Show me your milk crates!
#26
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Spokane Area
Posts: 312
Bikes: 2021 Salsa Warbird, (Specially Love my) 2021 Salsa Cutthroat, 2012 Surly LHT, 2015 Surly Cross-Check, 2008 Giant OCR A1, 2005 Leader 735R, 2005 Gary Fisher Montare, 1991 Nishiki Pueblo,
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 84 Post(s)
Liked 57 Times
in
38 Posts
When commuting in hours of darkness on busy 4 lane 55mph roads, a bicyclist can never have too many lights or reflectors. Sturdy baskets are also useful for mounting elevated lights so they can be seen by more than the first vehicle in a line of vehicles approaching from rear at high speed.
Bottom photo was taken with flash, note how well the reflectors (the bottom three red objects return the light to the source.
Bottom photo was taken with flash, note how well the reflectors (the bottom three red objects return the light to the source.
Last edited by Eds0123; 05-22-23 at 03:02 PM.
#27
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,105 Times
in
1,369 Posts
A couple of someday-projects in waiting, if my wife doesn’t trash them with malice
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
Likes For Darth Lefty:
#28
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,974
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,536 Times
in
1,045 Posts
I love old simple technology like this, However the amount of reflected light (because of the small surface of reflector) is not much, something that you need for drivers appraching you to see while their eyes see more of the oncoming brighter light from opposite direction of traffic, So a cheap simple small $30 red strobing Cygolite might make a bike more visible from farther distances behind.
#29
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Spokane Area
Posts: 312
Bikes: 2021 Salsa Warbird, (Specially Love my) 2021 Salsa Cutthroat, 2012 Surly LHT, 2015 Surly Cross-Check, 2008 Giant OCR A1, 2005 Leader 735R, 2005 Gary Fisher Montare, 1991 Nishiki Pueblo,
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 84 Post(s)
Liked 57 Times
in
38 Posts
I didn't tell you to remove your reflectors 😊 So yeah keep them; and more "Power" to You and to your "Tower of Power". man 😊
Last edited by Eds0123; 05-23-23 at 12:11 AM.
Likes For Eds0123:
#30
Senior Member
The first bike is my previous cargo bike. A tandem recumbent converted into a cargo bike with 2 milk crates and panniers made of bird seed buckets. Bike has been sold and replaced with a used Radwagon3. This time I used a larger veggie basket vs a milk crate because I wanted one larger box vs two smaller ones. However the milk crates are way more sturdy. But it works well.
I also figured out that I prefer my old panniers over the buckets. Easier to load and not as wide.
I also figured out that I prefer my old panniers over the buckets. Easier to load and not as wide.
Likes For Harhir:
#31
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2022
Location: Delaware USA
Posts: 130
Bikes: '23 Specialized Roll 3.0 low entry, 'Lectric Lite folding bike, beater mountain bike
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 34 Post(s)
Liked 102 Times
in
42 Posts
So glad I came back to check the thread! And I'm about to buy an elongated milk crate from over the river in Jersey. They said they have like 20 of them and want $1 a piece. Just sayin;, let me know if anyone is interested who's within about 30 min of the tristate area (PA/DE/NJ, heck even MD).
#32
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 540
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
196 Posts
No milk crate pix on this computer; I have mounted them in the past, but here are some things that are close:
Aventon Level.2 eBike commuter with Topeak MTX trunk bag w/fold-down panniers.
Basket from Lowe's on my Juiced HyperScrambler 2 eMoped.
A simple trunk bag from Amazon that attaches via velcro straps. It has a hidden strap in the bottom so it can be carried with oneself cross-shoulder.
Aventon Level.2 eBike commuter with Topeak MTX trunk bag w/fold-down panniers.
Basket from Lowe's on my Juiced HyperScrambler 2 eMoped.
A simple trunk bag from Amazon that attaches via velcro straps. It has a hidden strap in the bottom so it can be carried with oneself cross-shoulder.
#33
Newbie
LOVE the brown diamond quilt saddle on the Juiced. That’s bomb. Looks great with the rack and “top box” basket.
Likes For Phornbostel:
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Right where I'm supposed to be
Posts: 1,634
Bikes: Franklin Frames Custom, Rivendell Bombadil
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 117 Post(s)
Liked 209 Times
in
127 Posts
I gotta say as a longtime owner of the genuine dairy 6 gallon milk crates they are da'bomb ! So versatile.
Likes For Garthr:
#35
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2022
Location: Delaware USA
Posts: 130
Bikes: '23 Specialized Roll 3.0 low entry, 'Lectric Lite folding bike, beater mountain bike
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 34 Post(s)
Liked 102 Times
in
42 Posts
I'm in the process of spray painting them pink for an event next month (commuter challenge). One coat didn't quite cut muster.
#36
Newbie
check out Farm Plast USA for those crates. They have 12 differs colors, highest price is $12. You can get them one at a time or multiples and you can get multiple colors in each order.
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2023
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 571
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 366 Post(s)
Liked 273 Times
in
175 Posts
Borrowing is the same as stealing. Once I taught in a school consisting entirely of portable trailers. When the school got too old, they towed it away. Every teacher finally returned the one or two or three (or more) milk crates that they had "borrowed" for their classroom over the years. This added up to literally an entire refrigerated box truck load that the milk company didn't have available for their use all those years.
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2023
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 571
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 366 Post(s)
Liked 273 Times
in
175 Posts
Tip #1 - I use my bike cable lock to help secure my crate to my bike when I'm riding. Once I had the bracket snap on my rack and dump my belongings all over the street.
Tip #2 - I 've used my bike cable to attach oversize items to the back of the bike as well - anything with a hole in it. I remember recently doing folding pet cages and a softball helmet.
Tip #3 - I have a backpack with my bike tools and my daily stuff in it. It rides in the milk crate. If I buy a lot of groceries, the backpack can fill up with stuff and go on my back, leaving the milk crate entirely empty.
Tip #4 - A milk crate is the best way to bring home a nice bakery item like a cake or pie on a bike without banging it up.
Tip #2 - I 've used my bike cable to attach oversize items to the back of the bike as well - anything with a hole in it. I remember recently doing folding pet cages and a softball helmet.
Tip #3 - I have a backpack with my bike tools and my daily stuff in it. It rides in the milk crate. If I buy a lot of groceries, the backpack can fill up with stuff and go on my back, leaving the milk crate entirely empty.
Tip #4 - A milk crate is the best way to bring home a nice bakery item like a cake or pie on a bike without banging it up.
Likes For ScottCommutes:
#39
Newbie
Yeah. The dairy industry loses $80m a year to crate theft, but much of that is stolen on a huge scale with the express intent of grinding them up to resell as recyclable material. Although, I do have to giggle about the teachers…! But hey, you can buy one at Home Depot for $9. Black only, but it’s brand new and clean! I have a “borrowed” xl crate that I’ve used for years now. It’s become “my crate” in the sense that I have it set up how I want and reuse it again and again.
but to play nice, I just purchased a brand new set of crates outright, square and rectangle for $6/11 respectively. both in bright clean red and they look great on my black Rad Wagon.
but to play nice, I just purchased a brand new set of crates outright, square and rectangle for $6/11 respectively. both in bright clean red and they look great on my black Rad Wagon.
#40
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 540
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
196 Posts
Yeah. The dairy industry loses $80m a year to crate theft, but much of that is stolen on a huge scale with the express intent of grinding them up to resell as recyclable material. Although, I do have to giggle about the teachers…! But hey, you can buy one at Home Depot for $9. Black only, but it’s brand new and clean! I have a “borrowed” xl crate that I’ve used for years now. It’s become “my crate” in the sense that I have it set up how I want and reuse it again and again.
but to play nice, I just purchased a brand new set of crates outright, square and rectangle for $6/11 respectively. both in bright clean red and they look great on my black Rad Wagon.
but to play nice, I just purchased a brand new set of crates outright, square and rectangle for $6/11 respectively. both in bright clean red and they look great on my black Rad Wagon.
I bet there's some dairy program where they will sell you milk crates; they should make it more obvious.
On the other hand, we cyclists don't really need commercial duty milk crates. We're not stacking them so that our crate ends up having to support 150 lbs... So we should just buy one rather than steal. A nice side benefit to being honest is that we'll haul less dead weight too.
#41
I don't know.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: South Meriden, CT
Posts: 2,015
Bikes: '90 B'stone RB-1, '92 B'stone RB-2, '89 SuperGo Access Comp, '03 Access 69er, '23 Trek 520, '14 Ritchey Road Logic, '09 Kestrel Evoke, '08 Windsor Tourist, '17 Surly Wednesday, '89 Centurion Accordo, '15 CruX, '17 Ridley X-Night, '89 Marinoni
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 317 Post(s)
Liked 853 Times
in
446 Posts
now this thread just needs some good ole DIY cat litter carton panniers.
#42
Newbie
got these crates from Farm Plast USA. Standard dairy industry crate, not the ones you get at target for the dorm room. Not stolen, got the colors I wanted (that’s orange and red, btw) and they look nice and clean!
Likes For Phornbostel:
#43
Newbie
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Tempe, AZ
Posts: 5
Bikes: 2020 Niner RIP9 RDO, 2022 OptOut Hooky, 2023 Salsa Journeyer, 1997 Trek Multitrack 720
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
Does anyone have a more permanent method for securing these crates to a bike rack?