Racks for shopping bike conversion?

[RadNomad]

I'm thinking to convert my Cinder Cone into a shopping bike to get the weekly groceries and general local shopping trips. Can anyone recommend any good off-the-shelf rack brands or creative home-made ideas. I guess it'll be rear rack with some kind of top-box, maybe rear panniers and/or even a basket on the front!
Topeak has some products but with very limited capacity maybe there are better ideas out there... Like a simple rear rack with a plastic crate bolted to it.. I might go fancy products or low tech hack, depending what's out there..
Thanks..

 

[KDM]

Re:

If your talking shopping boxes and racks it sounds like you intend to carry a bit?

If yes then my first place to start would be normal racks but front and back and handlebar bags to spread the load, something like top peak, tubus, sjs etc.

The next step up would be something like a bike trailer. Either a kids sit in one that can double up with the shopping or something like a dedicated trailer, just one example http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Bike-Bi ... SwoydWtRaN

next step up requires adapting the bike something like an xtracycle conversion which can be adapted to carry large, bags, boxes even kids seats http://www.xtracycle.com/

Lastly you go onto ignoring your cindercone and go direct to a cargo bike starting low in the range with something like a kona ute, through to a surly big dummy and ending up with a proper cargo bike like a yuba mundo http://yubabikes.com/mundo

 

[xerxes]

Re:

I've got one of these on my "shopper": http://www.tredz.co.uk/.M-Part-Summit-A ... _45245.htm, it's very solid once fitted, much sturdier than the cheap alloy rack I had previously.

I use it with a set of cheap panniers, but you can make things out of plastic containers if you don't mind funny looks: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o= ... =1841&v=2O

Or possibly use a plastic crate as a basket.

 

[RadNomad]

Re:

KDM.. All great tips thanks, but maybe trailers and new bikes is a step too far. Xerxes.. Those 'bike buckets' are awesome and the guy is a bit of a commedian, great article!
Repacking two or three bags of supermarket shopping into backpacks and compartmentized luggage systems is too much hassle when one just wants to get going and ride a mile or two home. The 'crate on a rack' solution looks like a winner, just drop in and go!

Maybe the bike handling would feel 'top-heavy' and unstable with 'crate on a rack'? Perhaps a pannier system would be better with it's lower CofG.. Just need to try them out and see i suppose.

 

[shogun]

Minoura Gamoh King.
Wald.

I'd go front rack personally.

 

[xerxes]

Re:

Maybe the bike handling would feel 'top-heavy' and unstable with 'crate on a rack'?

Even with my panniers, which sit fairly low, the handling is pretty awful once I have 20kg, or more, of shopping in them. However, it's only a couple of miles, so I can put up with it.

With regard to packing, I stand my panniers in the supermarket trolley, or hang them on the side of it with the rack hooks, and pack them at the checkout. Heavy stuff at the bottom, bread and easily squash-able fruit and vegetables on the top.

 

[hamster]

Got a couple of decent Blackburn racks going spare in the garage, let me know if interested.

 

[KDM]

What about a good sturdy rear rack but then mount a skateboard deck onto it ? this would give a slightly longer base to attach a box onto and a more sturdy area?

If you use a long board skateboard deck then you can also screw bags similar to a kona ute/surlybig dummy pannier bags that in Malaya you can probably get something similar made quite cheaply

example http://surlybikes.com/parts/cargo/dummy_bags

Screw the bags to the deck and that will also allow the space still for a box/cage/basket to be added ontop of the deck?

 

[xerxes]

Re:

What about a good sturdy rear rack but then mount a skateboard deck onto it ? this would give a slightly longer base to attach a box onto and a more sturdy area?

The problem is weight behind the rear axle, that's what upsets the handling and makes the steering feel a bit vague. I can have a fair amount of weight in a back pack, and although it's uncomfortable, it doesn't upset the feel of the steering, whereas that same weight on the rear rack will make the steering feel a bit off.

 

[KDM]

Re:

Yeah fair point, I don't see how people can even move with too much weight on a bike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skbrlcfq3oQ