As 2004 looms, our commitment to traveling by bike burns bright. Nothing that's happened in the last 3 years or so would lead you to believe that we'd be better off with a greater dependence on fossil fuels, with all their political, financial, and environmental baggage. It's a small piece of the picture, but if ridin' your bike will help save the world…well, we have to start somewhere, eh?

One of the barriers to using our bikes more as transportation is cargo capacity, and that's what is on my mind right now. I thought I'd give you some ideas, all tested by various Velo Citizens, our buds, and team mates.

Messenger Bag: For a while there it looked like you weren't gonna be able to call yourself a cyclist w/out a Timbuk 2 bag, but let's not hold accidental trendiness against this near-perfect product. For your lunch and a change of clothes, for a full day's worth of textbooks, or a quick trip to the market, it's hard to beat it. 4 different sizes, tough as nails, good lookin' in a " Hey ain't I hip" kinda way, and a moderate load rides pretty comfortable. Better than a backpack in the sweat-up-your-back dept. and the first one you ever buy will be the last one you'll ever need. (Although there are 16 @ my house)

Rack and Panniers: The traditional choice for touring, panniers work pretty good around town as well, especially when there's something heavy that you haul all the time, like a lock. Reasonably weatherproof, and versitile and they give your bike that serious Euro look. Not all bikes are rack-friendly, although all the good choices for commuting will be. We have some really cool bags that fit a grocery bag just right, just the ticket for the Farmer's Market!

Trailers: Man, a trailer is just so cool! Lots of capacity, surprisingly easy to pull, at least on the flats, and a great choice for a long tour. We stock both of Burleys's cargo models.

Xtracycle: Ok, now we're getting' down to it! The 'Free Radical" from Xtracycle basically turns your ATB or cruiser into a pickup truck. Designed by some dudes who wanted to get their surfboards down to the beach, an Xtracycle will haul up to 200 lb. of guitars, firewood, groceries, laundry, buddies, tools, firewood, bird seed, or whatever. We're having lots of fun with ours, and I really think it's a great thing. It's not cheap, (Around 4 bills), and it's not something you'll take on and off on a regular basis, but if you have a bike you can dedicate to it, it Rocks with a capital "R"!

Other ideas: I know there's more, Carridice saddlebags, rack trunks, back packs, baskets, etc. I just wanted to give you something to think about.

So…ride your bike. Today. If you get wet, get some fenders or rainwear. If you get cold, get some foul weather gear. If you have to carry a bunch of stuff, well, you know. We're here to help, give us a shout or stop by the shop.