How to Add Storage to Your Bike: A Guide

You’ve got two wheels and all the freedom to decide how they take you to where you need to go. But what about when you want to bring back a load of groceries, drop off a package at UPS, or convey picnic supplies to the park?

I’m not much of a fan of wearing a backpack while biking. It gets sweaty in the summer, and it’s uncomfortable to wear over a puffy coat in the winter. There are ways to get your load off your back and onto your bike. It just takes a few pieces of equipment.

Rear Cargo Racks

You can strap things on top of a cargo rack, but its main function is to mount pannier bags to its side rails. Pannier bags hang down to the side of the rear tire. Keeping the weight low keeps the bike’s center of gravity low, which makes the bike more stable.

When you’re carrying a heavy load of cargo, doing so in a pannier bag will have the least effect on the bike’s handling characteristics of all cargo options. That’s why a combo of a rear cargo rack and pannier bag (or two) is my favorite way of carrying cargo.

handlebar baskets

Have I hit upon the one thing in the universe that’s as classically American as it is classically European? With a basket mounted to the handlebars and right under your chin, you can keep an eye on your precious cargo at all times. Whether it’s made out of straw, steel, or even wood, handlebar baskets all broadly have the same upshots—and the same failings.

The downside of handlebar baskets is that they slow down your steering. When you load them up with more than just a few pounds, you feel the extra weight in the handlebars. They also hold the weight higher on the bike than if you’d put your cargo in pannier bags, which in turn makes the bike feel more top-heavy and unstable, particularly in turns.

front cargo rack

The cargo rack mounted over the front wheel is far less common than one mounted over the rear wheel. Because you’re attaching so much weight to a wheel that needs to turn, you’ll feel it more when you’re maneuvering the bike, although the center of gravity will be much lower than with a handlebar basket.

You can hang pannier bags off it just as you would off a rear cargo rack, but I’d caution you to only resort to a front rack if your bike already has a rear rack carrying its full complement of cargo. Only then should you mount a front rack.

And hey, if your bike’s frame can withstand the weight of you plus all that hardware and cargo, and if your leg muscles (or e-bike’s electric motor) can handle the strain, you’ll be hauling serious ass. And groceries, beer six-packs, packages, and whatever else you desire.