Shopping by Bicycle

Beyond simply tooling around Bay Meadows or jumping on your two-wheels for an aerobic ride to the Bay – did you know there are numerous recent innovations (and even some ol’ standbys) that make it possible to haul stuff on your bike? Yes, we’re thinking farmers markets, Whole Foods or picnic in the park.

For those interested in tried-and-true (AND pretty!) ways to tote goods on your bicycle, take note – the good folks at PUBLIC Bikes have partnered with the Farmers Market at Bay Meadows to roll out a bike basket give-away each month of the 2018 season at the market! Learn more about this Instagram contest here >

To learn more about the variety of bike-carrying methods now available, Bay Meadows looked to a neighborhood shop in downtown San Mateo, Talbot’s Cyclery. This plus a little online research revealed a wealth of choices for today’s bicyclist. Below are just a few options that we hope will assist you in your visit to the Farmers Market at Bay Meadows via pedal power!

Packs, Baskets and Panniers:
The aforementioned Front Basket is the simplest, most elegant way to make your bike more useful, plus you can add a little style to your ride. We love these fashionable baskets from PUBLIC Bikes, which also serve a function, offering a sturdy solution for your hauling pleasure.

Panniers offer roomy storage and protection from weather. Talbot’s carries an array of these back-rack bags that can quickly disconnect from the rack so you can take your gear with you. They attach to racks using a simple system of spring-loaded hooks, clips or bungee cords.

Packs differ slightly from panniers. They offer a boxier trunk bag look that you might use for light commuting or day-trips. They are a quick and easy solution for increasing carrying capacity on your bike, when the full volume of a pannier isn’t necessary.

Cargo Bikes:
In leading bike-friendly cities, such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam, cargo bikes are ubiquitous. With utilitarian biking becoming more common in the Bay Area and the U.S. generally, we’re seeing more innovation with bicycles that include rear and front trailers, kid wagons or even pet-mobiles.

Yuba Cargo Bikes are popular in the Bay Area, given the hilly terrain. They are electric-assist bikes and provide a little extra push to get you up those hills or even if you’re simply struggling with carrying dozens of pounds extra on the back. You can see and test these bikes at Ocean Cyclery or Warm Planet Bikes, both in San Francisco.

XtraCycle Bikes is another popular innovator in the cargo-bike space. Manufactured in Oakland, XtraCycle bikes accommodate a variety of needs – from commuting with a kid or two in the back to helping haul sound equipment to your next DJ gig. You can get your bike fully assembled by the builder’s experts and shipped direct to your door, ready to roll right out of the box.

Whichever way you roll, we hope to see you and your outfitted bike at the farmers market at Bay Meadows soon!

Featuring best-in-class retailers such as Tin Pot Creamery and Blue Bottle Coffee, Bay Meadows’ Town Square is the ideal gathering place with more ground-floor retail, outdoor dining and pop-ups to come. Home to a stunning sculpture from internationally-renowned artist Jeppe Hein, the Town Square is the dynamic core of our Midurban village. The Town Square is the perfect place to relax outside for a beer or wine at Fieldwork Brewing Company’s beer garden after a day of shopping and entertainment at Hillsdale Center. Take a turn on the porch swings or challenge a friend to table-tennis in the outdoor ping-pong court. Join the Bay Meadows email list to stay on top of the latest.