no1mad 

Um, heel strike?

Seriously, though, there are pros and cons with any method for carrying gear while riding.

Whatever works...

gregjones

Functional, once you are on your bike. If your bike is way too "small" I would give one a try.

Otherwise, if your bike "fits", you will need a curb to get you tall enough to swing your leg over the saddle.

If you do the cool fixie swing over the bars, nevermind.


Quotation marks indicate size to be referenced according to wide generalized popular and accepted BF references to the subject.

katsrevenge

Step through frame. It does have it's advantages!

acidfast7

Flat surfaces are really good for inner city transport and delivery of items. i see a ton bikes with flat surfaces for transport in CPH and never see any panniers, fwiw.

acidfast7

I mean, this one alone is brilliant for food delivery and a quick zip back from the market.

https://copenhagenparts.com/

https://copenhagenparts.com/products/...rter-backswept

Papa Tom

Yes! That Giant product with the fold-out wings is exactly what I imagined. I should have figured somebody already built one.

Actually, as I thought about it some more, I came up with the same negatives others did; particularly the problem of having to lift your leg over it.

phughes

Nice idea for dry days, on a rainy day though there is no place for the rain to drain through, so the rain will simply be channeled under whatever is attached to the board.

2manybikes

Good point. The reason bike baskets have an open mesh floor. And open mesh sides to reduce wind effect. Even better than panniers in that respect.

CaptCarrot

Have a look at some of the racks here

At Practical Cycles, Really Useful Bikes or Dutch Bike Bits

Hyperventilate

I've got a similar one. The wood is slippery, so get something to make it "sticky". The cord is worth little, replace it with strapping with a ratchet-like system.

Further more, you cant carry more than +/- 5 kilograms on the back, bike will become unstable in the front.

Bikeforumuser0011

Damn, am I extremely indecisive! I have gone back to panniers (thank the Goddess that I have been able to return all of the gear that did not work out for me - receipts/return policies are a wonderful thing), in a way. I bought a pair of vintage Swiss panniers off of Etsy - mine are the ones in the upper left-hand corner - sorry that they do not come up fully for a separate link, but that is just how Etsy lists things after they have been sold. These are panniers that I will use for running about town, not with my laptop. I estimate that I should be able to put quite a bit of stuff in them, just (unfortunately) not my laptop. I am not sure if I will use both at the same time, but they only came as a pair, perhaps, for grocery shopping (light items) they will work (eventually, I want to invest in a small cargo trailer for larger/heavier loads - hopefully, when I go car free when I live in a city where I am capable of doing that).

Also, I think that my lighting search has ceased (hopefully). I recently got two (one for each wheel) Monkey Light 210's , my PB Blinky, and CygoLite Turbo 800 (this little thing is bright with a nice beam - front & sides).

As for my laptop issue, I will probably just have to get a nice backpack (all I have is a Vera Bradley briefcase) to strap onto my cargo cradle, like in the photo examples on the Bike Cargo Cradle site. I noticed that "modern" panniers do not work with my cargo cradle, because of where they sit on the rack, but the Swiss ones have nice leather straps that "hang", so there is no interference from either the pannier or the cradle. I refuse to get rid of my cargo cradle, because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Thus, I am happy with it, but am still looking for a school/work solution.

Lola also has a new Crane bell, Abus Rack Brackets, and a cute little tool roll. So, she is all set (for now, as we all know, this thing we call biking/commuting is addictive, as is the gear)!

Thanks for all the advice!

If only bikes had built-in alarms, like cars ... !

Thanks!

Bikeforumuser0011

I love my step through on my Schwinn Voyageur 7. Although, I sometimes forget I have a step through, and end up dismounting the "normal" way, and hit my cargo cradel, but oh well.

Bikeforumuser0011

Thanks for the advice!

gna

Those look like surplus Swiss army bread bags. I have a pair I use as panniers sometimes.

What did they add or change to them?

Bikeforumuser0011

I think that is what they might be. Though, I am not really sure. If he did do anything to change them, and again, I am not sure if he did, I think that it was to add the leather "tabs" to make the actual pannier hooks. At least that is what it looks like to me, but I will find out more when they get here, and will update with photos.

How do yours work out as panniers? Do you like them? Find you can put a lot of stuff in them? A lot of weight?

Thanks!

p.s. Thanks for the link! I wish I had known about the site!

gna

The leather tabs are the beltloops, I think. Here's another link about them.

I can't remember where I bought mine, but I think it was off ebay and I think I only paid about $20 for two, so it looks like the going rate has gone up some. They were an addition to some Swiss Army Ammo bags, which make very attractive panniers, but are even smaller.

They work OK as panniers, though they are not all that roomy. I ran the beltloops around my rack and I used a bungee ball cord to strap the bottom loop to a rack stay. I had a change of clothes and some other items in mine, and they seemed ok, though I'm not certain how they would do with a lot of weight.

fietsbob

carry more stuff in your pockets ..

Bikeforumuser0011

Thanks!

jyl

Those are in fact the Swiss "salt and pepper" bread bags. Meant to clip to the top of a Swiss military rucksack. The side shown facing the outside of the bike is actually the underside of the bread bag. The other side with the thick stuff "salt and pepper" pattern canvas is the top of the bag and the more weather resistant side.

Bikeforumuser0011

Hey CaptCarrot,

I appreciate the links! I found the rack that I really want, but (unfortunately) I cannot afford the $200 for the Minoura King Rear Carrier. I just wish it did cost almost as much as Lola hersel!

Thanks for the help!

Bikeforumuser0011

Thanks jyl! Unfortunately, I had to return them as they will not work for my needs. But, I did find something else that is going to work for us - the OYB Bike Bag. So, now, I need to make up my {insert word of choice here** mind in regards to my rack.

Bikeforumuser0011

What about when I am wearing a dress, or a skirt that does not have pockets?

Bikeforumuser0011

Oh, here I go again! Me, and my - insert your choice of word/words here - indecisveness! I tried my cargo cradle, and (unfortunately) it just didn't work out for my needs. I found that it was a little too wide, which I originally thought was not going to be a problem, since I had bought it not thinking that I was going to go back to panniers, but my needs have changed and I have gone back to the tried and true method. I just purchased one of the OYB Bike Bag via Out Your Back Door, as I had to return the Swiss Military Panniers that I had bought via NewLeafFabrications, because the way in which they opened/closed was not a convenient option for my needs off the bike. Alas, I am still looking for a pannier option for work/school to haul my MacBoo, books, folders etc.

As for my rack, I am (as stated) returning the cargo cradle , and am in the process of designing a smaller option with Rich, the owner of Bike Cargo Cradles. The reason that I am considering it - we are still working out the plans for my Transit TS-1 Rack, is because I am afraid that the one that I want, the Portland Design Works Payload, other than the one I really want, the Minoura King Rear Carrier, but just can't afford the $200 for it, is too heavy for Lola.

Any thoughts?

As always, thanks for all the help.

Bike Gremlin

This rack (around 40 euros):



Panniers sit on the lower rails, with about 2-3 cm room to the top. Which makes it easy to have both panniers, AND a flat board or whatever you like on top.


Along with these panniers:



For around 100 euros they are waterproof, durable, and easy to mount on-off.


Then go for a cheap laptop backpack, and tie it to the rack like this:





This has worked for me in the past few decades.

jyl

The OYB bag is quite small. We have a couple , bought in surplus stores. They are more like purse-size.