Cycling with loads-sometimes freaking myself out

[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....