This article was originally written on Flickr by a friend of mine Joey Emanuel from Charlotte, NC.
These deep buckets are perfect for grocery getting or any utility type errands you might want to handle with your bicycle.
For a size reference, the buckets will hold two 4 1/2 gallon cartons of soy milk in each! THIS REFERENCE IS FOR VOLUME COMPARISON ONLY! *If you were to put 4 1/2 gallon cartons of soy milk in your bucket, you may exceed the strength limitations of the bucket and the rack would end up with a sad and delicious mess.
* I’ve also fit a big frozen pizza diagonally in one during a moment of weakness for cheese.
You Need One or Two Buckets
The buckets can be any size you want, pick the right one for your load and your bike rack.
These are 9 & 1/4 x 9 & 1/4 x 13 inches deep. Pretty honkin’ big. When fully loaded, just one can exceed the weight capacity for my rack, but sometimes I prefer to push the limits of bicycle carrying capacity rather than using my car. A bucket with a handle helps out a lot.
Other Tools You May Need
- 4 Machine bolts and 4 nuts per bucket.
- 9-10 matching flat washers per bucket.
- An adjustable rubber strap to tension the bucket to the bottom of the rack stays.
- 2 hooks per bucket.
- 1 miscellaneous bolt and nut to secure the rubber strap. (I think mine were spare fender bolts.)
- A utility knife
- A screwdriver
- Pliers
- A power drill with bits that will accommodate each size of bolt.
Not pictured
- A pencil or marking device
- Reflective 3m Tape
Step One:
- Being careful not to choose a side of the bucket where the wire handle is connected, pick a side to mount the hooks on.
- Make a mark on either side of the trapezoidal bulge; a straight line where the hooks will go.
Step Two
- Mark the width of the hook on both the flanges that protrude from the side of the bucket. You’re going to cut through these with a utility knife. Once these flanges are notched, you can bolt the hook to the side of the bucket and the hook will be flush. (Really, I don’t get the opportunity to say ‘flush’ enough.)
Step Three
- Cut the flanges where you marked them.
Step Four
- Score the flanges between each cut. Doesn’t have to be too deep, just enough to fold the notch you’ve made until it pops off.
Step Five
- Now you can place your hook where you want it to go. Some people bolt their hooks so that the top of the bucket is flush with their rack. This is helpful if you have something large to attach to the wide platform of bucket and rack, like a frozen pizza, family-size 36-roll package of toilet paper, case of beer, etc. Mark where you will drill your holes in the next step.
Step Six
- Drill your bolt holes!
Step Seven
- Using washers, put those bolts through the hooks and the bucket. Make sure to put washers on the inside too, underneath the nuts!
Step Eight
- I cut my rubber strap to six inches long, but this depends on your rack, how tight you want the strap, and the type of bucket you use. If you’re using one of these adjustable straps, try to cut between two of the holes.
Step Nine
- Because I hang my buckets as far back on the rack as they’ll go (to avoid heel strike) I choose a spot just forward of the middle of the bucket’s side to anchor the rubber strap. If you’re making a bucket for the right of the bike, the anchor would be on the left of center, if it’s a bucket for the left, anchor on the right of center. This way, when mounted, the strap hangs just above the place
where it hooks to the rack. - Drill the hole through both the trapezoidal bulge and the inside wall of the bucket.
Step Ten
- Slide the cut end of the strap underneath the trapezoidal bulge.
- Now grab that spare fender bolt and poke it through the trapezoidal bulge, the strap and the inner wall of the bucket. Make sure you get the bolt through the hole in the strap, sandwiching it between the layers of plastic bucket.
- Give it a tug to make sure it’s caught.
- Inside the bucket, screw a nut on the end of the anchor bolt. You can put a washer on first if you want, if your bolt is long enough.
Step Eleven
- Crimp the “S” hook around the strap slightly so that when mounted on your rack the pointy bugger won’t poke and scratch a hole in your bucket. This helps your bucket hang upright when on the rack.
All Done!
Mounting the Buckets
