Shed Building Plans: handlebar

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Sunlite Handlebar Basket Update

Late last year I was looking for a way to more conveniently carry things while on my commuter bike. I found what I thought was a great bargain; the Sunlite Handlebar Basket. Since I wrote that post eight months ago a few readers have inquired about how the basket was holding up. I was going to wait until the one year point to evaluate the long term durability of the product but since another commenter recently asked I thought I would go ahead and address it today.

Im pleased to report come hell or high water the Sunlite Handlebar Basket has served me well. The powder coat paint is still glossy and black with no cracks or peeling. Welds are all solid and the basket has retained its shape. Now after many months of use I would not hesitate to recommend this carrier.

For average daily use the usual cargo is my lunchbox and my jacket and gloves if it warms up later in the day. Occasional trips to the grocery to pick up items for the days meal or a six pack is another area where the basket shines. I am always curious and looking for other odd things I might be able to portage while leaving the auto back at home in the driveway. Earlier this spring when it came time to start mowing the grass I hopped on my bike and peddled down to the gas station to fill my can.

One concern that was brought up on numerous online reviews and even here on my blog was damage to the head tube area where the lower bracket makes contact with the bicycle. On my bike I have never pulled the black nylon hook and loop strap off to look underneath so I did this morning on the way to work.

A little marring is visible on the surface of the titanium head tube where the bracket slides as the bikes steering is actuated. Too me this is no big deal and is no different than the wear spot visible just above where the cable jacket rubs against the frame.

Of course the consideration for someone thinking of using a basket like this is how much damage are you willing to accept. My situation is perfect because my frame has no paint to wear off exposing the metal underneath to potential corrosion. Even so on a painted frame the rotating motion of the nylon strap would simply polish the metal once it did wear through a paint layer. Bicycle head tubes are made from pretty stout tubing so I would guess it would take several centuries of use for wear to cause any real detriment other than cosmetic.

Some bikes have thick three dimensional head tube badges that may or may not fall right in line with the bracket strap. If so I would think the uneven surface of the badge would more quickly wear through the nylon material of the strap allowing the steel rod of the bracket to do greater damage to the bike. A head tube decal on the other hand would allow the nylon strap to turn easier and wear much slower but the decal would certainly become scuffed and unattractive in a short time.

Another problem that may be a deal breaker as we recently discovered when the RoadQueen picked up a Sunlite basket for her hybrid bike is the bulging 31.8 mm center clamp section of her handlebars. It is this thicker area where the two upper hooks of the baskets mounting bracket hang. The baskets intended market is on commuter and cruiser style bikes. Handlebar diameter of these types of bikes generally have ranged between 22 and 26 millimeters. The rubber covered hooks of the bracket grip this thickness range securely but are too tight a radius to work with the new standard on sportier bikes. We worked around the issue by clamping the hook in a wooden furniture clamp and bending the hook open enough to slip over the 31.8 bars on her bike. Its not perfect and the bracket isnt quite as solid as on my older style mountain bike bar but it still works ok for her.

Sunlite Handlebar Basket Update

Sunlite Handlebar Basket

For years Ive used a backpack to carry my stuff while commuting by bicycle. A backpack does work well but it has many disadvantages. Wearing a bag on my back in warm weather quickly overheats my back and in the winter time it can be more than a minor irritation getting the straps comfortable over a thicker jacket.

For quite a long while I have been searching for an alternative way to portage my lunchbox and other personal items on the bike. Recently I found this Sunlite Lift-off Handlebar Basket and for $20 I decided to take a chance.

$20 really? I am a natural skeptic but judging by the 240 reviews on Amazon; most of them very favorable, I ordered the basket. In the meantime I continued with the backpacking thing and did a little research on the Sunlite Company which seems to have a large selection of what appears to be quality bike stuff.

A few days later I returned home to find a big box waiting for me. Right away when I pulled the powder coated steel basket from the cardboard I was impressed with its sturdy feeling and quality construction. Obviously this carrier isnt made for hauling 40 pounds of bricks but for my lunchbox, coffee cup and jacket once it warms up the Sunlite works perfect.

This basket is a lift-off system. Very much like a shopping basket two handles lift up and release the basket from the bracket which attaches to the bike. One thing I learned from reading the reviews is that a bump in the road can cause the handles to fly up and then the basket can dislodge from the bike. The upper interface between the basket handles and the bracket has just a small amount of slop allowing the whole thing to shake and vibrate while underway. I despise any kind of rattle or squeaks on my bike so I fixed all these minor issues by cinching the handles down tight to the bracket with a couple solid cable ties. I dont plan on taking the basket off so I am happy to leave it in this semi-permanent condition.

The lower part of the bracket attaches with a hook and loop strap which insulates the curved part of steel rod that rests against the bikes head tube. This set up could present a wear issue to a painted frame but my tubes are bare titanium and I have no head tube badge to interfere with the bracket as it rotates with the handlebars.

Installation could be as quick as five minutes but it took me a little longer. Things like head tube angle and stem length can have an effect on how the bracket hangs on the bike. With my first attempt to attach the bracket on my bike I found the top of the basket was nowhere near level and hung down nearly touching the front fender. Another problem I found was that the lower end of the bracket could not reach the head tube without seriously smashing the brake and shifter cables.

Although I was hoping to just pop the basket on and go I anticipated some minor adjustments might need to be made. Luckily the bottom end of the bracket is connected with a couple big rivets that with some time on the bench grinder I was able to remove. I swapped out the rivets with some nylon spacers and stainless steel screws and lock nuts from the local hardware store. This modification solved both problems by leveling out the basket and positioning the whole assembly forward making room for the control cable routing.

I wanted to use the set up a couple weeks before writing about it to get a good idea of the baskets function. I do like some of the integrated handle bar baskets that are manufactured as one piece but these are pricey and also would have probably required reworking of the cable and jackets for the brakes and shifter. So as a simple experiment to see if I would even like a handlebar basket and a modest $20 investment I am a happy commuter. Riding without the backpack is very liberating. I am so glad to be leaving that thing at home in the closet. I like being able to keep an eye on my cargo and find that with a little weight in the basket the whole thing imparts a bit of damping to the steering. I actually like the way my bike rides now. The bike seems to track straighter and less twitchy than without the basket.

Sunlite Handlebar Basket