Xtracycle Build - Pics and Questions on Chain Sag

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hmmm....why do they make these bikes in such a way that the chain needs special parts to 'fix' it, right out of the box?
I'm curious!

[ginny]

love the bike! The solution seems pretty perfect as well. I like the idea of the long bolt and the chain-holder-thingy being able to travel with the chain... great idea! Many happy miles to you

[kfergos]

Hmmm....why do they make these bikes in such a way that the chain needs special parts to 'fix' it, right out of the box?
I'm curious!

That's what I want to know. Their web site makes no mention of the fact that a chain at least 2x as long as normal will naturally do some serious sagging, and that most people will want to support it somehow. Why not just, say, team up with TerraCycle and include the chain idler along with the rest of the kit?

This is one of the two things I've found frustrating about the Xtracycle. The other is that the employees at Xtracycle were really not responsive to my LBS -- the LBS wrench tried calling Xtracycle several times (the board that originally came with the bike was rather battered, despite pretty decent packing, and we wanted to get a replacement), left messages, and never heard back. Eventually I had to call, and I talked to a person who sounded very helpful. But he promised to send me a tracking number when he shipped the board and never did; the new one just appeared one day at my LBS.

Conclusion: The Xtracycle itself is awesome. However, the company leaves something to be desired, and the kit could use some improvement.