes once, but he's a big guy (he's 6'4" and I think 210 at the time) *and* we were fully loaded for camping. At your weight, even with as many groceries as you can carry, I don't think you could really break a bike, so don't sweat it. As long as you keep your tire pressure good you shouldn't flat... that's usually only a problem if you get low and pinch flat.

[OakLeaf]

I don't recommend a 3-gallon water jug in a backpack. Even if the jug is plastic.

[Eden]

I can second that.... lots of weight on your back requires *extreme* care..... I did a rather long skid on the top of my head, I'm pretty sure, from having too much stuff in my messenger bag.... I hit a tiny pothole in the dark and the weight of my messenger bag came up over my head and carried me right over the handlebars. The helmet certainly saved my life that day- the shop guy looked at it when I came in to replace it and looked again at me (I was basically fine - somehow I escaped with just a tiny raspberry on my elbow) and said usually when someone comes in with a helmet like that they don't look too good.... I haven't stopped using the messenger bag, but I certainly take a lot of care when I've loaded it up and I always make sure that it's really well secured with the chest/stabilizer strap to keep the weight as close and low as possible on my back

[shootingstar]

Skid on your head..wow.

No way, I could ever want to carry a 3-gallon water jug in a backpack while cycling. I dislike much weight beyond regular minimal purse items on my back/side.

Yea, I couldn't break a bike frame. But sure, feels the frame, most likely it's just the back weight swinging slightly.

My partner has bent some wheel spokes. Most recently there was a long crack right by the area where the bike folds on his Dahon folding bike. He has done several different multiple wk. long bike touring trips that were self-loaded on that folding bike several in Europe. A flaw in that particular bike, but most likely it was exacerbated by weight of him (160 lbs.) + his 4 panniers. Right now, he's negotiating the warranty on that bike....

I am intrigued that some cyclists don't like hauling around any pannier weight...each to his/her own. But it does make you a different type of stronger cyclist especially doing hills, etc. on a regular basis.

[Crankin]

I don't really like riding with my pannier, but, I do it when doing errands. I couldn't do a regular grocery shopping, even with 2, at least only once a week, like I do. Too much stuff.
I totally agree with the backpack/messenger thing. I firmly believe my friend broke his hip, not just because he slid on black ice, but because he was riding with his laptop on his back.This is someone with good handling skills. I tried commuting with a stuffed messenger bag and it was bigger than me! I ended up taking the bladder out of my Camelback and using that as a backpack. I hadn't done that for a few years, when I needed to bring some stuff to change into after a group ride, I was riding to (7 miles). It was painful, and the top of the pack kept bumping into the back of my helmet.

[lph]

Trailers rock.

[DebW]

While you aren't going to break a bike from loading the panniers, make sure you have a good secure rack to hold the panniers. Check the weight limit on the rack and check how much it sways under your load. A swaying rack will make riding feel treacherous. The economy racks under $30 may not be adequate. The weight distribution on the bike can also be a factor. If the weight of the panniers is behind the rear hub, you may feel the bike sway and feel unmanagable - hence the long wheelbases on touring bikes. And too much weight on the rear wheel (especially behind the rear hub) can leave the front end too light and affect steering - adding front panniers can compensate for this. Trailers are one good solution, as LPH says.

[antimony]

I've put 50+ pounds on my back in a canoeing packbasket, plus 200+ pounds of me, and been just fine. Getting on and off requires a good high curb (or to be riding my folder with its low top tube), because the basket means I can't really pitch forward to swing my leg over. I don't go fast, though -- slow, steady, using all my granny gears. And I use the packbasket with smaller loads all the time for potlucks, because I can carry delicate things without any worry of squishing them.

Possibly what I really need is a decent kickstand on my grocery shopper -- I've found loading panniers without accidentally toppling the bike to be the hard part, not riding with the weight.

I've broken spokes on an old road bike with just my body weight, but I got a sturdier wheel (and, later, a new bike also with sturdy wheels). Pump your tires up a bit higher if you run them on the low side due to being light under normal operation -- I pretty much always run max PSI.

[kajero]

Curious me . . . I have a Ruby Specialized Carbon Road Bike. I surely am not going to outfit that for hauling groceries. What kind of bicycle should I be looking at then? I've been thinking a hybrid but just don't know. I do use the Ruby when I go the convenience store, but everything has to be light and fit into my jersey pockets. Kind of limits me.

I am glad I read this post, though. I am thinking of getting a small backpack from eBags, but I need to take what has been said about weight on my back now.

[shootingstar]

Kajero- A hybrid bike with some gearing should work. That's all I've ever used in the past 2 decades. But like DebW said, make sure the rack(s) are strong. A well made, quality one will state the maximum load it will carry.

And make sure the bike geometry is designed for the bike rack's design. I'm sure DebW has a better opinion than me on this. Make sure it's the type of right pannier design with clips/hooks onto the rack. Try putting them on at the bike store. I always have done this before buying. Some rack designs are very difficult for me to yank off the rack. (I can't have that, I carry at least 1 pannier with me into the store.) Some manufacturers are very specific. Other panniers have more universal designs.

As for the bike geometry, since I'm short legged, I occasionally step over my slightly lowered top tube in front of me, because with a pack of 24 toilet tissue rolls strapped on top of my rear bike rack, I can't swing my leg to the rear and over my bike rack + tissue rolls, to mount my bike..not without knocking over something. The top tube does not dip as low as a woman's for-wearing-dresses bike, but just enough clearance for me to nimbly step- dip in and out of bike from the front end instead from the back end. I'm sure very shortie me, it looks cute ..but swift.

[kajero]

I probably won't buy much. Just fruits, veggies and other small stuff. The big grocery store is a little over 2 miles from my house. If I need to and want the exercise I can make several trips. Most of the trail is around the lake so it is a beautiful ride.

I have a Topeka set up from my the bike I just sold (my crash bike which I wouldn't ride or even touch since the crash. My SO had to fill the tires with air so I could sell the bike. I couldn't even stand to do that!) I have the rack and the large Topeka bag that has side panniers. I also have the next size bag down. Apparently I couldn't make up my mind so I wound up with both. So that part is taken care of. Apparently, my only problem is the bike I just became unemployed so I have to think long and hard about a new bike. I inherited some money and think I might just use it for a present and worry about other expenses later. I am sure my Dad would have hated me to spend that money on groceries! LOL

What about a step through bike? Except I haven't see one I even like! My legs are really short, too!

Curiosity strikes again . . . do you wear clipless with this setup? Seems it might be rather difficult walking around in the store as well as riding a bike laden with stuff. I don't go clipless so it doesn't make any difference to me. I am just, as always, curious. Or is that being snoopy?

[shootingstar]

1 of my bikes:

My panniers weren't full, but we were on the way to some big box grocery stores, further out..28 km. round trip.

Even consider a good gently used bike that can be discounted for you....if your bike store has any.
As you can see, my small body frame is not interested in heavy backpack loads. I want to save my posture.

My partner does have a B.O.B. bike trailer that he uses mostly for touring and exceptional transport of some furniture. but really that's over the top for me just for regular groceries. I haven't cycled with a trailer yet....

[Eden]

I've done just about every kind of hauling possible I guess....
I regularly ride with a messenger bag - I use it for my commute and carry clothing/lock and sometimes transport my camera back and forth. The messenger bag is fine for this. I occasionally overload it if I stop for groceries and buy heavy things, but am now very, very aware that I need to be extremely careful if I do. I was carrying my work stuff (thankfully not my camera!) plus 2 cans and a large yogurt when it threw me - I also didn't have the straps really done up properly (just a few blocks to home...... lesson learned....) I prefer a messenger bag over a backpack because the load rides lower and feels more stable - messenger bags *must* have a chest/stabilizer strap otherwise they want to spin around all of the time.

Panniers - great for carrying moderate loads - can hold a lot more than a wearable bag and carry the weight much lower. I've never experienced any shimmy or shake with panniers, but you do need to take some care about how you load them. If you have a preferred clip out foot (I always clip out on the right), be sure to either balance the load well or even weight it towards your clip out foot - if it's heavy on the clipped in side you tip that direction.....

Trailer - great for carrying a great deal of stuff or very heavy stuff. I wouldn't pull a trailer around for just a few items as the trailer itself is rather heavy, but for big stuff it can't be beat. A trailer with a good deal of weight does take some getting used to.... It does to some extent drive you and I've had the feeling of being pushed more than once. I imagine it's a bit like a locomotive - slow to accelerate and slow to stop, slow up hills but once rolling it goes fairly easily. I do everything a lot slower and more deliberately when towing - I've never and don't intend to really test out how fast the thing can corner. I do, at times, get concerned about my braking power - since I tend to pull a good deal of weight when I use it, I try to avoid very long or very steep descents and definitely have to be aware of what I'm going to attempt to scale, so using it takes a bit more route planning too. I think if I used it on a daily basis I'd want a different bike to tow it.... my cross bike is geared OK for towing, but the brakes suck.... my commuter isn't geared well to climb with 100-150 extra lbs....

[lph]

I know you said you wouldn't buy much, kajero, but since you mention that the grocery store is close by and you only have one bike I'll make another pitch for a trailer. Eden is right that it is not what you want for small loads or long distances, but for regular grocery shopping at a store not too far away on flattish terrain, I find it unbeatable. I bike down to my local store 600 yards away, and can sling 5 bags of groceries right into it without any repacking. It's faster and easier than using a car or walking with a backpack.

My Burley cargo trailer can be attached to any bike, as the attachment point threads on just inside the quick release of the rear hub. I do need low gearing, though, it adds drag up even the smallest hills. But it's stable as all get out. Plus, it impresses the neighbouring kids

But, a new bike is never wrong