First Xtracycle Commute - Pretty quick actually!
10-23-07, 09:11 AM
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First Xtracycle Commute - Pretty quick actually!
Just wanted to post this as I was hesistant to have an xtracycle as my sole bike for my new longer commute. I was really worried it would add enough time to make it so I'd need one bike for my commute and one for utility.
So Todays commute.
Temp: 47F "RealFeel" of 41 so I had on an extra layer and my nice smartwool socks.
Fuji Touring bike converted to Xtracycle which was finally completely last week when I got brake adaptor for the 26" size they sent me, I had ordered a 700C.
Cargo: Full size briefcase like laptop bag on the left. Gym bag with work clothes, ride home clothes, lunch all on the right. Standard lights/tools and of course a 270+lb rider.
Left at 5AM and 21 miles later only 90 Minutes had passed with 83 minutes of it rolling. It felt pretty slow to get going but seemed to roll further or easier at speed. Still have the skipping/phantom shifting that I had before which really sucks sometimes but makes me glad I have clipless pedals. LBS can't seem to fix it but I have gotten it so it is pretty rare even with the new longer chain. Edit: My personal best is about 70 minutes I usually commute in about 80.
I love it utilitywise. Picked up a few things from home depot and what adds up to 66lbs of dog food and rode over 7 miles it was fine until my rear wheel got loose and I thought I broke something. I didn't realize it till I was home but the nuts holding the bearing/axle all together were loose and allowed me to push my wheel left and right along the axle while it was mounted in the rear dropouts. I really think my LBS hates me.
So Todays commute.
Temp: 47F "RealFeel" of 41 so I had on an extra layer and my nice smartwool socks.
Fuji Touring bike converted to Xtracycle which was finally completely last week when I got brake adaptor for the 26" size they sent me, I had ordered a 700C.
Cargo: Full size briefcase like laptop bag on the left. Gym bag with work clothes, ride home clothes, lunch all on the right. Standard lights/tools and of course a 270+lb rider.
Left at 5AM and 21 miles later only 90 Minutes had passed with 83 minutes of it rolling. It felt pretty slow to get going but seemed to roll further or easier at speed. Still have the skipping/phantom shifting that I had before which really sucks sometimes but makes me glad I have clipless pedals. LBS can't seem to fix it but I have gotten it so it is pretty rare even with the new longer chain. Edit: My personal best is about 70 minutes I usually commute in about 80.
I love it utilitywise. Picked up a few things from home depot and what adds up to 66lbs of dog food and rode over 7 miles it was fine until my rear wheel got loose and I thought I broke something. I didn't realize it till I was home but the nuts holding the bearing/axle all together were loose and allowed me to push my wheel left and right along the axle while it was mounted in the rear dropouts. I really think my LBS hates me.
Last edited by evblazer; 10-23-07 at 09:27 AM.
10-23-07, 06:23 PM
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New pics
Well they aren't how I'd like but here are a few pics I took when I got home. With the flash you can see my semi stealth reflective tape.
Flickr Link to pics
Silly slideshow of same pics
I can't get pics to work for me today so here is a link to some I dropped in flickr and I'm on the wife computer so I can't resize them to attach
Flickr Link to pics
Silly slideshow of same pics
I can't get pics to work for me today so here is a link to some I dropped in flickr and I'm on the wife computer so I can't resize them to attach
10-23-07, 08:44 PM
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Nice! Great pix as well, in focus with good angles. I won't be getting an xtracycle anytime soon as I just added panniers last month. Still, its in the back of my mind as something for the future if I get overloaded with my current setup. That is some serious cargo capacity you have there 
Hope it continues to do well for you.
EDIT: Love the kickstand!
Hope it continues to do well for you.EDIT: Love the kickstand!
10-24-07, 01:52 AM
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You know I always thought extracycles were just plain ugly, but the way you got yours, It really looks sharp. Surly is coming out with a frame that's like an extracycle, and since I have this hardly used mtb sitting around waiting to have it's parts scavenged, might have to get one.
10-24-07, 05:33 AM
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I have kool-stop tectonics in the cantis and they stop well rain or shine even when I was really loaded down.
Last edited by evblazer; 10-24-07 at 05:38 AM.
10-24-07, 06:01 PM
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Welcome to the world of the SUB!
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Shameless plugs:
Work
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Originally Posted by Bklyn
Obviously, the guy's like a 12th level white wizard or something. His mere presence is a danger to mortals.
10-24-07, 08:47 PM
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This is a really nice idea. I hadn't looked at it before. Certainly I can't carry what I'd like on my bikes. And typical rack/pannier systems carry just enough to be annoying. I lived that way for many years without a car. Ending up with 2 bags of groceries instead of the 4 I wanted to get. I tried front bags. Tiny, pain to pack, etc.
Recently thinking about a trailer. But I have an extra hardtail. Would be great! Except it's 10 miles plus to Kroger, and I don't need to go that way. And overkill for my 2.5 mile commute!
Great idea.
Recently thinking about a trailer. But I have an extra hardtail. Would be great! Except it's 10 miles plus to Kroger, and I don't need to go that way. And overkill for my 2.5 mile commute!
Great idea.
10-26-07, 12:00 AM
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Holy poop! Those brake pads are like James Bond 007 cool!
Quick search, PricePoint: $15 pads & holders 1 pair.
Hmmmmm. Braking is important...
Hey! And congrats on the Xtra-commute! My FreeRadical is the best $ I ever spent on a bicycle "accessory".
Quick search, PricePoint: $15 pads & holders 1 pair.
Hmmmmm. Braking is important...
Hey! And congrats on the Xtra-commute! My FreeRadical is the best $ I ever spent on a bicycle "accessory".
10-26-07, 08:54 AM
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evblazer, do you like those bar-end mirrors? Contemplating getting those...
+1 on the compliments - that's a nice-looking ride.
+1 on the compliments - that's a nice-looking ride.
10-26-07, 08:02 PM
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10-27-07, 12:37 PM
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The mirrors are a good addition to the take a look eye glass mirror I have. Because of my fat legs and/or not so wide bars they don't get right behind me. I have them angled to work for when I'm in the drops because my take a look mirror is completely blocked by my shoulder when I'm riding from that position.
The yellow is very different from the bar tape which kinda makes it ick but it I don't mind it too much.
I must have been using the wrong icon for the pics or something> I kept previewing and all it showed was the link thanks for fixing that.
The yellow is very different from the bar tape which kinda makes it ick but it I don't mind it too much.
I must have been using the wrong icon for the pics or something> I kept previewing and all it showed was the link thanks for fixing that.
10-27-07, 03:49 PM
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It's this one (
) ... not this one (
)
These are links to images that can be accessed via a URL. As long as a URL to the image can be "acquired" ... images are "embedded" the message (code).
Attachments to the message are completely different. Attachments to messages cannot be previewed.
And they show as "links" to the image.
The only thing about embedding images in the messages is that it adds to the bandwidth requirement and users still on slo-bandwidth connections may complain a little.
) ... not this one ( )These are links to images that can be accessed via a URL. As long as a URL to the image can be "acquired" ... images are "embedded" the message (code).
Attachments to the message are completely different. Attachments to messages cannot be previewed.
And they show as "links" to the image.
The only thing about embedding images in the messages is that it adds to the bandwidth requirement and users still on slo-bandwidth connections may complain a little.
Last edited by tippy; 10-27-07 at 03:57 PM.
