We need a basket for our bike. (Since we don't own a car, grocery store trips have always meant riding with an oversize tote weighing us down on one side, like one of those old V8 commercials.)
We were going to get a standard metal basket until we we were seduced by this colorful bag on the back of a neighbor's bicycle. Now we can't decide: recyclable, metal basket or colorful, reusable bike bag?
It looks like this bag is plastic, so a metal wire basket that's recyclable seems like the much more eco-friendly option. But this bag also seems rather sturdy and rain-proof, and we're smitten with that colorful, south-of-the-border, floral pattern.
Plus, it sure beats dangling two plastic grocery store bags off the handle bars.
So, which carry-all do you recommend? Should I not be seduced by some pretty pattern? Does anyone own a bag like this? Do you like it?
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If you're going the basket route, do NOT put it on the front of your bike. The extra weight makes it really easy to lose control. Take it from someone who knows.
Personally, I'd go with pannier baskets since metal baskets will last pretty much the life of the bike and who knows how long the plastic bag will last. Line them with pretty fabric if you like, or sew pretty fabric (layered with heavy canvas) into shopping bags.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
It looks like oil cloth, and it is super cute (by the way, do you know where to purchase it?), but you'd be better off getting regular ol' pannier baskets/bags.
I have a front basket that is removable, because I put my bike on my car a lot and did not want to attach a rack to the rear. My store and farmer's markets are pretty close to my house, so it works for me.
Look, I found something similar on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Basil-Blossom-Repellent-Bicycle-Pannier/dp/B001FGI4H4/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1224537564&sr=1-12
view ValHalla's profile
i thought it looked like oil cloth too. I have regular old black canvas panniers. They are not exciting and not waterproof but I don't live in a place where it rains much. I do love the look of the ones in the picture. Do you know the source?
view Cayenne's profile
A friend upgraded to solid plastic bucket panniers and gave her old folding wire basket panniers to me. I really like them. They hold a full grocery sack on each side, and when I'm not using them I can fold them flat. It did take a bit of adjusting to get them in the right place on my bike, and since they are really old, I hold them closed with a bungie cord, but free is a very good price, and even new they aren't very spendy.
view fjorlief's profile
This is the kind of baskets I have on my bike
http://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Rear-Grocery-Baskets-Folding/dp/B000BPNK7O
I'm thinking that I could sew some oilcloth grocery sacks to use, the paper ones I've been re-using won't hold up well in the rain this winter.
view fjorlief's profile
A metal basket would probably be sturdier. Plastic does tend to wear out faster, and a bag like that could easily be filled unevenly. (I've seen it happen with horse saddlebags.)
If you do get a metal basket, why not find some secondhand oilcloth (a tablecloth from Craigslist, perhaps) to make a fun cover for it?
view Stiletto's profile
This looks exactly like what I saw on bikes in Amsterdam...oilcloth saddle bags. They can be found at a store called Kitsch Kitchen (http://www.kitschkitchen.nl/home/home_uk.php). Maybe you can order online?
view lmead's profile