One for BigDummy – utility bike content

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2009/shows/nahmbs09/?id=/photos/2009/tech/shows/nahmbs09/nahmbs092/Black_Sheep_utility

thats a lot of expensive pipes with a flat tyre! 🙂

I’m not surprised it’s flat – have you seen the number of tubes!

Titanium, too.
I want one, and a shed to put it in.

That is awesome. Utterly awesome. Thanks Captain!

Have to get to NAHMBS one day…

🙂

BD, here you go;

There’s something about improbably bling utility bikes, made purely for the bike company employees to do beer runs on, that makes me want to kick someone in the nuts. The fact that it looks like a gay designer’s towel rail only adds to the effect.

There’s something about improbably bling utility bikes, made purely for the bike company employees to do beer runs on, that makes me want to kick someone in the nuts. The fact that it looks like a gay designer’s towel rail only adds to the effect.

Which, I think, makes you Mr Disagreeable.

Aren’t most of the NAHMBS bikes just “we did it just because we could”?

The name may not be entirely what it appears.

You’re absolutely right, in that the point of the event isn’t to come up with a popular solution to looming environmental crisis. Nevertheless, for me a few of the bikes there are so ridiculously opulent that they cross the line from whimsical to irksome.

[Chuckles at Mr Agreeable]

I sort of take your point, but I reckon if you’re going to do what is almost an “arts and crafts” bike then a utility bike is a better platform to do it on than something which is intended to be “performance”. A utility, by its nature, is going to be startlingly heavy, and can be fussy and over-detailed in a way that a racer or whatever really can’t be.

Aspiration-wise my Dummy is rugged rather than bling, but it has developed on the basis of what works and what makes it more practical. Result is I have a squeaky plastic chainguard. That Black Sheep has a welded ti one. I rather know which I’d prefer. This is one of my favourite slightly OTT Dummys:

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🙂

That Black Sheep is particularly fugly.

I’m currently looking at how much it would cost to upgrade a Yuba Mundo to hub gears (ideally with a coaster brake) and a dynamo hub…

More here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/nahbshow/20090227Utility#

Dedicated rabbit-transporting bicycle:

🙂

The name may not be entirely what it appears.

I have suspected as much over time. A good forum name.

I’m currently looking at how much it would cost to upgrade a Yuba Mundo to hub gears (ideally with a coaster brake) and a dynamo hub…

Mike – I may have been living in a hole for some time (I am in The North, you know), but does that mean you have the Yuba, or is this part of a plan to acquire one?

I can’t entirely hate anything that Cycling News describes as “monstrous”. But it strikes me that for a lot of these companies it’s more about niche-mining, rather than a serious attempt to change the world.

By the way, is that photograph taken at a confusing angle or does that Dummy have a set of Manitou Dorados on the front? 😯

That’s gash, I’m afraid. You bunch of weirdos.

I think they are Dorados, yes. Possibly a leeetle beet of overkill.

😉

Mike – I may have been living in a hole for some time (I am in The North, you know), but does that mean you have the Yuba, or is this part of a plan to acquire one?

Still in the planning phase 🙂

I’m looking into the relative costs of buying a Yuba and (eventualy) adding hub gears and/or a dynamo hub/lights vs some other options, like getting a non-cargo bike with the dynamo, etc already fitted.

Mike, I have blanched at the cost of a decent dyno hub, and have been surprised at how well the bottle dynamo on my Brompton works. I’m experimenting with a bottle setup for the Dummy. I’ll let you know how that goes…

Even with those forks he must be an extremely smooth rider. Downhilling on a hardtail is unpleasant enough without being drenched in scalding cappucino.

Mike, I have blanched at the cost of a decent dyno hub, and have been surprised at how well the bottle dynamo on my Brompton works. I’m experimenting with a bottle setup for the Dummy. I’ll let you know how that goes…

The Shimano dynamo hubs don’t seem too expensive, and the one on ‘my’ Strike Bike works brilliantly so far.

I need to look into how the it works, but I think I could buy a Yuba one year and then buy the dynamo, etc. a year or so later on cyclescheme, so I’d save the tax.

Or, if that’s not allowed…

Buy a Yuba.
Pay off the loan.
Buy a dynamo- and hub gear-equipped bike.
Pay off the loan.
Swap parts about to get the Yuba dynamoed-up.

Still in the planning phase

I’m looking into the relative costs of buying a Yuba and (eventualy) adding hub gears and/or a dynamo hub/lights vs some other options, like getting a non-cargo bike with the dynamo, etc already fitted.

I think:

Prioritise buying the Yuba.
Worry about other nice stuff after you’ve started using it and things have started to wear out.

I’ve decided I’m going to buy a big dummy. I’m never going to learn to drive monstrous dirty noisy awful automobiles, I’m going to sling my shopping/race bike on the back of the dummy and head off under my own steam, albeit with the assistance of trains for the longer trips …

ADH, I’m talking myself out of bringing mine to CLIC or Bikefest, but if you’re heading London-wards at any point and want to throw a leg over mine just give me a shout.

Cheers

Jon

adh – that’s the spirit. I intend to do as Jon has done – build an Xtracycle first and then go for a BD later.

If we have a bike2work scheme again, my plan is to squeeze in a cross bike (for racing next winter) and an Xtracycle for the £1000. Hopefully do-able.

Not sure you could build a BD for £1,000, could you? (Not suggesting this is your plan to acquire the bike, adh, just a general thought).

I’m talking myself out of bringing mine to CLIC or Bikefest

If I get the Yuba in time (doubtful, but possible), I might ride it to SSUK, with my Inbred strapped to the back 🙂

Cheers Jon, much obliged, I’ll give you a buzz if I’m heading up to the capital.

OMITN – no CTW here at present. Though now its not just me asking for it … I’d be happy just to get the frame through CTW. Hell I’m gonna buy one anywhichwayround.

I love those custom timber mudguards, rack and other parts for the Big Dummy that BigDummy has posted up there, they are ace.

I doubt you would get a Big Dummy for £1000, given the frame/forks are over £700 on their own and you still have to buy the Xtracycle V-racks and bags for teh Big Dummy to be any use. Xtracycle first, then Big Dummy later seems the way to go, if you have a donor frame to use. Only annoying thing for me is that Big Dummies are ideal for the use of a hub gear, but you have to use an external tensioner. If they had an EBB it’s be perfect. :^)

If they had an EBB it’s be perfect. :^)

But could you get one with enough adjustment to take up the slack in a chain that long? I reckon an old mech would be just fine, and you’d still have enough chain wrap on the hub’s sprocket.

BD will, no doubt, be along to provide more accurate comment.

Hell I’m gonna buy one anywhichwayround.

Goddammit man, I like your style. 🙂

Zaynan at Practical Cycles seems to be the best stocked and most responsive chap at the moment.

Full build dummines at £1,750. Frameset is now £850 and the Xtracyle gubbins another £210. So you’re north of £1,000 even if you’ve gfot the rest of the build kit in the shed. Alternatively, Xtracycle conversion is £450 if you’ve a donor bike.

Cheap relative to a car, but the Dummy is not cheap in absolute terms.

Or a Yuba Mundo for less than £700 delivered: http://yubaride.com/utilitybike-store.html

£750 gets you one with nice mudguards and stand.

You’re right, BD, cost isn’t cheap. But, then, for the car Mrs North owns, the annual insurance costs 50% of that, and that’s before running costs….

Mike – I like the Yuba, and I like the cost (I doubt I’ll like the weight..!). What I like about the Xtracycle/BD are the “panniers” and the other modular elements that allow adaption. Does the same or similar exist for the Yuba?

How had I not seen Practical Cycles before?! They sell Yubas and they’re in Cyclescheme, so I don’t need to mess about getting my LBS to order one in. Thanks Jon!

Mike – I like the Yuba, and I like the cost (I doubt I’ll like the weight..!). What I like about the Xtracycle/BD are the “panniers” and the other modular elements that allow adaption. Does the same or similar exist for the Yuba?

There’s a Yuba clip-on pannier. There’s also big cheap plastic boxes, cable ties and bungees 🙂

There’s also big cheap plastic boxes, cable ties and bungees

OK smartar*e. 😉

🙂

Looks like it’ll be £10 a week for me to get a Yuba.

🙂

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🙂

I WANT!!! (doesn’t get, generally)

I want, a long bike (pickup style) but with a chopper front end.
low rider cruising stylee.
not sure cornering is fantastic on those things at the best of times, but nice and stable with a load on?

I like the price of the Yuba, but for what I evisage I’d end up using a cargo bike for the Xtracycle/Big Dummy concept and luggage just seems a little more versatile*.

I think I’d be more interested in a Yuba frameset than some of the parts on the builds that they come with. The wheels and crankset look great for the purpose (although what sort of hubs are they?) but the deraileurs, gears look slightly rubbish and I don’t like the quill stem.

*or maybe just a lot cooler?

What’s in the back of that, Mike, chickens?