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Transporting Miniatures by Bicycle


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As I recall we have a lot players on this forum from countries where commuting by bike is common. And perhaps there's the odd duck like me here in North America that would prefer to live as car-free as possible. One of the things that has me going back to my automobile for transport more than I'd like is how awkward it is to try and transport my miniatures and myself to the LGS. Or maybe someone's figured out something that works for motorcycles that can be applied to my problem.

I have a baking pan and magnetized minis for my Malifaux stuff, and I have other miniatures in foam army transport trays. Both solutions work fine for transport in a car, but not so much for a bicycle.

I've tried using an army transport with a shoulder strap, but it's too awkward. I've tried to use bungie cords to lash the case to the rack, but I haven't figured out anything workable. It keeps banging around and falling off, or getting tangled in the spokes.

Cargo trailers are pricey, and usually in a 'flatbed' shape for rich people to put thousands of dollars of camping gear in as they ride across the country on their $10,000 touring bikes.  I balk at the idea of buying a $300 trailer that costs as much as my commuter bicycle, and cheaper trailers are too small for miniatures cases for other games.

I've got a cargo rack and I have panniers, but they're the wrong shape to hold any miniatures cases.

Has anyone worked out a solution to this problem?

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when it comes to traveling with your miniatures on bike and dont have access to a hard case like the gw crusade case, your probably going to have to pay quite a bit to figure it out. but the best thing in can think of is either of these..

http://us.battlefoam.com/privateer-press-backpack/

http://us.battlefoam.com/categories/Battle-Foam-P.A.C.K.-System-Bags/P.A.C.K.-Go/

or get some type of hard case to bungie to a rear bike rack.

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In my experience you can strap quite a lot securely to a bike rack with enough bungiecords, how wild is your biking? :)

Hardcases slip easier on a rack than softcases unless they fit just right. Though you have to be a bit more careful with how hard you strap a softcase.

There are also side baskets that are fairly large.

And "backpacks" without the pack, just a frame and straps.

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I use a small metal box that I put into a backpack.

I bought it for like 5 USD and it's high enough to acomodate Bad Juju and big enough for my small colection of miniatures. When i will no longer be able to fit all of my miniatures in it I will just purchase another one and stack them on top of each other. I reckon that I could stack four or even five of those into my backpack.

IMG_20170825_114233.thumb.jpg.81d9e88bd55fb478648f0fd434a7fb25.jpg

The other box is full of tea, not miniatures :D I have few more but they are being painted or assembled at the moment :)

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GW do a rucksack that takes their hardcases. Could you mange soemthign like that? Otherwise I woudl suggest looking at startign  with a box that fits into youe panniers and workign out a way to fit your minis into that box.

KR do single depth foam tray holders that aren't very thick, but you can't fit that many figures into one. 

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I had to stack my little suitcase-like hard shelled minis case atop an IKEA plastic tub of the same dimensions. The case itself wasn't sturdy enough to not wobble when secured. The tub was secured sideways (my folding bike has a smaller rack than standard and it didn't fit lengthwise) with one bungee cord running lengthwise on each side; the case was secured only to the tub, with crosswise bungee cords. The foam of the case endured walking the bike up a hilly dirt-bike path in the middle of the otherwise paved route. It also took a good five minutes at best to stack the set, then cross four or more bungee cords. Covered the lot with an IKEA giant plastic bag in case of rain (turned upside-down and handles tied to secure it) but never had to test that, thank goodness. Never tried to put this on a bus's bike rack.

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I did what @Phinn did. Good if that's all you have. At some point I got tired running around with so many tiny tins though.

I bought a 40x30x11cm (roughly 16x12x4 inches) plastic tub with a lid and glued some sheet metal to it. Fits enough minis for my needs. YMMV, you're not going to lug around a full faction with it. Slips into my backpack with room left over for cards and the like.

Here's an idea of how much you can fit in:

https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic3710907_lg.jpg

And here's it dangling inside my backpack (zippers close fully, it's just for show):

https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic3710908_lg.jpg

I haven't felt the need yet but I could probably glue another sheet to the lid and get more storage space that way.

We've got good roads here so I don't know how well this holds up to proper bumpy riding.

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Thanks for the input guys. I didn't think of hunting down a rear mounted wire basket with the same dimensions of the softcases and plastic bins I keep my stuff in. There are several rear mounted baskets that would be big enough, and I can hold things down inside them with bungies. Damage would only be about $35 US, and won't force me to mount a trailer every time I go out.

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