96
Transporting baggage
There are various ways of carrying baggage
on a bike. Your choice will primarily depend
on the weight and volume of the baggage
and on the bike you want to use. Mountain
bikers and racing cyclists often carry their
baggage in a rucksack on their back. In this
way the additional load influences the per-
formance of your bike the least.
However, there are also many ways of fasten-
ing baggage directly to a bike.
Bikes equipped with a carrier permit you
to fasten a bag or basket to the carrier top.
However, this solution is the least favorable
in terms of the bike’s riding performance. A
better one is to carry your baggage in stable
pannier bags, as this lowers the overall centre
of gravity.
When buying pannier bags make sure they
are water-tight so that the first heavy rain
does not turn into a very bad surprise.
Another way of loading your baggage is in
handlebar bags. They are often equipped
with snap buckles for quick mounting and
. Baggage
removal. Handlebar bags are particularly
suitable for valuables and photo equipment.
Lowrider bags for the front of the bike are
mounted to the fork by means of special hold-
ers. They are a usefull add-on for long tours.
They are well suited for heavy items, as they
hardly affect the rider’s control of the bike as
a result of the good weight distribution.
Do not overload your carrier and be sure to
observe the imprinted or engraved permis-
sible maximum load. Do not exceed the per-
missible load bearing capacity of the bike
indicated in chapter 3.
“Before your first
ride”
.
Make sure the weight of your
baggage is favourably distributed
when loading your bike. Heavy items should
be carried as close to the ground as pos-
sible. Handlebar bags and bags mounted
to the top of the carrier are only suited for
lightweight objects.
Do not overload your bike (see chap-
ter 3.
“Before your first ride“
) and
observe the maximum load bearing capac-
ity printed on or impressed in your carri-
er. Baggage generally changes the riding
characteristics of your bike and makes your
stopping distance longer! Practise riding a
loaded bike in a place clear of traffic.
