Originally Posted by
mR"bAdeXaMplE
Way to much whinning and *****in' about the UTE. It is a mid-size cargo bike - plan and simple. Also a very good touring bike with a modified handlebar, seatpost, and front rack. Load the weight on the front and enjoy the ride. As for the kickstand, I have the "green-painted" model, and have never had the bike fall over during loading of 8 bags of groceries; or a bottle of Bombay and two six-packs of Bear Republic, or a bunch of vegie starts from the nursery. Common sense helps.
Wow, thanks for this super helpful comment. I guess I and every person who bought this bike from the LBS (and the guy who works there and owns the '08 model) just don't have the "common sense" to keep the bike upright with the useless stock kickstand. The bike is rated for a couple of hundred pounds. It shouldn't tip over while loading 2 cases of beer.
Tatfiend, I don't think the problem is where the panniers are located. The Ute does an excellent job carrying weight once I'm riding it. I love the ride. It's loading and unloading that are a problem for me. Unfortunately, the single stand is integrated into the frame.