Utility Cycling - Did I get a lemon? and questions!

I've always noticed I never really hear bad about alot of cargo bikes. I've been craving a new bike for some time so as a christmas gift to myself i bought this radish, it'sa great ride but i'm forever having issues with it. right now the bottom bracket has lots of play in it .

Maybe it has to do with me useing this cargo bike for what it should be able to do? I load it up with all kinds of things. sometimes a bunch of bins full of bike parts, sometimes three whole bikes dissasembled, I don't exceed the max weight though. However I kinda don't mind it breaking because I paid a decent price for it since it's being replaced with the new models.

Also has anyone tried putting a tripple crank on them? this ones a 8 speed with a gripshift <--- I dispise grip shift.

Bottom line? I wouldn't pay the full price for one of these now that i've witnessed the blunders lol however once all the crap is replaced it's a great bicycle and even so i suggest buying one. well atleast the kit. I may take the kit off this and put it on my GT sometime but I like the radish still


I just think it was ment for food getting and beer getting. proberly not what i do lol



When i got it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/101_0010.jpg

As it is now.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/000_0002-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/000_0005.jpg

That's a fine bike, and I doubt it's a lemon. It's possible your bottom bracket wasn't tightened enough, or was defective. They're inexpensive, replace it.

I think the 1x8 drivetrain is fine for around-town utility trips. You can replace the gripshifter with triggers, or a cheap thumbshifter. If you want to go to a triple, figure out how to run the front derailleur cable. You'll probably end up buying a whole new drivetrain, so you might as well go 3x9.

That's a fine bike, and I doubt it's a lemon. It's possible your bottom bracket wasn't tightened enough, or was defective. They're inexpensive, replace it.

I think the 1x8 drivetrain is fine for around-town utility trips. You can replace the gripshifter with triggers, or a cheap thumbshifter. If you want to go to a triple, figure out how to run the front derailleur cable. You'll probably end up buying a whole new drivetrain, so you might as well go 3x9.

What he said.

Likely the problems come from the build, regardless of brand it is quite common for new bikes to come with bearings poorly adjusted, the occasional bolt loose, etc. It is the job of who builds it to go through, check and adjust these things. Hub bearings are especially bad, I get maybe 1 in 20 adjusted properly from the factory so make sure to check those or you could trash your hubs earlier than hoped if you have not checked them already.

On the grip shift thing, you can get them to feel good when new but they will never be super durable, most grip shifts use nothing but plastic on the internals. I am with you, not a fan there.

They are 95% plastic lol theres a aluminum ring and a small steel piece. Gripshift <--- worst idea ever. I plan on buying a Deor thumbshifter and putting a nice derailer, I kinda like the 8 speed thing but sometimes it's not fast enough.

I ran into luck tonight though, I found a K2 mountain bike in the garbage and the bottom bracket is the same size but not broken lol I love the price of free! it had rock shocks to boot so those went on my old GT

I fixed the bottom bracket. great deal on that $0 lol Found a KHS mountain bike in garbage that had a almost new part that was same. also tomatch the colors I ordered a set of Fat frank tires for it. And! I ripped that crappy plastic chainguard off lol

That's a fine bike, and I doubt it's a lemon. It's possible your bottom bracket wasn't tightened enough, or was defective. They're inexpensive, replace it.

I think the 1x8 drivetrain is fine for around-town utility trips. You can replace the gripshifter with triggers, or a cheap thumbshifter. If you want to go to a triple, figure out how to run the front derailleur cable. You'll probably end up buying a whole new drivetrain, so you might as well go 3x9.

Agreed....what he said!!!!!

I pull my trailers mostly using a gear-inch range of 16.7 to 51.5 gear inches (26x1.9 tires, 22t chain ring, 170 mm cranks, 11x34 cassette, 9 spds). My weights range from ~100 pounds to ~570 pounds. So, yes, in my opinion, a 1x8 drive train should be sufficient.

Edit: you can see pictures of my heaviest load here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/537447-What-Utility-Rides-Trips-hauls-errands-did-you-do-today/page32). Apparently it's an 11x32 cassette, yielding a gear inch range of 17.7 to 51.5 gear inches - minimally acceptable when transporting very heavy weight by bike.