It’s not obvious why the attachment of baskets to bicycles should be gender-related, but in fact one observes that 100% of the bicycles with baskets on the front handlebars are ridden by women. In fact I find the effect feminine and charming, but I suspect that’s because of the riders.
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Comment feed for ongoing:
From: DaveW (Jul 14 2008, at 23:37)
See David Hembrow as one example http://www.hembrow.eu/personal/dscf6856.jpg
He makes custom baskets and it appears from his website many customers are male.
http://www.hembrow.eu/
I think you are looking from a North American perspective, try Denamrk or Netherlands for a different view.
Baskets are very practical and so used in countries where bikes are used in practical ways.
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From: John Cowan (Jul 14 2008, at 23:47)
Bike baskets are the analogue of purses and carrier-bags generally, and probably reflect women's original role as food gatherers.
(Me, I wear a backpack.)
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From: Russ (Jul 14 2008, at 23:48)
Men use plastic milk crates to carry our extraterrestrials.
-Russ
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From: Janne (Jul 15 2008, at 01:44)
Probably a cultural thing. In Osaka men and women alike use baskets. Also, both mostly use bicycles with a "low step" frame, without an upper crossbar, whereas that would be used only by women in Sweden.
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From: aharden (Jul 15 2008, at 06:14)
Baskets are like purses. Handlebar-mounted utility bags (like I use) are like backpacks.
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From: dr2chase (Jul 15 2008, at 08:33)
I've observed much the same thing, but I have a hard time calling that "cargo".
THIS is cargo:
<img src="http://dr2chase.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/snowloadrear.jpg?w=500&h=811">
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From: Ian Phillips (Jul 15 2008, at 09:07)
Where I am (London) it's pretty gender specific as well, men seem to prefer panniers over the rear wheel if they have some form of storage attached to the bike at all.
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From: Dominic Mitchell (Jul 15 2008, at 12:30)
I beg to differ. I've been riding my brompton with a bag for years. I find it excellent to the alternative of a rucksack and sweaty back. Especially with a the weight of most laptops
http://www.brompton.co.uk/
http://www.brompton.co.uk/images/bikepartoptions/big/Folding_Basket.jpg
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From: Avi Bryant (Jul 15 2008, at 12:50)
When I lived in Holland, the classic male pose was to have one hand on the handlebar, and the other hand behind him supporting a large square object balanced on the rat-trap - usually a case of beer, sometimes a television, and occasionally as large as an armchair.
Also acceptable (and common) on the rat-trap would be a woman or child, but they can balance themselves.
But for serious cargo you need what the Dutch call a bakfiets, which you can get in Vancouver at http://www.raincitybikes.com . Sadly, their whole site is Flash so I can't post a direct link.
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From: David Herron (Jul 15 2008, at 13:17)
Yeah, I think I've seen the same thing, though I also think I rarely see handlebar mounted carriers.
I do a lot of utility cargo carrying with my bicycles and have collected links to a whole range of cargo carrying products for bicycles. My current setup is a topeak rack with a bag and side baskets, and when I do grocery shopping etc I hook up a trailer to haul behind the bicycle.
http://www.7gen.com/website-categories/bicycle-cargo-trailer
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From: Michael (Jul 16 2008, at 06:34)
That's because men carry serious things on their bikes .. like other bikes:
http://michael.ellerman.id.au/blog/2006/03/24/the-weekend-happened/
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From: Alper Çuğun (Jul 25 2008, at 13:17)
The more heavy duty cargo carriers are as seen on this type of bike: http://www.transportfiets.net/foto/transportfiets_543.jpg
The much coveted Dutch ‘slagersfiets’ (trans.: butchers bike) or transport bike with a complete blog dedicated to it: http://www.transportfiets.net/
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