Who can tell me about a rear attaching rack for a bike meant for attaching a basket?

Question

I am a high school teacher who likes to get part time jobs over the summer. This summer, one of my jobs will be working as kennel help in my county's humane society. It's located in the next town over and I plan on riding my road bike. I want to take my dog Bernie to work with me. The distance is much too far (about 5-7 miles) to consider a simple bike basket--it just wouldn't be safe for him. What I would like to do is mount a rear attaching rack that attaches to both the seat and the back wheel and then attach a small dog carrier (my pup is only about 14 pounds) securely to the rack. Here are my questions:

What would be a good rack to purchase for this purpose?

What is the most secure way to attach the rack?

What is the best method for attaching the carrier? (All I can think to do is drill holes in the bottom of the carrier, zip tie it to the rack, and then cover the bottom of the carrier with a carpet remnant).

Is this project worth attempting?

Constructive help only, please

Answer 1

Generally, there are two types of rear bicycle racks.  One is made for bikes that have brazed on mounting points.  These racks bolt to the bicycle's mounting points.  The other type of rack is made for bikes with out mounts.  They use clamps to affix to bike.  Either type is quite stable and strong.  Your local bike shop should be able to advise you on the type you need.

Generally, it is best to carry weight low on a bicycle.  This keeps your center of gravity low and keeps you stable.  I am a little concerned about how big you are and how bouncy your dog is.  Being up high and bouncing around, a 14lb dog may really rock you back and forth.  It is something you should think about if you are riding on busy roads.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Yeah. That sounds pretty good. You've got most of the logistics already figured out. I don't know where you'd find a bike rack that would serve more as a platform though, for the kennel box. You may have to check on-line retail dealers who sell accessories for Mopeds and Vespa for a flat wire rack. Remember too, to face the kennel forward or sideways if possible. Dogs much rather see where they're going, rather than where they've been.

Answer 3

This is a possible solution for a road bike because you need to watch how much weight you are adding at the top of your bike. By adding a 14lbs dog and a possible two to five pound holder for the dog, you are going to be getting on the unstable side since it is all focused on the rear and not evenly distributed across the bike's length.

Croozer, Burley, and a few other companies offer dog carriers and while they cost money, they will keep both you and your canine safer that being mounted high on your bike.

Here is a link:

http://www.croozerdesigns.com/croozer_do...

Think about how many less Child Carriers there are on the rear of a bike. In the industry, we call them "Baby Launchers" because of how unsafe they are. The move is to get children (in your case a dog) out of harms way in case you are hit, crash, or just lose control. In a trailer, the child, or dog, will be safer with a roll cage instead of being open  or tightly jammed in.

Good Luck and keep yourself safe along with your dog :)