How To Make a DIY Bike Basket

There are plenty of bicycle baskets on the market that are both affordable and attractive, but if you’re a “ride or DIY” type —this project is for you. It’s easy, super affordable, and the best part: your look will be one of a kind!

I usually retreat to flea markets or thrift shops when shopping for baskets because they are really easy to find, but for this project I wanted to be able to provide my source just in case you wanted the same basket.

For the rest of the supplies you can hit up a thrift shop—or your own closet. Your choice of belts is all totally dependent on your own personal style, however, I recommend trying to find belts with similar colored buckles.

• Basket
• 2 belts
• Zip ties, twist ties, or string
• Wood glue or Gorilla glue

• Scissors
• Leather hole punch (or drill with bits)
• Marker
• Scrap wood

Note: Before selecting your basket, size up your bike. It’s a good idea to take a few measurements so you can keep proportion in mind while shopping. You can purchase any shape basket you like, just be sure one side is flat so you can attach it to your handlebars.

1. After you’ve selected your basket, roughly secure it in place with zip ties, twist ties, or string. As you can see in the photo below, I positioned my basket so that the top edge sits just above the part of the handlebars where I’ve secured the straps. The ties are spaced out and secured evenly between the center point of the handlebar, almost exactly where I want to position my leather straps.

Step back, take a good look and make sure you’re happy with it before moving on to step two.

2. Take a marker and draw a line at the bottom of the zip tie. This will be your cut line and the area in which your belt strap will pass through.

3. Before making the cut, loosely position the belt over the cut line to be sure it will be wide enough, but not too wide.

4. Grab a sharp pair of scissors, follow your line and slice through the wicker.

5. Use wood glue or Gorilla glue to hold the loose pieces of wicker in place.

6. After the glue dries, weave the belt through the basket to ensure the cut is large enough.

Repeat these steps with your second belt strap.

If you are using a woven belt like the one above, you don’t need to worry about punching additional holes—just pull the strap nice and snug (not too tight, you don’t want to crack the wicker of the basket!) and secure it in place. Do not cut off the excess at this point.

7. If you have a solid leather/vinyl belt, there probably won’t be a hole where you need one, so you’ll need to make your own. Before removing it from the basket to make a new hole, wrap it snuggly in place around the handlebar and mark the area in which you want to drill the hole. Grab your leather hole punch (all eight of you that have one) OR grab a 3/16 drill bit (perfect for a larger, men’s belt) and piece of scrap wood to drill out a new hole. Before drilling the hole you actually need, try a quick practice hole somewhere around the middle of the belt to see how your material will react.

After you’ve figured out your formula, lay the belt flat on your wood surface and drill the hole.

8. Weave the belt through the basket and wrap it around the handle bars and secure it in place.

9. Feed the excess through the loop and into the interior of the basket.

10. Feed it back through the slit so that it comes out on the backside of the basket.

11. Place a small amount of glue on the backside and cut the belt so that you can only see about 3/4″ coming out the back.

12. Secure in place until dry.

After the glue dries, remove the clamps and you’re all set!

If you have a woven belt, tie the ends together and add a tiny bit of glue to keep them from coming undone.

You can always add a third strap if you feel like your basket is bouncing around too much by following the steps above and attaching the third strap around the bottom, middle of the basket to the head tube portion of your bicycle.

And of course you have to finish up with fun pom poms, flowers, or more belts!

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