I live about 2 miles from the milk store. Is there a good set of

[hedgehog]

baskets out there that can mount on the back wheel and hold 1/2 gallon glass bottles of milk, or is this a fancy way to commit suicide?

[happyslug]

1. You are better off with a set of Panniers and a rear rack

Buy a better quality rear rack, like the following:


http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ortlieb.asp


http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tubus_racks.asp

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/index.html

This can carry more than a gallon of milk in EACH panniers (The Panniers are sold as a PAIR, one for each side).

If you have about $900 dollars I would recommend a trailer:

http://www.cycletote.com/

I had a cycle-tote trailer which I have used for many years. It was easy to haul and easy to attach when needed. I have A BOB trailer, which is a lot cheaper, it does NOT haul as well nor attached to the bike as well as the Cycle-tote. The problem is a Cycle-tote cost $900, but a BOB is about $300.


http://www.rei.com/product/722504

Now the BOB is the better trailer if you go off road i.e. on a path through the woods NOT a bike path or even a dirt road, I mean a path through the woods. For Bike Paths and even dirt roads I would recommend the Cycle-tote, but on true paths the BOB trailer comes into its own.

If you really want to see what a bike can haul as a trailer:

http://www.bikesatwork.com/hauling-cargo-by-bike/hpv-cargo-capacity.html


Now if you have a Lap top, you may want the following:

http://www.ortliebusa.com/cartgenie/prodInfo.asp?pid=140&cid=2

I do own one of these, it holds my laptop quite well, if and when I decide to take my lap top with me.

[Kolesar]

2. People actually bolt a milk crate to the top of a rear rack

^ A rack like the Tubus rack that Happyslug posted. I saw a travelogue for a man who rode from Cleveland to Brooklyn, NY with a milk crate for his goods. He traveled very light.

Maybe put something in there to keep the bottles from sliding around if the box is not full.

That would be a top heavy load and might be squirrely if you are not a confident rider.

[hedgehog]

3. I'd forgotten about the general squirreliness of a heavy load.

Maybe I can talk my son into welding up a trailer for me!

[elocs]

4. I once had an old Schwinn 5 speed and bungied a milk crate to the rear carrier.

At the time I didn't have a car and wanted to buy a tree at K-Mart. I thought, well millions of Chinese use their bikes for everything. I bought a tree that was nearly 8' tall and it fit in my basket and was well balanced, so off I went. On my way home I had to pass a firehouse and some of the firemen were sitting outside. They saw me riding down the street with this tree on the rear and I thought they would bust a gut. They were laughing and saying, "It's so hot that he has to carry his own shade with him!" I made it the 2 miles home just fine, but I had to be careful not to ride too close to the curb because my tree would hit the ones on the boulevard.

On edit: You just want to buy a couple of jugs of milk at a store a couple of miles away and it doesn't sound like you need to spend hundreds of dollars to do that. I don't think you need a trailer for that. Just keep it simple.

[Kolesar]

7. "It was so hot!"

:rofl:

[bhikkhu]

5. Try a good backpack or messenger bag

the simpler the better...I plan on getting a rack eventually for my bike, but it will probably be pretty minimal. A messenger bag can easily carry 20lbs or so comfortably, and no hardware required.

[happyslug]

6. I don't like Messenger bag for heavy loads.

The load shifts the bag to much as you peddle. A backpack is OK, but the better solution is Panniers and a rear rack.

[Strelnikov_]

8. Here is what I have been using the last 3 years

Works. Extra weight, but always there when you need it. Prefer the 'rigid' box (versus detachable bags) which avoids crushing bread, eggs, etc. Have carried 3 cases of soda on the system (one mounted on each side of rack). Only 'issue' is that the top latches over time have gotten loose, basket may 'deploy' on a bump. Answer to this is to loop a bungee over the system when folded. Plan on getting a couple more sets in the next few weeks in advance of the discontinuity.

http://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/wald582rearfoldingbasket.html



Pair from following for $35

http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=14003