abmtnbkr

Bah, very cool rides and a very very unique background. Do you hang out there often??

astronomerroyal

Although you didn't ask for recommendations I would recommend Arkel panniers (I have had the XM45 for a few years and they are excellent) and Planet bike fenders.

dr.raleigh

Where can I get Arkel panniers? Also I planned on getting Planet bike fenders.

wahoonc

From Arkel or some bike shops. Good quality stuff. I can also recommend the Ortlieb products too.

Aaron

astronomerroyal

If you type in www.panniers.com it takes you to Arkel. Although it proves nothing, if they own the www.panniers.com domain name then it certainly suggests that they are serious about panniers.

I paid quite a bit less for my XM45s than their website states. ~180USD. Although expensive, they'll literally last for decades, unlike the other 4 pairs of panniers I've had.

The attachment of the pannier on the rack is excellently designed. Very tough fabric and zippers; I use them mostly for commuting, but have taken them on a tour along the continental divide. Their dedicated rain covers are excellently made. They can hold large amounts of shopping.

dr.raleigh

Thanks

diff_lock2

Oh and it has a red bag...

vey

My ugly bike. Based on a design by Alex Wilson of Chicago. https://bikecargo.hafd.org/node

I started with a "Forest Ranger" brand MTB type bike that I found in the trash a couple of years ago. Built by Bicycle Corporation of America in ~1994 from 4130 Chro-Moly

n addition to the EMT and numerous U-Bolts, I added the following things to the bike:
1. Wald 12" stem
2. Flat bar replaced with slight riser bar
3. Pyramid 2 legged kick stand
4. Brooks B-66 from ebay for $20 (incl. shipping)
5. 23"x14" basket from Lowe's for $20
6. Wire milk crate

I used "U" bolts throughout with wing nuts to attach the baskets.
I have several different baskets and I can change a basket to a smaller or bigger one in
less than 30 seconds by loosening the "U" bolt wing nut and sliding the basket off. The new one slides right on.

ummbnb

For some entertaining "utility" bikes, google "Team Bad Boy" a team who rides, or used to ride?, RAGBRAI each year. In addition to their tents, clothes and other necessities for the week, they ride fully equiped with luxuries such as a wet bar, home stereo system and bbq grill just to name a few....

oldfool

Nothing ugly about something that works. The beauty in this is that it can be applied to many bikes for a reasonable price and minimal skills.

My question is; do you get any twisting when the baskets are loaded?

vey

"do you get any twisting when the baskets are loaded?"

I did on the front basket because it is very wide. A 14" basket or the milk crate is no problem. If you look at the second photo, you will see a crossbar that I put on there with two larger U-Bolts set on the diagonal. Then two smaller U-Bolts attach the basket to the crossbar. The crossbar is not as wide as the basket because it doesn't have to be. It was made from one of the left-over pieces of EMT.

The two smaller U-Bolts have a wingnut on them so that they can be loosened. They slide off the ends of the crossbar and stay with the basket. The crossbar stays in place. I use it when I put my flat rack on there.

The flat rack is an old nickel plated oven rack I salvaged when I had to replace the 21" oven in my house a couple of years ago. I use it for extra large loads that won't fit inside a basket. I'm thinking about using the other piece of left-over EMT for the back. That would give me even more flexibility since I could put a rack on the back, or use two racks, or use two wide baskets, etc.

I also have two small 14" baskets. I'm thinking of how to mount those in the back without losing the quick change feature and without having them swinging into the spokes. So far, all I can think of is something stiff mounted on the basket which will strike against the frame, thus stopping the swinging motion.

I tried a galvanized steel box on the back yesterday, but it makes a loud booming noise when I go over any little bump, so I have to think about that as well. I'm open to ideas.

According to Alex, the real advantage to the design is the cantilevering from front to back. I haven't had a chance to try this feature yet. So far, I saw a very good deal at the grocery store and brought home about 55 pounds in the front basket alone and didn't have a back basket attached.

It was a little much. I had a bit of side sway, so I pulled the crossbar back a bit closer and that eliminated the sidesway problem. I had put the crossbar out a few more inches than I had to because I was making sure it didn't conflict with the front brake -- a needless worry as it turned out.

oldfool

Stress the flat areas and that will stop the booming however it is still a sound box and will make noise unless loaded. I had a fiberglass sailboat that did that when new and empty but after I got it loaded it pretty much stopped. I finally stressed the hull on the inside with some flat stringers fiberglassed to the hull to stop the oil canning. I was told that if I just filled the hull with money and tamped it down that would stop the drumming and I believe that would have been cheaper in the long run.
You might try attaching rubber floor mat material with silicone to the inside to dampen the vibration of the flat side and bottom.
I admire the engineering and intend to copycat.

vey

"stop the oil canning."

Thanks. I hadn't thought about it, but that's what it is. Maybe I can make up a bag of Styrofoam peanuts or bubble wrap to "load" the oil can and tamp down the noise.

If you want to copy, it's okay with me, but I have to warn you that your wife may object and it draws a lot of stares.

Added later.
Here is a little photo gallery page:
https://www.ericvey.com/Workhorse/photo_gallery.htm

Sixty Fiver

My all season girl in her winter dress.

hotbike

Nice. I tried a similar method of mounting boxes to my bike, back in the late 1980's.
Let me share some pics and give an advisory:

This is a black and white photo, the bike is actually in woodlands camoflage. I used two pipes for the main supports, held with five hose clamps each. There is vertical support from the rear rack eyelets up to the pipes [tubes].

Now the safety advisory, which is important because I put 18,000+ miles on this set-up:
The front supports cracked every six thousand miles, and the fairing fell off. I had to cut the electrical wires, hide the fairing in a bush, and retrieve it with my van later.

I used aluminum tubes, one and a quarter in diameter, with a 1/8th wall thickness. What gauge of pipe are you using for tubes?

I also produced a diagram, originally in four color dot matrix, 80 dpi (dots per inch), scanned and uploaded here:



So stable, a child could ride it. My Daughter Mellisa and her friend Patricia took the Type 5 bike for a spin in front of a camera to prove how easy this bike is to ride.


The Type 6 is the same as the Type 5 , but it has a roof. The Type 5 looks strange because it has the same front as the enclosed velomobile. In this photo you can see the need for those extra supports under the rear fairing, which has a cargo box concealed inside.

You have done a good job, Vey, and you figured out how to mount the tubes to a frame which doesn't have a perfectly horizontal top tube.

hotbike

ADVISORY (Continued):

In my experience, when a bike has a cargo box on the front, mounted to the frame, and a car "right hooks" the bike, cuts-off, or doors the bike, the bike comes out with less damage than the car.
For this reason , I always carry a copy of my automotive insurance card when I ride a bike. Remember to have the Insurance Card ready, and ask the motorist to produce his Insurance Card, if you are involved in a collision with a car. Doing so can prevent nasty things like altercations and lawsuits.

rhm

Here's my Xtracycle....


That snowfall was interesting, since it alerted me to the fact that my wheels leave tracks over an inch apart when I'm riding in a straight line! I suspect I didn't dish the rear wheel correctly.

I don't know what the frame is; it's aluminum and I found it in a dumpster with little or no paint on it; I painted it with a white primer and then wrapped the whole thing with white reflective tape for a remarkably good looking, and rather tough, opalescent finish. And the reflective effect is striking.

Lamplight

I think you are refering to mine. It is a Sunlite Toploader 4 (I think). The bike actually looks a little different now, though the rear bag is the same:

Sirrus Rider

My utility bike/commuter is an Alpine Monitor Pass MTB with an all Deore Drive train. I believe it's a first or second generation mountain bike as it has a U-Brake (Pretty silly design for going through heavy mud); however, works great over a paved road. I also mounted a set of Planetbike Freddy fenders (these are now know as the hardcore model), a Nightrider Digital Evolution handles the lighting duties up front and a Cateye Blinky on a custom fender clamp handles the rear . The stem was changed out to an adjustable road stem to provide a more upright riding position as on this vintage mountain bike the positioning was more spread out and was a real neck killer on anything over 8 miles. I also put narrower Michelin Trans world City tires 26 X1.5 on it.

donnamb 

Happy Holidays.

roughrider504

My Trek wasn't my utility bicycle until now. A rack and pannier does the trick!

fordfasterr

I was making a delivery using a work truck, and on the way I came across this dude... Captain Utility Biker !

This dude has a luggage case with little wheels dragging along his rig with a flat rear tire !

Mahatma Zombie

Old_Fart

Seems I haven't posted my Xtracycle here. So, here you go;

kemmer

I haven't taken any pictures of my "basket bike" but I do have pictures of my tallbike hauling some unexpected cargo. I thought I was going to be able to buy air return vents that would fit in my messenger bag, but the dude at Home Despot told me to buy these huge ones instead. I was able to fit all four, but only just.