Author Topic: How to add cargo carrying to mountain bike?  (Read 2545 times)

Aggie1999

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How to add cargo carrying to mountain bike?
« on: February 08, 2017, 08:51:58 PM »
Instead of hoping in the car to make the 1 mile trip to the local grocery store I would like to start using my bike to get there. I have the below mountain bike. What's a cheap way to add cargo carrying capacity to this bike? Something that would allow me to carry a gallon of milk and a couple bags of groceries.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NXNA2O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bracken_Joy

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Re: How to add cargo carrying to mountain bike?
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2017, 08:55:56 PM »
A backpack would certainly be the cheapest option.

Eric

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Re: How to add cargo carrying to mountain bike?
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2017, 09:07:33 PM »
Add a rear rack and zip tie a milk crate to it.  This has been my setup for years and it works very well.

Hard to go wrong with the universal Nashbar rack
« Last Edit: February 08, 2017, 09:09:30 PM by Eric »

CptCool

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Re: How to add cargo carrying to mountain bike?
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2017, 12:59:53 PM »
How many people are in the household and how often do you go grocery shopping?

If it's just yourself and you go weekly or more often, you could probably get by just fine a backpack.

With 2-3 people I'd go with a rear rack. It's difficult to see with the pictures in the amazon listing - does it have eyelets to mount a rear rack? That + panniers/milk crates/garbage cans/whatever else you can find & attach works very well. A rack only costs ~$25 on amazon.

With 4+ people you might want to get a carrier or trailer of some sort. You can generally find these pretty cheap on craigslist & you don't need anything fancy

Aggie1999

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Re: How to add cargo carrying to mountain bike?
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2017, 01:53:23 PM »
Just need something for 1 person hitting the store about once a week. When y'all say bike rack are you meaning something like the following?

https://www.amazon.com/West-Biking-Universal-Adjustable-Reflective/dp/B0154OMGIK/ref=sr_1_3?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1486673328&sr=1-3&keywords=rear+bike+rack

sw1tch

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Re: How to add cargo carrying to mountain bike?
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2017, 02:18:26 PM »
That certainly looks like it would work for your bike and doesn't need the lower mounting holes that others have mentioned due to how it's mounted to the lower frame.  I have this rack: (https://www.amazon.com/Ventura-Universal-Bicycle-Carrier-Rack/dp/B001NGF6AY/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1486674877&sr=1-1&keywords=ventura+rear+bike+rack), but it doesn't look like it would work with your bike due to the way it's mounted to the lower frame - your bike would need to have the holes already in place in order to install it.  The one you posted looks nicer than the one I have.

Anyhow, that type of rack would allow you to attach a milk crate for carrying around groceries among other things.

 

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