I’ve had my eye on the Wald 933 Mesh Basket for some time. Though I’ve enjoyed using the 157 Giant Delivery Basket for quite a few years, I don’t always want or need its massive carrying capacity. Sometimes less is more. And with its quick release mount and carrying handle, the 933 is perfect for a lot of situations where the 157 is overkill.

Like going to the six pack shop, for example, or taking photos around the neighborhood. My Nikon D40’s camera bag fits perfectly in the 933’s mesh basket, and it neither bounces around or precludes me from picking up a bottle of booze on the way home. Although it’s too small for a hardcore shopping trip, the basket typically holds enough groceries to make dinner for two. In other words, a standard paper shopping bag will fit in the basket as long as it’s not full to capacity. While the relatively small size may be a slight detriment, the 933 doesn’t impair the bike’s handling nearly as much as a large basket like the 157.

Mounting the 933 is relatively simple, and mechanically inclined people will need just a few minutes to figure out the subtle adjustments of the mounting hardware. Although it’s a quick release model, the basket is impressively sturdy. There’s hardly any play in between the basket and mounting bracket, and the basket doesn’t dip or wobble, even when loaded. While it’s not quite as ultimately strong as the permanently-mounted, heavy duty wire models, the mesh basket allows you to carry small and un-bagged items.

The quick release mechanism itself is pretty ingenious. When the handle is raised to 90°, the basket can tilt forward and be lifted off. When the handle is anything less than 90°, the basket is firmly locked in place. My only nit to pick is that the black painted finish will eventually wear away at the contact points, but that can easily be remedied with a little Krylon or automotive touch-up paint.

At $40, the 933 isn’t the least expensive model available, but it’s probably not going to break the bank. Wald baskets are made in Maysville, Kentucky, where they’ve been manufacturing since 1924. The company has a long history and a pretty extensive catalog as a result. Visit www.waldsports.com for more information and dealer locations.

This entry was posted by Urban Jeff on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 12:01 am and is filed under Product Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.