Apologies if shared bikes aren't allowed on this subreddit, but this is a bike commute subreddit and plenty of people in large cities use bikeshare programs, so I hope its allowed.
I started using the SF Bay Area's BayWheels bikes recently, and they're easy enough to bike on with a backpack on your back or a tote bag in the shallow front basket (which is the only storage on the bike at all).
I'm interested in biking to my yoga classes (~3 miles each way, about 25 minutes on an electric bike) but my yoga mat is a quite heavy rubber mat (26" wide, 6 lbs) that lives in a long yoga mat bag. It sure as hell doesn't fit in the front basket of a BayWheels bike, I can't balance the mat bag on one shoulder while biking because of how long and big it is, and I can't add any extra mounting or hardware to the bikes because they're not my bikes.
Does anyone else commute with a yoga mat this way & have suggestions? Replacing the mat with a lighter one isn't an option — I get very sweaty in even normal regular yoga classes (not even hot yoga). Rubber is the only material I don't slip and hurt myself on, but the downside is rubber yoga mats will always be at least 5-6 lbs even if they aren't thicker or bigger than the standard yoga mat size. Getting my own bike also isn't an option because my city has a bike theft problem, my apartment does not have bike racks or bike storage, and there's no room in my apartment to store a bike.
by BurritoWithFries
21 Comments
I’d carry a couple long-ish bungee cords or cinch straps and strap it horizontally across the top of the basket, on either side of the fork. Just loop the straps around and cinch them down.
Could you put a strap or rope through the rolled up mat and wear it over your shoulder like a messenger bag?
>(26″ wide, 6 lbs) that lives in a long yoga mat bag.
Seeing as how your bag unfortunately doesn’t come with a strap, get a strap for your bag and wear it cross-body.
My solution to this has been a foldable travel mat, a Manduka eKO Superlite travel mat. I can fit it in my panniers and it should fit easily in most backpacks. This is a rubber mat and quite grippy, I’m comparing to their PRO mats which I use at home or if I drive to class. However, it doesn’t seem to be wearing well and they have very specific care instructions that include only washing it with their cleaning product, they literally say not to wash it with water, so I’m not sure if it will work out long term.
I think bungeed to a rear rack would be ideal.
Your options are bungee cords as suggested above or if you need to carry something large on a bike share, you can try something like the Burley Travoy trailer or a cheaper ripoff (would also require bungees).
https://burley.com/products/travoy
Bungee on the handlebars if there is no rear rack.
A little trailer that fastens to the seat post might be a good option, too. If you think of an upright cart that the FedEx guys use, something like that with a quick clamp that holds to a seat post.
This would also let you carry a little grocery cart or other medium sized items. The grocery cart type I mean here are the kind that are about the dimensions of a walker, wire cage, open at the top. They can hold about four bags of groceries. Wheels under the handle and feet on the other two corners so it doesn’t roll off when you stand it upright. You would just set it onto your little trailer to take it home.
Just make sure it’s a seat post attached trailer with quick release, not a frame or axle hitch. Using a trailer on a bike share bike requires having a universal hitch and the only thing universal will be the seat post, as most such bikes have wildly different frame types and many have little covers over the rear wheels that prevent any frame attachment.
get a sling for the yoga mat. that’s how I carry mine
How small does it roll up? You can voile strap it along the top tube and have it sticking out the back.
I’ve carried a metal shovel like that.
Poke two holes on one end of yoga mat. Run a strap through the holes. Wear yoga mat like a cape! 🤣
I strapped mine upright to my backpack when I did it here. Not in the backpack, but to the front of it. Mind you it is a nice hiking backpack with strap to spots, but I could even strap it to my laptop backpack if needed. If it looked like rain it was wrapped in a big garbage bag.
Some options:
1. Wear a backpack, and then slide the roll between your body and the backpack, as if you were pulling an arrow from a quiver. When you lean forward slightly for riding, it will put pressure on the yoga roll, holding it in place.
2. Same solution, but use a rope or a bungee cord around your body to hold the roll in place.
3. Use a bungee cord to attach the mat to the bike frame, either longways on the top bar, or across the handlebars.
Talk to your studio. My studio in Portland does free mat rentals when you cycle or take transit.
A mat strap that can go over your shoulders.
Those bikes usually have a bungee included with the front basket no?
When I was in the seventh grade I would ride to school on a road bike with a trumpet case resting on the top tube by the seat and the other end resting on the handlebars. The case was between my arms on the handlebars and between my legs on the top tube. It seems absurd that my parents would let me ride like that through Tamarack Circle (iykyk) on my way to Woodward Park Middle School (Columbus Ohio) but this was 1979. 😊
There are some great ideas on this page: https://www.liv-cycling.com/global/campaigns/how-to-carry-a-yoga-mat-on-a-bike/20717
The under-the-seat one seems like a good idea!
I can’t fathom why they don’t give you a rear rack with these. Even the fenders are super short. Lyft *really* doesn’t want you to use these things to carry stuff. So impractical.
My best thought is to get a new bag for the mat that has a strap so you can carry it on your back, and then just put the rest of your (presumably smaller, less weirdly shaped) things in the basket.
Aside from other strap it to the bike suggestions, this should fit vertically in a hiking / technical backpack. Might even strap horizontally below in the sleeping pad position.
Try this! Not all of the bikes have a seat that would allow you to attach but this does work for me. I use voile straps.
[https://nz.pinterest.com/pin/85709199154457144/](https://nz.pinterest.com/pin/85709199154457144/)