A folding Xtracycle in the works?
 

I just checked out bikecommuters.com. They are at Interbike, the latest booth was Xtracycle's. They spotted a Dahon folder that had been fitted w/ a Free Radical kit.:eek:

That sorta sounds like a bad idea to me. Super small underbuilt wheels. Low bottom bracket. Folders usually have steep head tube angles giving it a twitchy ride. I dunno about this....

It's a full-sized folding bike. Nothing wrong with the concept. Durability has yet to be tested.

I'm not sure whether this is a good idea, but it shows Xtracycle is moving main stream if Dahon is picking it up.

Here's a picture BikeHugger took of such a setup at Interbike:
http://austinbikeblog.org/wp-content...nxtracycle.jpg

Ah, I didn't realize it was a full sized bike that folded. Seems pretty interesting.

I don't think it implies anything, its just xtracycle showing the various bikes the freeradical is compatible with. That bike in particular is a Dahon Cadenza 8, which is a pretty nice bike.

There has been the odd day where I wanted to hang out with people who use cars, but the xtracycle won't fit inside the average small car without extreme measures. Taking some length off the front end would be a nice option, as long as the Cadenza had the moxie to still serve as a cargo bike - one thing I would be concerned about, as Dahon's bikes have pretty low maximum weight limits.

Dude, the faults in your assumptions would make the San Andreas blush. Small wheels are significantly stronger than larger wheels, making them superior for cargo use. The bottom brackets on small wheeled bikes aren't any lower than other bikes; if they were, your pedals would hit the ground. Twitchier handling? Sure, but nothing that proper tire and handlebar selection, along with the stability of the longer wheelbase, wouldn't help plenty with.

I think a folding longtail is a terrific idea. A full on cargo bike that you can fit in a hatchback if need arises, thus eliminating one of their biggest drawbacks

I agree on the smaller wheels being stronger, but as I have to disagree with the handling statement. Smaller wheels are twitchier, but you can get used to it. I've also found they are considerably less twitchy under load, which makes them fine for a cargo bike.

As for a cago bike in a hatchback, the whole reason I want a cargo bike is to not own a car in any way, so I'm not sure the usefulness of a folder carries over to the application of cargo bike.

What if it isn't your car, but a friend's? What if you're taking a trip out of town and renting a car and will be wanting to cycle at your destination?

Or what if you are travelling by train or bus? You can ride to the station, fold your bike and check it through, then at your destination, unfold it and ride off.

Funny, I kept thinking that a small wheel would be the greatest thing for a utility bike since

(1) Just like an ERTO 559 wheel is ~11% stronger than an ERTO 622 wheel, a 20" -- generally ERTO 406 -- will be much stronger. Oh ... if you don't believe me, take a peek at Brandt's book or Peter White's website.

(2) When loaded -- particularly the front -- the twitchier/faster steering of the small wheel is a perk in my experience. It makes the steering more "normal" if that makes any sense. And yes, one can adjust oneself to the smaller wheels -- it usually takes a 5 minute ride to get 90% of the "adjustment".

(3) Really easy to get low gears due to those very same small wheels. Of course, this means that you will have a harder time gettng really high gears. But this should be less of a concern with a utility bike.

(4) My understanding -- I am no physicist nor an engineer, so this is rejurgitating something from other sources -- that the small wheels result in less torque on internal hubs. So if you are worried about achieving super low gears with an internal hub -- say like the Alfine or I-Motion -- you can push the limits with smaller wheels relative to larger wheels with less worry.

(5) ERTO 406 stil has a good selection of tires. For instance, you can get Schwalbe Big Apples (50 mm) in the size.

Mind you, I have a bit of experience with folding bikes; so clearly my opinion has some bias. Anecdotally speaking, you probably do not want to extrapolate the behavior of small wheels from multi-mode folding bikes which often trade off comfort and rideability for compactness -- the geometry of these bikes are a bit weird but will still get you from point A to B.

I have a spare Twenty at the shop and have looked at it thinking that it would be a good platform for a folding extracyle.

hmmm...

What would happen if you put a small wheel in Xtracycle dropouts? I would think that everything would be too close to the ground.

These are good points. I just don't know if you can build a folder cargo bike that will still be strong enough to haul as much as a unified frame. If you can't do that, its utility becomes much more limited, and I'm not sure worth it.

Perhaps it couldn't haul as much as a X-enhanced nonfolder, but it could certainly haul more than a non-X-enhanced folder. It is all in how you look at things.

Yeah, but it seems like the hauling capacity is what makes these bikes so appealing.

Possibly not too close quite yet although the freeloaders could sink quite low and I would certainly forget about wideloaders for safety reasons, i'm simply not certain that the chainstays on most 20" folding bicycles would be long enough to accept the Xtracycle at all (even some 26" wheeled bicycles don't have enough room, such as many full suspension designs and super short chainstay bikes). I wonder if anyone has ever cut the front of the Xtracycle shorter..

Perhaps they will come up with a mini-freeradical for the small-wheel set.

Hey, please post if you do start something up for your 20. I've been thinking about trying to convert mine--the frame is obviously pretty solid as compared to other folders, so it might lend itself to a really cool xtracycle (xtra20?).

I made one, I know I need to have some more pix taken. This is made from an old solid detatchable bike, 24" they came in 20" and 24" wheels, I`we got two of each. This is detatchable bikes, not folders.

Did this as becouse i took my first msde longtail with me on holyday this summer. Carryed it across a small car and realised it was 80-100 cmswider than the car. Decided I needed something easyer to carry since I like to take the bike on the car and go somewhere to ride.

I did see your bike when I searched--it gives a really good idea of what an "xtra20" would look like. Very cool. Is the back wheel 26"?

I have two bikes, a Marin hybrid with 700c wheels and an old, Sears Tote/Cycle with 20" wheels that splits apart in the center. Of the two, the Tote/Cycle gives a more stable ride, is far less "twitchy" and handles pretty much the same whether I've loaded it up or not. Based on my limited experience, I find small wheels no more twitchy than larger one, or at least there are other factors that can effect handling much more then wheel size.

I can see where a folding cargo bike would have limited utility, or would appeal to a smaller cross-section of people, but can still see that it might be quite useful to some. I don't plan on getting a cargo bike in the near future because I live in an apartment, and it's already a little crowded in here. A folding cargo bike could be stashed somewhere and only taken out for the rare occasions when I need to haul more than I can carry on my other bike. We're also not car-free here, and occasionally I've found it useful to split my Tote/Cycle in two and toss it in the car. I think that's a very useful aspect of my bike even though it goes for weeks, sometimes months, without being split.

Definitely a cool idea. And a folding cargo bike might be the work around I need to get a cargo bike into the apartment. Although what I'd really like to see is not a folding bike with an Xtra-Cycle attachement, because that seems like it would create an awkward, less useful, fold. I'd like a folding bike that was designed as a cargo bike that was made to fold more efficiently.

In the picture yes, it is a bit old. Could not decide on 24" or 26". Now it is 24" w.a Nexus 7 and hub brakes front and rear.

I am sure that for some peopel a bike with a trailer is the best solution. Could be easyer to transport and store than a folding longtail.

badmother--I noticed the title of the thumbnail pic you attached was "dogbike." I found the thread with the picture (at the bottom of page) that explains the title:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...hlight=dogbike

That's a great shot! Have you been able to do as much with the detachable as with the original "dogbike"? I'd consider building up an xtracycle as a catbike, but they wouldn't stand for it.

Not really, but only becouse I am slow, anth has got too many bikes /projects, and the snow came, and...

I am absolutely sure I can do the same with this one, just need to finish it, I`ll get better pics soon.

Was out yesterday with the dog, studded tyres + me with a fewer made it a short ride. Used the winterbike (MTB) and the trailer I posted two different places (sticky + hsean`s two trailers tread. He did not need to ride, but he waited outside a shop and outside a gallery. He spent the time innside the trailer with his coat on and sitting on this foam sleepingmat thing. Cannot make myself just leave him in the snow and not at home, he need to run.

I am thinking maybe it is easyer to leave him alone in the trailer than in a longtail unless I invent a really sturdy kickstand. We`ll see.

Cats is difficult animals, they do not obey. I just leave mine at home w a window open, food innside.

I am sure a cat can get used to travel in its cage, protected from wind and sun.