Utility Cycling - My free Radical is on the way!

Just got an email informing me that my 26" Free Radical kit was shipping today, UPS tracking # and everything! Fan-freaking-tastic!

I bought a garage sale Diamondback Response('02?) aluminum hardtail about 6 months ago, fitted it out with slicks, a rack and some Wald folding baskets and have been using that as my all purpose grocery getter/around town/commute/errand bike. It does the job, but I cannot wait to build my Xtracycle. I've been looking around yard sales, craigslist & etc for a steel frame to use for this build(repairability), but haven't found anything in my size, so Al frame and steel Xtra it shall be. I'll take some before pics when I get home tonight, and will definitely document the build.

I didn't really have a question or anything, just had to tell someone, and ya'll are the most likely someones.

Oh, yeah: Hi, I'm Frank, from Lancaster County, PA. Been lurking around these forums for awhile, soaking up some knowledge. This is, without question, the most helpful, accepting and friendly forums community on all the interwebs.

Congrats! Enjoy your new Xtra!

You're going to love it. I was only riding recumbents but I put an Xtra on my old mtn bike and now I ride that most of the time. It is so useful. If they made a one for a 20 inch tire, I would put one on my electric recumbent utility bike.

I need to order mine, before they run out again.

You're going to love it. I was only riding recumbents but I put an Xtra on my old mtn bike and now I ride that most of the time. It is so useful. If they made a one for a 20 inch tire, I would put one on my electric recumbent utility bike.

Could you not put a coasterbrake 20" whel in one? I am keeping a triangle from a 20" childs MTB in the basement so I later can make one based on a 20" folder.

Electric recumbent xtracycle utility bike?? Fire up that welder!

So, any of you experienced xtracyclers have any tips/tricks? I'll be doing this myself, an although I'm no bike mechanic, but I am comfortable with the level of dis-assembly and re-assembly here, it really doesn't seem terribly complicated. Downloaded the instruction manual from: http://www.xtracycle.com/media/manual.pdf

checklist:
workstand
proper tooling
beer
positive outlook
Framesaver

What am I missing?

Wooho! Mine is coming as well. I'm so stoked!

Going to be writing up a review/general impressions at http://austinbikeblog.org/ next week if anyone is interested.

Well, after much delay, my Xtracycle FreeRadical finally arrived last night. I've already installed it on my Trek 7200 and given a few people rides and commuted today on it. I've done an initial review on it here: http://austinbikeblog.org/?p=649

More to come in the coming weeks.

Congrats to a whole new lifestyle. I recently got my FreeRad frame to replace my broken one. I sorely missed mine for a month and a half.

Well, I built mine up last week. No pic's to share 'cause I'm a lazy jackass. I'll put some up in the appropriate sticky thread at some point. Havin' too much fun right now.

Assembly was straightforward, and was tuning the rear derailleur in about 2.5 hours and 2 beers. Took it off the stand, set it on the floor, and damn it looked good naked(sans Freeloaders, Snapdeck and V-racks). Wheeled it outside for a spin around the neighborhood, got a couple of stares and quizzical looks and one "cool bike!". Back home, completed assembly, very nice. Didn't receive any C-clips(Slacker clip), so there's some strap dangle, though I'm not sure if they were supposed to be in the kit or not. Not worried about it.

Haven't done a full on grocery run yet, just some errands around town, but am very impressed with the handling so far. After work last night I headed over to a friend's house to help with a project he's working on, and brought a pair of sawhorses, a circular saw, a sawzall, 100' extension cord, a framing square and some basic handtools - hauled it all no problem. The look on his wife's face when I started unloading my gear was priceless. I may have a made my first convert, without even trying.

I built up some handlebars for the kids last night and took them to school today. It was great and my son asked if we could keep riding the new bike instead of our trailer. I'll be doing a write up with picture on my blog in the next few days on my setup with the kids.