Cycling with loads-sometimes freaking myself out

[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

[Sky King]

What a great thread, that's all I can contribute We own a Bob but it doesn't fit my bike so the DH gets to haul the big stuff.
I concur when loading the bike itself, it is all about balancing the load. I am fortunate to have a front rack as well as a rear, I also own a great
inexpensive Wald Basket I can zip tie to my front rack.

[redeyedtreefr0g]

Hi! I've made my own saddlebag and I love it. I measured a reusable grocery bag which fits 2 gallon milk jugs to be sure it was as big as I wanted, and it has a flap so it roll up very cutely when empty.
Hmm, I don't have the original craft photos uploaded, it seems, so here are just some whole-bike shots to show the bag.

Down


And rolled up.


Originally I had a plastic crate strapped to my rear rack instead. Heavy loads up high in that crate made handling quite odd. Hauling a 5 gallon container of gasoline was downright dangerous- I'm glad I was going only a few blocks with it. When I wanted to haul a bunch of half-gallon containers of chocolate milk and orange juice for bike-to-work day, I put the light muffins in the crate and suspended the heavy beverages to either side by tying the grocery bags through holes in the bottom. The weight being lower alongside the rack was MUCH easier to handle and I actually had no issues at all.

I've had my saddlebag stuffed to the brim and not really had any issues except when coming to a stop- then the weight on one side would pull the bike. Once I'm rolling I don't notice it back there at all.

I've also hauled heavy things like groceries, laundry, and a lawn mower in the bike trailer. It will tend to push you on downslopes, and feel weird such as during dip to cross a street, and take more effort to start rolling. Smaller hills are no trouble, but steeper or sustained upslopes get noticed. Brakes do need to be in good shape or applied early. Planning to coast can slow you down a lot before you actually need to brake- and I tend to go slower dragging a trailer anyway. After the heavy load I noticed that I needed a new chain. It had been a whole year and I think hauling the trailer finally stretched it enough to notice. A new chain solved the erratic slipping just fine.

Now I use the trailer for biking with my Beagle

[shootingstar]

You make yourself comfy when shopping and commuting.

[emily_in_nc]

We often bike to the farmer's market and grocery stores on our mountain bikes carrying backpacks. So far the heaviest mine has been when I arrived home was 12.5 lbs., and that was plenty on my < 105 lb. self! I could definitely feel it as I rode and had to be careful in turns.

I usually end up carrying just as much weight as my 150+ lb. husband, since my backpack is a bit larger. We just installed seatpost-mounted racks on our MTBs (full-suspension Jamis Dakars) and put our Arkel Tailriders atop them, so that should take a lot of the load off our backs. The racks are rated for up to 22 lbs., but I would not attempt to carry that much weight.

[shootingstar]

The racks are rated for up to 22 lbs., but I would not attempt to carry that much weight.

On the rack, you would be surprised what you are capable of cycling with, weight-wise, at least locally.