We’ve spent more than ten hours researching front and rear bike baskets to put together this list of the very best bike baskets on the market right now. Our recommendation for most people is the Sunlite Woody QR Rack Top Basket ( Link to Amazon ) – a big, spring-loaded rear basket made of durable alloy and wood construction. If you prefer a classic front basket, we recommend the Electra Linear QR Mesh Low Profile Basket ( Link to REI ).
-Best Overall Rear Rack Basket-
Sunlite Woody QR Rack Top Basket
There’s something very continental and perhaps avantgarde about the design of this 11.8(L)- x 15.7(W) x 7(H)-inch bicycle basket, so if you like to pretend that you’re rolling down Avenue des Champs-Élysées on your way to work on your morning commute, this durable alloy and wood design with rubber carry handle stands ready to cart your brioche and Fromage (that’s your usual lunch, right?) in addition to other items in need of transport.
This basket not only looks stylish, but it mounts to your rear rack via two spring-loaded clamps, so if you dislike the way front-mounted bikes look, this one could be exactly what you’re looking for.
But elegance comes at a price. This basket will cost over three times the amount you would spend on our next recommendation, so if you’re short on Euros, you may wish to investigate less expensive options until la grand-mère’s estate and the final reading of her will has been sorted out.
-Best for Kids-
BIRIA Basket with Hooks
Must you be a kid to park this fun basket on your handlebars? Don’t be silly. Part of the reason you’re passionate about cycling is that it puts you in the same carefree state of mind you enjoyed before adulthood reared its ugly head. Available in either black or green (for some reason, the green one costs 70-cents more), both colors sport the same universal message: I Heart My Bike. While you, too, may heart this basket, understand that it’s kid-sized and won’t hold much at 10.5(L)- x 7(W)- x 6.5(W)-inches.
Manufactured with hooks that stay put even if whoever rides this bike is a wild child, this product is removable, crafted of wire mesh, extremely popular, and easy to position on the bike or remove it using the swing-up handle. Your child can only hold 8 pounds of stuff in this 15-ounce basket, but if that stuff happens to be wet swimsuits, science experiments, or a family of frogs collected from a local stream, this mesh material will make sure drips and drops drain out before she brings her bike indoors.
-Decent Size, Hand-Woven-
Colorbasket Front Handle Bar Basket
The look is charming and classic, reminiscent of the old days when wicker bicycle baskets were woven of natural materials. But this Colorbasket handlebar-mounted carrier won’t deteriorate over time as those wicker baskets did.
This one is crafted of a water-resistant synthetic cord, so you can expect years of use and service because the raw material won’t crack. As an added note, this material won’t cut your fingers when you retrieve items because, unlike wicker, this synthetic won’t splinter.
Even though the material used for making this basket is synthetic, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t hand-woven using a patent-pending crafting method and all of the materials used to make this roomy 14.5(L)- x 10.75(W) x 9.75(H)-inch basket are water-resistant and impervious to U.V. rays so that fading won’t be a problem down the road.
This clever basket’s leather straps add a touch of nostalgia that is charming, and while it isn’t cheap, you may not care about the price since it’s roomy and built to withstand years of stylish cycling.
-Steel Construction, Great Shape-
SUNLITE Rack Top Wire
If only a sleek, no-frills wire basket will do for your errands, commute, or recreational needs, you can’t go wrong with this highly-rated, affordable Sunlite rack top wire basket that gives you 16(L)- x 13(W)- x 8(H)-inches of interior space plus coated wire materials that stand up to all sorts of weather conditions.
If you’re weary of wimpy wire, this one could be a game-changer for you since this product is crafted of high-quality steel. Mount it atop your rear rack top using the mounting plates and hardware that are included with the basket itself.
Folks who have bought this basket say that it holds 110 pounds of contents, so whether you deliver items for a living or you like to take your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel out for rides because she loves the feel of her ears flapping in the wind, this basket is easy to install and it takes only a few minutes to attach it, so even if you’re not handy, mounting this rack should be a piece of cake for you.
-Best Folding Basket-
Topeak Trolley Tote Folding Basket
Weighing just 4 pounds and sporting a price tag that approximates that of the Colorbasket faux-wicker basket, this product is designed for cyclists who want to make certain that nothing escapes when they ride. Resembling the plastic crates used to stow household items in closets and transport items in car trunks, once you take it off the bike, this folding basket morphs into a rolling trolley on wheels with a telescopic handle that makes it easy to pull.
Get MTX QuickTrack slide and click mounting capabilities, so installation and removal are easy to accomplish, and the basket interior can accommodate 25L of whatever suits your fancy. When folded up, this basket measures 13.4(L)- x 14.1(W)- x 5.6(H)-inches; fully opened, dimensions are 13.4(L)- x 17.4(W)- x 10.1(H)-inches. “Well worth the money!” say cyclists who love the product, but keep this in mind if you decide to buy it: This basket only hosts a Topeak rack, which can nearly double the cost of this unique basket if your rack isn’t a Topeak.
-Best for Beach Cruisers-
Nantucket Bicycle Basket Company Basket
Let’s say your child is precocious enough to demand a bicycle basket that offers all of the vintage charm of fish baskets used to bring fisherman’s catch to market in the past, and you don’t mind spending a decent sum of money to accommodate her. There’s only one solution: a Nantucket Bicycle Basket Co. basket designed with vintage in mind. Even the name of this basket’s color is nautical: it’s called Cruiser white.
Unlike the faux wicker Colorbasket featured above, the material used to fashion this carrier is the real thing: durable, natural rattan. Measuring 10(L)- x 7.5(W)- x 7.5(H)-inches, this kid-sized basket is trimmed with adjustable leather straps and attaches to handlebars, but if your child’s dog weighs more than 8 pounds, you may have to trade nostalgia for the price since this Nantucket basket costs much more than our best pick, the Biria basket.
-Best Overall Front Basket-
Electra Linear QR Mesh Low Profile Basket
This is the basket to choose if the pet you like to chauffeur around weighs up to 22 pounds. This spacious steel mesh basket, compatible with a wide variety of bike cargo racks, is promoted as more than a doggie cab; it’s an ideal option for folks packing everything from beach towels to materials for a work commute. Because this is the only low-profile mesh basket in this group, you won’t be able to hide the contents, so no contraband, please.
Measuring 15(L)- x 11(W)- x 5(H)-inches, the side handles operate the spring-loaded bracket that anchors the basket to the rack, and it’s straightforward to make that connection thanks to tool-free installation. The Electra wins versatility accolades: mount it to any front or rear rack measuring between 3 and 8-inches wide. Choose between black or graphite, and both come with cargo nets, so if there’s something in your basket that you don’t want to be seen, the net is handy — and the price isn’t outrageous, either.
-Best Pet Carrier-
Lixada Bike Basket and Pet Carrier
Must you get a mutt in order to justify buying this basket? Not really. And since cats rarely cooperate when you take them for rides, stick to the long list of other items Lixada recommends: shopping, picnicking, and your job commute.
This carrier folds, detaches, and attaches to your handlebars, and thanks to the proprietary quick-release system, you won’t spend eternity fastening and removing it. This carrier comes in two size models, types 1 and 2. The second accommodates pets weighing up to 22 pounds.
Affordably priced and available in a crazy range of colors and patterns (3 shades of grey; paw prints and flowers, for example), you can use this aluminum alloy, and oxford cloth basket to tote personal items once removed from the bike, so it becomes a carrier.
Affordably priced, there’s up to a $6 difference between tear-proof cloth patterns – just in case your cat has not been declawed. The two plastic straps on this handlebar-mounted basket can add capacity, but they won’t work as a safety harness for your pet, so please provide your own.
-Swivel Design Front/Rear-
Blackburn Local Basket
Plan to exceed your basket budget if you’ve allocated a modest amount and fallen for this basket’s sparse design. It comes in black, and it’s easy to install, says Blackburn, by using the mounting hardware to link up with braze-on, brake bosses or p-clamps. Once installed, this basket swivels, and both the height and width are adjustable, so it fits most road and mountain bike wheel sizes.
If you’re looking for a disc-brake compatible basket, this is it, and the cargo net keeps everything secure, whether you prefer to carry your load in front or behind you. At 19(L)- x 14(W)- x 6(H)-inches, this roomy basket isn’t a featherweight at nearly 5 pounds. Do yourself a favor and read this basket’s reviews before you open your wallet, so you’re prepared for this basket’s positive and negative owner reactions.
-Simple Design, Decent Size-
Wald 582 Folding Rear Bicycle Basket
As one of the least expensive rear bicycle baskets on this list, you would think that it was shoddily made, but in truth, hundreds of shoppers say incredible things about this product, so you owe it to yourself to consider it if it looks like it will meet your needs. Available in black, silver and white, this folding basket offers you lots of space for your cargo, and it mounts unobtrusively on the side of your rear bicycle rack.
Once folded down, this lithe carrier is only 1-inch thick and weighs just 1 pound, so all you need is a small sliver of space to store it when you’re not using it. Measuring 12.75(L)- x7.25(W)- x 8(H)-inches, this isn’t the largest basket in this group, but it is one of the cheapest and you wouldn’t be the first person to buy two and mount them on either side of your ride if you transport lots of stuff and like the balanced feel.
Front vs. Rear Bike Basket
Bicycling reporters Caitlin Giddings and Riley Missel recently were given the “difficult task” of comparing front v. rear bike baskets for the publication. Offering sage advice that has likely already dawned on you, the first thing to consider is a no-brainer:
What do you plan to put into your basket?
If you’re only making an occasional run to a local store, you don’t need “a gaping, rear-mounted option like the Blackburn Local.” Instead, a Biria City Basket is likely to be just what you need.
Do you expect to haul 15 pounds of stuff or more?
Choose a handlebar-mounted basket, and you may not be a happy biker! Ergonomically, the rear of any bike is a better choice because your steering won’t be impeded, and you can avoid handling dilemmas.
Will you be using your basket primarily for bringing your dog along as you go about your day?
Forget a low-profile design like the Electric Linear, especially if you’ve got a rambunctious puppy who won’t hesitate to jump overboard at the sight of another pooch. Even if you have him restrained, low sides are much to inviting, so if you don’t want to strangle your pet, stay away from this style of basket.
Read more: 10 Best Handlebar Bags in 2021
Materials
From those beautiful willow and wicker baskets that wind up on the pages of magazines dedicated to all things vintage to an assortment of metals that range from aluminum to steel, you’ve probably already figured out that no raw materials are off-limits.
The Internet is happy to instruct you on how to make a DIY basket from stuff you’ve got lying around the house, and if you’re seeking inspiration, Pinterest is your go-to resource.
What material will work best for you? We don’t like to sound repetitive, but the material best-suited to your particular needs has everything to do with what you carry on a regular basis.
From soft-cloth carriers that are comfy for dogs to steel mesh baskets or plastic ideal for toting heavyweight loads or items that are perishable, there are plenty of choices on the market – and who says picking your basket can’t come down to eye appeal if a basket meets your other criteria?
What do you plan to carry in your bike basket?
A recent article appearing in an online Popular Science posting offers an in-depth look at the reasons just about everything, and anything you need to transport is ably handled by your bicycle, and to prove the point, we unearthed this Galaxy ad run by Samsung to prove our point.
If the basket you like meets your budget and fits your bike, your ability to transport everything portable via your bike basket is only limited by your imagination and the diversity of the items you intend to transport from place to place. That, and the size of your dog, of course. If you decide to adopt a Rottweiler or a Newfoundland, you’d better have a talk with him and inform him that his outings will only be by car!
Editors’ Recommendations:
