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divingbiker
02-16-2008, 10:01 AM
I've been coveting an Xtracycle for a long time, mostly because of Geonz's raves here and on BiJou, and now I have one of my own. Today I rode it home from the LBS, and I think I'm going to like this thing!

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee64/divingbiker/bike%20photos/xtracyclesmall.jpg

It's a 1991 Bridgestone MB-4 rigid MTB I found on Craigslist for $60, and after adding a few hundred more for the Xtracycle kit, albatross bars, bar end shifters, and a Brooks saddle, it's a hauling machine. And of course, it's red.:)
Blueberry
02-16-2008, 11:31 AM
How cool! Enjoy!!!
Mr. Bloom
02-16-2008, 11:43 AM
A real "stretch limo";)
Zen
02-16-2008, 12:48 PM
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
So is this your canal bike?
I guess I can return the panniers I just bought :D ;)
emily_in_nc
02-16-2008, 01:11 PM
Neat-o! Enjoy!

Emily
withm
02-16-2008, 03:08 PM
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
So is this your canal bike?
I guess I can return the panniers I just bought :D ;)

NICE BIKE DB!

I've started looking at panniers. What did you get Zen?

I did my first real "Errand" ride today. Loaded my newspapers into my new "grocery" pannier and dropped them off for recycling. Then rode to grocery store and picked up a few items, then to the post office to get the mail. 14 miles total, with a small load. It was COLD and WINDY but it always is. Not bad though. Nicer in the sunny spots.
HillSlugger
02-16-2008, 07:00 PM
It's beautiful. I hope to see it in person some time soon! Enjoy!
Zen
02-16-2008, 07:18 PM
I've started looking at panniers. What did you get Zen?


:D:D:D I just posted in an older thread about that
Geonz
02-16-2008, 07:19 PM
It's awesome!

(and if by remote chance that's Greenbelt Lake, you're *really* keeping up with the Geonzes...)

Let us know if/how it grows on you :D
divingbiker
02-17-2008, 03:07 AM
It's awesome!

(and if by remote chance that's Greenbelt Lake, you're *really* keeping up with the Geonzes...)

Let us know if/how it grows on you :D

It's actually Lake Artemesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Artemesia) in College Park.
7rider
02-17-2008, 04:28 AM
Very nice. Congrats...and as my mom would say "Ride it in good health."
See ... you will be carrying everything on the C&O trip! ;)
How does it handle?
How does it climb?

zen...where's a link to that post?
Geonz
02-17-2008, 09:45 AM
It's actually Lake Artemesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Artemesia) in College Park.

Pretty close!! I grew up in Greenbelt & still have siblings there.
elk
02-17-2008, 09:57 AM
wow! you don't fool around!!!
divingbiker
02-18-2008, 12:24 PM
How does it handle?
How does it climb?

Well...it handles and climbs great. I rode it into the office today to drop off a cake (bungeed to the back skateboard top). I really like the way it rides. Getting up the big hill near my house was no problem, even loaded with two huge bags full of groceries.

However, I got caught in the rain coming out of Whole Foods, completely unprepared--no rain jacket, nothing but the cotton t-shirt and capri pants I was wearing. The temperature had dropped about 10 degrees, and it was miserable. I decided to take Metro home, but the damn bike wouldn't fit in the Metro elevator! So I had to ride home in the rain.

I know it's not the bike's fault it's too big for the elevator, but I was a little annoyed anyway.
Zen
02-18-2008, 06:38 PM
Search for "Panniers 101"
Geonz
02-19-2008, 07:07 PM
Might be able to figure out a way to pop the wheel off? Maybe on the Yahoo Group somebody might have an idea?
Zen
02-19-2008, 07:39 PM
Can you hold it vertically long enough for an elevator ride?
divingbiker
02-20-2008, 02:23 AM
Hadn't thought about taking the wheel off or holding it vertically, mostly because it was pretty heavily loaded. But I'll have to try both the next time...there's got to be a way!
Zen
02-20-2008, 11:49 AM
Do you have to take it on the elevator?
Probly yes if I know Metro :rolleyes:
divingbiker
02-20-2008, 12:57 PM
Do you have to take it on the elevator?
Probly yes if I know Metro :rolleyes:

Yes, you have to take bikes on the elevator. It makes sense...they don't want a bike careening down the escalator into people.
divingbiker
03-04-2008, 02:30 PM
What fun! Tomorrow is my office's annual chili cookoff, so I rode the Xtracycle in to work today to take everything in (I'm the organizer). I bungeed a milk crate onto the skateboard top, so I could keep the cake pan flat, and loaded other stuff into the side bags.

Here's what I hauled:

crockpot
gallon of chili, frozen
blueberry coffee cake
banana bread
container of chocolate chip cookies
box of saltines
box of oatmeal
Ortlieb pannier with my clothes, lunch etc
pump and repair kit

Here's what it looked like:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee64/divingbiker/bike%20photos/xtraloaded.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee64/divingbiker/bike%20photos/xtraloadedback.jpg
tulip
03-04-2008, 02:47 PM
That is SO wonderful! And you have a hill to start, as I recall (or maybe that was just coming from my old house). Anyways, I remember a steep hill near you.

Very cool. How did your coworkers react?
Zen
03-04-2008, 03:03 PM
Party Bike!
redrhodie
03-04-2008, 04:14 PM
What's the oatmeal for?
divingbiker
03-04-2008, 04:25 PM
That is SO wonderful! And you have a hill to start, as I recall (or maybe that was just coming from my old house). Anyways, I remember a steep hill near you.

Very cool. How did your coworkers react?

Yes, you remember right--I've got a big hill on the way home. I showed the bike to a few who were interested, and everyone thinks it's pretty cool. A pain to hoist onto the wall hook in the bike room, but cool.


What's the oatmeal for?

Ha! It's for my breakfast. I just used the opportunity to carry in a whole box today.

Actually, the coffee cake and banana bread were for two birthdays in the branch today, and the cookies and chili stuff are for the cookoff tomorrow (along with the cornbread I baked tonight.)
7rider
03-04-2008, 04:41 PM
Wow.
In addition to hauling duty....I name DB official cook for the C&O!
Nicely done. I bet you generated more than a few double-takes from folks on the road today!
IFjane
03-04-2008, 05:43 PM
Wow.
In addition to hauling duty....I name DB official cook for the C&O!


Excellent idea. I'll bet if she ditches the crock pot all my clothes will fit, too....:D
redrhodie
03-05-2008, 05:04 AM
Sounds like a dangerous place to work!
Geonz
03-05-2008, 06:32 AM
THe lower you keep the weight, the easier it is to get the load up hills. Looks great!!
divingbiker
03-05-2008, 02:16 PM
THe lower you keep the weight, the easier it is to get the load up hills. Looks great!!

Keep the suggestions coming, I'm learning from all of them. I was fairly bottom-heavy, I think...the gallon of chili and my loaded pannier were in one side bag, and the crockpot was in the other side bag. The baked stuff was up top.

I was running late or I probably would have spent more time getting the load balanced just right. And I need a better system for strapping the milk crate on top. Any ideas? Bungees don't seem to work very well--too stretchy.
7rider
03-05-2008, 03:17 PM
I have some heavy thick black bungies - flat, not rounded like "braided" bungies. They are not as stretchy as regular ones. Next time I see you, I can show you...perhaps they might work better? Or, a strap with a ratchet to bring in the slack.
Geonz
03-05-2008, 03:30 PM
I'd strap the crate on at its bottom, not top. Maybe do something creative with hooking on both sides of hte snap deck going "through" the crate at the bottom of it. Or, just use the straps of the bags to go through it from either side - they are deisgned to snap to each other as well as to the sides of the saddlebags.