Really big panniers and other baggage

Question

Once a week I take my bike to the local supermarket to do my shopping. My panniers fill up really quickly and I always end up with bags on my handlebars (for UK people - the bags I'm talking about are the big blue Tescos reusable ones). Even with a backpack thrown into the mix, I still need to carry at least one bag, usually.

I know that there are plenty of easy solutions to the core problem (shop more often, take the bus, persuade a friend with a car to drive me there, etc) but let's look at the more fun side of things: what's the best way of getting a very large amount of shopping on my bike. I have a rear rack so suggestions for really big (backpack sized, large shopping bag sized or bigger) panniers and rack boxes would be useful, but let's not limit it to just that.

Also, if you do your shopping on your bike and have a similar problem, what do you do?

Answer 1

I do the supermarket run every week by bicycle - have done for about 7 years

Family of four so I more or less fill a full size shopping trolley every time.

This is made possible by a Christiana Trailer which is pretty much equivalent in load capacity to a shopping trolley:

I have a bike that is now dedicated to the role of towing this beastie (for the supermarket run and for the Saturday morning run to the Greengrocer and the Butcher). Would only give it up for an actual cargo bike/trike

Answer 2

Have you thought about attaching a trailer, such as this?

http://www.kmsdirect.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=40&zenid=f65e60ef439a613706cd8d60ce3eaa51

Answer 3

I have a very large basket made by Wald on the front of my bike in addition to the rack and panniers that you mention. The Giant Delivery Basket made by Wald (model 157b) is large enough to accomodate four to six shopping bags in addition to what I can fit into my panniers. I can haul a lot of groceries this way.

When I saw your post, I thought of this idea and also of possibly mounting a rack which will accept additional panniers to the FRONT of your bike. I once had a setup like this, mounting a second rack to the front so I could carry four panniers. It's another idea.

A caveat, though, is that anything you attach to the front of the bike will affect steering. When that Giant basket I mentioned is full of fruit... the momentum of the groceries force you to THINK about steering quite deliberately! The Giant basket is heavy enough to affect steering even when empty--this is not a setup you would want to carry up and down a full flight of stairs.

Trailers are the best option--because they keep the weight low and offer the most storage space.

And I must agree with an earlier comment... no matter how many bags or baskets I take, I tend to fill them with a loaf of bread to spare!

Answer 4

I use plastic waste baskets, mounted to rear rack by springs. The weight is low over rear tires, for extra stability.Just drill some drain holes and mounting holes through plastic containers, add cord loops, and attach springs to them. Adjust tilt so that pedal clearance is adequate in turns. P.s.Cable ties turn brittle in cold weather, so don't use them in winter.

Answer 5

Longaberger (the American basket company) makes enormous backpack style baskets (The Tour With Me). I don't sell them and think they're a bit hideous looking; but for sheer volume carrying it would make for a decent alternative to standard backpacks and panniers. I have seen one that was approximately the size of a 5'8" woman's torso and neck (it went from her belt to about the bottom of her ears, and she rides a bike downtown comfortably enough).

Answer 6

I use Ortlieb's bike packer plus. A bit pricey, but I can fit a fair load of groceries in them, they are waterproof, and good for touring as well. I haven't done research to verify, but they are the largest Ortlieb panniers I've seen.

In addition to the Wald 157 that DC_CARR mentions, there is also the Wald 135, which is less gigantic but still holds a USA-standard paper bag of groceries, and the Wald 582 rear folding baskets that each will also hold a US-standard paper grocery bag. For a while I had a pair of 582's and a 135 on one bike, and three bags of groceries is a decent haul. Added bonus for Wald is that are crazy cheap (at least in the USA).

Answer 7

I'd definitely go with a trailer, and this past summer I found out why.

We have a Chariot Cougar 2 for among other things, hauling our kids around. Last year we decided to go bike-camping, my wife pulling our gear and me pulling the kids. It didn't work out quite so well, and I couldn't bike, so we decided instead to go to my father in law's place and take his car. My wife still hauled the gear out to his place.

All our gear fit in the trailer, just. Putting it into the car demonstrated that the capacity of the trailer and his trunk was pretty much equal. He drives an old Buick sedan.

When we go grocery shopping, the trailer likewise gets packed.