Posts: 227
12/24/08 6:24 P

My better half doesn't own a vehicle, other than his two BMW Motorcycles. He just added an X-tracycle to his bike and loves it. With that, I've been able to rely mostly on either my bicycle or my motorcycle. My one vehicle is hardly driven anymore! He LOVES it and so do I. The convenience is great. We're actually looking into doing some "Sub 24 H O" rides soon. His X-tracycle will come in handy!

current weight: 127.0

140 135 130 125

120

SparkPoints: (65,250)
Fitness Minutes: (439)
Posts: 3,641
12/24/08 11:15 A

I've never seen an xtracycle "in the flesh."

When I was in college my bike was my transportation and I managed to bring home TVs, sterios, and other household appliances on it. I managed with a rear rack, folding baskets, a large seat bag, and handlebar bags. I could fit one large grocery bat in each basket, strap a more on top of the rack and fill up my handlebar bag and a backpack. I thought nothing of riding home with over 100 lbs of groceries.

Now I have a more traditional trailer. The trailer allows me to haul more weight than I used to because it has its own wheels. It is about the width of my bike with panniers so I can squeeze in as narrow spaces as before and I find that except when I'm carrying my figety daughter I usually don't even notice it.

One style of bike I've been interested is the kind of utility bike I see people riding in warehouses with a small front wheel and a huge basket. The ones I saw in warehouses were single speed bikes with tiny chainrights for a low gear; for the road gears would be nice though.

SparkPoints: (111,051)
Fitness Minutes: (60,890)
Posts: 9,058
12/23/08 11:08 P

Welcome Paige. Does your bike have a name?

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

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Posts: 19
12/23/08 7:09 P

Wow, that looks really awesome! I have an electra gigi, but I sort think of it as my dress-up bike. That's so freaky, but it's just so pretty.

Posts: 5
12/23/08 5:14 P

Hey, I just joined this forum as I'm getting a little more involved with SparkPeople. I got an Xtracycle about a month ago and I love it! I put it on a new Electra Townie with balloon tires. Mine has a step through frame and it's great for when the bike is really loaded down.

Here she is:
photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v734/
28/106/42006440/n42006440_31129784_27.
jpg

Glad to be here.

current weight: 179.8

205 188.75 172.5 156.25

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Posts: 8,845
11/17/08 9:54 A

That's awesome! I converted my original road bike to a commuting bike after I got my new road bike. (Of course, that took me 4 years...)

Posts: 19
11/17/08 7:46 A

It was easier to ride it than to push it! I am still getting used to it, but I took a couple of trips around the parking lot, and it was no problem and I was off. I had panniers on the bike before, and that did seem heavy, but mostly I think because I filled them up with junk and didn't empty them out very often, so I'd end up with bags of library books, raingear, flyers, and all this other stuff.

I think the only thing I might do in the future if I were to switch the bike or get a dif cargo bike, I might consider a step through frame. Otherwise, this seem pretty good so far! I do want to get some brackets on the bottom so I can put boxes on it, and really haul even more stuff around.

Posts: 2,728
11/17/08 12:50 A

I am jealous! I have wanted an Xtracycle since before I bought my bike. Not practical if it were to be my only bike (not when utility isn't my primary focus anyway.) I think once I get my next bike, a road bike, I'll convert the one I have to an Xtracycle.

Posts: 94
11/16/08 9:36 P

Great addition to your bike! When it's loaded, do you feel the weight? I find my ordinary panniers, when filled with my work stuff, lunch, clothes are heavy enough.
Happy riding!

Posts: 19
11/16/08 6:41 P

I just had an xtracycle put on one of them a couple of weeks ago and today we rode over to the grocery and loaded it up! It took me 30 minutes to get to the store and over an hour to get home!

It's so funny that this is the type of thing I think is cool now! I can't stop showing off my bike, to like total strangers. www.flickr.com/photos/81337094@N00/3036359
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