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A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
The Origin8 CargoUnit is a great piece of “why did this take so long” common sense technology. These are handle bars that have an integrated basket which is large enough to hold a bike lock, a grocery bag, and anything else that will fit. The construction is rugged, true to Origin8’s line of strong/light components.
These are superior to any number of bolt-on accessories because the basket is part of the handlebars. Aftermarket baskets bounce, come loose, and scratch up the finish of whatever they’re attached to. Because the basket is one with the handlebars, there is none of that. Plus, there’s no way to steal the basket as they are welded together.
Speaking of the weld, these are not toys. The gauge of the tubing and the strength of the joints are on par with pro equipment. This product is serious, and comes at a rise & width to replace bars on fixies, hybrids, or even BMX geometries. — James Roche
I don’t own a car, so when I go to the store for large quantities of beer or buckets of cat litter I use the CETMA, a lightweight steel rack that’s tough as nails. I know a couple messengers that have crashed and the rack took the brunt of the force dishing it out to car doors or whatever obstacle happened to be there, and the rack only absorbed a slight crinkle or bend without compromising anything at all in it’s performance. I’ve been using a CETMArack for a couple years and currently have a 5-rail on my ’81 single speed, all-weather utility grocery coffee shop beer bike (a 3-rail is plenty big enough if you only plan an occasional twelve pack or a couple library books; they also offer a 7-rail version!). Keeping the load up front over the front wheel lets you control the weight a bit more and doesn’t bog down like a rear rack. You cannot ride like you normally would, hopping curbs or diving into corners when you have 27 pounds of cat litter on the front. But it’s good to get a change of pace once in a while; a gravity reminder keeps you humble. I also like CETMAracks because of the guy who makes them. Made by hand in Eugene, OR. No outsourcing. No overseas production. And now they even include home-baked cookies with your order. — Mark Pilder
Most bicycle panniers work well for touring, but don’t meet the needs of people who use their bikes for commuting or shopping everyday. The typical pannier has a main compartment sealed with a zipper or flap, plus a few smaller pockets. The tourist packs it like a hiker would pack a backpack. However, these bags don’t easily hold the urban cyclists’ cargo of shopping bags, daypacks, and laptop computers. An open-topped pannier that works more like a basket than a backpack provides a better way of carrying this kind of gear. These large bags, usually called grocery bag panniers, or shopping panniers, allow you to carry all kinds of oddly-shaped loads and fold flat when not in use. The key to using shopping bag panniers is to keep your gear in a separate bag that you can drop into the pannier. Day packs or book bags work well. I’ve used dry bags when it rains, but have found that plastic garbage bags are easier and cheaper. Having an open-topped bag also gives you a quick place to toss your bike lock, and the convenient access makes it easier to shed clothing layers as you warm up.
Several companies make them. The Jandd grocery bag pannier seems to be the sturdiest, but is also the most expensive, at around US$45 for a single pannier. REI sells a similar, but less refined, bag for US$80 per pair. My favorites, which I use everyday, are the Nashbar Townie baskets, which cost US$17 each. Unlike the other grocery bag panniers, they don’t use a rectangular metal frame to reinforce the top of the bag. This means that they don’t hold their shape quite as well as the others, but it lets the opening at the top adjust to different shaped cargo, like a bulky laptop bag. They’re cheap enough that I leave them on the bike all the time, but they remove quickly enough that I can conveniently take one with me to carry stuff while the bike is parked. — Tom Sackett
Traveling through other countries, we’ve often noticed child cycling carriers where the child sits forward of the rider — this allows them better visibility and puts them in reach/view of the rider, unlike seats that mount to a rear rack. My sister even went as far as to bring one back from the UK to use with her kids. We hunted, but couldn’t find the same thing in the US until two years ago. Now we use it once or twice a week when weather permits. Aside from being a much safer and secure version of the one my sister has, the WeeRide Kangaroo has some other very clear advantages.
The injection-molded seat mounts to an extremely sturdy bar that clamps to the seat post and steerer tube. This allows the seat to be removed quickly and easily when not in use. This is done by unscrewing a single large bolt. Also, the carrier features a padded “face pad” which 1) keeps your passenger from messing with your handlebars and controls; 2) protects your passenger from smacking his/her face on the handlebars (assuming you left the four-point harness too loose); and 3) gives your passenger a natural place to rest his/her head when sleeping. In addition, the Kangaroo’s foot cups are adjustable and flexible, but I’ve never seen a child get his/her toes anywhere near the front wheel.
A few caveats: The harness probably has six feet more webbing than it really needed, but I was able to clean up ours with a handful of safety pins. The seat is wide enough you have to ride somewhat bow-legged, but you get used to it pretty quickly. The footrests don’t go down far enough for larger children. Don’t expect to fit a three-year-old kid into it.
Our youngest just turned one, so we have at least another season with it, which we’ll relish: We love being able to interact more with our passenger, and I’m sure the kid likes the view a whole lot better. — Yitah Wu
This kit transforms a regular bike into an SUB (sports utility bike) by extending back the rear wheel and adding a seat and baggage platform. I’ve had my SUB for two years now. I find it makes owning a car completely unnecessary! I’ve transported my folding kayak on it. I’ve taken my girlfriend and her Australian Blue Heeler on it. I’ve moved furniture. It’s crazy how stable it is. In many ways I prefer how it handles to my regular bike! And for giving people tours around NYC people just LOVE it.
You can modify your bike yourself, but I ended up taking it to a bike shop to have it installed. — Jens Rasmussen
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