cargo basket options for full suspension FD

Hi, I have a cheap walmart handlebar basket right now, but it can only hold like 4lbs. The bike is a full suspension Next with a Staton FD mounted on the back.

Can anyone offer advice on getting a basket on the back despite the engine being on the rear.

My only thoughts so far are the seatpost rack that clamps onto the seatpost and provides about a 4inch wide area to put stuff, which couldn't hold something like a bookbag on a long ride.

I drilled a hole on the right side of the FD channel, mounted a standoff, and mounted the basket to the standoff at the top, through a slot, so that the FD could be raised and lowered. (Used a fender washer on the inside and outside of the basket, then tightened the screw enough to allow vertical movement, but very little horizontal (in/out) movement.) At the bottom, I bolted a piece of aluminum angle to the inner corner of the basket (parallel to the FD channel), which extends far enough forward that it intersects the seat stay, and then rigidly clamped the channel to the seat stay.

The basket sits permanently at one height; the FD can them be moved up and down as needed.

Here's the initial post I made, about 18 months ago, with a photo. Most baskets won't have that handy vertical plate with slot; but, you could slot a piece of aluminum bar stock, then fasten that to your basket for the sliding top mount...

Great advice! Thanks alot! I'm also considering to make a brace or support system for the current handlebar basket so it will be able to hold more weight.

I'm thinking to make a brace from the top of the front suspension fork that moves with the bike, not the bumps, and connect it to the bottom of the basket. If I can hold at least 20lbs, which shouldn't affect the handling too much, I'd be happy.

Loquin, how much weight do you think your design can hold?

General question: How much weight is a safe limit to load on A. Front Tire, B. Rear Tire?

Well, I've ran with a good 20 pounds in my basket. The weight is born by the aluminum angle at the bottom that's clamped to the seat stay; the only purpose for the upper mount is to stabilize the basket - it handles some 'outward' load, but not a lot. If you have a 20 pound load, with the center of mass at the center of the basket, outward 'pull' at the top will be less than 4 pounds. The lower the mass, the less the outward force. And, the closer to the inside, the less the outward pull. Even so, the dead load outward pull at the top could never be more than about 11 pounds for a 20 pound load, even if the load were centered at the top outside of the basket.

As far as wheel loading goes, I'm an ex-college defensive tackle, and when I started riding, I tipped the scales at 360 pounds. (I'm down almost 60 pounds now!) The bike/motor weighs in at about 50 pounds, so, I was looking at a 410 pound dead load. If you estimate a 60-40 split between rear and front wheels, we're talking about 250 pounds on the rear wheel and 150 on the front. Now, I won't say that this is a safe limit. But, I did run at that weight for over two years. I also was always on the lookout for potholes, avoided them when I could, and went over them 'standing' with bent knees when I couldn't, to reduce the stress.

The first bike was a cheap wally-world cruiser, and after about a year, the rear wheel popped a couple of spokes, and the bearings were starting to go, so I went with a better bike (Trek Navigator,) & have had no further problems. Plus, I love that front suspension.

One other factor that helped; the first 'extra' I bought was a suspension seat-post. This helps a LOT. Not only does it help with rider fatigue, and to reduce both sore backside AND back, but it helps to reduce the dynamic load effects of rider weight on the wheels & bearings. (It spreads the 'shock' out over the time it takes to compress the seat-post, instead of allowing it all to 'hit' at once.) Of course, you've already got a full suspension bike, so that point is moot in your case, but, if anyone has a 'hard-tail' bike, a suspension seat-post can help a lot.