What's in your Freeloader?
While searching for a Band-Aid in my FreeLoader the other day, I came across a few of the strangest things. This prompted me to take everything out and do some early spring cleaning. (Thankfully cleaning out a FreeLoader is not at all similar to cleaning out a car – I didn’t find spilled milk or moldy cheese or anything gross in there).
Find anything interesting in your bike bag lately? Please share!
– Anne
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Anne & Tim
Tim King
Anne
cfdgirl
Tim K
Car Free Days 
I’m constantly amazed by the junk I haul about as well. I’ll do a proper inventory soon, but at the moment I’m hiding lots of candles and nice things in there so my wife doesn’t see them before Valentines day- it’s probably the only place whe won’t look…
Sorry, that should read “Probably the only place SHE won’t look…”
I guess I should get a bike bag! Since my rides are so short, I kind of just cross my fingers and hope I won’t get a flat or have any other issues while riding. I do have a lot of random things in my purse, which rides on the back rack.
I love the kids toys. I’m a new Dummy owner (jan 09), so I’m still figuring out what to carry.
I’ve set my Dummy up for commuting and kid hauling. I use the Tekdeck for commuting and the wood deck for kid hauling. I have some pics posted on the facebook group called “I love my surly big dummy”
Regards,
AC
In the freeloader, Rope, an old inner tube for tying things down and some legos. And the bag has a watercolor kit, sketch pad, pens and a wrench or two.
LOL, I’m going to take a look in my bag and get back to you.
You folks in Seattle are spring cleaning, but we are still deep into winter up here in Alaska. Check out a road report at my blog
http://lifeinspenard.wordpress.com/
Cheers! Ang
Nothing out of the ordinary today: zipties, reflective vest, u-lock, old wool socks (emergency gloves/socks), tool kit burrito, tube, more zipties, neoprene saddle cover, bungees found on roadside, garage door opener, rags, seemingly old granola bar, pump, some of those little “tell a friend” cards that came with my Xtracycle (though most of them are illegible now), and the pegs that hold on the KickBack kickstand (the H-racks are holding it on right now).
Matt, you should mount your garage door opener on your handlebars where it belongs! 😉
Nothing unusual in mine…mostly an assortment of bungie cords and other tiedowns for when I find something cool on the side of the road to haul home. I have a stack of waterlogged “Xtracycle: Tell a Friend” cards in there, too.
Good reminders – I really should add some straps and bungee cords to my bag. I’ve been caught with too much stuff on more than one occasion and had to get creative with the Freeloader straps.
Ang – we usually get some spring teaser weather in mid-February. Don’t worry, the miserable rain will return soon enough, it always does.
Haha! That reminds me of the other day when I left my bike basket sitting on the floor in the living room — my 15 month-old had a field day! Receipts and bungee cords were all over the place!
Turns out I have a good quantity of glitter in my bags (since all the preschool papers go in there for the ride home). Also the regular toolkit/first aid kit/pump/u-lock/bungee cord assortment. Other miscellaneous items – extra helmet, grocery bags, several pairs of gloves and a red plastic capital U.
Anne – I loved your ‘kid essentials.’ Nice ladder.
You’ve beat me to it….On Monday, I started a draft titled “What’s in YOUR Bag?”. Seriously!
To give you a sneak peak: paper airplanes, bungee cords, empty ziplock bags, spare hats and gloves, grocery bags, spare change, business cards…..
MaryBeth
I don’t remember what’s in my panniers. Every so often I notice something in there and have a “so that’s where it’s been!” moment, and then promptly forget about it.
I’ve got to be honest, though, I haven’t been on my bike in months. I walk to most of where I need to go.
I’ve got a mostly un-related question for you: One of the biggest reasons I don’t bike is that I usually have my hair pulled back in a way that I can’t put a helmet on over it comfortably or safely. Add changing my hairdo time to getting my bike out of the basement time (and pumping up my tires time, because it’s been too long since my last bike ride), and I may as well just walk there. How do you do your hair for cycling? How do other women deal with it?
vegyear,
I used to walk a lot, but now that I’ve gotten into the habit of biking, I really like biking more. It’s so much faster! I can get across town in 20 to 30 minutes on my bike. It would take me an hour or more to walk or bus the same distance. Biking is also better for my back (I don’t have to haul stuff in bags and backpacks etc,I just put it in my bike bag and go).
Hair has never been an issue for me – I have big curly hair and smashing it with a helmet usually does it some good. 🙂 I usually wear it down or in a low ponytail.
Like anything else, there are many excuses you can make for not cycling (hair,clothes). It just takes a little time and practice to change routines and habits.
Good luck!
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