Utility Cycling - My new XtraCycle

I received my new Free Radical kit and the LBS just finished putting it all together... I rode it most of the day testing it out... Very impressive... I hardly know it's there from the ride.. Seems really sturdy and now I am ready for those Costco runs...
Only one small problem with it ... It has the gearing that came with the bike.. A Giant Sedona ST... Whe I am using the 48 tooth ring on the front and the 34 on the back the top of the top of the chain drags on the bottom of one of the Xtracycle rails... It is the only gear combo that does this... No biggie, just caught me by surpries.. I can get along fine without using the 3/1 gear combo... Anyone else run into this little problem ?.. Only cure I can see is to put a small gear on the back.. Hate to do that though as that 34 tooth is great with heavy loads etc...

Gotta love the X.

I received my new Free Radical kit and the LBS just finished putting it all together... I rode it most of the day testing it out... Very impressive... I hardly know it's there from the ride.. Seems really sturdy and now I am ready for those Costco runs...
Only one small problem with it ... It has the gearing that came with the bike.. A Giant Sedona ST... Whe I am using the 48 tooth ring on the front and the 34 on the back the top of the top of the chain drags on the bottom of one of the Xtracycle rails... It is the only gear combo that does this... No biggie, just caught me by surpries.. I can get along fine without using the 3/1 gear combo... Anyone else run into this little problem ?.. Only cure I can see is to put a small gear on the back.. Hate to do that though as that 34 tooth is great with heavy loads etc...

Without actually seeing what gear your in, it sounds like your cross chaining.

Without actually seeing what gear your in, it sounds like your cross chaining.

Your right... Outside 48 up front and inside 34 in back... Shouldn't drag on the frame though should it ??

Be real careful with the chain (saw) running across the frame, it will start to cut into it. Possibly the tongue of the Xtracycle is not in the ideal position. I had to get mine on top of the (what's the name) stuff that connects to the old kickstand area.

Be real careful with the chain (saw) running across the frame, it will start to cut into it. Possibly the tongue of the Xtracycle is not in the ideal position. I had to get mine on top of the (what's the name) stuff that connects to the old kickstand area.

Good point... I checked mine and he has the mounted to the bottom of the kickstand plate... The plate on this bike is thick.. About a half inch... If we mounted it to the top as you suggest it looks like it would solve the problem.. Looks like a trip back to the LBS...
Thanks

Your right... Outside 48 up front and inside 34 in back... Shouldn't drag on the frame though should it ??

It's not an advisable gear combo, but no, it shouldn't drag. You can run through chains and cassettes pretty fast that way, especially under load.

Maybe they didn't size up your chain properly. Try crossing it up the other way, the smallest front to smallest rear and look at your rear derailleur. If you can afford it, drop a link or two out of the chain. That should solve your problem instead of trying to adjust the Xtracycle installation. Of course, if they didn't check the chain length, maybe you should take a look at the rest of the installation anyway. :thumb:

Good luck, and enjoy it.

Be real careful with the chain (saw) running across the frame, it will start to cut into it. Possibly the tongue of the Xtracycle is not in the ideal position. I had to get mine on top of the (what's the name) stuff that connects to the old kickstand area.

BINGO !!!!... I took it back to the LBS and they took it apart and moved the toung to the top of the kiskstand plate... PROBLEM SOLVED... It even shifts much better now... Just like new... What a nice ride it is turning out to be... I think I am really going to like the X... Only down side I can see is the shopping trips are going to cost a lot more now that I can haul so much....
Thanks for helping me solve this guys...
Some great info here...

Only down side I can see is the shopping trips are going to cost a lot more now that I can haul so much.... .
If you reduce the frequency of shopping trips you should be able to match your old total purchase volume even though the per-trip volume is higher.

No biggie, just caught me by surpries.. I can get along fine without using the 3/1 gear combo... Anyone else run into this little problem ?

I had used a Cannondale MTB for my convert job
i rode it for about 2yrs off and on, enough to get a solid impression of what a long tail cargo bike is about.

the chain also rubbed, but in the last 3 cogs, the chain rubbed on the seatstay.
i went thru some length to avoid cutting into the seatstay, which ultimately is exactly what happened.
for some time, i had been adding strips of "sacrifice" metal to the area where the chain rubbed.

be careful
you'd be amazed to learn how effective cutting metal with a chain is...

Ya, the racket alone is a pain... I am glad we were able to take care of that problem... It will be getting a lot of use..

Made my first run for "stuff" today.. What a blast... I picked up some furnace filters and a bat of insulation for the attic... Put the stuff on the wideloaders, tied it down and I was off.. Worked great.. Got a lot of stares but what the hey...Supposed to hit 110 this weekend and I am ready..
Thank you Xtracycle :-)

If you don't mine my asking, what did it cost to have the LBS install the kit for you? I can do it, but just don't want to..... Rather have a pro install something like that. I want one!!!!

It ran 78 dollars... And that included greasing and adjusting the headset and install an extension on the handlebars... I thought that was an excellent price myself but I do do a lot of business with him... The redo on the tongue was no charge..
I thought about doing it myself too but do not have that much experiance with chain length (adding another 30 inches) and installing a derailer etc.. Would have probably taken me a week just to get it to shift right :-(...
I put 115 miles on it this weekend.. Love it .. Already had two women on the bike path ask for rides but then that's another story :-)...