5 ms·

I do almost all the grocery shopping for our family of 4 with a Rad Runner Plus with a large basket and bag. I love that bike. Even as someone pretty comfortab

by davidw 3y ago

I do almost all the grocery shopping for our family of 4 with a Rad Runner Plus with a large basket and bag. I love that bike. Even as someone pretty comfortable getting around on a 'regular' bike, having that extra power just makes it a really easy choice for more trips compared to the car. If it's hot out, it is so much nicer to hop on the bike and get an instant breeze compared to a hot stuffy car. If it's cold out, I can really layer up and not worry about sweating because I overdressed. I just use the motor more. Edit: I'll add that like many things in life, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. We still have an automobile that we use, but the bike has replaced a lot of car trips. For some people a bike might not replace as many. Some might be able to ditch the car entirely. But it all helps!

nravic 3y ago
what kind of pannier bags do you use to haul groceries? All the ones I've used have been too small for my purposes.
- davidw 3y ago
  The bike in question has a front basket with a bag designed to fit it: https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket-roll-top-liner https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket-roll-top... So I don't have panniers. I might get some in the future to have a bit of extra capacity.
- bronson 3y ago
  Not OP but I have essentially the same bike (Packa) with kid bars on the back. I throw a big Home Depot plastic storage crate into the bars, then 4 bags of groceries go into the crate. 6+ if you stack and bungee them. Plus another bag in the front basket. If the kids want to go to the store then the crate goes on the bike trailer.
  - Maximus9000 3y ago
    > big Home Depot plastic storage crate into the bars Nice! That's such a simple solution. Thanks for the tip.
- Rebelgecko 3y ago
  I don't have a cargo bike, but you can fit a surprising amount of crap in a milk crate strapped to a bike rack. Especially if you have a pannier on the side (they even make some grocery tote bag style panniers)
- UI_at_80x24 3y ago
  Not OP, but I use Arkel RT-60. They are huge and strong. I've been able to haul two 24-cases of beer, plus half a dozen mixers.
- NegativeLatency 3y ago
  Used to do groceries with a regular bike and two ortlieb panniers (you can leave the top open to use their full capacity) For extra space a front "Porteur style" rack is nice (you can carry a pizza or takeout), or a rear rack with a set of lower mounting rails allows carrying stuff ontop of your rack without interfering as much with the panniers. nice front racks: https://www.passandstowracks.com https://www.passandstowracks.com nice front and back racks: https://www.tubus.com/en/products/ https://www.tubus.com/en/products/ some people also really like the topeak rail system, which has for example a little wheely cart you can pull around the store with you, the "Topeak TrolleyTote" Over the summer I bought a used (not electric) bakfiets on craigslist (and only recently did a mid-drive electric conversion) it's been really great for doing more with a bike because it doesn't take as much "how am I going to carry this home" planning. I've picked up groceries, dog food, filing cabinets, my wife, my dog, friends, lumber, tools, etc. It's quite an amazing bike format.
- waveBidder 3y ago
  ortlieb has some super sturdy ones, I grocery shop for 2 with this pair on a road bike. https://www.ortlieb.com/en_us/back-roller-city+F5003 https://www.ortlieb.com/en_us/back-roller-city+F5003
foxyv 3y ago
When we got our E-bike we had to get a trickle charger for our car because the battery would go flat from the battery's internal current.
r00fus 3y ago
My biggest frustration with bikes here in the US is the lack of security in high traffic areas. The fact that law enforcement doesn't seem to care about stolen bikes is a huge hurdle in my desire to bike to the store, leave alone paying thousands for a decent e-bike that I'd be even more worried about. I say this as an avid cyclist.
- nicoburns 3y ago
  You should be able to get bike insurance. I pay £7/month to insure mine, which is lot cheaper than car insurance!
  - jordanbeiber 3y ago
    Bike will get stolen anyway which is really annoying no matter the insurance. Not saying bike isn’t preferred to car, it’s just something I always consider. I’ve got a bike AND a car, I still take the car on certain trips where the bike would make more sense logistically because it feels like 50/50 it’ll get stolen.
    - nicoburns 3y ago
      Damn. If it's really 50/50 then that is bad!
      - School-Cotton 3y ago
        It's not, OP was wildly exaggerating.
        jordanbeiber 3y ago
        I can emphasize “feels”, but if you’ve ever parked a moderately expensive bike in a dense city center for a few hours you know the feeling. Especially if you’ve had a few stolen. If not the bike, the saddle. If not the saddle a wheel. If not the wheel the battery. Etc etc. It’s all really annoying trying to get home not matter the insurance. I had two strollers stolen from my backyard while at home last year… it’s kinda crazy over here!
nickthegreek 3y ago
Wife and I did our shopping on a Vespa for last few years before it got stolen this summer. We really enjoyed scootin around the city and were going to many more events since parking became a nonissue.
radicalbyte 3y ago
We do the same with our Urban Arrow. It's easier (and faster) than driving.
ubermonkey 3y ago
>If it's hot out, it is so much nicer to hop on the bike and get an instant breeze compared to a hot stuffy car. I feel like this indicates you do not live in a very hot & humid place. That sounds wonderful, to be sure, but in Houston summer a 1.5 mile trip to the grocery store on any kind of ebike would definitely require a change of clothes & a shower once done.
- davidw 3y ago
  I feel this indicates you do not understand how an eBike functions. You can get on one and simply turn the throttle or set the pedal assist to the max, and poof instant breeze with no effort. It is cooler than just standing there. I lived in northern Italy for a while so I get 'hot and humid' although I'm sure it's another level in Houston.
  - abeppu 3y ago
    Houston isn't _consistently_ in this territory, but it is worth a reminder that if the ambient temperature is above body temp and the air is humid enough, then a breeze makes you hotter faster.
    - davidw 3y ago
      Well that goes back to my point that you do not need to use a bike all day every day for everything. A few years back, here it snowed like two feet in a day. I did not, in fact, ride bikes that day!
  - svnt 3y ago
    Yeah, you don’t get it. You can’t even be outside or you will need a shower — no exertion is required.
    - davidw 3y ago
      I've ridden my normal bike in weather where it was around 95F and humid as heck in northern Italy. That is certainly a sweaty endeavor, but an eBike with the assist cranked up is like... negative exertion. You can get a breeze without working much or at all.
steve_adams_86 3y ago
My grocery store is a 7m ride along a regional bike trail, fully protected both ways. It beats a car any day, and it’s actually faster because the bike trail basically bee-lines to the store. It’s awesome. One of those lame things you get excited about as an adult. My vacuum cleaner works really well and I can ride my bike to the grocery store. I’ve truly made it.
stavros 3y ago
> If it's cold out, I can really layer up and not worry about sweating because I overdressed I envy people with good heat regulation. I love my cycle, but if I start cycling in freezing weather, I can either dress up for the start of the right, or the rest of it. If I wear a warm jacket, I have to take it off five minutes later and be riding in a t-shirt in freezing weather, otherwise I'll get extremely sweaty. If I go out in a t-shirt, I'll shiver for the first five minutes. The summer is hell, I can't go anywhere without being drenched in sweat.
- davidw 3y ago
  That's my point though is with the eBike, I can dress warm for the start of the ride, and then crank up the pedal assist when I start warming up too much.

by davidw 3y ago

nravic 3y ago

what kind of pannier bags do you use to haul groceries? All the ones I've used have been too small for my purposes.

davidw 3y ago
The bike in question has a front basket with a bag designed to fit it: https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket-roll-top-liner https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/large-basket-roll-top... So I don't have panniers. I might get some in the future to have a bit of extra capacity.
bronson 3y ago
Not OP but I have essentially the same bike (Packa) with kid bars on the back. I throw a big Home Depot plastic storage crate into the bars, then 4 bags of groceries go into the crate. 6+ if you stack and bungee them. Plus another bag in the front basket. If the kids want to go to the store then the crate goes on the bike trailer.
- Maximus9000 3y ago
  > big Home Depot plastic storage crate into the bars Nice! That's such a simple solution. Thanks for the tip.
Rebelgecko 3y ago
I don't have a cargo bike, but you can fit a surprising amount of crap in a milk crate strapped to a bike rack. Especially if you have a pannier on the side (they even make some grocery tote bag style panniers)
UI_at_80x24 3y ago
Not OP, but I use Arkel RT-60. They are huge and strong. I've been able to haul two 24-cases of beer, plus half a dozen mixers.
NegativeLatency 3y ago
Used to do groceries with a regular bike and two ortlieb panniers (you can leave the top open to use their full capacity) For extra space a front "Porteur style" rack is nice (you can carry a pizza or takeout), or a rear rack with a set of lower mounting rails allows carrying stuff ontop of your rack without interfering as much with the panniers. nice front racks: https://www.passandstowracks.com https://www.passandstowracks.com nice front and back racks: https://www.tubus.com/en/products/ https://www.tubus.com/en/products/ some people also really like the topeak rail system, which has for example a little wheely cart you can pull around the store with you, the "Topeak TrolleyTote" Over the summer I bought a used (not electric) bakfiets on craigslist (and only recently did a mid-drive electric conversion) it's been really great for doing more with a bike because it doesn't take as much "how am I going to carry this home" planning. I've picked up groceries, dog food, filing cabinets, my wife, my dog, friends, lumber, tools, etc. It's quite an amazing bike format.
waveBidder 3y ago
ortlieb has some super sturdy ones, I grocery shop for 2 with this pair on a road bike. https://www.ortlieb.com/en_us/back-roller-city+F5003 https://www.ortlieb.com/en_us/back-roller-city+F5003

foxyv 3y ago

When we got our E-bike we had to get a trickle charger for our car because the battery would go flat from the battery's internal current.

r00fus 3y ago

My biggest frustration with bikes here in the US is the lack of security in high traffic areas. The fact that law enforcement doesn't seem to care about stolen bikes is a huge hurdle in my desire to bike to the store, leave alone paying thousands for a decent e-bike that I'd be even more worried about. I say this as an avid cyclist.

nicoburns 3y ago
You should be able to get bike insurance. I pay £7/month to insure mine, which is lot cheaper than car insurance!
- jordanbeiber 3y ago
  Bike will get stolen anyway which is really annoying no matter the insurance. Not saying bike isn’t preferred to car, it’s just something I always consider. I’ve got a bike AND a car, I still take the car on certain trips where the bike would make more sense logistically because it feels like 50/50 it’ll get stolen.
  - nicoburns 3y ago
    Damn. If it's really 50/50 then that is bad!
    - School-Cotton 3y ago
      It's not, OP was wildly exaggerating.
      - jordanbeiber 3y ago
        I can emphasize “feels”, but if you’ve ever parked a moderately expensive bike in a dense city center for a few hours you know the feeling. Especially if you’ve had a few stolen. If not the bike, the saddle. If not the saddle a wheel. If not the wheel the battery. Etc etc. It’s all really annoying trying to get home not matter the insurance. I had two strollers stolen from my backyard while at home last year… it’s kinda crazy over here!

nickthegreek 3y ago

Wife and I did our shopping on a Vespa for last few years before it got stolen this summer. We really enjoyed scootin around the city and were going to many more events since parking became a nonissue.

radicalbyte 3y ago

We do the same with our Urban Arrow. It's easier (and faster) than driving.

ubermonkey 3y ago

>If it's hot out, it is so much nicer to hop on the bike and get an instant breeze compared to a hot stuffy car. I feel like this indicates you do not live in a very hot & humid place. That sounds wonderful, to be sure, but in Houston summer a 1.5 mile trip to the grocery store on any kind of ebike would definitely require a change of clothes & a shower once done.

davidw 3y ago
I feel this indicates you do not understand how an eBike functions. You can get on one and simply turn the throttle or set the pedal assist to the max, and poof instant breeze with no effort. It is cooler than just standing there. I lived in northern Italy for a while so I get 'hot and humid' although I'm sure it's another level in Houston.
- abeppu 3y ago
  Houston isn't _consistently_ in this territory, but it is worth a reminder that if the ambient temperature is above body temp and the air is humid enough, then a breeze makes you hotter faster.
  - davidw 3y ago
    Well that goes back to my point that you do not need to use a bike all day every day for everything. A few years back, here it snowed like two feet in a day. I did not, in fact, ride bikes that day!
- svnt 3y ago
  Yeah, you don’t get it. You can’t even be outside or you will need a shower — no exertion is required.
  - davidw 3y ago
    I've ridden my normal bike in weather where it was around 95F and humid as heck in northern Italy. That is certainly a sweaty endeavor, but an eBike with the assist cranked up is like... negative exertion. You can get a breeze without working much or at all.

steve_adams_86 3y ago

My grocery store is a 7m ride along a regional bike trail, fully protected both ways. It beats a car any day, and it’s actually faster because the bike trail basically bee-lines to the store. It’s awesome. One of those lame things you get excited about as an adult. My vacuum cleaner works really well and I can ride my bike to the grocery store. I’ve truly made it.

stavros 3y ago

> If it's cold out, I can really layer up and not worry about sweating because I overdressed I envy people with good heat regulation. I love my cycle, but if I start cycling in freezing weather, I can either dress up for the start of the right, or the rest of it. If I wear a warm jacket, I have to take it off five minutes later and be riding in a t-shirt in freezing weather, otherwise I'll get extremely sweaty. If I go out in a t-shirt, I'll shiver for the first five minutes. The summer is hell, I can't go anywhere without being drenched in sweat.

davidw 3y ago
That's my point though is with the eBike, I can dress warm for the start of the ride, and then crank up the pedal assist when I start warming up too much.