Originally Posted by
TheatreME
Does an xtracycle slow you down considerably so that navigating in traffic becomes significantly more difficult?
The XtraCyle really is a great bike for traffic. I have been commuting on mine for a few years now and I love it. I don't do much "weaving" between cars, so the stately smoothness of the XtraCyle is really quite pleasant.
Originally Posted by
TheatreME
secondly how much do they weigh since I might possibly have to haul it up a couple of flights of stairs each night in the near future.
In my past apartment, I had basement parking with two tight turns and about 7 stairs. Taking the XtraCycle through this maze wasn't too hard. I did find that I had to unload groceries BEFORE hauling the bike on the stairs and tight corners. The problem on the stairs wasn't the weight, but the added breadth that you get when you have your groceries, briefcase, gym-clothes, etc in the panniers. As previous posters stated, it's not hard to carry the XtraCycle with one hand, but there may be some curves on tight staircases that you just won't be able to do. You might want to measure before you commit to the longer bike.
Also, if you are a small person or if the stairs are quite steep and narrow with tight turns, you might want to consider another biking option (or a different apartment). I don't mind hauling the XtraCycle around on stairs, but I have a few friends who are smaller and in great shape, but simply can't lug the extra length of a longbike through tight corners.