Front-mounted bike baskets are a great way to quickly stash items for your bike ride without carrying a bag. It is much more convenient to drop something into a basket while taking a quick cruise around the neighborhood or down the oceanfront.
First, I will walk you through the decision making process for finding the right basket. I did my best to come up with all of the questions I would need answered to find the right product.
Then, we’ll get into some recommendations! I looked at the best detachable, pet-friendly, load carrying, and trendy baskets out there and came up with the 5 best I think you will enjoy.
Baskets were evaluated based on size, weight capacity, and ease of installation.
If you get value from this article and are still interested in storage options for your next bike trip, please head over and check out my recent blog post on commuter and messenger bags.
Buying Guide For The Best Front & Rear Bike Basket
So, what should you consider when buying a basket for the front of your bike?
When looking for a front bike basket, you should first consider your new basket’s size and function. Then, you must consider how hard the basket is to install, how much weight it can hold, and of course, how it looks!
How to Choose Bike Basket Installation Mounting Brackets?
There is almost the same number of basket mounting solutions as there are baskets. Each has its strengths and weaknesses.
I would recommend using a basket with front axle mounts if you don’t have front suspension. They are more complicated to install, but you will get so much more stability out of your basket.
Heavy loads will absolutely need front axe brackets to support the load.
Smaller baskets and lighter loads could be attached with simple buckles or even Velcro straps. These solutions make it easy to remove your basket when you don’t want it on or for cleaning.
Brackets without front axle support are much easier to install, but they sometimes rely on friction or cheap plastic parts to keep the load from rotating down. The basket on one of my bikes pictured above could have been drastically improved with lower support.
It has a piece that comes in contact with the handlebars to prevent rotation. However, this device is part of the overall clamp that relies on friction. Friction isn’t enough after you hit a few bumps!
If you look close you can see where the basket has rubbed on the bike frame… Annoying!
Ensure you research the basket you want closely and make sure it has the proper mounting system for the specific handlebars you have.
Front Bike Basket Capacity. How Much Can it Hold?
A larger basket can help you hold more, but that isn’t always the best choice.
Many bikes have total weight limits that are somewhere around 250-300 pounds. Adding a bunch of weight into the front basket could cause you to exceed this weight limit.
In addition to this concern, weight over the front tire could reduce the overall bike stability and make it difficult to balance. Front bike baskets are mounted upon the handlebars resulting in a high center of gravity.
My recommendation is if you plan on carrying loads over the 12-15 pound range, you should seriously consider another solution.
A rear bike bracket with a container or basket on top is probably the best solution for a commuter who will log a lot of miles. If you are considering hauling some serious loads, a tow-behind trailer may also work.
What is the Best Bike Basket Material?
There really isn’t one material that is better than the others for every Look for strong materials if you plan to load up your basket with heavy items.
Corrosion resistant metals and water resistant fabrics are good choices if you will have your bike out in the rain alot.
Materials that aren’t quite as strong have the advantage of being lighter, lowering the overall weight over the front tire.
What Design is right for you?
Baskets that can be detached easily or removed completely in a few minutes are very convenient. Maybe you only ride with your dog once or twice a month.
In this case, a detachable bike basket may be the perfect solution!
Another key factor to consider is how well the style of the basket matches your bike. Something modern and compact may go better with your commuter, whereas a more retro design may be the right match for your fixie with a Brooks bike seat.
If you won’t be using a bag and plan on storing small items, make sure that
Front Bike Basket Review Summary
- Best basket for heavy loads: Wald 157 Giant Delivery Basket
- Best basket for pets: PetSafe Happy Ride Wicker Bicycle Basket
- Best commuter solution: MATTISAM Bike Handlebar Bag
- Most functional design: COFIT Detachable Bike Basket
- Best looking: Bell Tote Series Bicycle Basket
Front Bike Basket Comparison Table
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Top 5 Best Front Bike Baskets
1.Wald 157 Giant Delivery Basket
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Wald is an American company that has specialized in making biking accessories since 1905. Back in the company’s early days, they made all accessories installed on all new models of major bike brands.
Over time, bike companies have shifted to making many of those parts themselves where it can be done much cheaper.
Wald sports continue to use their years of experience to make quality bike parts, and this Wald 157 Giant Delivery basket is no exception!
This basket is 21X15″ at the top and tapers down to 18.25X12.25″ at the bottom. That’s plenty of room for Fufu or a few bags from the grocery store. This basket, including its mounting brackets, weighs in at 7.8 pounds.
This basket is strong and durable, and built for large loads. It is perfect for a newspaper delivery route. Do those still exist?
Some riders put over 30 pounds in this basket! Please be careful with that much weight as it will affect your stability and will surely flip it over despite the kickstand.
The manufacturer warns that you cannot install this basket on a bike with front suspension forks. If you wanted to do this, you would need a basket that doesn’t bolt onto the front axle with its support bracket.
I like the pure size and versatility of this basket, as well as the simple design. You may have issues fitting the handlebar clamps on if your brake levers are close together. This won’t affect people that have coaster brakes or handlebars that sweep back a fair amount.
They also have a smaller less expensive model that I can recommend here.
PROS
- Load capacity
- Wide flat surface on the bottom
- 9 inches deep
- Comes in chrome or plated black
CONS
- Small items may slip through the bars.
2.COFIT Detachable Bike Basket
The next basket we have here on the list is from COFit. This basket is detachable to carry with handles, and it’s made of cloth so that it collapses down.
This basket is a better option for hybrid bike owners, especially if they have front suspension and cannot connect mounting brackets to the front axle.
It’s also important to note that it is designed specifically for mountain and hybrid bike flat-bar style handlebars. The mount uses a screw that holds the basket upright when installed. Other bikes typically don’t have handlebars that would support this kind of installation.
This unit 8.3X13.8 inches and is 9.4 inches deep. This adds up to about 24 L in volume.
This bag won’t hold as much as some other options as it only holds 11 pounds max. This lack of cargo capability is made up for with its convenience.
You may find that you use the basket when not installed on the bike as much as when it is installed.
I like that this basket can be used for much more than just a bike basket by removing it and using it for everyday tasks. If you happen to check it out on Amazon, check some of the different options available.
PROS
- Detachable with one button
- Durable material
- Easy Install
- Nice design
CONS
- Not for all bikes
3.PetSafe Happy Ride Wicker Bicycle Basket for Dogs and Cats
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This basket option was specifically designed for toting around your pets..
It has a comfy fleece liner and safety straps to help protect it from falling off the handlebars. If you are concerned that the liner will get dirty, you can take it out and throw it in the laundry.
This model comes with a protective sunshade for your pet which could be key if you live in a hot climate.
Petsafe brand has been making these types of products for almost 30 years. This may help provide some comfort to the product before you buy.
The Petsafe basket can hold a pet of up to 11 pounds and is quite large at 16.5X10X13 inches. You’ll need about 9 inches from the top of the handlebars to the top of the front tire for clearance, so make sure you take some measurements.
If you have plans to use this on multiple bikes, you can purchase an extra mounting bracket for this purpose.
As with any front basket, large loads can affect your stability. Keep this in mind, as you might want to consider a storage solution for the back of the bike or even a trailer if your pet is over 10 pounds.
PROS
- Comfy lining with faux sheepskin
- Adjustable safety strap
- Safe and secure
- Easy to install
CONS
- Not suitable for large dogs
4. MATTISAM Bike Handlebar Bag
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The fourth item on the list today is an entry from Mattisam. This is a great option for the biker that doesn’t need a ton of space upfront.
It has a very cool pouch on top for your phone so that you can see and use your phone without trying to pull it out of a pocket. The touch-sensitive material on the top allows you to change the song!
This bag is water-resistant and insulated. The obvious use is for drinks and snacks, but you could also use this for various things.
This bike attachment is pretty small at 9.4 inches across, 7.6 inches deep, and 5.9 inches at its biggest width. However, its small size keeps it very light so that it won’t interfere with your bike’s stability.
I like that this bag comes with a reflective strip to improve visibility at night.
PROS
- Waterproof cover
- Reflective feature
- Very easy to install
- Easy to clean
CONS
- Not much room
5. Bell Tote Series Bicycle Basket
If looks were the only important thing, this basket would be my first choice. I love the way this one looks, especially for a retro-styled bike.
This basket has real wooden slats on the bottom and can hold up to 20 pounds.
It has adjustable mounting brackets designed to fit on smaller bikes with 26-inch wheels and larger bikes with 700c tires.
There is a large area for storage measuring at 12X16X6 inches, but you may need a liner to keep things from falling out. This is a great design if you just wanted to plop your bag down into it.
Bell has a long history of making quality bike products, and if you are not interested in this exact design, they have a few other models you can look at.
I like that this basket can be installed on almost any bike and how strong it is.
PROS
- Fits on most bikes
- Large enough
- Durable construction
- Easy to use
CONS
- Heavy
- Harder to install than some of the others
FAQs & Answers Section
May I Add A Front Basket to a Mountain Or Road Bike?
Front bike baskets can be added to most mountain and road bikes, but I’m not sure I would want to. Mountain bikes and road bikes are specially designed to excel in their environments. A front bike basket would most definitely affect your ability to blaze down a trail or ride fast on the road.
I would consider other options for storing your goods on one of these bikes before settling on a front basket. A rack on the back or smaller frame attached storage solution may be better suited.
What Is The Right Basket For My Bike?
The best recommendation I can make to ensure compatibility is to ask the manufacturer or the Amazon community if the basket is the right match for your bike.
Usually if you look in the question section, it has already been asked.
How long does it take to install a bike basket? Is it Hard?
Bike baskets are installed on bikes using various mounting solutions varying from simple buckles to complicated bolted bracket assemblies. Typically, installation duration varies within this range from 10 to 45 minutes, and difficulty is classified as easy to moderate.
Conclusion
Thank you for visiting my site today. I truly hope I have helped you with your decision and wish you luck finding the best front bike basket to fit your needs.
If I helped you at all or liked the article, please look at some of my recent posts about hybrid bikes and hybrid bike tires.
As always, Enjoy the ride!
