Utility Cycling - Choosing the right family hauling bike

I'm a total novice to longtail biking, and I need some help in making a decision. Currently I haul around kids and groceries with my Fuji Citizen and a Burley d'lite trailer. I've really enjoyed this set-up and I can do all my grocery shopping like this, but the kids are getting too big for the carriage, and I'm starting to think about what to do next. I'm hoping to find a set-up that can haul kids, groceries and gardening stuff (long handled tools, bales of straw, boxes of vegies etc.)

Options:
Freeradical - I love the thought of this, but my Fuji has 700c wheels and center pull brakes, so I'd have to find a decent bike to start with, and it'd probably end up costing as much as a ready-made bike. Also, is the bolted together design really sturdy?

Kona Ute - Price is right, but since it isn't compatible with xtracycle stuff, my options to carry all my gardening tools is limited. Also seems too lightweight.

Radish - Love the thought of a ready to go bike of xtracycle quality, and I could save up. Could haul all I want to. Very "made for mommy" looking (but I could bear that).

Big Dummy - A dream, but very expensive.

Madsen - Like the idea, but the bucket seems impractical, as there're not places to strap down odd shaped cargo, and I can see kids getting cracked by a slipping shovel.

Yuba Mundo - One tough bike, and I suppose with 18 speeds I could haul what I'd want to. Is it compatible with xtracycle gear? Is the rear deck too wide for little bums? Is the $200 difference between this and the Radish worth it?

BTW, I'm a middle-aged mom, in decent shape (but the hills are still tough!), about 5'8' with a 33" inseam.

I'd love to hear any and all opinions about these choices, as to the best of my knowledge, none of them are available nearby to test ride (Cleveland, OH).

Thanks Loads (pun intended!),
Kirsten

I have an 18" Big Dummy and building it up is expensive. I bought it complete and added the longtail kit and bought the wide loader set. You will need the latter to haul stuff other than groceries.

With a Freeradical, you'll want 26" wheels and superfat tires like the Big Apples or Fat Franks to cope with heavy loads comfortably. I wouldn't bother with 700C. A vintage donor mountain bike could built around a 26" Freeradical kit, footsies and accessories.


Kona Ute - has its own panniers. I think its strong enough to carry stuff on the rack.


Radish - a more affordable version of the Big Dummy. It would work and if you're dead set against the color, you could always powdercoat it later to one you like.

Big Dummy - the Cadillac of the longtail world - in price, customizing options, quality and ride!

Madsen - they also sell a rack version. You could just toss cargo in the bucket and take kids with you when you're not doing cargo errands.

Yuba Mundo- it looks like it can haul anything from people to bulky packages.

You will want a bike with ultra-low gearing for the hills. You will need to ask your bike shop what will work with your budget and what your goals are for the longtail bike you want and have you test ride it. Good luck!

Possibly use the trailer for stuff and move the kids to the bicycle- using a tandem, trail-behind or some combination if they're big enough, or kid carriers on the bike if they're too small.

I know it's expensive, but go with the Big Dummy. It will serve your needs until you are too old to ride anymore. It'll haul the kids until they no longer want to ride with you. It'll haul everything else until you can't. Xtracycle accessories are available for whatever adventure you can come up with and you can make the rest yourself. I ride all over the place with one boy on the back of the BD and the other in a trailer. When I come up with better seats for the both of them, I'll carry them both on the BD. Check out my blog (http://joebikerider.blogspot.com/) for pictures of the bike with boys and trailer on one of our trips.

I've not decided anything - except that I'd better start saving money!

Joe, What a great bike - I love it. Cool blog too; my kids love those long bike days where we just go to fun places and have a picnic lunch. Biking makes any city much more enjoyable.

Stephen, I know I want a longtail style bike so that I can haul the garden stuff, but I'll definitely still be pulling the trailer frequently.

Norman, do you mind sharing "roughly" how much the BD ended up setting you back (ignore if this is rude)? I just keep thinking $75 here, $140 there... and agonizing about all the components. All those add ons really add up.

Also, I made a mistake - it was the powder blue Madsen bike that was too "cute" for my tastes. I grew up a tomboy and would have :died: if my folks had ever made me ride a step thru frame. :) The Radish is perfectly acceptable.

Could someone do a brief rundown of why the BD is so much better?

Thanks again, I'm sure I'll dream about longtails tonight!

-Kirsten

Kirsten, I won my BD almost complete off eBay and the total cost with the longtail kit and stem and handlebar change and a new Brooks saddle came to $1400. Throw in a wideloader set and its $1500. That's half off what a build up from a BD frameset alone is priced on the Internet.

The components do add up... but I would say just get the WL and forgo the long loader unless you intend to be hauling long objects like ladders, ski equipment and that sort of awkward stuff. The LT kit is adequate for grocery shopping and errands that don't involve big and bulky packages. That's a basic guideline for outfitting a BD.

The BD is better because its an integrated bike designed to accept Xtracycle components, the frame doesn't have flex under load the way a standard bike with a FreeRadical kit does and the ride, unloaded and loaded is smooth and effortless. It changes the way people look at bikes as day to day transportation. I think next to the Cross Check and Long Haul Trucker, its the best product Surly has ever produced.

The BD is not the only option, just the best for me. It may or may not be for you too, Kirsten. I just looked at the Madsen and I kind of like it. What strikes me though is that someone could get all entrepreneurial and make one of those buckets for the BD. That's what I like about the BD, it can change into almost anything you want it to be. Use your imagination or xtracycles's and buy what you need. Anyone can design stuff to plug into the xtracycle style accessory rack. Do a Flickr search for the Big Dummy and see what others have done. Practically no limits.

I'm into bikes. I'm into my kids. With the Big Dummy, I get to enjoy both. Hopefully one day my wife will be through with nursing school and get to enjoy the good times with us.

I'm a total novice to longtail biking, and I need some help in making a decision. Currently I haul around kids and groceries with my Fuji Citizen and a Burley d'lite trailer. I've really enjoyed this set-up and I can do all my grocery shopping like this, but the kids are getting too big for the carriage, and I'm starting to think about what to do next. I'm hoping to find a set-up that can haul kids, groceries and gardening stuff (long handled tools, bales of straw, boxes of vegies etc.)


Kirsten

You need a "Dutch" bike something like this........
http://www.dutchbikes.us/sortejernhest/tcoach/index.php

Worksman cycles makes a front loading trike that can be fitted out with a box/seat with ease for
way less money than an imported Dutch bike.

http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/frontload.html

I bought a used xtracyle with generic mountain bike off craigslist this past summer. It has been perfect for me and my two kids (ages 3 and 6). We weigh 140, 25, and 35, and I haul a couple bags of groceries in the side bags. I added a stoker bar and used some old bar ends from an old mountain bike as foot pegs for the little one (his feet don't reach down very far). The kids love it. The big dummy would be even better, but this works fine.

Dumb couple of q's:

1) Doesn't xtracycle have a 700c version?

2) Wouldn't linear-pull brakes matter relatively little? The freerad has mounting points for cantis, sure, but it's not like a new brake cable, some housing, and a set of cantis is more than $50. Everything else should work fine.

I have a bolt-on xtra. I actually sympathize with those who say it has issues; my big one is that mine drifts forward a bit so that I have to re-seat it on my bike every few months. But overall, the bike is so amazing that I really just don't care. And you're paying half as much.

They do have a 700C Xtracycle version but the handling isn't very good. Even tfahrner, a poster on her recommends building 26" wheels for a 700C frame and 24" for a 26" frame to get sturdy wheels that hold up under the load. And you want superfat tires for a forgiving and stable ride. You can go with rim brakes but disc brakes are better especially in hilly country.

Check out the bikes at Clevercycles (http://clevercycles.com/store/?c=web2.173) and CAT Oregon (http://hpm.catoregon.org/?page_id=70). They both sell bakfietsen -- these come to about $3000, but have some advantages over the Big Dummy. Your children are in front of you, so it's more social. It's easier to load and unload children as well as cargo.

Also, check out the CETMA Cargo bike: http://cetmacargo.com/ They have one at Clever Cycles :)

sounds like you do a lot with your bike and have and idea of where you are going, but it might help to know a little more....like how old/big are the kids (ie will they be on their own bikes soon?a), what type/amount of gardening tools you are hauling and how much groceries/other you haul....

This forum is really making me think - Thanks!

More details: I've got 3 kids: an 11 yo son who is under his own power, and 2 daughters, 3 and almost 6. The girls weigh 35 and 55 respectively. The almost 6 yo is a dreamer, and still uses training wheels. I predict that she will be independent no earlier than age 10. We try to be car-free during the summer. Our rides average 10 miles, although on weekends, we often put in 25 or more (with my DH pulling the trailer!).

Gardening: I have 3 plots: one at home, one about 5 blocks away, and one about 5 miles away. I have to haul anything I need to each one (typically this would be a long handled hoe, a wheel hoe (http://www.groworganic.com/item_GCU200_Glaser_Standard_Wheel_Hoe.html), watering cans, and transplant flats. Most of this I now do with the car. I was a rural market gardener before child #2, and I trying to become an urban market gardener.

More Questions:
Hills. I live in Ohio, and it's mostly flat. However, to exit my neighborhood, I must climb a RR bridge. I also venture into our metropark system frequently, which means climbing this enormous hill when I come out. I can handle this with the trailer. Will I be able to handle it on a longtail? What about a basket-bike?
Speed. I'm constantly pressed for time. I can ride the 5 miles to piano lessons in 30 minutes pulling the trailer. What about on a longtail? A basket bike?

My Hubby thinks the Yuba is best suited to my needs (and our finances). Anybody know if I could strap those wonderful freeloader bags onto a Yuba?

Thanks all!
-Kirsten

The Yuba Mundo doesn't come with panniers. You'll have to provide your own. Also, look into the Rans Hammertruck - its a CF cargo bike that has its own snap deck and spacious panniers. Its about $2,000. That's retail but you may be able to get at cost from a LBS dealer.

I know this is over your budget...but might be long term efficient..... http://cetmacargo.com/

see the thread here http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=485469

this would give you the ability to haul everything...especially with the box that in some of the recent posts.

I am also thinking that your dreamer could then be on a trailabike or similar on her road to independence :) which might be more difficult with a long tail type bike

Sunkirst -- my suggestion would be to contact xtracycle at info@xtracycle.com and ask them your question. I'm pretty sure the answer is "no" but they're likely to have some suggestions.

And ignore the folks who demand that you triple your budget. You're at where you're at.

I'm building a big dummy but wished I went with the mundo. Seriously, the big dummy has a lot of "hip factor" and "lifestyle" marketing driving up the cost. The mundo is a marketed as a tool. Perfect for your use.