Loading the Xtracycle

This is an Xtracycle.

And this is how it works:

An Xtracycle can attach to just about any bike. It's wonderful for carrying loads because the Xtracycle lengthens your wheel base which makes your bike a LOT more stable! As a result, you can load it lopsided (25 pound bag of onions on one side? No problem!) or just load it UP (130 lb buddy? No problem!). Plus, the long bag with cinching straps and large surface area of the wood "snap deck" are GREAT at accommodating awkward loads that couldn't even dream of fitting into panniers!

How much fits into an Xtracycle?

Four full 'n heavy bags of groceries..

..no problem.
My friend carried some in her panniers, but only because she insisted on sharing the load. There was definitely room for some more!

Getting Xtracycle at the Local Bike Shop

I've asked the guys at a local bike shop a few times why they don't have any Xtracycles on the sales floor. "Oh, we can get them," is always the response. Yeah, SO CAN I, but people are less likely to consider it an option when browsing at the bike shop if they don't SEE it as an option at the bike shop. Another excuse was, "oh, it just doesn't make sense to people when it's not on a bike." THEN PUT IT ON A BIKE, or even better, a Big Dummy or a Radish! 

I want very much for an Xtracycle to become a common option for those looking for a commuter bike. It is very frustrating to hear these excuses, because what I'm hearing through the words and gla

nces away are, "I don't think your Xtracycle is practical or that anyone would want to buy one." And that-- that really irritates me. A serious peeve of mine is being considered "cute" or a "novelty" for getting around by bike. It perpetuates the attitude that bicycles are only recreational vehicles not real commuting vehicles. 

Why would this be SO frustrating to me? I don't work for Xtracycle. No, but having an Xtracycle has made bicycle commuting not only possible for me, but convenient and fun. I believe that it is a highly practical solution to many bicycle commuting 'problems' and if treated as such on the sales floor of a bike shop, more people would consider bicycle commuting who may not have before. 

Also, I am often asked, "where did you get it?" and I say, "online." Purchasing an unknown product that costs several hundred dollars that is not readily available to te

st ride can be a big leap for people to take. Being able to see and interact with a product on a sales floor of a familiar shop and take it for a test ride down the street-- that's more convincing. Thus, I periodically pester the bike shop to carry the Xtracycle on the sales floor. Meanwhile, I will continue to make videos of my Xtracycle because I remember what it was like when I was scratching my head and rubbing my chin over whether or not to buy an Xtracycle, and I want to make that process easier. I am also further inspired to make more videos due to the positive feedback I've received on this blog and also from the very folks at Xtracycle headquarters!! (Just wait for my upcoming video of my new KickBack kickstand!)

Also, I could go on a rave just on why Xtracycle is an awesome company! Though I'll save that for later. :) I have exhausted my soap box for this post.

If you would like to see Xtracycles at your local bicycle shop: TELL THEM!

It's usually better to act on what you want, instead of just complaining about it. ;) 

Xtracycle, pannier-compatible

Okay, so Xtracycle IS now making videos!

This one shows off their new rack system that allows you to use traditional panniers (although I find the long-bag style much more convenient!).



To see other videos by Xtracycle, click HERE!

This is me, and this is my bike.

Here is the text to this short video:

Hi, I'm RJ and this is my bike.

It has flat pedals so that I can wear sneakers, and fenders to keep them dry.

On my handlebars, I keep a little bag for small things, a white bike light to use at night, and an air horn, in case I need to be heard by inattentive drivers. It's REALLY LOUD.

On the back of my bike are two red bike lights and a reflective triangle that help me be seen from behind.

I also have an orange light tube that helps me be seen from the side at night.

On the back I have an Xtracycle that can hold a LOT of stuff!

...

There are some things that I always keep with me in my Xtracycle.

...

Sometimes I wear spandex when I ride my bicycle.. and, sometimes I don't.

These are bike shoes, and so are these.

These are bike gloves, and so are these.

This is a cycling jacket, and so is this.

It doesn't matter what you wear, as long as you're safe and warm.

...

...

If I can't carry something on my Xtracycle, I use my bike trailer.

...

I even ride my bike when it snows.

I just put on some studded tires.. and make sure to dress real' warm.

Now why would I do that?

Well, because all I know, is that when I ride my bicycle, I'm in a much better mood than most people in those stinky ol' cars.

Some of the products seen in this video:

• Planet Bike SuperFlash
  
• Down Low Glow
  
• Bikes at Work bicycle trailer
  
• Surly Long Haul Trucker
  
• Xtracycle
  
• Studded Tires
  
• Safety triangle
  
• Air Zounds bicycle air horn
  

And don't forget, when possible, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BICYCLE SHOP! ;)

Riding (and carrying) Rollers

This morning I rode over to Whitman campus to teach Rachel, a freshman on the Whitman Cycling team, how to ride rollers. Rollers are a, uh, 'device'.. that lets you ride inside, but unlike a trainer, you aren't being held up and you have to balance on your own. They are fantastic for improving bike handling skills.




Rachel rides fairly comfortably on her bike, but she seemed ready for that "next step." 

Enter: rollers.

I did mention, though, that one of my junior riders, Phillip, managed to ride without hands on rollers during his first time on rollers. Of course, Rachel decided she had to do this too. :)

And she did great!

I love mentoring women cyclists, because there's just so much laughing involved!

More Xtracycle bike on bike action; and an advert.

Part of what I like about the Xtracycle is just how easy it is to 'toss' anything on there. The long bags swallow up anything from a bag-less grocery store trip, to large coolers. The long deck has lots of surface area for your friend's bum, to set your purse down as you rummage through it, or-- for a bicycle.



There IS a technique for 'towing' a bike behind the Xtracycle, by strapping the front wheel in and letting the rear wheel roll. I, unfortunately, have not been able to accomplish this. My bike has ended up skidding instead of rolling in just seconds. The key, I've been told, is to make sure the front wheel is strapped in well. I think I will continue to scheme my own "Tray Bien", though I will give the towing method a try soon.

If you're wondering what it is, other than a bicycle, I've got strapped on there-- it's an advertisement! I do plan to take it back after only a few days, though. Once any surface is written on, it only invites more writing-- so I am, sadly, anticipating vandalism on the bike and perhaps some missing parts. (Although I did put some rubber cement in the seat tube...)

Bicycling Walla Walla in the Winter

On Thursday, the hills glowed like amber instead of shivering blue.

Today, I wore short-fingered gloves on a 3 hour ride.

And just a few days ago, my friend Jim heard a sparrow's mating call.

I used to loathe the coming of winter in Walla Walla. The snow, the ice, the cold-- it meant riding indoors, watching whatever half-entertaining movie the library had to check out. Now, with my Surly, my studs, and my cyclocross bike-- winter in Walla Walla has become something else entirely. It's a time for silent roads and frosted grass. So here is the first FOND farewell of the belly of winter in Walla Walla.

Oh, yes-- there is more cold and chill to come. And don't get me wrong-- boy am I ready for bare legs any day now. But nevertheless. I close a chapter.

MUSIC: Coldplay, "Life in Technicolor" on Viva La Vida

*A larger, better resolution version is viewable on Facebook.

Bike on Bike

I don't have a "TrayBien," which is an accessory made by Xtracycle for carrying bicycles on your bicycle. I do have a fork clamp, with "someday" plans of making my own. Meanwhile, I just strap them in. I've gotten quite a bit faster at figuring out the best configuration. 

Xtracycle: bottle opener feature!

A Snow Ride

Walla Walla's winter coat.

BRING IT!!

This is me saying, "BRING IT!!" to the snow.

*(My satisfaction with my new studded snow tires has been increasing.)

19degrees, ice, snow-- great day for a ride!

A few days ago I tried and failed to go for a ride. First I took out the cyclocross bike and tried busting through the piles of snow on the sidewalk. Nope. The tire tread was too small and it quickly turned into a snowball donut. Then I tried the Surly/Xtracycle, recently hooved with studded tires. Again I tackled the same mountainous sidewalk. Nope. TODAY I noticed that the area of cleared road was much wider. I donned my long johns top and bottom, Carhartts, 2 pairs of wool socks, full leather boots, a wool sweater, a down jacket, a wool hat, wool scarf, Planet Bike fleece-lined waterproof gloves, a helmet and glasses and tried again.

Success!

While I was a bit disappointed last time in how the studs performed in "lumpy snow conditions" (they didn't seem to offer improved performance over my regular touring tires), they absolutely rocked on hard packed snow and ice. I felt gloriously confident in my traction. I think real snow riding will have to require a real snow bike, like Surly's Pugsley, which accepts tires up to 4 inches wide for riding in sand and snow. Mine are only about 2 inches.

My toes quickly got cold, so the ride was short. Next time I'll have to toss some heat packets in there.

This (above) is what most of the road looked like: thick ice and dry snow.

2 People and a Pumpkin on a Bicycle

The other day my friend Lina and I were both preparing to go to our friend Lish's birthday party. Lina, like myself, happily rides her bike to get places. Unfortunately, when leaving the house, Lina discovered that she had a flat tire! She thought about walking to Lish's. No worries, I said. I'll come pick you up! And so me and my pumpkin did.

I love my Xtracycle!

Hmm, yes.. another day at the office..

I've got my file box, my binders, a floor pump, a jacket and I don't know what else.


Oh, another commute to work. Yes, let's see-- 7 wheels to work on, a bucket of cleaning supplies and a new Park Tool floor pump.

If I hadn't concluded this before, I am officially not just satisfied, but impressed, by how much the Xtracycle can carry A) For its size, B) For handling like a regular ol' bike whilst unloaded, and C) For handling almost like a regular ol' bike whilst loaded. My reliance on a bicycle for commuting has been made possible by this conversation starter. HMM, maybe I should start a Guest Book for all the people that stop to ask, "so is that a converted tandem or something?"

My other bike is a bike.

I've got a few stickers on my Xtracycle. "$0.00 9/10" is a favorite. Also, "Same Roads, Same Rights, Same Rules" and "Drive Less, Pedal More." My new sticker that I got while at the United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, however, takes the cake as new favorite:



My other bike is a bike.

he he he. 

Now, almost anyone can say "Pedal More, Drive Less," but you've got to be Super Awesome like me to qualify for "My other bike is a bike." It's like the Cool Kids Club- and I'm part of it!

You Could Call it Normal

Carrying loads on my bike has become so normal, that I frequently neglect to take a picture of what is a novelty to someone else. Today, for example, I picked up 2 bike frames from the bike shop:

No problem. I don't even think about 'whether or not' I can fit something on my bike. I just do.

Something else that has become normal: my Down Low Glow! The other day I was at someone's house late at night and as I left she asked, "do you have lights on your bike?"

Pfffh!! Do I have lights on my bike? Boy, do I have lights on my bike!

It's just another day in the neighborhood.

Adventure in Ashland

Well, I'm back and Ashland was quite the adventure- more than I had expected, anyhow. To prevent an overly long blog post, though- I will highlight.

I arrive at the Portland Greyhound station with two bags and a bike box. I leave the Portland Greyhound station with two bags and a bike box on top of a bicycle. (I even had an audience.)

Friday, Zac and I drive down to Eugene to start our bicycle trek. Hwy 58 isn't anything like we'd hoped it would be and we stop to discuss alternatives only to discover there weren't any. It's a stressful day on an 8 inch shoulder when the trucks barrel by, but we find a Free Camp spot that was the perfect tonic. Packed sand for beneath the tent, a fire pit for warmth and a chilly bit of river for jumping in.

Saturday, a non-coherent man at the gas station suggested that there's a "hill" up ahead. As Zac and I pump up the first bump in the road, we laugh and wonder if this was the ominous "hill." We later climbed 3,000 feet that day. Good thing there was a lake at the summit.

Our ride on Day Two- click to see elevation.

Sunday we attempted a gravel road "shortcut." After less than 2 miles, we turned around.

Another lake at the top of a climb.

RJ: Zac, we're going downhill, right? I think I need to check my tire pressure.

Zac: No, we're going uphill.

RJ: Oh.

Later..

RJ: Zac, we're going downhill now, right?

Zac: No, we're going uphill! See? Coast.

RJ tries coasting..

RJ: Pffhh!

Zac: No, seriously! Here- stop. Give me your bag.

Too bad RJ and Zac never checked RJ's tire pressure (it was flat the next morning). To get into Ashland we lost about 2000' of elevation in 9 miles. I got some funny shimmies on the U-turns (hmm, wonder what that could be..), so I didn't trust my bike the whole way down. I also stopped twice to cool off my rims and eat trail mix (which once resulted in Zac sprinting back up the hill when he didn't see me behind him- man he can book it even with panniers!)

Once we hit Ashland, we chose food over lodging- since after my "are we going downhill?" performance on the climb, food was clearly the priority. We were fortunate to hit a pizza place whose pies were more gourmet than the vinyl booths gave away. Whole wheat crust, spicy Italian sausage, spinach and feta were well tastier what we would have been willing to eat. And that's not just the hunger talking.

Tummies full, Zac and I made phone calls hoping to find a homestay rather than a hotel (or the campground another 6 miles away- I hardly had any pedal strokes left in me). Several voicemails later, our opportunities seemed just out of reach. Nearly defeated, by a seguway in conversation with other pizza eaters, I traded my current bike mechanic knowledge for lawn space. The residents were friendly and welcoming and it would even be just minutes from school the next morning. Beautiful.

The next evening Zac and I are hanging out outside a restaurant, once again making phone calls, hoping for that Whitman parent to pull through. Then, out of the blue, a handsome 20/30-something year old man asked us, "have you guys found a place to stay tonight?" (We are situated near our loaded bikes and Zac is wearing spandex.) "Well, uh- why, we haven't- no." "Well, I've got a condo right down the street and I can toss some clean sheets on the bed and you'd be welcome to stay." We're dumbfounded by generosity.

We step foot into James' clean-and-pretty-as-Pottery-Barn condo in downtown Ashland, "just don't steal my knives or my guitar," he jokes. Later, as we make conversation, we start to figure out that there's only one bed in this cozy-sized condo and Zac asks, "where are you going to sleep tonight, James?" He points to the rug in front of the fireplace, "that's my favorite spot right there!" We resist, but he insists. Later, he asks how long we'll be in Ashland (a week), "that's perfect! I'm leaving tomorrow to visit my grandma for a week and I'll just make you a copy of the key!" Again, dumbfounded.  Wow.

James is inspired by his faith. He listens carefully to God and acts on impulse whenever he feels that it's the thing to do. He gave his car away on such an impulse. The same impulse not only housed us for the week, but taught us a lesson of kindness we won't forget.

He made us poached eggs on english muffins spread with hummus in the morning.

And when I had to catch a 3am bus to get back to Walla Walla, James hung out with me from 1 to 3am so I wouldn't be waiting alone on the drunken streets of Medford.

Thanks, James. You made Ashland more than memorable.

HA! Another Glorious Xtracycle Load

I have yet to come across anything that I couldn't bring home on my Xtracycle. This here is the makings for my pirate ship! ..oh, you just wait. :)

Bath time for Xtracycle!

It's a naked Xtracycle!! Don't worry, my Xtra doesn't mind showing off.