I'm now officially a dork, although it's by design. I installed a basket on the front of my Metro 3-speed daily commuter. First, I wanted an easier way to carry groceries, and second, I wanted to not have to carry my Manhattan Portage briefcase bag over my back this summer. Panniers are not a good solution for this bike, and I thought not adding more weight to the rear would be good. Third, I always like to show that the non-super hero outfit guy, the non-Trek 5000 rider, the non-messenger, can comfortably ride through Manhattan.
Anyway, it's fun and certainly convenient. Having the weight forward seems to make it handle a little more solidly than extra weight in the rear. The only drawback is that the 1.5 square feet of briefcase is shaving about 2% off my time. It's not preventing me from reaching full speed on sprints; in fact, I might even be squeezing a little more out on uphill sprints, but on overall cruising it's a minor drag.
"andy gee" wrote: (clip) The only drawback is that the 1.5 square feet of briefcase is shaving about 2% off my time. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's a drawback? It's not that easy to shave anything off your time. I predict that next year we will see many riders at the TDF with briefcases on their handlebars.
I'm now officially a dork, although it's by design. I installed a basket on the front of my Metro 3-speed daily commuter. First, I wanted an easier way to carry groceries, and second, I wanted to not have to carry my Manhattan Portage briefcase bag over my back this summer. Panniers are not a good solution for this bike, and I thought not adding more weight to the rear would be good. Third, I always like to show that the non-super hero outfit guy, the non-Trek 5000 rider, the non-messenger, can comfortably ride through Manhattan.
Anyway, it's fun and certainly convenient. Having the weight forward seems to make it handle a little more solidly than extra weight in the rear. The only drawback is that the 1.5 square feet of briefcase is shaving about 2% off my time. It's not preventing me from reaching full speed on sprints; in fact, I might even be squeezing a little more out on uphill sprints, but on overall cruising it's a minor drag.
Anyone else with drag and front basket data?
--ag
I've used a small front bag, nothing heavy, but lots of people carry loads there without a problem. I think I set a record yesterday for my milk crate rear carrier when I used it to transport a (auto) water pump, 2 gallons of coolant and miscellaneous hoses and fittings from the auto parts store. The counter guy was amazed. It handled fine.
"andy gee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Anyone else with drag and front basket data?
--ag
I used to have a Cruiser with a front basket. Loved it. Eventually it got stolen (the basket - with the bike still attached to it...). I am now exclusively using my Trek 520 with panniers, though I am always thinking of getting a cruiser or old MTB with front basket again for the quick trip to the store.
"Leo Lichtman" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
Quoted message said:
"andy gee" wrote: (clip) The only drawback is that the 1.5 square feet of briefcase is shaving about 2% off my time. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's a drawback? It's not that easy to shave anything off your time. I predict that next year we will see many riders at the TDF with briefcases on their handlebars.
Sorry. Shaving 2% off my _speed_ or increasing my elapsed time. My bad.
"Bjorn Haake" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]- koblenz.de:
Quoted message said:
I used to have a Cruiser with a front basket. Loved it
The real question for me now is, now that I have the basket, do I get the plastic daisy? They don't really make wicker baskets for this kind of bike, but still, what's a basket without a daisy?
"Andy Gee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Bjorn Haake" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]- koblenz.de:
Quoted message said:
The real question for me now is, now that I have the basket, do I get the plastic daisy? They don't really make wicker baskets for this kind of bike, but still, what's a basket without a daisy?
I have a basket on our yellow tandem. It has fake purple and violet pansies woven in. Daisies are, IMHO, too falsely cheerful.
"Andy Gee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
The real question for me now is, now that I have the basket, do I get the plastic daisy? They don't really make wicker baskets for this kind of bike, but still, what's a basket without a daisy?
I have a basket on our yellow tandem. It has fake purple and violet pansies woven in. Daisies are, IMHO, too falsely cheerful.
Sheldon's cornered the market on eagles on the helmet, but could you strap an eagle to the basket? It would look masculine! and patriotic!
Anyway, it's fun and certainly convenient. Having the weight forward seems to make it handle a little more solidly than extra weight in the rear.
Beware, at low speeds, of a loaded basket's tendency to induce "caster flop". A typical briefcase, by itself, is probably not enough to make it significant. A big basket full of newspapers used to engage it as a hazard immediately. (Egad, that was forty years ago...) -- Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some gardening required to reply via email. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
Pat Lamb <[email hidden]> wrote in news:47vufcFhh1vdU1 @individual.net:
Quoted message said:
patriotic!
Speaking of patriotic, does a flag on a bike take a real flying flag like a boat, or a decal like a plane? If the latter, does it need port side and starboard side decals? All the flag decal sets I've seen (last time I looked was after 9/11) were made in China and didn't have port side decals.)
Does the answer change if the bike crosses international frontiers?
Anyway, it's fun and certainly convenient. Having the weight forward seems to make it handle a little more solidly than extra weight in the rear.
Beware, at low speeds, of a loaded basket's tendency to induce "caster flop". A typical briefcase, by itself, is probably not enough to make it significant. A big basket full of newspapers used to engage it as a hazard immediately. (Egad, that was forty years ago...)
Ever try turning with a 50 pound kid sitting on your bars? I prefer the saddle bags. Bread and such up front. Bill
Pat Lamb <[email hidden]> wrote in news:47vufcFhh1vdU1 @individual.net:
Quoted message said:
patriotic!
Speaking of patriotic, does a flag on a bike take a real flying flag like a boat, or a decal like a plane? If the latter, does it need port side and starboard side decals? All the flag decal sets I've seen (last time I looked was after 9/11) were made in China and didn't have port side decals.)
That is the most pathetic thing I have heard about China yet. Like we aren't patriotic to make our own flags? Block them at the port. We can make cheep flags by the millions with a few computer operated machines, not a bunch of child labor. Bill
Quoted message said:
Does the answer change if the bike crosses international frontiers?
That is the most pathetic thing I have heard about China yet. Like we aren't patriotic to make our own flags? Block them at the port. We can make cheep flags by the millions with a few computer operated machines, not a bunch of child labor.
Do you have evidence that China is using child labor to make flags, or are you just making up [censored] again.
And I'm not really sure what's patriotic about making our own flags. Care to enlighten me?
Pat Lamb <[email hidden]> wrote in news:47vufcFhh1vdU1 @individual.net:
Quoted message said:
patriotic!
Speaking of patriotic, does a flag on a bike take a real flying flag like a boat, or a decal like a plane? If the latter, does it need port side and starboard side decals? All the flag decal sets I've seen (last time I looked was after 9/11) were made in China and didn't have port side decals.)
That is the most pathetic thing I have heard about China yet. Like we aren't patriotic to make our own flags? Block them at the port. We can make cheep flags by the millions with a few computer operated machines, not a bunch of child labor.
Yeah, making cheap flags is too good for the little [censored], make 'em go back out in the rice paddies like their grandparents.
That is the most pathetic thing I have heard about China yet. Like we aren't patriotic to make our own flags? Block them at the port. We can make cheep flags by the millions with a few computer operated machines, not a bunch of child labor.
Do you have evidence that China is using child labor to make flags, or are you just making up [censored] again.
And I'm not really sure what's patriotic about making our own flags. Care to enlighten me?
Rich
Figures it would be you to defend Communist practices. Bill
Pat Lamb <[email hidden]> wrote in news:47vufcFhh1vdU1 @individual.net:
>patriotic! >
Speaking of patriotic, does a flag on a bike take a real flying flag like a boat, or a decal like a plane? If the latter, does it need port side and starboard side decals? All the flag decal sets I've seen (last time I looked was after 9/11) were made in China and didn't have port side decals.)
That is the most pathetic thing I have heard about China yet. Like we aren't patriotic to make our own flags? Block them at the port. We can make cheep flags by the millions with a few computer operated machines, not a bunch of child labor.
Yeah, making cheap flags is too good for the little [censored], make 'em go back out in the rice paddies like their grandparents.
Ron
I hear they need to replace those kids. Why don't you move there? I hear it is a lovely 'Communist' country. Bill
