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The "white container box" lasted about 2 months until it cracked in multiple places.

It was a cheap box(Dollar General variety).

New container is made by Sterilite and much sturdier.

I believe the old container cracked because of vibration and bumps transmitted from the ground to the box.

Can someone help me with ideas on how to cushion the new box? enter image description here

enter image description here

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  • Just get the sturdiest plastic container you can find. A hardware store is probably the best place to look. You might even try a lightweight toolbox tas these obviously are designed to hold fairly heavy items.
    – Argenti Apparatus
    Aug 9, 2019 at 19:25
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    What you are after is a Fish Bin - the real thing, not a cheap, light weight knock off.
    – mattnz
    Aug 9, 2019 at 21:37
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    @mattnz that's an answer - and a good one.
    – Criggie ♦
    Aug 10, 2019 at 2:49
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    Do you park your bike outside in the sunlight? UV light will embrittle many plastics in short order, especially pale plastics and those intended for indoor use.
    – Criggie ♦
    Aug 10, 2019 at 2:50

5 Answers 5

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The traditional solution on bicycles is metal wire basket. Metal is tougher than plastic and mesh instead of sheet metal makes it lightweight enough.

If you need something waterproof, put your things in waterproof bag or get a more expensive bike-specific rack box.

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  • I thought of those, but... Metal rusts Items inside are easily seen by the public Would miss out on doing it myself :-)
    – fixit7
    Aug 9, 2019 at 18:09
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    @fixit7 Pretty sure the public can see through that sterilite box. also, i've been using a metal basket for 5 years without rust, commuting all year in the pacific northwest.
    – Paul H
    Aug 9, 2019 at 19:25
  • @Paul H Not if the inside is painted black. :-)
    – fixit7
    Aug 9, 2019 at 19:44
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    @fixit7: metal only rusts if it's left exposed. Simply buy one that's 1) properly painted (powder coating is preferable), 2) is covered in some plastic coating, 3) is made from stainless steel.
    – Gábor
    Aug 10, 2019 at 15:50
  • @Gábor I will look into it.
    – fixit7
    Aug 10, 2019 at 16:38
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Wood is an often-overlooked material. Its pliable and forgiving of vibration. Plus its available in heaps of different profiles and weights.

You can construct the size of box you want to the millimetre, not requiring to make use of whatever you find.

For added durability, painting the wood allows you to express yourself, or a good location to attach reflectors and lights.

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    However, wood has the downside of being relatively heavy. If you are constructing a large box for your rack, that weight quickly gets unwieldy. A more lightweight alternative is to use aluminum plates and square tubes. You can build some really sturdy stuff out of these materials just by drilling some holes in the right places and putting screws in. The downside is that the aluminum parts are significantly more expensive than wood.
    – cmaster - reinstate monica
    Sep 7, 2019 at 8:12
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The first container looks to be really thin and cheap, no wonder why it did not last. The second container looks better, but, IMO, will not last long either.

How is the container attached on your bike ? You could place a piece of rubber between the container and whatever holds it.

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  • It was attached using stainless steel bolts. I also had pieces of inner tube under the container to cushion it. I also have a piece of 2 inch thick close knit foam.
    – fixit7
    Aug 9, 2019 at 16:35
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I went with a much smaller box with a lower height.

I often scraped my leg hiking it over the old box on the screws holding the lid down.

It has 2 closures, but the added screws stops the rattling.

enter image description here

enter image description here

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I've always had the best luck using a milk crate. I attach them to the rack using hose clamps. Hose clamps won't break.

If I need something to be waterproof, I just put it in a plastic bag.

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