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Using a cargo for charity rides and other non-cargo activities?

3K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  gregclimbs 
#1 ·
So I'm already positive that I want a BD....but now I'm trying to convince myself I need one. In order to do that, I need to justify getting rid of my commuter and replacing it with a cargo for everything...including doing the occasional fundraising ride, or long distance thing.

I'm not much of a competitor anymore so races are not a concern. But every year I like to do the local MS Bike Round-up.....next year I have RAGBRAI on the calendar....maybe some local Tour de Whatevers for fun....am I out of my mind to do these things on a BD? Am I out of my mind to want to commute on a BD? And what about transporting it? I worry about trying to fly with it to Iowa.

I think it would be a blast to do these kind of events on a BD, if not a little looney...there were the guys two years ago who did the MS ride on rickshaws...with beer...it was genius....but I worry about the torture factor.

I guess I'm just curious if there is anyone out there who's cargo bike is their do-it-all rig?
 
#2 ·
I raced my Xtracycle in the New Belgium Urban Assault Ride in Tucson last year. I was not the only one on a cargo bike either. You're in the perfect city to have a BD as a do-it-all. Not too hilly, lots of paths and destinations, and it would even be a fine car replacement.

It'll do long rides, but you won't be in a paceline with a fast group. It'll be a great touring rig, especially since you won't have to spend a bunch on racks/panniers.

Do it! Rage Cycles in Scottsdale and Domenic's Cyclery in Tempe are both great Surly dealers that know their stuff. Slippery Pig does too.
 
#3 ·
I ride my dummy for everything, commuting, kid hauling, riding around town, touring, etc. It's not the most efficient on the road, nor is it the ideal singletrack machine, but it's way more than capable and it'll do anything I need it to do.

Basically my only bike (well, I have an MTB as well, but I don't get to ride it very often).

Plum
 
#5 ·
I would say at this point travel is my biggest obstacle. I do not travel out of state for bike stuff very often, if I do its usually close enough to drive. RAGBRAI is my big concern. Maybe I'll hang on to the old commuter long enough to accomplish that, though I'd love to do it on the BD, especially with the rear blender. :D I'm hoping the rear Yakima rack could handle any additional transportation needs locally , though it may be too wide.....

The MS ride is in Sedona next year, a little more hilly than Florence, but I'm not too concerned about that. Especially after being inspired by this post earlier this year: Photos & video: Mt. Lemmon Hill Climb | Tucson Velo

Thats actually what got me to thinking maybe I can use the BD for everything.

JAG, my buddy in the purple boa was the one who won the bike at the Urban Assault this year! And I've already spent money on racks and panniers for my commuter so no savings there. :p

Any idea if Rage or anyone actually carries one in person? I'm at Slippery Pig fairly often and I haven't seen them with one. I'm on the fence on 18" vs 20".
 
#6 ·
I've only rode one for a short while (I don't own one) but the only way I knew I was slow was I kept getting passed by other cyclists. It didn't bother me.

I have been (or maybe still am) in the same situation, where I want(ed) a BD really bad but couldn't tell if it was fully justifiable.

For me, I do have a car I can use when need be but want to use my bike as much as possible and like to bring stuff to the beach etc via bike. I decided to stick to what I have now (Salsa Vaya, though may trade for a Fargo frameset), fully rack it out, and instead of change the bike to suit the cargo, streamline the cargo to be lightweight and compact as possible. Not trying to talk you out of a BD but that's what I decided. I still want a BD of course, but like you I can't +1 my bike collection right now.
 
#8 ·
the BD is an awesome operating platform.
I've used it from moving my personal belongings, hauling tools for jobs.
to touring down the california coast with 125 miles of dirt.
Rock on man, I've actually been reading through some of your posts, so I know its doable. I think you might take a bit more stuff camping than I do :p but its all good. I'm pretty convinced the BD is the perfect all around adventure bike for me. I actually just came off a 3 week trip up the PCH by van, I'd love to go back and do it all again by bike!

I think what I'll probably do is commit keep my road/commuter bike and my other mountain bike for year after I start riding the BD and see how life progresses. If after a year I find I just have no use for something then off it goes. I'd sure love to sell my 4Runner and become a one car house-hold, but at this point it has low miles, and is paid for and doesn't really cost me anything...and the few times we've needed a truck its come through (our other car is a Golf TDI). I'm pretty sure I can get the BD on my Yakima tailgate if I really need to and I've been reading lots of tips on flying with tandems which are about the same size, so I'm not as anxious about the travel thing anymore.

Now, to find that sweet fall deal on a frame........
 
#10 ·
Yep I've already got the Revelate bags for my lighter bikepacking set up. What tires have you found the best combo for the on/off road stuff? Are you using Hookworms as well?
 
#11 ·
While not a BD, I often chase roadies on my Xtracycle. It seems to hurt their egos when a longtail bike with kid seat goes blazing past. They never outright drop me. I can keep up with them for a long, long time. I think the BD would be fine for long rides. You may have to tweak saddle, handlebars, etc, etc, but there's no reason the bike as a whole won't work for those kinds of things.

I'll ride my X on any future road events I do. I considered trying to use it to the Leadville 100 next year, putting flat bars and knobby tires on it, but I decided it just wouldn't be prudent.
 
#12 ·
Well, at this point I'm just waiting for the closeout sales to begin, or a sweet deal to come along on a used frame. If anyone hears of anything I'd sure appreciate the reference...looking for 20". :thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
Solrider: I use my Big Dummy for everything. Around the town riding, commuting to work and a handful of several hundred kilometer rides, no problems. Its not so much the bikes capabilities as your willingness to push through when conditions aren't ideal (ie: rain/snow or you're just tired and need groceries). However, if you optimize the wheelset/tube/tires for road riding you don't have much of a disadvantage from your average biker. A little extra weight in the frame, but most of the extra weight comes from the fact that you are now comfortable putting 35lbs of stuff on your bike daily. ;-)

JAGI410: You *DO* have to spend a bunch on rack and panniers! I built my Big Dummy from the frame up (as Solrider seems to desire?) and was surprised at the total bill coming from XtraCycle for the p-racks, freeloaders and such. Its at least as much as an old man mountain rack with a pair of average panniers. But in the end you can do a whole lot more with the XtraCycle platform! You just can't justify it as money savings...

sfuller: My current understanding is that you can't use S&S couplers on a Big Dummy because there is no section of a big dummy with all round tubing (the bottom tube is oval shaped). Otherwise I would totally put S&S couplings on a dummy!
 
#15 ·
sfuller: My current understanding is that you can't use S&S couplers on a Big Dummy because there is no section of a big dummy with all round tubing (the bottom tube is oval shaped). Otherwise I would totally put S&S couplings on a dummy!
it appears to be a std tandem boom tube. and if so, I remember seeing somewhere a "special" s&s coupling that might work for it...

a friend has a free rad on his s&s rockhopper... no complaints over std free rad wag (and wishes for dummy).

that said, even if you were to couple the front of the dummy, it still wouldn't fit in one box. maybe two...

g
 
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