The Internet had told me that the big blue shopping bags sold at IKEA would work as a Dahon carrying case, so last night after work instead of heading straight home I piloted my fun little red bike south to the Renton IKEA. On this Saturday night the store is packed with people, many of whom look like college students getting entire dorm rooms worth of furnishings. My mission should be a quick in & out to get a couple of the fifty-nine cent bags but even though the bags are right by the entrance, I have to weave my way through the giant money-shaking rat maze of a warehouse store. It's easy to resist things too big to lug on my bike, but gadgets that pack flat and have terse umlaut-laden names beckon at every turn. I mostly stick to my original, frugal plan of attack, waylaid only by the füd at the in-store restaurant. I'm a sucker for those $4.99 meatballs and 99-cent choklad nöt bars.
Eventually, I break free from the this florescent shrine to global capitalism, buy my bags and head back out into the night. It's a lovely night and by shifting a block or so off the main roads, the roads clogged with all the folks seeking the fastest way home, I meander in the moonlit night. My headlamp picks out a raccoon couple who I'm sure know far more than I ever will about what can only be seen clearly in the dark.
These pictures attest to the success of my trip. Two fifty-nine cent IKEA bags make an excellent case for a Dahon Curve D3. The second bag upside-down forms the cover to keep the bike safe from prying eyes. It's not a bike, it's just a bag of stuff. Nothing to see here, move along. Perfect for the Jedi Mind Trick of getting my bike into all kinds of places.
Keep 'em rolling,
Kent
12 comments:
Great tips,thanks! Off to IKEA.
Nice! ...and in no way looks like something a little old lady would carry. Probably a very good way to get the little bike on a bus or train without freaking people out.
Thanks for the tip, Jack
Very nice. I've a brompton that I am starting to find a little heavy.
When will we get the rest of the s24o article?
i've bought my bivi bag and cut my groundsheet :0)
Hilarious! Of course, tempting me to get my bikes a folding friend to play with.
"It's not a bike, it's a box full of bike parts." has saved me the $5 bicycle fee on Amtrak many a times. Amtrak's checked luggage limit is 36x36x36 inches, who can't disassemble a little to fit a full size bike into those dimensions? Pffft I'm not paying five bucks just because my bag happens to contain a bicycle.
Hi Kent,
Nice Idea to use IKEA. But you missed a trick or two. Here in the UK the Big blue shed people make it easy for us to navigate in the shed by leaving short cuts all over the place. This saves you from all the temptation. More importantly it gets us to the checkout quicker.
Whilst you were in a bag buying mood you could have bought a small blue bag to store the two big bags in when not in use.Ha Ha !!
Nice bags. The $550 dollar price tag is a bit steep, but maybe I just have go for it.
As for bags in bags, I resemble that remark. I've got some boxes of boxes as well.
I can't stop wondering... Why didn't you ride your bike to get to the exit quicker :P
It looks cool and quite funny. But I use only back packs, since it is very easy and comfortable to carry all our needed stuffs. I use Hydrated back pack, which I bought from Hydrapak, through online shopping.
Even better from IKEA is the under bed storage bag. IT fits the bike completely, has handles, and a two way zipper
read this too late!! as a newbie rider, bought a Tern bike bag for I think over RGT100! used pun tak cukup 5 times
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