Starting Out - Must Have Items When Using Your Bicycle for Cargo

Not the right way to use a bike to haul stuff.

Using a bicycle to haul stuff can be as simple as throwing something in a handlebar basket, or hauling a couch on a heavy duty trailer. What you use to transport things  depends initially on what you plan on carrying by bicycle. But, once you start, you quickly discover that a bicycle can be used to transport a surprising amount of, well, STUFF.

 Most of the people we see out on the streets using bikes seem to be stuck on the "Backpack Method." It seems to makes sense at first, until you consider that:

1. Using a backpack for any kind of weight can hurt your back or shoulder
2. You are limited in what you can carry
3. It raises you center of gravity and can cause you to crash and bust your butt.

Once you graduate to baskets and panniers, the world starts to open up dramatically for you. Our "Bike SUV's", our trusty Long Haul Truckers, are equipped with pannier racks, front and back. We can, and have hauled up to 120 lbs of gear on overnight trips, and objects as diverse as the daily groceries to an entire office cubicle to small trees.

But eventually, you come to the point where you want, or need, to haul something that won't fit in a basket or pannier. Which is why everyone that hauls stuff on a bicycle needs to have three handy items around - bungee cords, velcro straps, and cam straps

 Everyone has at least a passing familiarity with bungee cords, and we recommend them to all of our customers as essential items to have on hand. We recommend that you stay away from the cords with plastic hooks - they break down over time when exposed to sunlight. Instead, go with the cords that have coated metal hooks, Having several sizes on hand allows you to "fine tune" your securing of oversized packages. Always secure your items lengthwise, and top to bottom.

Along with bungees, velcro strips are another item that's useful when carrying items on your bicycle. Recent things we have transported on our rear racks with bungees and velcro strips are a popcorn popper, ink jet printer, shredder, coffeemaker, and a two 8 foot long 2x2 pieces of lumber. In the photo below, two straps were used: one securing the lumber on the rear rack, and another around the top tube. Straddle the boards, and ride home.

Velcro Strips in action - 8 foot 2x2's on LHT

Another strap that's useful is a cam strap. Many cargo bicycles have eyelets specifically designed for these versatile strap, but you don't need a "longtail" bicycle to use them. More heavy duty than bungees and velcros, the teeth on the cam fastener is spring loaded, and can be cinched down tightly.

Versatile Cam Straps

 We have used them in the past when hauling bicycles in the bed of a pickup truck. Where they have really shone, though, is in securing heavier objects to the "bed" of rear racks, and in the beds of our cargo trailers. Any time we transport oversize items, as we did with a trip to the nursery for several palm trees, the cam straps have been used to secure them to our cargo trailer bed. They were also used to carry home our large office shredder on the back of one of SURLY LHT's.

Next time we will take a look at what makes a good bicycle trailer for cargo use.

Trip to the Hardware store for Soil and Pots - 200lbs worth

Happy hauling!