A bike basket is handy for a children's bicycle, and it can hold everything from water bottles to pet frogs. Most bike baskets are made for girls' bikes, but if you look hard enough, you may be able to find a basket that is suitable for boys' bike, too.
Boys that are rough and rowdy certainly won't want a flowered or frilly basket on their bikes. There are some options for them, however. Find a dark blue basket that will match your boy's bike, or use one with a superhero on it. Boys will love these types of baskets. A silver and black basket can look really sharp on a young boy's bike, too.
If you can't find a basket that is a suitable color for boys, you can help your son spray paint a basket that will go with the colors of his bike. You can paint it to look like camouflage, too. He will probably like that a lot. You can also be creative with the ideas, and make a bike basket out of other materials than woven plastic.
Mini duffel bags or pouches will also make a good bike basket for a young boy. You can buy items like these at bike shops or sporting goods stores. The pouches are generally made from nylon, and you'll want a strong zipper to keep things inside, where he wants them. Plastic latches or Velcro straps can be used to secure the container to his handlebars, where one normally sees bike baskets. He will be able to store walkie talkies, toy cars or a pool pass inside.
You can also buy a wire rack bike basket, and these are usually very strong and sturdy. Young boys tend to be harder on their bikes than young girls, and wire baskets can carry more weight than the usual plastic baskets. If your son will use his basket a lot, this may be your best option.
You can use rear racks on a child's bike instead of baskets, too. If you install a rear bike rack, above the back of the bike, it can give you plenty of room to store whatever your son may need to carry. These racks are usually easy to install, attaching to the bike's frame with no special tools.
Bike baskets can help any bike rider carry lots of cargo along on their rides. You can find baskets in small or large sizes, for whatever purpose you might need them. Front baskets are sometimes made of metal now, but you can still buy the old wicker baskets like you saw when you were young. The pluses: baskets on the front of bikes allow the rider to keep an eye on the contents in it, which is certainly a plus. Steel wire baskets can be used on the front of bikes as well.
The minuses: the extra weight can make your child's bike harder to steer, and if items are laid in loosely, they may slide from side to side. The mountings for baskets can also interfere with the proper operation of the gear and brake cables that are mounted on the handlebars. Whatever style you choose, a bike basket is a handy option for your children.