# Anyone lug groceries?



## 2shifter (Jul 15, 2004)

I was thinking about possibly using the bike to do the food shopping. It is about 5 miles one way to the market. Only problem is I shop for family of 4 and I would probably have to make 3 trips since I normally am looking at 6-7 bags. My current bike has no front low rider accomodation, so I have the handlebar bag, rear rack bag and rear panniers. Add in the day pack and I have some more space. Not sure what my total (C.I.) capacity is. I don't know too much about trailers, I would be leery about having to secure it, etc. Any experiences?


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

*crate or xtra*



2shifter said:


> Any experiences?


I bolted a $4 milk crate to the top of my rear rack. The problem with both front & rear is they're high center of gravity, so it can get sketchy w/heavy loads. You might want to look into an Xtracycle? Rated at 200 lbs. min.

http://www.xtracycle.com/html/default.php


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

I make grocery runs, but I only buy about 2 bags worth and it all fits in my art supplies backpack. But I've been searching for a better solution to actually haul a real amount of groceries.

I was looking at inexpensive baby trailers as on solution.

Cargo type trailers are good too.


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## Andy M-S (Feb 3, 2004)

*Trailers are good...*



2shifter said:


> I was thinking about possibly using the bike to do the food shopping. It is about 5 miles one way to the market. Only problem is I shop for family of 4 and I would probably have to make 3 trips since I normally am looking at 6-7 bags. My current bike has no front low rider accomodation, so I have the handlebar bag, rear rack bag and rear panniers. Add in the day pack and I have some more space. Not sure what my total (C.I.) capacity is. I don't know too much about trailers, I would be leery about having to secure it, etc. Any experiences?


I have a family of six, and I haven't done bike grocery shopping in a while, but I plan to convert the trailer our youngest used to use for grocery carriage (a couple of rubbermaid boxes should do it). The biggest grocery load I've carried apart from that was a couple of gallons of milk (one to a pannier), or one time a gallon of maple syrup (Carradice) and that felt a little unweildy, so heavy items I'd like to carry off the frame.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*B.O.B. is your answer.*

It will hold up to 70lbs easily and carry a big volume. Just secure it to your bike with a cable.

We pretty much shop every day so we can get away with shoving things in our bags and under our clothes and carrying a plastic bag in our hand. We live a mile from our grocery store.

We use our B.O.B. for big loads or for stops farther away.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

ive used grocery bag paniers, but they are not the most secure thing. i did groceries for three meals in them, including 1/2 gallon of milk and a bottle of wine.

but if you are looking at groceries for a family of 4, i think you need either a trailer or that xtracycle. i grabbed a trailer off ebay for not too much. much cheaper than a BOB, but not nearly as cool. whatever trailer you get, you will need to cable it to your frame. but even a cheap cable is probably good enough unless you are in a high-thefy area. 

a good place to find a used trailer is any re-sale baby clothes shop. they have jog strollers, diaper genies...everything. saw a trailer in one a few weeks ago for about $50. it was an older one with a hardshell seat. would work great for grabbin groceries. or as a beer cooler.

but i must say, that extracycle had caught my eye several times.


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## gpsser (Oct 25, 2003)

I have used this crate, but again the high center of gravity makes it sketchy. I once had a case of soft drinks, and a bunch of other groceries stuffed in it, which made the front end real light. I think the trailer is the way to go.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

Nice Cross Check.


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## grisezd (Jun 2, 2004)

*Shop smaller?*

Another way to look at this is reducing the volume of things you buy. Yea, obvious, but when I'm out of town on a motorbike for the weekend I get pretty efficient with my purchasing. Denser foods with less packaging get it for me. Can stuff the jacket pockets with all I need for the weekend, including six bottles of beer. Might could do that once a week then resupply the big, heavy stuff with the car every few weeks.

Dennis


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## Waxbytes (Sep 22, 2004)

A lot of the grocery stores around here deliver for free over a certain $ amount of groceries.
If they do that where you live you can just go by bicycle to the grocery store, shop, and have it delivered. You just need to ride home before the truck gets there.


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## gpsser (Oct 25, 2003)

meat tooth paste said:


> Nice Cross Check.


Thanks.... It is the counterpart to Hollywood's black one. It currently has 700x44 WTBs on there, and has been getting some rail path duty and soon some single track as well (fixed of course)


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

gpsser said:


> Thanks.... It is the counterpart to Hollywood's black one. It currently has 700x44 WTBs on there, and has been getting some rail path duty and soon some single track as well (fixed of course)


 Ha! I've seen Hollywood's Cross Check. That nite he had that Down Low Glow light mounted it.

I think the Cross Check will be my next bike. It's so utilitarian and useful. This grocery thread has reminded me that I've been wanting a bike with racks, some hauling capacity and fat tires. On top of all that, I can build it up as a fixed gear rig.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

Check out this person's setup. I want to build up a Cross Check into something like this with big hauling capacity for grocery store runs.

But I manage OK with weekly stops on my Pista and art backpack. It's just not good for the back and neck to haul all that around in a backpack. I've been having some neck strain recently.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

meat tooth paste said:


> I've been having some neck strain recently.


Wonder also if it's the helmet-mounted light. I noticed when I put mine on that it was a little weird having extra weight at the front of my head.

Last night I saw a guy riding with a helmet-mounted HID and a bar-mounted HID. He must have had 20 pounds in batteries, but man was he visible.


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

meat tooth paste said:


> Check out this person's setup.


that guy rode across the USA on fixed gear!

for the groceries, I use the grocery panniers. While I dont do it much these days, back in my single and car-free days I would use the grocery panniers mostly because you carry them into the store and load them and know exactly how much you can buy. I also switched from beer to rumdrinks to reduce the loads.

With a family now we just go with the car. But you should try with the bike! I would go with a trailer, probably an old kid carrier to start.

I also love my crosscheck! it now has planet bike fenders, rear rack and grocery panniers of the performance bike knock-off variety. IRC bigass cross tires. and pedals, of course.


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## Scott B (Dec 1, 2004)

*I shop all the time with my bike and bob*

I do all of my shopping with my bike, pannier and BOB trailer. My partner and I shop twice a week and generally we can fit everthing we need no problem. I've carried 50 lbs of flour, a case of rice milk and about 3 bags more of stuff split between the bob and my panniers. I bob works really great, 70 pounds is fine in it but at that weight it is nice to tow it with a bike that has a triple. It is a beast to tow it up hill with my roadie with a 39-25, get a triple, I really need to.

A trailer, good panniers and making trips fairly often make it work for me.

-Scott


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## gpsser (Oct 25, 2003)

meat tooth paste said:


> Ha! I've seen Hollywood's Cross Check. That nite he had that Down Low Glow light mounted it.
> 
> I think the Cross Check will be my next bike. It's so utilitarian and useful. This grocery thread has reminded me that I've been wanting a bike with racks, some hauling capacity and fat tires. On top of all that, I can build it up as a fixed gear rig.



I was torn between this and the On-One Il Pompino, which is very cool and fixable as well. I think the lure of bigger tires is what drew me to the CC, That and the red. I am getting my wife one of the new green ones as a complete bike for her birthday this year, mostly cause it is one of the few that comes in a size small enough for her. It is the most usefull bike I have ever owned.


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## cbbaron (Apr 18, 2003)

I use a grocery bag pannier and an Arkel Utility Basket and a Backpack to carry the groceries my family needs, but the grocery is only a 1/2 mile away and I only have one child. I would suggest a trailer for your load and distance. It will slow you down a good bit but it will be much more stable and allow plenty of room for milk and beer.


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## 2shifter (Jul 15, 2004)

*Thanks for input*

I am seriously considering the trailer idea, sounds like the best way to go for me. Luckily the trip is nearly flat and I am not concerned about speed, in fact it would be nice to slow it up for a change. I have to admit these Cross Check pics have me planning my next purchase even though my Crown Jewel hasn't even arrived yet!


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## Clyde Commuter (Feb 1, 2005)

I try and bike to the store as much as I can. Although I have one less than a mile away, I usually hit one about 4 miles away to get in a bit of a workout, and enjoy a better ride.

Between my large messenger bag and two panniers I consistantly am able to carry 4-6 bags of groceries.

I always use plastic. I have them double bag and I tie each one up just to be sure to prevent any leakage (which hasn't happened yet), and recycle them on the return trip, or use them around the house. Going palstic also saves space in my bags. 

I would be hesitant to use a large case on top of a rack for the previously mentioned weight distribution concerns. Having panniers helps maintain your center of gravity. 

Downsides can be heel strike, but I am not riding clipped/clipless anyway, and if they do often folks move their panniers all the way to the back of the rack.

If being able to carry something on top of a rack is needed, I can't vouch for it, but Paul Compnents makes their Flatbed http://www.paulcomp.com/basket.html which goes on the front, hopefully maintaining that better weight distribution. 

Good luck!


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

I hope this give you idea, low CG, light and environmental friendly bamboo baskets. I have not tried it though.


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## Chris T (Jul 19, 2002)

*Great suggestions.*



weltyed said:


> a good place to find a used trailer is any re-sale baby clothes shop. they have jog strollers, diaper genies...everything. saw a trailer in one a few weeks ago for about $50. it was an older one with a hardshell seat. would work great for grabbin groceries. or as a beer cooler.
> 
> but i must say, that extracycle had caught my eye several times.


I'll second weltyed's suggestion to look in the local used baby stores. I just picked up a bike trailer last fall, practically brand new, for about $100 Canadian from the local used baby items store. It'll be put to use for my son, but once he outgrows it, it'll be great for hauling all sorts of crap around town.

The best thing about these trailers is that most parents seem to buy them with good intentions, but then never get around to actually using them. You can get them almost brand new for a reasonable price. I too like the BOB trailers, but it's a little pricey.

Chris


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

> The best thing about these trailers is that most parents seem to buy them with good intentions, but then never get around to actually using them.


Very true. I know some parents who put it on their baby shower gift registry as a "wouldn't be fun if we can bike with the baby?" type gift, but later rarely use it.


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## 2shifter (Jul 15, 2004)

*Ah so!*

Wheelie bar also good for Friday nights at the "strip"!


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

kai-ming said:


> I hope this give you idea, low CG, light and environmental friendly bamboo baskets. I have not tried it though.


 Kai-Ming,

How much gear are your transporting on your China trip and how are carry the load?


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

meat tooth paste said:


> Kai-Ming,
> 
> How much gear are your transporting on your China trip and how are carry the load?


The maximum luggage I had carried was not over 30lbs and I like to keep things minimum, I have to be able to carried everything together with the bike on board the train myself in one go. The heaviest is the clothing and the bike bag and some bits and pieces. We do not cook and stay in guest house/hotel at night, our journey is usually short ( the longest not more than 10 days) and I check our bikes before each trip so I may keep tool/spare minimum. I have a small back pack to carry camera, walky-talky, mobile phone, sun glasses, cap, and some essential pieces. I use a home made seat post rack to carry a dry bag and the bike bag, and a small saddle bag for tools/spares (as shown in the photo). The seat post rack and fenders are arranged so that the bike may be bagged with minimum disassembling.
Here is my gear check list :-
Travel document, ID card, china travel doc
Travel ticket if any
Money
Insurance card/details
Set of home keys
Octopus card
Sunscreen cream
Sunglasses
Cap 
Masks (N95), HAD mask
Towel
Slippers
Dental floss, cream, lips care stick
Tissues and disinfection tissues
Shaver
3 in 1 coffee
Medicine, cold tablets, plaster strips, etc.
Digital camera, spare batteries / charger, memory cards
Candy for children
Cable lock for bike
Set of allen keys
Tire levers
Chain tool
Screw driver
Plastic ties, straps, string, elastic straps, etc.
Emergency phones list
Mobile phone and cards, walky-talky
Clothes, windbreaker, scarf, leg warmers, socks, gloves, etc.
Helmet
Water bottle
Air pump
Spare tubes
Tire repair kit, adaptor of air valve
Bike bag


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## yiata (Jul 11, 2004)

*Octopus card?*

A very complete list but what exactly is an Octopus card? Is that like a credit card?


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

yiata said:


> A very complete list but what exactly is an Octopus card? Is that like a credit card?


An Octopus Card is kind of like what we call a bus pass here in the USA. You use it in Hong Kong for rails, ferries, and other modes of public transport. A cool thing about the card is that you can use it in vending machines and public phones at the terminals.

If want to know more, you can go the site:
http://www.octopuscards.com/eng/index.jsp


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

yiata said:


> A very complete list but what exactly is an Octopus card? Is that like a credit card?


mtp is right. It is a kind of electronic money widely used in Hong Kong, microchip stores money electronically which I cannot leave home without it nowaday.


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