Utility Cycling - Replacement Xtracycle buckle

I broke one of the plastic buckles for the freeloader bags on my Big Dummy. I thought I remembered seeing them for sale on Xtracycle's site, but I can't find it.

I went looking online and found them for $10 + $5 shipping, which I think is a bit too much.

I found another site with three different pieces for $3 each, but I'm not sure which piece it is, and the site had no pictures. Also, that price doesn't count the $4 in shipping.

I'd rather just buy the buckle "kit", which is a piece of strap, velcro, and the buckle... I think. :)

I'll call my LBS tomorrow, but I want the whole caboodle for $10 or so. Is that unreasonable?

Is this what you need?


http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-bicycles/xtracycle-cargo-accessories/small-parts/freeloader-velcro.html

I wouldn't get them. They are crap. I broke two of them under normal conditions the first month I had it. I'm going to check rei or a hardware store and try to find something more robust.

Is this what you need?


http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-bicycles/xtracycle-cargo-accessories/small-parts/freeloader-velcro.html

The picture is right, but it says "buckles not included". So it's just the velcro strap.

I wouldn't get them. They are crap. I broke two of them under normal conditions the first month I had it. I'm going to check rei or a hardware store and try to find something more robust.

Hmmm.... I handn't thought of replacing it with something different. There's a hardware store just a few blocks from my house...

Also, I had a few of the straps fail at the same spot on each so I used zip ties to replace them.

One of my freeloaders came with two buckles missing (well one and a half). SInce I'm kinda handy, why bother having Xtra mail new ones. I went to Hobby Lobby and found some the same width (1" if I remember) and I already had some velcro straps (stereo/computer stores carry these for cable management) and fixed everything myself. Takes five minutes and cost me about $5. Well maybe more if you have to buy the velcro too.

Try Strapworks: http://www.strapworks.com/. You might want to replace it with something stronger then.

Try Strapworks: http://www.strapworks.com/. You might want to replace it with something stronger then.

You can buy a crappy one from your local fabric store. But the stuff strapworks sells is better.

We used to live about a block away from a REI store and they sell compatible buckles for Freeloaders. Thanks to that lucky discovery we have plenty of emergency spares at a fraction of the price.

I just went to the the REI home page an did a quick search for "buckles" and they still seem to have everything.

My local hardware store had nothing. I looked at strapworks and REI online, and that gave me an idea. I found a bag of 50 on Amazon for less than $17:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001M52CXU/

I haven't ordered them yet, but I probably will.