Collapsible rear basket

I'm looking for a rear basket that sits on top of the rack, which can collapse down on to the rack (as opposed to on the side) when not in use.

I see one on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Wald-Folding-Rear-Mounted-Basket/dp/B004OZZBH... but it doesn't say if it is capable of this. In fact, I haven't seen any that can do what I have in mind other than a milk crate looking one by topeak, which is at least double the price. Yet, I've seen bikes locked up at different places that have one.

Any have experience with this? Are almost all collapsible baskets capable of doing this and I'm completely missing it or what? Does someone use one that they can recommend?

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by James BlackHeron on November 30, 2012 at 7:37am

In the past year I've had to replace all the little metal hinge straps that connect the flat basket pieces together on the folding baskets.

Both my wife and I have 2 each on our city bikes. All 4 of them have had the same issue after a period of time. The metal used in the pivot/hinge clips is just too soft and malleable and eventually just failed after having to bend them back multiple times. Eventually the racks just fall apart at the hinges.

So I took them all apart and rebuiilt them with zip-ties in place of the metal hinge clips. In order for this to work you need to make a couple of figure-8's first with the zip-tie around the two metal wires you are connecting together before hooking it together. This makes it stronger and allows for the pivot to not be mashed together too hard so there is some "give" to them. It takes about a dozen zip-ties to replace all the clips. Cut the excess zip-tie off or twist it around and around to make it beak at the point where it comes out of the ratchet end. Twisting it is an old electrician's trick. If you cut it with a diagonal pliers the edge will be razor-sharp and you could gash your hands up on them.

If twisted-off then you don't have a sharp edge.

After the upgrade the rack works better than when new and doesn't start to rattle again because the zip-ties don't stretch or come loose like the cheap soft metal clips did.

Permalink Reply by william on December 1, 2012 at 8:56am