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Utility Cycling Want to haul groceries, beer, maybe even your kids? You don't have to live car free to put your bike to use as a workhorse. Here's the place to share and learn about the bicycle as a utility vehicle.

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Old 03-25-13, 11:45 AM
  #726  
Youaintgotjack
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these are the bikes we had before the x frame and Batavus- a Yuba Mundo and Boda Boda...they both now live in and near London with new families.
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Old 03-26-13, 04:10 PM
  #727  
Chesha Neko
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The current state of the Surly, on today's grocery run:

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Old 04-11-13, 05:46 PM
  #728  
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New Photos! I had to clean the sidewalk/pavements myself, before I could shoot these pics! Still cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy, which struck us 27 and 28 October, 2012, becoming a nor'easter over Long Island Sound...

I have bolted 5 mm thick polyethylene plates to the seat support empennage , so as to better support the rear panniers.

The seat has been padded with latex foam, which was available in 1.5mm thick sheets. Easily glued to build up five layers, for 7.5mm of padding, using Rubber Cement. But I can NOT locate any more of the foam, the dollar store seems to have sold out, bummer.

Please ask any questions you need to ask, if you are a homebuilder. I will try to help you within a DIY tutorial format.
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Old 04-12-13, 12:36 AM
  #729  
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Hotbike, I think the face you put on the mac fairing is absolutely fabulous!
What do you have mounted on top of the blue pyramid; a cycle computer?
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Old 04-12-13, 10:47 AM
  #730  
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Volume Thrasher utility cargo bike

So I built up this Volume Thrasher 2 years ago to try and do tricks on.
Turns out I suck at doing tricks so the bike sat around doing nothing.
Since I dropped a lot into the bike I decided to keep it and make it a grocery getter.

First I covered it in automotive camo stickers so no one would ever want to steal it when locked up outside.
Then I added Bontrager 700x45 fenders, Bontrager Backrack up front, and generic aluminum rack in back.
Then I spent 2 days looking for a manly metal mesh file folder basket to put up front but they don't exist here.
With no metal basket alternatives I caved in and ended up getting a huge wicker planter (sprayed it black) up front and a shallow plastic one in back.
I anticipate riding with more stuff/weight up front and the large basket would not fit on the rear rack because it is too close to the seat.

Right now it is geared low for tricks so I am waiting for a bigger chainring and smaller cog from ebay.



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Old 04-12-13, 04:07 PM
  #731  
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Originally Posted by randomgear
Hotbike, I think the face you put on the mac fairing is absolutely fabulous!
What do you have mounted on top of the blue pyramid; a cycle computer?
No. That is a tiny little Tripod, so I can attach my camera there. I goofed , I went out with only one camera. I need a second camera to mount on the tripod, while I take the actual picture with the camera I am holding in my hand. The legs of the Tripod were stuck down with some of that foaming Gorilla Glue, and then the legs of the Tripod were covered with blue masking tape, giving it a "pyramid" appearance. There was a blue bumper sticker under that, and then when I went to mask out the unwanted blue sticker, the blue masking tape could not be found, so I used the orange duct tape. Please pardon our appearance during the renovations...
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Old 04-12-13, 04:14 PM
  #732  
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Originally Posted by hotbike








New Photos! I had to clean the sidewalk/pavements myself, before I could shoot these pics! Still cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy, which struck us 27 and 28 October, 2012, becoming a nor'easter over Long Island Sound...

I have bolted 5 mm thick polyethylene plates to the seat support empennage , so as to better support the rear panniers.

The seat has been padded with latex foam, which was available in 1.5mm thick sheets. Easily glued to build up five layers, for 7.5mm of padding, using Rubber Cement. But I can NOT locate any more of the foam, the dollar store seems to have sold out, bummer.

Please ask any questions you need to ask, if you are a homebuilder. I will try to help you within a DIY tutorial format.
Hot bike, as always I am in awe of your design language and build quality......keep it up!
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Old 04-13-13, 01:00 PM
  #733  
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Originally Posted by squirtdad
Hot bike, as always I am in awe of your design language and build quality......keep it up!
Not everyone realizes I build Utility Bikes. I kind of like to stick a Fairing on the Front Platform, and I do get some pretty good downhill speeds, but these bikes are about load-carrying, small, but dense material, such as rock and gravel fill for trail-building. If this bike was in production, it would be easy to convert to an SWB, since it already has a boom on the front. All the tricks I learnt building Fiberglass, can carry-over to Carbon Fiber, just by switching the material.

I forgot to show this photo:



This is how the Bottle Cages are mounted to the Boom. The Bolts go all the way through the Boom , so the two bolts hold both Cages. The threads are glued with blue-Loctite, and the tips of the 8-32 bolts are filed down , so as NOT to penetrate the Bottles.
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Old 04-18-13, 04:20 PM
  #734  
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Here's my contribution to the utility bike thread. This is the second Xtracycle I've built. The first one didn't work out due to some seating position issues, so this is build 2.0. It is actually based on the Xtracycle Radish, but is completely customized. I bought the front half of a Radish frame to use with the FreeRadical which I already owned. You can read a full write-up on it's construction by clicking on the blog link in my signature line.

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Old 05-12-13, 05:25 PM
  #735  
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I've recently gone 100% recumbent bikes due to a back injury. I have had this Actionbent Trike for probably 5-6 years now. I purchased a TerraCycle cargomonster longtail kit that uses all of the Xtracycle attachments. Just got it all finished up yesterday. I intend on using it primarily for errands and shorter trips when the weather outside isn't so nice.





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Old 05-22-13, 07:44 PM
  #736  
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My Extrabike and the extrabike I built up with and for my friend this winter with some new baggage for him.

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Old 05-22-13, 07:45 PM
  #737  
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Originally Posted by leeinmemphis
I've recently gone 100% recumbent bikes due to a back injury. I have had this Actionbent Trike for probably 5-6 years now. I purchased a TerraCycle cargomonster longtail kit that uses all of the Xtracycle attachments. Just got it all finished up yesterday. I intend on using it primarily for errands and shorter trips when the weather outside isn't so nice.

Love it.
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Old 06-17-13, 06:07 PM
  #738  
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Old 07-04-13, 10:42 PM
  #739  
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Here's my utility type bike. It started life as a Schwinn Impact mountain bike. I got it at a thrift store seven years ago, added some new tires, a new derailleur, different handle bars, chrome fenders, pedals, added lights, an Electra cruiser saddle.

A black chrome frame, I have two sets of rear racks, one with panniers, cause their light and used for hauling lighter stuff, I've rigged the rack with quick disconnects and when I'm going after something heavy I pull the pins and add the rear rack with the Wald collapsible baskets, and it only takes a couple of minutes to change them.

This is my first post, so hope it shows up.
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Old 07-08-13, 08:10 AM
  #740  
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Good setup!
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Old 07-16-13, 03:30 PM
  #741  
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Bullitt for kids

Hi there - just joined up to talk about carrying kids in cargo bikes. I upgraded from a rear seat on my Surly Crosscheck to this Bullitt about 4 months ago - there was no way to get them both on the Surly at once. I chose the Bullitt vs a cheaper longtail because I like having them in front, and it's easier to load and unload them.

They are getting a little wide for the seat so I'm going to have to get a bigger box... anyone else on here ride a Bullitt and have recommendations?



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Old 07-16-13, 09:18 PM
  #742  
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Just picked this up. I'm really surprised how stable it is with a crowd on it.





Apparently not everybody was as excited about it as I was

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Old 07-22-13, 11:18 AM
  #743  
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My wife's new Yuba Boda Boda. She's only about 5'1", and putting a child seat behind her other bike didn't really work because of the size. Our youngest son has really enjoyed being on the bike, where the action is, instead of sitting behind in a trailer. Our older son rides behind me on a trail-a-bike. We've been going on family bike excursions every weekend, checking out the nearby towns. Starting this fall she'll be working in the same place all week, and she's planning to use this bike for commuting too.

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Old 08-11-13, 02:13 PM
  #744  
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Daytime shopping. Making due with what I've got, until my 'on hold for better parts' longtail is finished. I actually rode it to the store for groceries, but forgot the camera. Dumpster pepsi bottle crate and the bags per this site or 'bikehacks'; somewhere.

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Old 08-12-13, 10:02 PM
  #745  
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My Trek 820 as she currently sits:
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Old 08-13-13, 08:51 PM
  #746  
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Arrrrgg.!!!!! Broke the bags! Overloaded them and when I hopped off a curb the straps snapped off one side. Bungie to the rescue, but I guess I gotta hang the plastic buckets on instead, even if my daughter says them make me look like a homeless hobo... Am determined to do this as practicably and frugally as possible. Front Pepsi crate works great for a gallon jug, but maybe too shallow as I gotta strap it down firmly because of the suspension. Easy riding though.

Oh, my safest route is suburb streets to dirt field path to shredded pavement parking lot onto a no sidewalk street, over a crosswalk and behind a strip mall through the trash lane. In preference to no shoulder fast lane 2 way traffic, no street lights, shorter to drive roads.
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Old 08-31-13, 07:53 PM
  #747  
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It's not a utility bike yet, just a pile of leftover parts from a recent overhaul/upgrade on our TREKs. Picked the frame and fork up off eBay, the shipping was more than the frame. I have no clue what it was, it has Santa Cruz skateboard decals on it but it is most definitely NOT a Santa Cruz MTB. Guessing a late 80's low end LBS brand but it will get the job done. I have Planet Bike fenders, new tires, 1" quill stem (the one pictured is an 1-1/8") and new shifter/brake levers on the way but everything else will be a leftover from some other bike. I'm trying to decide if I want to do a paint job on it or leave it as is. If I don't paint it I could have it together in a few hours once the tires get here but I have a whole bunch of spray paint I need to use up and the paint is 20 times worse than it shows in the photos.




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Old 09-01-13, 10:50 AM
  #748  
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DSCF0952 by AviationMetalSmith, on Flickr

This is New Today! More pics at this thread (this bike has it's own thread):

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...es-Type-Eleven

It was pure serendipity that the headset failed, and stripped the threads on the steerer tube when it did. It happened in August, when the temperatures were in the 80's F. This made it a good time to do the Fiberglass, as the Epoxy Resin needs heat to cure.
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Old 09-01-13, 10:54 AM
  #749  
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DSCF0947 by AviationMetalSmith, on Flickr

One more thing, I saw an image of a Utility Bike on an item at the local supermarket, so I bought one and took it home so I could photograph it. Delicious Cheese, BTW.
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Old 09-14-13, 04:22 PM
  #750  
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Two weeks ago.....

Originally Posted by Murray Missile
It's not a utility bike yet, just a pile of leftover parts from a recent overhaul/upgrade on our TREKs.................................



It's not done yet, still looking for a set of full fenders that actually fit 26" wheels without huge gaps and I don't have all the lights on it yet but here it is just back from my first ride........... Fortunately you can't see the paint job very well, my worst one in 40 years! It rides GREAT though!!! It feels almost like a road bike.

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