Post your utility bike thread
#226
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Location: On the road-USA
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Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG
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I finally christened my bike. This is not set up anywhere near what any one has. I am upgrading the rack and adding a front basket here soon. I also want to build up a utility specific bike to haul a trailer. The utility bike will also have the wald newsboy style baskets and a CETMA front rack.
This is a picture after lugging bike and groceries 3 flights into my apartment after my first grocery run. I also used my back pack for a few things. I wasn't happy that the bag boy couldn't pack properly. Our grocery store has had a 10/$10 sale going on the Fruit Naturals cups. So he put all of those in the bottom, THEN stacked my half gallon of milk and big tub of yogurt on top. I had the repack it all.
This is a picture after lugging bike and groceries 3 flights into my apartment after my first grocery run. I also used my back pack for a few things. I wasn't happy that the bag boy couldn't pack properly. Our grocery store has had a 10/$10 sale going on the Fruit Naturals cups. So he put all of those in the bottom, THEN stacked my half gallon of milk and big tub of yogurt on top. I had the repack it all.
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#227
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#228
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#229
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
1987 Kuwahara Cascade - fixed gear conversion with 110 litres of panier space filled to the max.
I need to get some front paniers now.
#230
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Took me awhile to figure out how to carry stuff on a rear-suspended recumbent. With the Wald basket
hanging off of the seat, now it's utilitarian ... for real ...
hanging off of the seat, now it's utilitarian ... for real ...
#231
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Below is my wife's current utility bike which she loves because at last she has a comfortable full size bike, with a low seat where she has no problem reaching the ground when stopping. Next door neighbor had this bike outside for the last 5 years and asked me if I wanted it for free. I added the basket and bell which I had bought while in Germany. My wife doesn't care what it looks like and she uses it to ride to the local hospital for volunteer work, 12 mile R/T.
#232
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What I typically do to avoid this particular situation is to use my own reusable bags and pack my own. Saves time and makes it a lot easier. The reusable bags I have are a bit taller than the normal brown paper bag.
Aaron
Aaron
#233
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#234
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Just another run to the store. Nothing to see here. Move on.
#235
Patrick Barber
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There are a lot of things to like about this set up, but the thing that really catches my attention are the handy bits of firmware on the bottom of the baskets, and on the rack. overall I really like the elegant homebrew stylin'! And great mudflap, too.
#236
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I'm new to operating a bike for carrying anything useful. Also, I'm not much into bikes really, like those who populate this forum seem to be; and having owned this bike for 35 years, I will probably never be. I do think all the elements of bikes are marvelously ingenious though.
To add things to a bike you need to know if the mounting method that exact item uses will actually work on your bike. A lot of commercial illustrations leave that vague. These pictures try to make the mountings clear.
After 6 months or so of grocery carrying, the stock Raleigh rear carrier broke at its mounts under the load, usually including 2 gallons of milk for a distance of 3 to 8 miles, the locations depending on where the good prices were. It was pretty tough getting home that way.
I kludged something from what I had around, which should not fail in the same way, instead of buying some rack and hoping I could attach it properly. The rack has always swayed rather easily if you tugged on it sideways when loaded, but this fix is far firmer. It is still anything but rigid.
The bike:
milk crate mount and kludge:
front Wald basket:
You can see the headlight bracket goes through the basket, which you do with the headlight off the bracket. After you get the bracket through, you then put the headlight back on it.
Since I've had so much trouble with things getting loose and slipping, and no amount of tightening doing the trick, but only stretching the mounting loops, I always put something with a little give under anything that wraps around a tube. Something like a plastic strip cut from a plastic jar, a pop bottle, or milk jug; or vinyl electrical tape. This little bit of elasticity seems to be enough to keep the grip tight enough. It also keeps things from rubbing through the rust-******ing plating or paint.
To add things to a bike you need to know if the mounting method that exact item uses will actually work on your bike. A lot of commercial illustrations leave that vague. These pictures try to make the mountings clear.
After 6 months or so of grocery carrying, the stock Raleigh rear carrier broke at its mounts under the load, usually including 2 gallons of milk for a distance of 3 to 8 miles, the locations depending on where the good prices were. It was pretty tough getting home that way.
I kludged something from what I had around, which should not fail in the same way, instead of buying some rack and hoping I could attach it properly. The rack has always swayed rather easily if you tugged on it sideways when loaded, but this fix is far firmer. It is still anything but rigid.
The bike:
milk crate mount and kludge:
front Wald basket:
You can see the headlight bracket goes through the basket, which you do with the headlight off the bracket. After you get the bracket through, you then put the headlight back on it.
Since I've had so much trouble with things getting loose and slipping, and no amount of tightening doing the trick, but only stretching the mounting loops, I always put something with a little give under anything that wraps around a tube. Something like a plastic strip cut from a plastic jar, a pop bottle, or milk jug; or vinyl electrical tape. This little bit of elasticity seems to be enough to keep the grip tight enough. It also keeps things from rubbing through the rust-******ing plating or paint.
#238
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Location: sacramento
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Bikes: 06 specialized stumpjumper,90s hardrock e assist xtracycle, 90s rockhopper xtracycle, vintage windsor single speed. vintage raleigh competition single speed
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2006 specialized stumjumper, surly instigator fork, xtracycle freeradical, homebuilt racks and bags, skateboard snapdeck, brooks b-17, on one mary bars, home built 25 watt halogen headlamp, continental town and country tires. [IMG][/IMG]
#239
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Love it. Looks like Death just rolled into town on an Xtracycle. Rock on!
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#241
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#242
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Location: an island in WA
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Bikes: Xtracycle cruiser bike
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I think Cetma racks have industrial-strength sexiness, and I love your bike.
I'm a basket guy, though. It's a form of laziness. Just chuck stuff in and go. Tomorrow I'll post my new/old beater basket bike.
EDIT: Well tomorrow turned into a week later, but here is my latest junk love:
I'm a basket guy, though. It's a form of laziness. Just chuck stuff in and go. Tomorrow I'll post my new/old beater basket bike.
EDIT: Well tomorrow turned into a week later, but here is my latest junk love:
Last edited by Cody Broken; 06-18-08 at 12:07 AM.
#243
i ride a bike...
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#244
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Something tells me you are a long and tall Texan, jmonkey.
Love the swoopy seat stays.
Love the swoopy seat stays.
#246
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My new cargo bike:
The Sturmey Archer hub really isn't working for me though. Seriously thinking of going NuVinci.
The Sturmey Archer hub really isn't working for me though. Seriously thinking of going NuVinci.
#248
Patrick Barber
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My Xtrakogswell
My Kogswell is designed to carry heavy front loads, but didn't do so well with loads both front and rear. After a lot of adjustments failed to correct the problem, I thought adding an Xtracycle might smooth things out. So far it seems to be working.
The magic of the Xtracycle seems to have cured the front end wobble on this machine. This load -- a week's worth of vegetables, a gallon of milk, and various and sundry bits of clothing unneeded or unworn -- is my largest regular cargo. Once a week we make the 14-mi round trip to our CSA pickup and haul home our bounty. In the fall it's much bigger. But it's the milk that usually tips the scales. With the Xtracycle I barely felt like I was carrying anything. I have yet to try it out with a full camping load but I have high hopes at this point.
Installing the Xtracycle unit on this bicycle was relatively uneventful. The Kogswell uses 650B wheels, which are slightly larger than 26" wheels (650B=584mm ø, 26"=559mm ø). I used a 26" Xtracycle and a V-brake, and with a little filing of the brake arm slots, the brake shoes met the rim just fine. I think I voided several warranties in the process, but if I run into any difficulty I reckon I can switch to a 26" wheel and a big fat tire on the rear.
The magic of the Xtracycle seems to have cured the front end wobble on this machine. This load -- a week's worth of vegetables, a gallon of milk, and various and sundry bits of clothing unneeded or unworn -- is my largest regular cargo. Once a week we make the 14-mi round trip to our CSA pickup and haul home our bounty. In the fall it's much bigger. But it's the milk that usually tips the scales. With the Xtracycle I barely felt like I was carrying anything. I have yet to try it out with a full camping load but I have high hopes at this point.
Installing the Xtracycle unit on this bicycle was relatively uneventful. The Kogswell uses 650B wheels, which are slightly larger than 26" wheels (650B=584mm ø, 26"=559mm ø). I used a 26" Xtracycle and a V-brake, and with a little filing of the brake arm slots, the brake shoes met the rim just fine. I think I voided several warranties in the process, but if I run into any difficulty I reckon I can switch to a 26" wheel and a big fat tire on the rear.
#250
Senior Member
I too had an xtracycle with a frame strapped to the top at that time.