The Chainlink

I traded in the old lady shopping cart for the Wald 535 Rear Basket to get groceries... Great idea. Problem is I lack wrench turning skills and often have brilliant (aka terrible) ideas. While installing this beast of a basket, I thought that I could attach the legs to both the rear wheel stud & to the frame. Nope! Duh! So, I put the wheel back in its place and finally got the rack attached.

Went to the grocery store couple days later and the bike 'wobbled' like none other, with a u-lock in each basket. It was slightly off balanced load but less than 8# total. Got a full load of groceries and wobbled on home. (I was on the sidewalk and at a slug-pace set by the kid.) Tried again last night (without the kid) and got on the road. With empty baskets, I still shook and it increased with my speed. (Rode a block with 34# of dog food because I am stubborn & too lazy to carry, see pic.)

 

So my questions:

  • Is the 7# basket too much for my 1980s Fuji (steel) Sagres? (If so, is it the bike, too skinny tires??)
  • Am I just a dumbass that doesn't know how to put a wheel on straight? (Gotta a video, link that could help this idiot out for proper installtion? My commuter is a single speed-all these gears must have thrown me off!?)
  • Do I need a Stabilizer?!?
  • What else could I have done wrong?

 

Before I give up and pay for someone to look at it, I will take off the basket see if that is the problem. I was just looking to see what else it could be.

Thanks! Jenn

 

 

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Northside - Lincoln & Belmont.

 

Jenn, as a rule, things wobble when there is something loose or misaligned.  Hopefully John can help you out.

 

At our shop we are fastening heavy batteries (10# or more) for electric bikes in rear racks behind the saddle with no ill effects to handling.  The WBR bikes hold 200# or so with no problem!!

1. See if you can mount the rack to the frame - at the rack mounts above the rear dropout - not on the axle of the wheel. Like this:

2. The entirety of the 34lb load is behind the rear axle: get a front basket to even things out. Try to split the load 40/60 between the front and the back.

3. The load is too high. Split things up and put them lower in the baskets. The higher and more rearward you place heavy load, the worse your bike is going to handle.

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