Bicycle panniers, or baskets, allow you to use your bike to make
short trips in town to the grocery store, library, video store or
other nearby shops. For practical, lightweight and low-cost
panniers, try using small, rectangular plastic wastebaskets.
Just drill quarter-inch holes under the rim along one side of the
baskets, and a few more in the bottom for drainage in wet weather.
The baskets may rattle a bit when you hit a bump in the road, but
they can tilt up to be emptied of leaves and other debris. To carry
a dozen library books or a couple days’ worth of groceries, use
16-quart bins, which are just the right size.