T
Tom Keats
Guest
In article <BmiDc.100294$Hg2.30504@attbi_s04>,
"Peter Cole" <[email protected]> writes:
>> 4. You can stick a backpack in a milk crate more easily
>> than in panniers, which is an advantage for students.
>
> I like this feature the most. When I ride my bike downtown
> for shopping or Dr. visit, etc., I can throw my backpack
> into the crate, then grab it & put helmet, etc. away for
> errands. The pannier easily detaches though, and has
> handles, looks like a square, black, fabric shopping bag,
> not too bad either.
With my pack in the crate, I can stuff a water bottle or two
in the near right corner -- easily accessible, and the
bottles stay upright against the pack.
Milk crates are also better than panniers, I think, for
transporting certain delicate things, like foot-high
potted zinnias.
I've found small pizza boxes fit quite nicely right inside
the crate; large one fits over the top and can be bungee'd
on. But medium-sized pizza boxes want to go in at an angle,
causing a pie-valanche inside the box. Take-out pizzas
carried uninsulated on a bike, and unprotected from the
airflow, get cold very fast.
The only 'stability' problem I've experienced has been
while transporting large sacks of flour. They lean out
over the back of the crate, and cause the bike to tend
to sponaneously wheelie. In fact there's a bit of effort
involved just in holding the front of the bike down
while mounting.
>> I've used both, and prefer panniers. The humble milk
>> crate is not without appeal, however.
> I agree. Another drawback of the crate is that sitting
> directly on the rack as it does, it subjects the contents
> to a harsher ride. I keep a bit of foam in mine, helps
> when delivering things like a 12-pack of bottles.
I haven't yet broken an egg coming home from the
supermarket. But I'll pick the line that traverses the best
pavement. That can be a little slower and somewhat
squirrely. And I'll gingerly negotiate the unavoidable
bumps. It's been good practice for me, for riding light on
the saddle. /Be/ the suspension
Actually, I don't really
know for sure if unweighting the saddle lessens any jolts
inflicted on things in the milk crate. But it doesn't hurt.
I haven't had the courage to pack bottled beer beyond one or
two bottles at a time. Cans are easier to take back for the
deposit, anyway (we get a 10-cents-per-can- or-bottle
deposit back here.)
cheers, Tom
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"Peter Cole" <[email protected]> writes:
>> 4. You can stick a backpack in a milk crate more easily
>> than in panniers, which is an advantage for students.
>
> I like this feature the most. When I ride my bike downtown
> for shopping or Dr. visit, etc., I can throw my backpack
> into the crate, then grab it & put helmet, etc. away for
> errands. The pannier easily detaches though, and has
> handles, looks like a square, black, fabric shopping bag,
> not too bad either.
With my pack in the crate, I can stuff a water bottle or two
in the near right corner -- easily accessible, and the
bottles stay upright against the pack.
Milk crates are also better than panniers, I think, for
transporting certain delicate things, like foot-high
potted zinnias.
I've found small pizza boxes fit quite nicely right inside
the crate; large one fits over the top and can be bungee'd
on. But medium-sized pizza boxes want to go in at an angle,
causing a pie-valanche inside the box. Take-out pizzas
carried uninsulated on a bike, and unprotected from the
airflow, get cold very fast.
The only 'stability' problem I've experienced has been
while transporting large sacks of flour. They lean out
over the back of the crate, and cause the bike to tend
to sponaneously wheelie. In fact there's a bit of effort
involved just in holding the front of the bike down
while mounting.
>> I've used both, and prefer panniers. The humble milk
>> crate is not without appeal, however.
> I agree. Another drawback of the crate is that sitting
> directly on the rack as it does, it subjects the contents
> to a harsher ride. I keep a bit of foam in mine, helps
> when delivering things like a 12-pack of bottles.
I haven't yet broken an egg coming home from the
supermarket. But I'll pick the line that traverses the best
pavement. That can be a little slower and somewhat
squirrely. And I'll gingerly negotiate the unavoidable
bumps. It's been good practice for me, for riding light on
the saddle. /Be/ the suspension
Actually, I don't reallyknow for sure if unweighting the saddle lessens any jolts
inflicted on things in the milk crate. But it doesn't hurt.
I haven't had the courage to pack bottled beer beyond one or
two bottles at a time. Cans are easier to take back for the
deposit, anyway (we get a 10-cents-per-can- or-bottle
deposit back here.)
cheers, Tom
--
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I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
