Update - Bike Rack

So a while ago I posted about my attempts to get a bike rack for the rear of my bike to put my backpack on.  I managed to craft something that worked rather well this morning.

I went to Michael's craft shop and found a set of 1 1/2 inch wide D rings and canvass binding tape.  I was looked for a more substantial webbing, but they didn't have it.  I put the D rings on one end of about a 3 foot section and sewed the end flaps down.  I then threaded the straps through the spring loaded section in the center of the bike rack figuring that the pressure would hold the strap in place.  To use it, I put the backpack on the rack and fastened the straps around it cinching it tightly.  Since the binding is very thin, the cloth bunches up in the D ring, but it held enough to get me to work.

I will have to look for a better strap material, but in the meantime it works well enough to hold it on the rack.  My main concern was not only holding it on, but causing me to have a different ride with the load on the back.  The rack is rated for up to 5 pounds and the backpack is no where near that weight, but I have never really ridden with any load on the back so I was concerned that I would be unable to handle the weight distribution.  I hardly felt it and whenever I stopped I had to reach back to make sure it was still there!  So here I am with my clothes change in the front basket and the backpack on the back rack.  I feel like a real bike commuter!

A Different Routine

For the last few weeks I have been commuting to work on my bike.  I live approximately a mile from the office and thought it is a shame to drive that short distance when I am able to commute without my car.  I do have a large hill to climb on the way in, but I am getting better at it over time. Plus I am using my mountain bike rather than my road bike, and the knobby tires make it a little more challenging. This past weekend, I put a rack on the back and my intention was to put my backpack on the rack and put my change of clothes bag in the basket on the front.  The bungee cords I have, however, did not go around the backpack so I tried putting the bag on the rack and cinching it down with the bungee cords.  At first everything was fine.  Then right on the hill I felt a pulling and noticed that one of the bungee cords had come undone and was being wrapped around the wheel.  Not good!!!  Fortunately I caught it in time before either I or the bike got hurt (translation - fall down).

I guess Plan B is in order. What Plan B is, I am really not sure but I have been doing some experimentation in my head to dream up ways that I can accomplish this.  My thought is two belts of sort that can be threaded through the rack's structure and attached around the backpack. I haven't tried it yet because I don't have the belts I was thinking of.  I have to do further research. I am also not sure how the backpack on the back will affect my balance on the bike. I know it will be different, but I am not sure how.

However, the fact of riding to work has more pluses that minuses for me.  I get some exercise, fresh air, get to see what is going on around, and save a ton on gas.  On the flip side, I have to bring a change of clothes to work with me because I get sweaty even in that short time frame and I really can't do any lunchtime errands out of town unless I plan for that.  I even imagine that once the weather cools down I won't have to bring a change so that con will be out the window, so to speak.  It is a challenge to ride in traffic, but I am dealing with it rather nicely.  All in all, I think I have made a good decision to use this alternative.