One Year Later: Cargo Options Revisited

Last summer I invested in various cargo options for my bike, based on my anticipated use for each. I've had a year of experience with these items now, so I thought I'd do a comparative evaluation. Here's my assessment from most used to least, though my riding has changed since I moved to DC so the list is likely to re-shuffle by next year:

Detours Ballard Market Pannier 
Because the predominant use of my bike for the first half-year was for commuting to work, my pannier became cargo option that I used most. I'll leave a full review to others, but suffice it to say it was an excellent bag for my needs: I could carry gym clothes and shoes, as well as lunch, the standard contents of a purse, and sometimes papers and a laptop without any issues. The side and front pockets were also handy, deep enough that I felt comfortable putting my wallet or keys in them, for easy access during my ride. The pannier was secure on my rack with all of these things inside, even as I went over some extremely bumpy terrain (there was a minor issue with the rack clip attachment, but there was an easy fix demonstrated on the website). The rubber bottom is another nice feature, great for when I would set my pannier down as I was locking up my bike--it would keep the bag upright, and protect the contents (and pannier itself) from the grime.  And after constant use for months on end, it still looks almost new.

Pannier on rear rack

These days I don't commute with my Globe so I don't commute with this pannier, and it's sadly underused. It would be a serviceable shopping bag, but I usually use my crate or basket, plus the pannier requires more careful loading of things into it compared to just using a regular grocery sack and sticking into a crate or rear basket. I still plan on keeping the pannier around though, and it does come in handy on occasion.

Milk Crate

This remains by go-to grocery shopping and general errand-running cargo option. It is the most secure, and gives me the most capacity. It requires a little more set up than the others, and is also a little more weight, but for serious shopping it's worth it. I've loaded the crate up and my ride remains stable. Also, I can leave it on my bike while I go into the store or wander around a market. As an added bonus, it increases by rear visibility considerably since I attached a huge swath of reflective tape to the crate, and a mounting bracket for my rear light.

Crate with reflective tape and rear light

I used to do one big loop and hit up all my stops, so by the end of my loop I need a cargo net to keep everything in the crate. After my move, I could break my trips into smaller segments and drop stuff off at home, so I don't always need to use this option, and try to alternate with the bottle basket. It's still preferred for the heavy duty grocery shopping though.

Basil Bottle Basket

Surprisingly, I used this basket the least of all my rear cargo options. It's well-made and beautiful, but for the way I was using my bike, its functionality was superseded by the milk crate. Post-move  I have smaller rides, and the things that used to be a hindrance now work to the bottle basket's advantage. For example, the farmers' market I go to now is a tiny neighborhood one, and when I know I'll be gone the next weekend, I don't buy as much. I can take this basket and drop it onto my rack, and either bring it around with me at the market or leave it on the bike since I'm never more than 25 feet away. I used to secure it with a bungee, but the arms are long enough that it's not really necessary, and the ride isn't that long anyway. I pair this basket with a Baggu shopping bag, which is roomy and has handles that I can tie up to prevent anything from jumping out.

Bottle basket on rear rack

Wald 137 Front Basket

I made this purchase in the early fall, because I thought it would be nice to have a light carrying option for when I wanted to use a bag that wasn't a pannier, but didn't want to take something as large as my crate or even my basket. I also thought it would be good to have the extra space to carry things home when my pannier was fully loaded (which it often was). However, for a while I was ambivalent about this basket, and went back and forth on leaving it as a fixture on my bike. For one thing it made the bike harder to carry down the stairs, which I did on an almost daily basis. For another, it interfered with my front light, although D (true to form) came up with a DIY solution that is not ideal but still pretty functional. I was also worried about it getting wet and rusting.

Now that I have secure bike parking in my building (also, there's no way I can keep my bike in my apartment) I've started keeping the basket on the bike. People sing the praises of Wald baskets, and I agree it's both well made and affordable. It's a fairly shallow basket so I've permanently attached a cargo net to the front so things don't go flying out. I use it as anticipated, plus it's been pretty handy to have in combination with the rear options, and its wide bottom is great when I want to keep something laying flat.

Milk crate and front basket

Anyway, it was helpful being able to choose between these different options as I was figuring out how I like to ride my bike. I've appreciated the flexibility even more post-move as my riding habits have shifted.

One Year Later: Bike Modifications

Running a couple of errands this morning reminded me how much my bike has changed this past year. It's a Globe Daily 2 ('11 model), which I got from one of D's local bike shops for a great price. Here's a picture of the bike from the first month I was riding it, complete with the crate D and I set up (see here):

Then

And here's the bike circa one year later, with a few modifications:

Now

1. I added a skirt guard (see here). It's saved several skirts and dresses from getting caught in the spokes or the brake pad. More importantly, it's proven easy to remove, wash, and re-attach when needed.
2. Even though I already had different rear cargo options, I decided to go with a Wald 137 front basket as well for light, unanticipated cargo (e.g. restaurant doggy bag), or for when I was using a normal purse/bag. (At some point, I will do a "one year later" for my cargo set up and talk more abut this basket then.)
3. I added chain guard. As the weather cooled and I started wearing pants more often, I decided I wanted that extra protection. My favorite Cleveland bike shop helped me find a chainguard that works with my rear derailleur. For the curious, it's from Civia. It's not a perfect solution in that it rubs against the chain slightly if I'm in the eighth gear, but I'm never in that gear so the trade off was worth it to me. As a plus, it looks great on the bike--I think even better than what the chainguard that comes standard on the high-end model of the Globe Daily.
4. I got a U-lock to replace the cable lock you see in the top picture, as recommended by the campus police at my place of employment (along with everybody who has ever considered locking up a bike in an urban area).

I made these changes as I was learning how I liked to ride my bike. When I bought it, I did not initially contemplate using it to get to work, but that became the bike's primary function. It's funny to think about now because, with the integrated rack and the nod to the loop frame, it's the bike I would likely have picked if commuting was my original goal. (I wonder if I had a "sportier" bike, if I would have gone in the direction that I did.) Then, because I got the bike in the summer, one of my favorite things to do on weekends became going on my cooking-related errands (usually farmer's market, bakery, grocery store). I also liked riding when I wanted to hang out or work at different coffee shops, or when I was going out for a casual meal. Apparently stringing together these types of errands/small rides is now a thing, though in my case privilege and circumstance made it fairly easy to do. The relatively late onset of lake effect winter also allowed me to keep riding well into the year, and so D helped me put together decent cold-weather riding gear so the fun could continue.

After I moved, I couldn't use this bike to get to work anymore because the distance wasn't feasible for me, and I couldn't take a full-sized bike on the Metro during rush hour. I have since acquired a folding bike for my commute, but all the changes I implemented make my original bike ideal for most of my weekend errand and recreational transport riding. First of all, I can have a different cargo setup depending on what I'm doing. I'm also more comfortable locking it up outside when I'm running in and out of different places, or even when I'm hanging out for a couple of hours. And, as much as I love the new bike, I cut my teeth on this bike, so I think I'll always enjoy the feeling of hopping onto its upright seat, grabbing its swooping handlebars, and heading off for a ride.

Note: It feels odd to list brand names, but I know I find it useful when I read about specific products I'm considering even when it's not a full review, so I figured I would implement the practice as well.