To the uninitiated, grocery shopping by bike may sound daunting. But with a little planning, it can become an enjoyable part of the weekly routine. And it has its perks: namely easy parking, exercise, and the feeling of accomplishment that may just earn you that extra bite of dessert.
Santa Barbara resident Diana De La Riva does the majority of her commuting around town by bike. Her shopping trips are no exception. “I do have a shared car with my sister,” she said. “Maybe once a week we use it, if we have to.” De La Riva added that one of the major advantages of biking to the store is rolling right past overcrowded parking lots. The tradeoff is spending a little time and mental energy thinking about purchases and prospective routes. “I live on the Mesa at the tip-top, and it gets hard biking heavy things up there,” she admitted. “I don’t buy olive oil, wine, and cans of coconut milk all on the same day. I have to plan it out.”
As a single person, De La Riva is able to carry most of what she needs each week in the clip-on bags and basket mounted to her bike. But, with a little planning, even parents with growing children can bike for groceries. For example, Seattle resident and mother of two Genevieve Metzger shops almost exclusively by bike, including Costco runs. She invested in a cargo bike with a large box in the front, and an electric assist. “Seattle has big hills, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to convince myself to do it if I needed to pedal 65 pounds of kids and 60-plus pounds of groceries up the hills without any assistance.”