May is Bike Month

How to attach a wooden wine crate to the back of your bike
You don’t have to live in the Napa Valley to be Wine Country chic! 

I have two elementary-aged boys and we often ride our bikes. Thankfully we had our bikes pre-pandemic bike boom. Like many Americans, we got into the habit of taking our bikes out more often over the last year.

I make my boys carry a backpack with snacks and a water bottle, but I still find myself overloaded with… well… stuff. I end up with sweatshirts, ball caps and you name it, mom has to carry it. If we go on a picnic I need to bring more than can fit in my front bike basket. So I added a wooden wine crate to the back of my bike! It’s a fun accessory that doesn’t cost much. I get so many compliments. Best of all, it is super practical! 

Supplies needed:

1. Wooden Crate/ Wine Box
   I live in Wine Country, so sourcing a wine box was fairly simple. If you are reading this outside of the area, you can find wooden crates on your local Facebook Marketplace or even at the big box stores like Michaels.

2. Bike Rear Rack
   Not all rear racks are made equal. Be sure to buy one that extends out far enough to fit a wooden box. The best one for this project is the one that attaches to the rear wheel. Also, make sure it has a flat surface free from any curves or bent edges.  You can find these online, or at stores such as Target or Walmart. 

3. Two to four U-bolts

After you purchase your rear rack measure the width of the bars on the top of the rack. This will help you decide the size of the u-bolts to purchase based on the inside width of the bolt. You can buy these at any hardware store. 

Tools needed:

• Measuring tape

• Pencil

• Drill

• Allen/hex key

• Pliers

Assembly

1. Attach the rear rack to your bike according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most require a hex key. 

2. Position the wooden box onto the rack and measure where to drill the holes for the u-bolts. Mark the two spots with a pencil. 

3. Drill the holes

1. Loop the bike rack into the u-bolts and secure them to the box. I only needed two u-bolts. Test the durability of the box. You may need four. 
   

2. Tighten the nuts with pliers

The rack I purchased came with a tie-down. For added security, you can also use bungee cords.  

Voila! Pack a blanket, some cheese, a baguette, and a beverage of your choice and you can bike to your favorite picnic spot! ENJOY! 

About Claudette Shatto 

Claudette has lived in the Napa Valley for 22 years. She is married with two elementary-aged children. 

Claudette is a Professor at Napa Valley College. She teaches Social Media and Digital Marketing for the Napa Valley Education Foundation. She is also a contributing blogger for Napa Valley Kids.  Her passion project is teaching leadership to first graders. She is currently writing children’s picture books incorporating the entrepreneur/ growth mindset. 

Not one to sit still, during Covid she pushed herself out of her comfort zone and is now a part-time radio DJ. You can listen to her on 99.3 the Vine on Mondays & Thursdays from 3 to 5 pm.