Carrying ice on bikes?

bud buddah · Post by **bud buddah** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:42 am

I'm wondering if anyone has any good ideas on mounting a cooler on their bike to carry ice. I'm toying with ways to mount a small cooler on a rear rack so that I can carry a bag of ice back to my camp. Any smart ideas?
Bud

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:48 am

Side-mounted folding wire basket panniers.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:03 am

I just scored a free "kid trailer", those things with wheels that clamp on the back of a bike, for kids to ride in......but, it'd make a great ice hauler.

mudpuppy000 · Post by **mudpuppy000** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:27 am

bud buddah wrote:I'm wondering if anyone has any good ideas on mounting a cooler on their bike to carry ice. I'm toying with ways to mount a small cooler on a rear rack so that I can carry a bag of ice back to my camp. Any smart ideas?
Bud

I've been experimenting with bungee-ing a milk crate to my rear bike rack and seems to work well for groceries. Panniers are better since the lower they are, the more stable the bike is.

MoonSplash · Post by **MoonSplash** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:35 am

I have a medium-sized soft-sided squishy cooler that came with a long strap. I didn't have any problems fitting in 2 of the ice bags into the cooler, looping the strap over my shoulder and adjusting it so it just sat on top of the bike's handlebars. Because it was sitting on the handlebars, I didn't carry the weight of the ice on me, and I rode slowly but steadily back to camp. It was easy.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:35 am

I have handlebar front baskets, one wire and one wicker, that hold a bag. One on each bike makes two bags. I, too, am bringing a kids trailer. Easily modified to haul ice and conga drums.

mode-of-operation · Post by **mode-of-operation** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:09 am

You don't need a basket to carry ice. I just sat the ice on the handle bars or seat and then walked next to my bike. Worked just fine and I was at the furthest point I could have possibly been from the ice vendors. Save your money for a few extra beers.

Post by **Elderberry** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:30 am

Panniers work great. When they aren't carrying ice, they are loaded with anything and everything I might need while I'm out riding around.

JK

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:34 am

I just slung the bag over the bike's middle bar and walked it back. Better than carrying it on my shoulders.

Mulligan · Post by **Mulligan** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:38 am

I had a basket on my handlebars that wasn't supported at the bottom. I also had a light mounted to the bottom of the basket. Needless to say, 14 lbs of ice pushed the light into the fender into my tire the whole way back to camp. This year, I have no fender, supports for the basket, and saddlebags to carry the ice.

dinks · Post by **dinks** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:05 am

Go to walmart/target and get a 9 can insulated coleman cooler. They are fabric with a plastic insert inside of it and are very light. It will zip tie perfectly to most handlebars.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:42 pm

I just teleport back to camp with my ice and bike.

Sic Pup · Post by **Sic Pup** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:24 pm

mudpuppy000 wrote: I've been experimenting with bungee-ing a milk crate to my rear bike rack and seems to work well for groceries. Panniers are better since the lower they are, the more stable the bike is.

Similarly, I have a plastic "file box" (read milkbox) that I zip-tied (6) to my handlebars, it has assorted circles of varying size one of which the bracket/nut of the handlebar fits perfectly snug in, very sturdy, I had to wrestle it off after cutting the zips. I saw Wally World had them in their flyer this week for $3 per. don't know if they have the "circle" one though.

I'll use it to contain some paraphanalia while traveling and re-zip it on the playa.

C187 · Post by **C187** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:08 pm

If it's one or two bags you can get away with a thick trash bag to put the ice bags in. Then place that bag inside a messenger bag.

----

Fire_Moose wrote:I just teleport back to camp with my ice and bike.

Really now? Do you plan on sharing this tech?

Playa Foot · Post by **Playa Foot** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:29 pm

Sometimes the easiest solutions work well. I use a bucket hung off my handlebars. It makes the bike ride andle funny but you adapt to it after about 20 feet of riding.

Karma · Post by **Karma** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:43 pm

I use a BoB trailer. Handy for Ice runs (8 to 10 bags easy) and for hauling the wayward burned out campmate back home ^_-

http://www.bobgear.com/trailers/trailer ... duct_id=11

DrPeffer · Post by **DrPeffer** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:26 am

One of the greatest ways to cool off is to grab two big bags of ice, sling them barely over your shoulders, holding them by the bottom at your belly, and taking a nice walk through town.

Oldguy · Post by **Oldguy** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:18 pm

A large radio-flyer holds a six-pac of ice perfectly...

swampdog · Post by **swampdog** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:22 pm

Plop ice bags across bicycle cross bar or on handlebars or seat. Walk bike. You can carry a fair amount that way. Unless your camp is FAR from Arctica, don't worry about a bit o' meltage.

Marscrumbs · Post by **Marscrumbs** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:23 pm

Bikes are too slow, a well aimed catapult will do the job quicker without the wet handlebars

dr.placebo · Post by **dr.placebo** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:58 pm

I've got a small daypack that holds 2 bags of ice. Easy to use, and I stay cool on the ride back.

hollywallydoodle · Post by **hollywallydoodle** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:27 pm

mode-of-operation wrote:You don't need a basket to carry ice. I just sat the ice on the handle bars or seat and then walked next to my bike.

i saw many skilled people balancing the ice on their handle bars. my clumsy ass tried that and hilarity ensued. now i have a basket.

Peacebandchick · Post by **Peacebandchick** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:34 am

I got a set of baskets that sit on either side of my back tire. Then I took some of those hot/cold bags you can buy in grocery stores for frozen stuff and modded them to form my own cooler on my bike by covering one basket inside and out. It even has a top that closes. Then I covered it in pink fur :D[/img]

Peacebandchick · Post by **Peacebandchick** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:37 am

I got a set of baskets that sit on either side of my back tire. Then I took some of those hot/cold bags you can buy in grocery stores for frozen stuff and modded them to form my own cooler on my bike by covering one basket inside and out. It even has a top that closes. Then I covered it in pink fur :D

red arrow · Post by **red arrow** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:27 am

Let me guess, you got a set of baskets that sit on either side of your back tyre. Then you took some of those hot/cold bags you can buy in grocery stores for frozen stuff and modded them to form your own cooler on your bike by covering one basket inside and out. It even has a top that closes. Then you covered it in pink fur?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:34 am

Pink fur!!!

Carrying ice on bikes?

Carrying ice on bikes?

Re: Carrying ice on bikes?

Re: Carrying ice on bikes?