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Sometimes, "friends" of my mother would pass though and leave animals to be looked after over night before their movement on somewhere else....
Was she running an animal smuggling ring?
Was she running an animal smuggling ring?
Not quite. More that they were on their way to be re-"homed"....
The "plot" "thickens".
Did you give them nicotine patches and cleanser?
so what do you guys carry or intend to carry on these bikes (apart from your wives)?
I could see myself getting one as it would save me strapping all manner of things to my back (bicycle frames, wheels, snowboard, 15 litres of tile adhesive, lengths of 2x4, groceries, bike stands), but I don't think the frequency of need can justify getting one - 90% of journies wouldn't require one
Brakes, just to give you a rough idea of how the thing fits in. I have no car (can't drive), and live in a house with a big shed and a garden about 5 minutes ride from the station and an 11 mile commute from work. I use the Dummy for pretty much all my commuting and general mucking about by default, so I'm always on it if I need it. A lot of the time, agreed, it isn't strictly speaking [i]necessary[/i], but it is incredibly convenient.
Jobs include:
- frequently picking my wife up from the station, she really appreciates this
- shopping - I can do a week's shop for 2 of us effortlessly. I probably could do it with panniers and a rucksack, just. On the dummy it's effortless, the bags for life just go into the expandable panniers and the bike's handling is hardly affected by any sane amount of weight
- B&Q trips - I have easily carried enough paint etc for a full redecoration of the ground floor of the house, and can do garden centre type trips etc no problem. Again, not essential, just convenient.
- off-licence - you really can haul as much booze as you feel decent buying, again, easily rather than with difficulty.
- odd stuff - 4 x goods palettes to build a compost bin, 2 x dead bikes to the Recycles, shonky old ebay folder hauled home etc
- Camping - I can carry all the junk for a comfortable trip, while herself can just ride light. Not actually done this yet.
- bulky bits - I often have to commute lugging change of clothes plus books and papers etc etc. All that just drops into my (heowge) messenger bag and it sits into the pannier and just gets pulled out at the other end. It doesn't hurt the handling, is perfectly stable etc.
Today I've had to buy a new wheel, which wants taking home. I won't notice it at all, it'll just be there with no bother.
This is the thing. In terms of pure load-hauling, no, you don't necessarily need it every trip. It's just well worth having. I've always had commuting bikes which tried to be mountain bikes or whatever as well. It's fine, but having a dedicated bike that will carry anything I want to carry is marvellous.
Don't at all underestimate the pleasure of carrying people as well. I basically transport my wife, but have hauled brothers and friends short distances from time to time as well. Xtracycle half suggest that random cute girls will want to ride on the back and maybe make out with you. That hasn't been my experience yet, but I live in hope. It'll also haul 2 kids if that ever becomes an issue.
🙂
brakes - look at it another way: you can have a car capable of carry 5 people and a bootful of stuff, but most of the time you drive it by yourself with a minimal payload. For most people, this is no justificaiton for riding a moped to work and then hiring a van to go to B&Q on a Sunday.
Same principle - own one with the ability to do all those things you list (and more - you can carry bikes on them: I'm thinking that it would be a good way to get my track bike from home to the velodrome). Most of the time you don't need to have the load carryong capacity, but when you do need it, you have it.
Also, there is a tipping point, too, where the car starts to become redundant as there are tasks much better suited to a cargo bike.
C*ck. I wrote my little bit in the time it took BD to write all of that.
Mind you, BD's a corporate tax lawyer and they have *nothing* to do these days.... 😉
I have plenty to [i]do[/i] Tom, but none of it is as pleasant or as pressing as Xtracycle evangelism.
🙂
I have plenty to do Tom, but none of it is as pleasant or as pressing as Xtracycle evangelism.
Ha!
(Glad it's not too dire with you - I think our tax chaps are starting to sweat: they rely on M&A too much, and so are really twiddling their thumbs.)
I'm quite glad I've only just started to think about this as our cyclescheme closes tonight for another year...
If I'd had more time, who knows what irrational purchases I would have made - maybe next year!
brakes - on the contrary. Get yourself a voucher and buy something *useful*.
In all seriousness, certainly for my life, the Dummy has been the most rational bicycle purchase I've ever made.
😀
Jon (BigDummy) describes the use of a utility bike very elegantly. Basically, as I see it (although I don't own one yet) it takes away most of the reasons for owning a car on a day-to-day basis, subject to the distances you need to travel. And while you can manage a lot of what a utility bike can do with panniers and a rucksack, it's a lot less comfortable and probably more effort than with a utility bike.
Oh, and while the Yuba is a steel frame, it has slotted dropouts and [i]very[/i] thick frame tubes so getting a disc mount in there may be 'interesting'. I guess you might be lucky and be able to fit one if it is spaced for a 203mm rotor, assuming there is enough space in the frame for a rotor that big. You'll need to modify the forks as well. Oh, and the BD also has rack mounts on the fork and bottle cage mounts on the frame, both of which are missing on the Yuba. By this point I'm starting to look at the Big Dummy as a more sensible long term option despite the greater upfront cost.
Like Jon, I don't drive. My wife does, so getting things like sacks of chicken food and the weekly shop generally fall to her. Getting a Yuba is going to make it possible for me to do this.
I'm sure that I won't need the capacity 90% of the time, but I need to get a sensible bike for commuting anyway (using my Inbred and Solitude has basically ruined both of them) and the cargo capacity isn't going to get in the way when it's not being used.
If I could, I'd get a Big Dummy, but it's twice as expensive as a Yuba Mundo and I'm a cheapskate 🙂 The lack of disk mounts doesn't bother me for both cheapskate and Luddite reasons.
I think for what it's worth that discs are not essential. If you lived at the bottom of a steep hill or something that would be one thing, but these bikes encourage sonme fairly conservative riding. You tend not to cane into corners and scrub speed at the last second! 🙂
Commuting has ruined my winter trainer. And so, I propose to buy a road fixed for next winter. And a cross bike for racing next season. And a cargo bike.
Having recently bought a track bike, with those additions I would be up to 8 bikes. OMG. 😯
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/3019242881_343eb129ac.jp g" target="_blank">
Singlespeed Dummy-Cross. You [i]know[/i] it makes sense... 😀
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2926748656_52db04a92f.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/big-dummy-raynes-park/sets/72157605772907273/ ]Jon's Flickr set[/url]
[url= http://www.surlybikes.com/bigdummy.html ]Surly[/url]
[url= http://www.xtracycle.com ]Xtracycle[/url]
Pertinent links and a piccy for those stumbling across what may almost be an informative thread.
😀
I agree with Jon, disc brakes are not essential.
Although for me, they align quite nicely with my desire for a internally geared hub and full length 'guards for minimal maintenance to go with the cargo hauling.
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2989061431_e3a010c94f_d.jp g" target="_blank">
It can carry kids too 😀
*Wanders in late to the party*
Xtracycle user here (inspired after seeing BD's)
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/2661849918_cf2507c30d.jp g" target="_blank">
I'll admit I don't use it everyday, but it is soooo useful. Does all the things BD says it does. Mine is on an old Trek frame and is, I will admit, a bit flexy, but is all adds to the charm. I've transported all sorts on with mine, for reference, below is what I'd consider a 'small' load
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24 cans of wife beater this side and..
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3 wine boxes this side
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and both sides.
Click the first pic for more pics of the build.
It's something of a conversation piece too - lots of people ask about it.
Braking is courtesy of normal V's (XT) and it's fine.
I'd recommend one anyday - a very sensible purchase that pays for itself by allowing me to go do stuff that I'd normally use the car for.
24 cans of wife beater this side and..3 wine boxes this side
Didn't BD have a theory that Xtracycles are mainly for carrying boxes of Stella?
I reckon you could get 4 crates either side and another 4 crates on top. That's 12 crates in all, 'pose it'd weigh a bit!
I am now convinced of what my redundant Inbred is going to become.
Now Im just planning a small "bike garage" at the front of the house for a bike and Jrs trailer, but by the time I build it I might as well use an extra cycle and kid seat for the weekly shop....
fantastic.
Oh god, I just priced it up and its not a lot of money...
Better speak to the wife 🙂
Just need to build a nexus/alfine into a big rim and ive got pretty much all I need! Eeek!
Stoner, that's what I'm intending to do with my Love/Hate. Xtracycle kit plus a steel rigid fork and an Alfine rear wheel. EBB for chain tension, job's a good 'un. 😀
DO IT!!!
I didnt know a love/hate had an EBB.
Ill just use a spare tensioner.
Forgot I need to get a steel fork too.....
I've got bouncy forks on mine ('cos they were in the garage) and they work OK
bouncy/rigid isnt the problem.
Its that the Stoner fleet is now entirely 29er except for the redundant Inbred hanging on the wall 🙂
Disc brakes may not be essential but my Dummy weighs 48lb without any cargo - it'll carry 190kg including me. I love the cable discs on it - even more now there are 203 rotors on there. Bit like a tandem really - v's don't really cut it if you want to stop sharpish.
Mocha. We demand pictures of your Big Dummy. Sort it. Unless you were Sheffy on the old site? In which case please repost.
😀
I've not weighed mine. I'd have guessed 45-50...
I'm coming round to the idea of discs on a commuter. I always thought it complete overkill, when the cantis on my commuter/CX/winter hack/tourer bike work so well.
But I've turned the rims concave in about a year and I have to change brake pads every month in the winter. OK I'd have to change pads, but it takes less time than faffing with cantis, is less filthy dirty and wouldn't have to occur so often.
For that reason, my bigdummy will have discs.
So far there are two buttons in the bigdummy saving pot.
I'm coming round to the idea of discs on a commuter. I always thought it complete overkill, when the cantis on my commuter/CX/winter hack/tourer bike work so well.But I've turned the rims concave in about a year and I have to change brake pads every month in the winter. OK I'd have to change pads, but it takes less time than faffing with cantis, is less filthy dirty and wouldn't have to occur so often.
Yep, same thing happened for me, henve why my fixed wheel commuter has a disc brake on the front wheel. Low maintenance for the win!
I would like a Big Dummy, but will almost certainly start with an Xtracycle.
Mocha. We demand pictures of your Big Dummy. Sort it. Unless you were Sheffy on the old site? In which case please repost.
+1. Get those pictures up here. 🙂
The (48 spoke) wheels are in motion for getting a Yuba Mundo 🙂
Now the important question: Kawasaki Green or Carrot Orange?
Now the important question: Kawasaki Green or Carrot Orange?
Doesn't that translate to gears or singlespeed? Or can you choose frame colour independently of gear set up now?
Just finalised what I want on cyclescheme with http://www.practicalcycles.com/, who have been brilliantly fast on email. I seem to have spent £999.99 🙂
Yuba Mundo 6-speed, with mudguards, bipod stand, steering stabiliser, Go Getter Bag (85 litre courier bag/pannier) and a flat bed front rack, plus a couple of innertubes and cam straps.
Yuba Mundo 6-speed, with mudguards, bipod stand, steering stabiliser, Go Getter Bag (85 litre courier bag/pannier) and a flat bed front rack, plus a couple of innertubes and cam straps.
Nice set up. I have been trying to find some decent pictures of the Go Getter Bag actually in use but failed so far, looking forward to seeing yours.
I love a nice Porteur rack on the front of a bike.
This may be the best use of Cyclescheme I've heard of, well done! Post pics when you've got it...
Any thoughts on the Kona Ute in comparison? £635 at Wiggle? (They were cheaper last week)
I really like the look of a Kona Ute, although for me it asks more questions than it answers:
1) How big/versatile are the bags? There is ample photographic evidence of the versatility of the Xtracycle design but not the Kona.
2) Setting the bags aside, how do you carry really heavy or long loads on those rare occasions you need to? Yuba or Xtracycle have wide, low support bars for very heavy loads, where is this on the Ute?
3) Aluminium frame - I think steel is a better material for a cargo bike as it copes with fatigue better and is repairable if/when needed.
4) Why no disc mount on the frame (at least I don't think there's one)? Discs are not essential but I'd like the option, especially as there's one on the front.
5) Why those crap mudguards? Better than nothing maybe, but they are still 4-6 inches too short.
Basically, I'm not convinced the Ute is a true alternative to the Yuba or the Xtracycle/Big Dummy model as it is significantly less versatile. fine if all you intend to do is pick up a weeks groceries or the odd larger load, but not much use for really big/awkward loads.
Post pics when you've got it...
Try and stop me 🙂
See, I am wondering if an old tandem frame would be a good donor cycle....remove rear crank arms and saddle, bodge on old plank of wood and rack....
It seems so much of this kit is expensive - we need an On-one inbred 'estate' version....
Scrub that, the kids outgrow the trailer this year, I could bodge that with some curver boxes...
Trailers are a bit of a pain though.
how/why?