Hauling stuff on bike ...need advice

[Trudie]

I’ve never used my bike to haul much “stuff”, but am hoping this summer to ride it a lot more — especially on jaunts to my garden. 

I live in a condo complex with zero options for composting organic waste onsite.  I’ve received dispensation from the public garden where I volunteer, which is five minutes away by bike, to compost on their pile.  At least my scraps won’t gum up the city waste stream and will be put to good use.  Problem is, how can I haul them on my bike?  I have a rack over the rear tire and am wondering if I can bungee any sort of manageable Rubbermaid tub to my bike.

Also looking for recommendations on reasonably priced bike trailers, if I decide to take the next step.

[innkeeper77]

Bike trailers: get a kid trailer used off of craigslist, and then either just use it as is, or convert it into one with a cargo deck etc. They are MUCH cheaper than "real" cargo carriers.

Racks: I've personally never had good luck with attaching things to the top of racks like that, milk crates or otherwise. I would buy wald folding baskets if that fits your use case- as long as a bit of rattle is acceptable. In high school and most of college I rode a bike that had large FIXED wald baskets on the rear and front, and it was great! Those could could haul a surprisingly huge amount of stuff. Baskets have the advantage of not getting gross from things like compost scraps. You can also DIY buckets or similar, but my general advice would be to try to split things up, and keep the load lower to the sides instead of up high on top of your rack.

If the load is small enough, ignore this and try something basic and cheap for the top.

[jpdx]

For small loads, a milk crate bungie-corded to your rear cargo rack works really well. My crate never leaves my bike. Perfect for a full bag of groceries, a load of library books, takeout food, etc.

For larger loads, I also recommend a trailer. I often use my child's trailer for cargo, but in your case, you could grab a proper cargo trailer and attach the rubbermaid bin. I've seen these for sale, and some people also seem to Frankenstein them together.

[lthenderson]

Problem is, how can I haul them on my bike? 

You need to get B.O.B. to help you.

https://www.bobgear.com/yak-bike-trailer

My parents used one on many of their cross country bicycle trips.

[TrMama]

Bike trailers: get a kid trailer used off of craigslist, and then either just use it as is, or convert it into one with a cargo deck etc. They are MUCH cheaper than "real" cargo carriers.

This is the cheapest way to haul a large volume of something. I have an old kids trailer and just tossed an old wooden shelf in the bottom to give it a "floor" and ripped out the kid harnesses and top cover. When I use it to get groceries 2 rubbermaid bins work great to hold everything and I can still bungee a case of toilet paper on top.

For garden waste I'd get an old tarp, put the garden waste in the middle and tie the corners together to make a bundle. Then you can put the bundle in the trailer. I also use this method to haul yard waste (branches) on the roof of my car.

[Wintergreen78]

For small loads, a milk crate bungie-corded to your rear cargo rack works really well. My crate never leaves my bike. Perfect for a full bag of groceries, a load of library books, takeout food, etc.

For larger loads, I also recommend a trailer. I often use my child's trailer for cargo, but in your case, you could grab a proper cargo trailer and attach the rubbermaid bin. I've seen these for sale, and some people also seem to Frankenstein them together.

For milk crates or other baskets, heavy duty zip-ties work well to secure them to racks.

The BOB trailers are expensive, but awesome for hauling very heavy loads. Once you get into the 10-20 lb range you really notice weight on a bike rack.

Also, big messenger bags can haul a surprisingly large load. I’ve never liked backpacks on a bike, but messenger bags ride lower on your back. They are fashionable enough that there are lots of bags that are designed more for fashion than real use. The real ones will last forever.

[AccidentialMustache]

I'm not a fan of messenger bags on a bike. Hauling too heavy a load (old, heavy laptop) always on one side in my college years on a bike may be a contributing factor for my back issues. Real racks/trailers are cheaper than therapy after an injury.

[k-vette]

I agree on the trailer - makes it super easy to haul things and no need to change your bike in any way.

[FiveSigmas]

I'm not a fan of messenger bags on a bike. Hauling too heavy a load (old, heavy laptop) always on one side in my college years on a bike may be a contributing factor for my back issues. Real racks/trailers are cheaper than therapy after an injury.

So far, I’ve been able to get away with a bike rack and panniers for my hauls (mostly groceries), but at 30 lbs or so I start getting uncomfortable. I would totally get a trailer for anything heavier or unwieldy. It’ll be more stable, and you won’t have to worry about overloading your bike. Pete suggests repurposing a kid trailer for smaller loads:

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/10/20/mmm-challenge-try-getting-your-groceries-with-a-bike-trailer/

I see similar trailers fairly regularly on my local craigslist for ~$100-$150. If you get really bad-ass, I suppose you could upgrade to something like this:

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/06/23/how-to-carry-major-appliances-on-your-bike/

:-)