Securing shopping to racks

[rmurphy195]

Panniers every time, especially with heavy stuff like tins, liquids in bottles/containers, veg etc.

[pyruse]

A basket is the best place for shopping

[GrumpyGit]

My panniers are off the road at present (their waterproofing failed, and I'm currently building up the nerve to reproof them, and I'm using a big courier bag instead). However, every time I try to secure shopping to my rack using a bungee cord, I mess it up. Usually large jiffy bags going from work to the post box, or cereal boxes from the supermarket to home: it all either falls off, or gets seriously crushed when I overcompensate.

(Yes, I'm fully aware that this is a candidate for 'Stupid Post of the Day', but it really shouldn't be as hard as it seems to be to secure stuff to a rack with bungee straps - that's what they're there for, isn't it?)

It really shouldn't be this hard, should it? Does anyone have any tips?

These SOMMAR bags from Ikea should do the job for you. http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/ikea-family-products/bicycle-bicycle-accessories/sommar-2017-bicycle-bag-rear-dark-blue-art-70358699/



The hooks are an uncomfortably tight fit on the 16mm thick rails of the rack on my Gazelle but should be OK on just about any other rack. Definitely "cheap & cheerful" but pretty well made considering the price.

[Brucey]

if you are regularly carrying an odd shaped load on a bicycle, take a tip from those that do (did) it daily; the post office. A basket or a wide front mounted rack is a better arrangement than a rear carrier for an ad-hoc load; for one thing you can keep an eye on it, and if necessary grab hold of it if it starts moving around.

I have a utility bike that is a converted old GPO bike and it will take three carrier bags full of groceries. It is surprisingly good. I stop the bags from jumping out of the shallow (~5" deep) front carrier bin by passing bungies through the handles of the bags. The bungies are high quality weatherproof ones and are permanently attached to the front bin.

Porteur style front racks are available but suffer from mainly being ridiculously expensive fashion accessories rather than a utilitarian product per se. They turn with the steering (unlike a GPO bike) which is OK, but a bit different to the GPO setup.

Some dutch bikes come with a front rack that plugs into two sockets that sit on the down tube. It looks a pretty good arrangement. Frames are often built to accept such fittings specially.

A wide flat front rack has the advantage that it isn't a terrible aerodynamic liability when it is not in use; a downside is that loads require more strapping to secure them.

BTW the front carriers that are attached to Pashley pronto bikes look strong but are not strong enough to survive abuse. I have seen several break, but they can be weld repaired easily enough. One of my mad plans is to adapt a cheap steel MTB frame to accept a version of the GPO/Pashley style carrier and make a practical and useful bike from a piece of junk. Brackets welded to the frame and strategic strengthening to the frame are likely.

cheers

[Vorpal]

Most of my large or odd shaped loads go in the trailer. I can strap them down, or even enclose them, relatively easily. But then, I don't have a cargo bike, or an old post office or butcher's bike. Spending the money on such a thing for the occasional weird load is a bit OTT, even if I could convince Mr. V that it was a good idea.

[rjb]

This guy doesnt have a problem except with low bridges or overhead power lines.

[Brucey]

re front racks, porteur style.

The Minoura Gamoh is about fifty quid; expensive for rack but it is a lot cheaper than most others of similar style. The Velo Orange one is stainless and lovely but it is also over a hundred quid.

this chap made his own
http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/vehicles/porteurrack/porteurrack.htm
and once nailed onto an old MTB the result is a very practical and inexpensive utility bike



I would do it differently to that (with the load higher up and the rack arranged so that it won't so easily clout the frame if the steering flops) but what he has made works fine for him, so it is a result. Note the bag is strapped to the carrier using bungies. A small lip to the carrier would largely stop it from moving around

cheers

[mjr]

These SOMMAR bags from Ikea should do the job for you. http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/ikea-family-products/bicycle-bicycle-accessories/sommar-2017-bicycle-bag-rear-dark-blue-art-70358699/ [...]
The hooks are an uncomfortably tight fit on the 16mm thick rails of the rack on my Gazelle but should be OK on just about any other rack. Definitely "cheap & cheerful" but pretty well made considering the price.

Cut the hooks off and fit Ortlieb QL handles?

Note the bag is strapped to the carrier using bungies. A small lip to the carrier would largely stop it from moving around

I don't share your optimism - I'd expect a "UK dropped" kerb to jolt a load on a front rack over a small lip. Always put at least one strap or cover of some sort over it. Even something relatively heavy/dense like a boxed bike chain gets flipped up in the air a fair distance by our rough surfaces, although my front basket is maybe 100mm deep so it didn't escape! I think post office bikes were used with trays in their front racks which were at least that deep, weren't they?

[simonineaston]

If the OP is searching for a short-term solution (I note the plan to re-proof the OP's panniers), may I suggest zip-locking a storage box to the existing rack - not pretty but it'd work great for most loads like shopping and commuting gubbins. Storage box could be a cheap plastic jobbie from a pound shop - some come complete with click fitting lids!

[Brucey]

Note the bag is strapped to the carrier using bungies. A small lip to the carrier would largely stop it from moving around

I don't share your optimism ...

I meant sideways. You would still need the bungies, especially if you are intending to jump kerbs etc....

cheers

[mattsccm]

Plastic box screwed to rack. Just chuck stuff in like you would with a car boot. Dedicated shopping bikes work well with rigid boxes where the panniers sit. A bit like the alloy ones motorcyclists use. Plastic 25 litre jerry cans work well.

[Randy_Butternubs]

I'm not a big fan of elastic for securing things. I find it hard to get enough tension. Cam buckle straps are good or just string (paracord is good) if you are handy with knots.

[Brucey]

anytime I've used something non-elastic to secure luggage to a bike, it has been a faff to do and then it has worked loose. Bungies have their problems for sure but they are the thing to use. BTW the kind of bungy material that is used for the elastic element in tent guy ropes (similar problem) is the stuff to use; it is so much better quality than the normal bungy material it is hard to describe.

cheers

[Randy_Butternubs]

anytime I've used something non-elastic to secure luggage to a bike, it has been a faff to do and then it has worked loose. Bungies have their problems for sure but they are the thing to use. BTW the kind of bungy material that is used for the elastic element in tent guy ropes (similar problem) is the stuff to use; it is so much better quality than the normal bungy material it is hard to describe.

cheers

I'm not sure what you are talking about as I've never seen an elastic tent guyline. Are you just talking about high vs low quality shock cord or are you talking about different materials?

I do find elastic useful for some things but we'll have to agree to disagree when it comes to tying stuff to bikes

My crowning achievement in velo portage was a complete henry hoover. I'd like to post a pic but I don't think this forum will host an image?

[Brucey]

high quality shock cord is properly weatherproof; I've had bungies made from that stuff which have lived out of doors for years and have been fine.

You can download an image to this forum as long as it is a small file (about 200k). I use 'FastStone' to resize images.

I have carried a double mattress on a bicycle; it is difficult to say which was strapped to which....

cheers