I’m Portuguese and I live in Portugal but came here for advice because you guys use bicycles a lot so I guess you’re the best to help me out on this 😂

I got this bike recently and I want to use it for errands like getting some groceries and such as you can see I got a basket for the front but what do you guys use in the back to carry stuff in? Another basket? Side bags? What would be the best option?

Thanks!

by Solarsystemjedi

29 comments

  1. You have a little hinged and spring-loaded flap on the back that you can use to wedge things under. It probably doesn’t work great. Depending on what you’d like to transport on the reg, I’d get some [snelbinders](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=4b995b00999b8af2&sxsrf=AE3TifNbWGw9AGpEPUwZ6ju-wHQuv-H9PQ:1748376434321&udm=2&fbs=AIIjpHxU7SXXniUZfeShr2fp4giZ1Y6MJ25_tmWITc7uy4KIegMOm3ItDJ-cT-Q5w0bTw0a1whiUmyKVmnp0X8dIWrSdHEc_WJHscYJ6K1UulcSnawqMoIi8JHT5bQJ5et_r3SyeTx2qT79aiwbd9o4OMWB64RKIzH9GSG76cXj5eh2-5xUd_t5RHES7mgMMRO6qElJkWeihR9djmDJJHLy0x8FYq7q3hg&q=snelbinders&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjesrTiucSNAxVl_gIHHb2GA-8QtKgLegQIERAB&biw=360&bih=649&dpr=3) or, you know, a backpack. 

  2. I see a lot of double bike bags for the rear carrier. Personally, I prefer individual bike shopper bags with hooks that hook onto the carrier and handles or straps to carry them around.

  3. Side bags works well and still leaves room for other things (two kids, ikea furniture, mattress, etc)

  5. panniers work like a charm but snelbinders for the back rack or a zip tied plastic crate would also work really well.

  6. Front basket won’t help you for a big groceries run. So side bags would be most useful for you.

    Until you’re pro: Then you can get a FULL BLUE AH bag (the textile one you buy, not the cheap plastic one), and put it on the back, while biking, you have one hand on your back holding up the AH bag.

    That’s way more a double sided bag, or snelbinders (it will fall off) can carry.

  7. 100% side bags.
    100% functionality.
    100% beginner friendly.
    Buy them at a cheap place like action, they are perfectly fine and for a fair price. You can mount them yourself, not difficult.

  9. Side bags from these brands are high quality (if they are not available in Portugal I apologise) : Willex, Ortlieb, Basil, Beck, Fastrider.

  10. The basic for us is snelbinders, which are like 2 big elastic bands. We basically shove anything under them that has a chance of not falling of: jackets, bags, flowers, books, sports gadgets. Then the more grown up thing to do is the sidebags- make sure to never leave valuables in there and distribute the weight evenly when possible. And then of course a child seat, they start at the front and when the kid gets bigger moves to the back.
    Those elastic bands are easiest when you often have people hop on the back and want nothing in the way.
    But also, we are so used to biking we can bike with one hand and just hold the other item and balance it on the back

  11. Bike bags. Giant bike bags. You can get all sorts and sizes. I can fit a week’s worth of groceries in mine.

  12. There exists side bags with click on click off systems. You can use those and just take them off and carry them with you whenever they aren’t needed on the bike. Those are ideal.

  13. You’ll want a detachable side bag, something like [this](https://www.fietstas.com/willex-pakaftas-s-1200-10l-zwart.html). You can easily carry one around while shopping, do some biking and then you carry it into your home. There are also more simple (cheap) variants that can’t be detached without some hassle, but then you’ll need to load/unload using another bag and also they can get stolen (happened to me twice!) so I think the detachable one is just superior. You probably only need one, they’re pretty big.

  15. Kudos on the Muddy Fox don’t see these around too much anymore! Also: saddlebags. 100%.

  17. You rest the grocery bag on the back of the bike while holding your arm uncomfortably behind your back

  18. Side bags or another basket. I like the double whammy of bags and basket 🫡🫣 you gotto make do somehow without a car

  19. Regardless of what storage option you go for always try to split the weight evenly across the front and back of your bike. Otherwise it’s going to be difficult biking with all the weight on the back wheel or the other wheel going up into the air.

    Besides storage you might also want to consider getting a coat guard (plastic panel on either side of the back wheel) to stop longer articles of clothing such as coats or dresses getting stuck in the wheel.

  20. I’d say 2 side bags of any kind, so you can balance whatever you’re carrying. And I’d add a bungee cord on the back. Get a bungee cord with hooks for strapping things to a car and hook it to where your back wheel meets the frame.

  21. Check the maximum load for the rear carrier. It might not be sufficient to have people or very heavy cargo on it.

    How tall are you and what’s the bike size? The saddle seems very low compared to the height of the steer. Just checking the saddle is not too low for you as that will cause balance issues and makes it way harder to bike straight and with load.

    Side bike bags are a great option as they lower the point of gravity and it’s easy to put groceries in. I guess you’ll store your bike indoors, which protects them from the weather.

  23. Sidebags + a bagpack also those elastic hooks if you want to carry 6 pack 6L Milk or something. For a crate of beer just put it on the back, use one hand to keep it there and voila

  27. Side bags for sure. I also sometimes use my dog carrier that goes on the axis of the back wheel but im not sure if thats possible on your bike since there is a lot of stuff going on there.

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