crazyravr

Soft food to be specific. Things like strawberries, raspberries... how do you bring them home without them getting totally bruised up and mashed up? Last time I carried raspberries home by bike they became more of a smoothie after all the bumps and I was glad I had the container in a plastic bag. Did not try that since. Strawberries, got really bruised up.

Wrokkar

I'm thinking of the old westerns when they would transport nitro glycerin in the back of the horse drawn wagons!

Or...you could just eat them before riding?

Sorry, I know this doesn't answer the question. But there probably is some way to do so.

KLiNCK

Never had a problem using panniers. Just like parcelling up your grocery bags, keep the delicate items near the top.

acidfast7

backpack. never had a problem. often bring eggs as well. all this stuff has to get transported to the market, right?

ride more casually? it's not a race.

don't ride drops as it's not a race.

flat bars are better and just hang the bag from the bar end. it's not a race.

crazyravr

Eggs I never had a problem with but soft fruit and vegg, always. The best way thus far was in a backpack. Panniers or trunk top, no no.

acidfast7

Backpack is always the way, my man.

AusTexMurf

Hmmm...Don't think I would want to carry this on my back.

LorenMiranda

Vibration isolation is the key...pieces of foam (like mattress topper pads) help AMAZINGLY well... But eat space in panniers etc. A backpack works because our bodies isolate the jars from the road. And ofc... Slow down. Unfortunately itsita hard truth when carrying delicate things....or dual suspension.

I-Like-To-Bike

As long as you limit what you purchase to a few small items.

Shopping bags, plastic or cloth, or other small bags suspended from side of basket are suitable for transporting delicate items. The "3" lunch bag hanging from the side of the basket in the picture was being used for safely carrying a 35mm SLR on this shopping trip.

acidfast7

I must admit that I shop fresh every day which does support my predilection toward backpacks. If I needed to shop less frequently, I can see the advantage of panniers.

There are 6 supermarkets of 4 brands within 0.5mi of my place, so I'm always going by one and usually don't sweat it.

They also compete with other which is quite nice.

parkbrav

Ask the grocer kindly tie an elastic band over the strawberries and blueberries, that keeps them from falling out on the ride home.

Darth Lefty 

My strawberries come in a plastic box and nothing bad happens to them

parkbrav

Good for you! That's generally also the case for me, but not always, sometimes they spill open and if they do they go everywhere. As you may have noticed, I have a tendency to be precautious

wipekitty

I use a messenger bag, and load squishy items so that they'll be in an area without any weight on top of them while I'm riding. Things that might spill get tied up in a plastic bag.

Another fun trick (which I've done primarily with soft breads) is to use a plastic bag and actually tie it on the outside of my messenger bag (works with a backpack, too.) I keep a few plastic bags in my messenger bag, as I prefer to reuse them.

I use a trailer for larger grocery trips, though I rarely bring it on commutes.

Gresp15C

I use a backpack if I need to transport squishy stuff, or put it on the top of other things in my basket.

alloo

I just order my groceries online and have them delivered to my house.

FiftySix

But, do they deliver by bicycle?

acidfast7

Here in the UK, the prices from most markets is the same.

The competition is in the service. Most supermarkets have almost free delivery.

Here is a comparison of the major supermarkets: https://www.lovemoney.com/guides/344...o-iceland-cost

The competition is even for a delivery time slot.

Then ALDI and LIDL come in with no frills and cheaper than other options and have sucked up huge market share.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ar-comparison/

Sometimes I love the intense competition in Europe that I didn't see in the US in certain sectors (like internet, phone, mortgages and groceries as examples.)

alloo

I don't care how they deliver my groceries as long as the groceries arrive in great shape.

madpogue 

That is a fully krausened commute.....

trailmix

I use Rubbermaid totes and a trailer. One of the totes is lined with foam for delicate items and the totes are impervious to water so the cargo arrives intact and dry.

FlMTNdude

6 pak of beer on the bottom of the pannier, a bull bag of oats on top of that, followed by some fruit. Tortillas I put with goods on the other side, vertical against the bike side of the pannier. 8 miles from the store home and so far goes ok, takes about 25-30 minutes depending on traffic signals. I think it is part loading, part where you ride and part what pannier you have. I am using the Ibera RakPak, which were wider than many others I looked at, so a little less squish.

noglider 

I wonder if an egg carton would help transport strawberries. I have a feeling there is no way to transport blackberries without making a smoothie.

I notice eggs survive very well on a bike. Bread, not so much.

UniChris

Milk crate (actually a purchased file crate from the office store, slightly larger but lower) on the rear rack got me through college. It would hold about what a shopping basket would. Even in my four wheel era I avoided shopping carts; too hard to maneuver in the store.

I-Like-To-Bike

Hard to maneuver a shopping cart in a store? How do you handle maneuvering a vehicle (2 or 4 wheel) in traffic?