Most bikes don't come with the most basic carrying containers. They leave you to your own devices as far as carrying cargo and essential day-to-day stuff. If you use your bike as your primary means of transportation, you may wish to make a few adjustments for maximum convenience. You may be able to cut down the time you spend carting around heavy backpacks or pedaling home with large grocery bags hanging off the handlebars.
With the right accessories and a little know-how, your two-wheel ride can handle various small and wide loads. You'll quickly figure out how to carry the little stuff that sometimes has no space or way of balancing on your bike. Things like your coffee cup, an extra sweater, wallet, phone, keys, and a few groceries may give you a hard time initially. But you can overcome this challenge with these tips.
Add a Basket
Adding a basket on the front of your bike can be a cheap way to add storage room on your bike and expand your horizons exponentially. If your handle is the 'drop' type that curls in a way you can hunch over, you may not have enough room for a basket. Any other kind of bar will be good enough for this addition. You can have your local bike shop install the sort of basket you want for a few extra bucks.
To get the most of it, ensure you install a basket that's big enough to accommodate one or two grocery bags. Also, check to see that its position won't interfere with your steering skills and balance. Remember that you must always think about safety every time you’re riding your bike.
As a tip, consider cutting a plastic placemat and fit it at the bottom of the basket. This will prevent the straps from dangling from the basket into the front wheel, causing accidents. To secure your basket and prevent things from flying out when on rough terrain, stretch a bungee net across the top of the basket.
Use a Seat Pack
Seat packs are available in all sizes, shapes, colors, and fitting systems and will come in handy to create some storage space. The wide selection ranges from a proprietary tech fitting system to a truly universal Velcro strap. You don’t have to search through the market for days on end to find something that will be the right fit for your bike. Besides, seat packs are simple, cheap, and easily transferable from one bike to another.
Add a Rack
A rack is a handy invention and convenient addition to your bike. Racks are generally affordable but can become more expensive depending on their make, durability, size, and other factors. You can buy folding metal baskets and attach them to your rack to place your purse, grocery bags, tote bags, or backpack. The good thing with a bike rack is that you can strap your stuff directly on them.
Alternatively, if you have a little more to spend, consider buying some panniers. These are saddlebags well-designed to clip to your bike rack. They're available in myriad varieties, and you can choose the most appealing to you.
Consider Some Bungees and Tie-Downs
You will appreciate having a couple of bungee cords on your bike in addition to a basket and a rack. If you don't want to buy bungees, you can creatively make tie-downs out of old bike tubes. Simply chop them off in half, remove the valve, and tie the knots.
Whether you choose bungees or bike tubes, ensure you stretch them as tightly as possible when they're in use. Remember to always do a quick visual check before you ride — whether the bike is loaded or not — to ensure no loose ends near the wheels.
Be Creative
Stretching your imagination far and wide can help you solve most of your bike cargo problems. If you bring more stuff than can fit into your pockets, you can carry them on your person. This means that you can use the items you wear on your body to create more storage space. These include:
- Shoulder bags
- Backpacks
- Messenger bags
- Laptop bags
- Rucksacks
- Trunk bags
If your lifestyle requires you to carry larger stuff than what can easily fit into a bag, you need to get a more convenient solution. The solution may lie in:
- Trailers that can carry much more load than other options above.
- Cargo bikes, which are ideal for city dwellers.
- The combo method, where you use the different areas where your bike can support luggage.
