The bicycle basket is an efficient way of transporting stuff. They’re often cheaper than pannier bags, easy to load and come in a wide range of styles. If you don’t know where to begin when choosing a basket, I’m here to help.
Amsterdam is an excellent gauge when it comes to choosing a basket for your bike. There are over a million bicycles on the streets, most of which are kept outside. They have to contend with the weather while getting smacked around when parked next to other bikes.
Here are my suggestions to get you biking with that perfect basket.
Wicker and Rattan Bike Baskets
The Wood Bike Crate
The Bicycle Milk Crate
Four out of five bicyclists in Amsterdam use the milk crate, making them by far and away the most popular bike basket.
A successful promotion run by the upscale grocery store Marqt may have contributed to these numbers. But Dutch practicality plays more of a role since milk crates are affordable, easy to install using cheap zip ties and can take a beating.
The Steel Wire Mesh Basket
What about alternatives?
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Great post! It’s something special watch all kind of bike baskets in A’dam. One time I saw a Lego one!
Would be great add a photo of a plastic beer crates and also talk a little bit about the flowers in them! :D
By the way, I recommend you an Instagram about graffiti on bike crates in Amsterdam, probably you know it, but it’s called @amsterdambikecrates
It’s really cool because is only a phenomenom of NL (and maybe only in the big cities of the Randstad, I haven’t seen that in the north, at least not at that level!)
Keep rolling!
Hey thanks for your comment Carlos! A post on beer crates is in the works. I think they deserve one ;)
I’m not aware of @amsterdambikecrates, but will definitely check them out.
Cheers!
Helpful links, thanks. Little mention of theft – removable metal baskets are fine but I expect they’d be stolen on day 1 here in Berlin. Great tip re: cable ties for milk crates
Hey thanks Sam! Appreciate your comment. Removable baskets would pose a risk for theft here too – if they are new.
I am interested in knowing what brand the very first wicker basket photo is right above the basil brand wicker basket. It is hard to zoom in and read the brand name it looks like wic X iced but cant tell or find it on line. Anyone who has any idea and can tell me where I can find this bike basket and who makes it I would really really appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me my email address is kbgfeldman@gmail.com. Thank you again
Kristen
Link to photo of bike basket I am inquiring about
https://rollingspoke.com/live/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bikebaskets_n2.jpg
Hi Kristen, the brand of the wicker bike basket you are inquiring about is by “Wicked.” The model is likely called “Seagrass.” They are marginally available in Europe, though not sure where else you can find it. Hope that helps ;)