Assembling your bike bucket

1.  Remove the plastic "lip" from the bucket so that the hooks can sit flush against the bucket, about 1 inch from the top of the bucket.  Ropak Buckets require the whole rib be cut off, while Liteca Buckets requires a more custom cut, removing only the ribbing that gets in the way of the hooks.

Use a utility knife to carefully cut away the lip.  For best results wear gloves to avoid cutting yourself.

Hooks should be spaced about 4 1/2" apart inside edge to inside edge.  Use the steel hooks as a template, drill right through the preexisting holes in the hooks.

Drill the hook holes just big enough for the screws to pass through (3/16"), then drill holes about 1 3/4" below the lower bucket hook hole, just big enough for the shock cord (3/8").  Then drill the 3/16" holes for the lower retainer strap 3 1/4" below the large shock cord holes, use the lower retainer strap as a template to mark where to drill.

Finally, for attaching the small shock cord, examine the bucket you have.  If it still has a handle, I would recommend removing it, a large pair of pliers should do the trick.  With Letica buckets, the hole that held the handle can be used for the small shock cord, simply insert and tie a half hitch knot so that it is hidden under the bucket handle reinforced ribbing.  With Ropak, you may want to drill a 3/16" hole into the upper part of the "lip" for the best result.

2.    Attach the handle and hooks onto the bucket along with the lower retainer strap.  Put washers over the inserted screws, and then attach the nylock nuts.  Note:  You will need to use a wrench on the nuts and a phillips head driver to tighten all fasteners snugly.

3.    Insert the non-knotted large shock cord through the 3/8" hole (inside to out),  loop on the crimped
S-hook with the hook facing out away from bucket.  Continue threading the large shock cord through the remaining 3/8" hole, tie a simple half hitch knot
as close to the end of the cord as you can.   Now pull the hook and cord behind the lower retainer strap.

4.    Now attach the small shock cord through the handle holes on the bucket.  Slide the cord through the hole (this can be tricky) tie a half hitch knot.  Having the small shock cord run parallel to the bike seems more pleasing, but is not required.  Don't forget to put the "the bike bucket" sticker on!  You would be surprised as to how important labels are!

5.    Final adjustments:  when you try the bucket out on your bike, the large and small shock cords can be adjusted by where the knots are tied; too lose?  Tighten knot closer to the middle of the shock cord.