Who does their shopping on a bike?

[growingvegetables]

Panniers for me. Don't do (or have to do) "big shops" any more . It's just a few more timely and directed shops, and a couple of visits to Leeds Market for fresh fish and veg.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Pair of Ortliebs (and a strap-on stuff sack) on back of an already-heavy Gazelle for a weekly food shop for two. Alters how you shop, restricts the alcohol intake to high proof spirits and doesn't leave room for spur of the moment purchases. Good Saturday work-out.
Also have a Co-op 4 miles away along a Sustrans route - quite good for a late night dash on the road bike for Dinner From A Cycling Jersey Pocket. Look out for the recipe book....

Haha..I've just got back with wine instead of beer for the reason all my rack-equipped bikes are poorly so just a small rucksack

 

[Racing roadkill]

I usually do. At Christmas I got an 8.5 Kg Goose, four Lobsters, a bottle of scotch, a bottle of baileys and 4 bottles of Ringwood Forty Niner, in a backpack, then tried to cycle 8 miles home, I made it, but that was 'interesting'

 

[ColinJ]

Okay, here is the low-down on a trial run to the shops on my bike this evening ...

Shopping on a bike report!

I decided to give it a go. I got the rack out of my cellar, found some bolts the right size, plus various other bits and pieces, and fitted the rack to my singlespeed bike.

I have 2 panniers and both are fitted in the photograph above but thought I would only need one for today's shopping so I'd try that and see how it went.

I was a bit worried that my shopping would not all fit into the one pannier. It DID, but it was extremely heavy. When I unlocked the bike, I put the hefty lock in the pannier's side pocket. Having all of that weight on one side of the bike seriously unbalanced it. I had some iffy moments riding the off-balance bike home - trying to clip in in stop-start traffic, looking over my shoulder, and signalling were all very wobbly. I felt as though I was a novice rider again!

Here is a picture of the bike with its payload ...

When I got in I weighed the pannier and its contents (including the lock). It shocked me that it was 24 pounds - the bike only weighs 19 pounds! My advice - use 2 panniers for heavy loads and spread the weight evenly. In future, for lighter loads - a maximum total weight of (say) 15 pounds (shopping plus lock) - I would use one pannier again but bungee the heavy lock onto the opposite side of the rack to the pannier. Apart from anything else, those are very cheap panniers and I don't trust them with that much weight in. Having a clip break on a heavy pannier when riding in traffic could be a very scary experience!

 

[cosmicbike]

I do hope you then took it round in a trolley and commented to the jobsworth on how much more space it took up?

Nope. Whilst in store I asked what the policy was, which would seem to be made up on the hoof. So I emailed customer services asking for their policy and was told they don't have one that's written down, but they don't allow bikes in their stores. Must remember that when I see their own staff wheeling bikes through the shop...

 

[fatjel]

I shop in the village on foot, mostly because theres nowhere near the shops to safely lock the bike,
Sainsburys local is 5 miles ish away so most stuff I get there,
Have two panniers but do go every couple of days which spreads the load.

 

[dim]

pannier bags for me .....

but I have used cable ties to secure the bags to the rack, as 2 lads at Sainsbury's were trying to remove my Carradice bags a few weeks ago .... If I have to buy lots, I also use a backpack

I'm seriously thinking about buying a cheap vintage bike and converting that to a dedicated shopping bike with big cheap pannier bags .... I'm always nervous about locking my good bikes in Cambridge city (if they don't nick it, they vandalise it by kicking the wheels/spokes)

 

[simon.r]

You can get a lot of shopping in a pair of these: https://www.basil.com/assortment/mara-3xl-double-bag-black/

 

[subaqua]

What I have discovered is that panniers clip nicely to edge rail of trolley and both fit easily inside .

If we had self scan like the Tesco is near my dad in NWales would be easy to scan and pack as you go .

 

[classic33]

Done it on the bike using panniers and a rucksack. Used the Brox a few times(not a bicycle, does it still count?).

 

[classic33]

I only live about 1 km from my local shops so I usually walk there and back but there are times when I need to nip out and buy a few things in a hurry. I decided that it would be nice to be able to whiz to the shops and back by bike but I never felt happy leaving one of my more expensive bikes unattended. Then things changed - I built myself a singlespeed bike at low cost. I would not be very happy if it got pinched but the project only cost me about £60 (I was given the frame/fork/bottom bracket and had most of the other parts lying around in boxes in my cellar) so it would not be a disaster if someone did take it. So, when my sister asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I got a really strong u-lock. It would not deter a really determined thief but I will be locking the bike right in front of the front door to the supermarket in a brightly lit area. The lock is probably too chunky for bolt cutters so they would have to use an angle grinder. I think they would be crazy to risk it. We'll see ...

View attachment 205349

I will be carrying the shopping (and lock!) in a rucksack.

The lock comes with a $5,000 one-year theft protection plan!

 

[ColinJ]

The lock comes with a $5,000 one-year theft protection plan!

I bet that there would be an excess on that and I made the bike from bits and pieces so I wonder how they would value it? The lock cost me almost half what the bike did!

 

[classic33]

I bet that there would be an excess on that and I made the bike from bits and pieces so I wonder how they would value it? The lock cost me almost half what the bike did!

You've to send in the old lock to claim.

 

[ColinJ]

You've to send in the old lock to claim.

Let's hope the thieves don't nick the lock too!

 

[mjr]

Having a clip break on a heavy pannier when riding in traffic could be a very scary experience!

I prefer double panniers because the clips don't have to carry as much weight... but it's still unsettling if they're not clipped on properly, I load them lopsided by mistake and they flip off the bike as I ride away, being dragged along by the anchor strap