How to Carry Groceries on a Bike
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No matter how experienced you are riding a bicycle, it’s quite another story when you are carrying quite a load of stuff, especially groceries. You might think it won’t be so tough if you only need to buy a few essentials, but what if you need to purchase supplies that have to last about a week or two? It won’t be economical or logical to make two or more trips to the grocery just to get everything on your list.
If you have trouble with how to carry groceries on a bike, here are three important things you need to do:
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1. Follow Proper Weight Distribution
How to get groceries on a bike is half of the battle. When it comes to carrying groceries on a bike, it all comes down to weight distribution. Do you remember the time you were learning to ride a bike? How uneasy it felt to have to balance all of your weight on two wheels? That’s pretty much the same thing that’s going on when you are carrying groceries on a bike. But the trouble is, grocery items don’t weigh the same.
If you have one plastic of vegetables on your left top handlebar, you should also have another plastic on your right handlebar that roughly weighs the same as the one on the left. This will keep you from uncomfortably trying to offset the different weights hanging on each side of your bike. Even if you decide to put your groceries in a backpack, the weight has to be spread evenly inside the bag for you to cycle easily.
2. Consider Getting Bike Attachments for Groceries
There are different bike attachments you can choose from simple hooks or bungee ropes to the best hitch cargo carrier available in the market. It all depends on your needs and preferences:
Basket
This is one of the simplest options yet provides little space. Adding a bike grocery basket to your handlebars might just be perfect for quick runs. Just make sure not to put anything too tall in it that may disrupt your vision.
Rack
Adding a bike rack for groceries is perfect for anything from boxed pantry items or even cases of beverages. Be sure to bring ropes to secure your groceries onto the rack.
Child Seat
If you cycle with your younger kids, you might already have a child seat attached to your bicycle. This can double as cargo for your groceries, and, unlike a rack, it comes with a backrest so your goods are more secure.
Bungees
This option is ideal for light shoppers. You simply need to tie a bungee cord around the base of your bike saddle. Then, just use a hook or a carabiner for your groceries. Make sure that the bags you put on aren’t too big that they end up dragging across the road or hold up the wheels of your bicycle.
Cargo Carrier
Cargo carriers might just be one of the best bike attachments for groceries as they have their own wheels. This is perfect if you’re always buying wholesale or rather bulky items, it takes the pressure of balancing and carrying weight off of you. Plus, cargo carriers don’t even need to be attached to your bicycle all the time, just the hitch. Your trusty ol’ bike will do, getting a dedicated grocery shopping bike isn’t necessary.
3. Practice
Just like pretty much everything else, carrying groceries on a bike requires a lot of practice. It also helps if you start small. Don’t go on grocery runs where you need to buy a month-load of items on your first try. Start small and then gradually work your way up.
Conclusion
How to carry groceries on a bike is fairly simple if you know exactly what to do. It may be slightly intimidating at first but, just like riding a bike on your own, how to bike with groceries will be easier when you keep on doing it.