Crosstown Bixi with Saddle Bags

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Panniers are MEC AquaNauts

Ever wonder what to do with all your cycle gear if you have to leave it at the bike shop because of a broken spoke. It’s not like you can just lock it in the trunk and only give the garage the valet key. Yesterday, I had the chance to figure all this crap out.

First off, a little back story. I jumped a bad curb coming off the Banana Bridge in Valois on Wednesday and not only pinch a tube but busted a spoke. After fixing the flat, I managed to secure the spoke and get into town. I dropped off the bike at my fave LBS: Martin Swiss and then went back to work. When it came time to pick up the bike on Thursday evening, I really did not feel like taking the bus in cycle shorts and shoes. So I came up with the idea of getting the Westmount shop via Bixi bike. A buddy lent me his key for 45 minutes and then I had to figure how to strap the paniers to a rackless bike. Luckily the Bixi bikes has a make shift sturdy bask made for strapping in a attache case or something of similar size.  So I would be able to get one of the bags in but what about the second? Well it turns out that you can feed the Bixi bungy chord through the straps and position the bag so it faces forward over the first bag. It looks stupid and is bit awkward to ride with but it does the trick.

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The funniest part of course is riding across town along Maisonneuve in full cycle gear: shoes, shorts, shirt, helmet and gloves while everyone else is still wearing their city clothes. Even the courriers were having a good chuckle at my behalf. Oh well it’s not like it’s the first time this summer.
bixi-Central-Westmount

 

The setup got me to the shop in time to pick up the Hornet and get back home again safely and comfortably on a great bike that already served me for 3000KM this summer.

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