Well, a lot of you probably read my blog post detailing how I constructed my
Xtracycle using my old '94 Stumpjumper as the donor bike. Well, I've ridden it
some and through a couple shakedown cruises decided to change some things
around. The most recent change was to swap out the riser bar/bar ends combo in
favor of a trekking bar to get more hand positions. I finally got all the parts
for the trekking bar conversion and started working on it this weekend.

Long story short - the old Stumpy frame is too small. The Stumpy frame which is
an 18" worked just fine as a mountain bike. I ran the bike with the stem way
lower than the seat and though I ran a lot of exposed seatpost the smaller frame
(I should take about a 20" normally), allowed me to have a stiffer more
maneuverable bike for tight singletrack mobility.

So, as I sat there this evening trying different bar positions, raising and
lower the stem, etc. I came to the realization that I prefer a more stretched
out riding position similar to my touring bike and that the more upright
position caused by the smaller frame (ie. shorter top tube), means I need to
invest in a new frame. I could trawl ebay and Craigslist until the cows come
home, but that would take a lot of time and looking before I found another
suitable frame in the right size and in good condition.

So, I decided I'd just buy the Nashbar aluminum mountain bike frame and their
corresponding suspension-corrected cro-moly fork.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_173009_-1___202388

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_174928_-1___202347

Of course this all means I'll need a bunch of extra stuff like headset, seatpost
clamp, bottom bracket, lower rise stem, etc. but I think the extra expense will
be well worth it to end up with a better fitting frame that will be much more
comfortable for longer rides. The plus side is, the mountain bike I've been
wanting to build with a drop bar can be done with my old Stumpjumper, so I'll
still be keeping it around and I'm sure down the road it'll see use again once I
can build it back up. Of course, I'll be sure to blog the construction of the
new Xtracycle based on the larger aluminum mountain bike frame. And there will
undoubtedly be another booze-fueled shakedown cruise as well.

I checked the cushions in the couch, but I just don't seem to have $900 laying
around for a whole other frame. ;) Of course I did find enough change for a $140
frame and fork though.

--- In rootsradicals@yahoogroups.com, "Bruce Alan Wilson"
<bruce_alan_wilson@...> wrote:
>
> Just get a big dummy, already!
>
> Bruce Alan Wilson
> http://wvdemolay.com
> http://www.demolay.org
>

 

Well, a lot of you probably read my blog post detailing how I constructed my Xtracycle using my old '94 Stumpjumper as the donor bike. Well, I've ridden it some and through a couple shakedown cruises decided to change some things around. The most recent change was to swap out the riser bar/bar ends combo in favor of a trekking bar to get more hand positions. I finally got all the parts for the trekking bar conversion and started working on it this weekend.

Long story short - the old Stumpy frame is too small. The Stumpy frame which is an 18" worked just fine as a mountain bike. I ran the bike with the stem way lower than the seat and though I ran a lot of exposed seatpost the smaller frame (I should take about a 20" normally), allowed me to have a stiffer more maneuverable bike for tight singletrack mobility.

So, as I sat there this evening trying different bar positions, raising and lower the stem, etc. I came to the realization that I prefer a more stretched out riding position similar to my touring bike and that the more upright position caused by the smaller frame (ie. shorter top tube), means I need to invest in a new frame. I could trawl ebay and Craigslist until the cows come home, but that would take a lot of time and looking before I found another suitable frame in the right size and in good condition.

So, I decided I'd just buy the Nashbar aluminum mountain bike frame and their corresponding suspension-corrected cro-moly fork.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_173009_-1___202388

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_174928_-1___202347

Of course this all means I'll need a bunch of extra stuff like headset, seatpost clamp, bottom bracket, lower rise stem, etc. but I think the extra expense will be well worth it to end up with a better fitting frame that will be much more comfortable for longer rides. The plus side is, the mountain bike I've been wanting to build with a drop bar can be done with my old Stumpjumper, so I'll still be keeping it around and I'm sure down the road it'll see use again once I can build it back up. Of course, I'll be sure to blog the construction of the new Xtracycle based on the larger aluminum mountain bike frame. And there will undoubtedly be another booze-fueled shakedown cruise as well.

Well, I was looking at the specs on that Nashbar frame along with reading the
reviews, when I realized that according to all the information I'd gathered, the
Nashbar mountain bike frame is no larger at 20" than my Stumpjumper frame is at
its 18" size. So, it was back to the drawing board.

In discussing this with a friend, he proposed the idea of getting a Surly LHT
frame that takes 26" wheels and using that. He works at a bike shop and thought
he might be able to get me the frame at cost, but I found out from him earlier
today, "no dice" on that. Of course a LHT frame would solve a lot of my issues
with geometry, giving me a riding position very similar to my daily commuter
bike which is also a touring bike, albeit a 700c.

I'm ruling out the idea of a 700c Xtracycle primarily because you can't get
larger tires on the back wheel, let alone a fender and also a 700c wheel is not
going to be as strong as a 26" wheel. I thought briefly about maybe using the
same 700c Nashbar touring frame that is the basis of my daily commuter and
running a 26" wheel in the back with the 700c wheel up front, but I can't
imagine how that would affect the geometry.

Of course, now that I'm thinking about the LHT I can't imagine that I wouldn't
be somewhat disappointed with a lower quality mtb frame. Of course the higher
quality mtb frames end up being as expensive as an LHT frame anyway, and there's
bound to still be some issues with me not getting quite the riding position I'd
be most comfortable in. So, at this point I'm stuck trying to figure out if I
want to spend the full $470 for a LHT frame, or try to find something else
suitable.

--- In rootsradicals@yahoogroups.com, Sean Mackin <gear.head@...> wrote:
>
> I have always been curious about the Nashbar frames. I look forward to a ride
report. The old Stumpy frame should be good ebay fodder to offset your outlay
too. There are some nostalgic folks that love those old frames.
>
> Sean
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Feb 16, 2013, at 8:51 PM, "kiltie_celt" <matthew-campbell@...> wrote:
>
> > Well, a lot of you probably read my blog post detailing how I constructed my
Xtracycle using my old '94 Stumpjumper as the donor bike. Well, I've ridden it
some and through a couple shakedown cruises decided to change some things
around. The most recent change was to swap out the riser bar/bar ends combo in
favor of a trekking bar to get more hand positions. I finally got all the parts
for the trekking bar conversion and started working on it this weekend.
> >
> > Long story short - the old Stumpy frame is too small. The Stumpy frame which
is an 18" worked just fine as a mountain bike. I ran the bike with the stem way
lower than the seat and though I ran a lot of exposed seatpost the smaller frame
(I should take about a 20" normally), allowed me to have a stiffer more
maneuverable bike for tight singletrack mobility.
> >
> > So, as I sat there this evening trying different bar positions, raising and
lower the stem, etc. I came to the realization that I prefer a more stretched
out riding position similar to my touring bike and that the more upright
position caused by the smaller frame (ie. shorter top tube), means I need to
invest in a new frame. I could trawl ebay and Craigslist until the cows come
home, but that would take a lot of time and looking before I found another
suitable frame in the right size and in good condition.
> >
> > So, I decided I'd just buy the Nashbar aluminum mountain bike frame and
their corresponding suspension-corrected cro-moly fork.
> >
> > http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_173009_-1___202388
> >
> > http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_174928_-1___202347
> >
> > Of course this all means I'll need a bunch of extra stuff like headset,
seatpost clamp, bottom bracket, lower rise stem, etc. but I think the extra
expense will be well worth it to end up with a better fitting frame that will be
much more comfortable for longer rides. The plus side is, the mountain bike I've
been wanting to build with a drop bar can be done with my old Stumpjumper, so
I'll still be keeping it around and I'm sure down the road it'll see use again
once I can build it back up. Of course, I'll be sure to blog the construction of
the new Xtracycle based on the larger aluminum mountain bike frame. And there
will undoubtedly be another booze-fueled shakedown cruise as well.
> >
> >
>

 

Well, I was looking at the specs on that Nashbar frame along with reading the reviews, when I realized that according to all the information I'd gathered, the Nashbar mountain bike frame is no larger at 20" than my Stumpjumper frame is at its 18" size. So, it was back to the drawing board.

In discussing this with a friend, he proposed the idea of getting a Surly LHT frame that takes 26" wheels and using that. He works at a bike shop and thought he might be able to get me the frame at cost, but I found out from him earlier today, "no dice" on that. Of course a LHT frame would solve a lot of my issues with geometry, giving me a riding position very similar to my daily commuter bike which is also a touring bike, albeit a 700c.

I'm ruling out the idea of a 700c Xtracycle primarily because you can't get larger tires on the back wheel, let alone a fender and also a 700c wheel is not going to be as strong as a 26" wheel. I thought briefly about maybe using the same 700c Nashbar touring frame that is the basis of my daily commuter and running a 26" wheel in the back with the 700c wheel up front, but I can't imagine how that would affect the geometry.

Of course, now that I'm thinking about the LHT I can't imagine that I wouldn't be somewhat disappointed with a lower quality mtb frame. Of course the higher quality mtb frames end up being as expensive as an LHT frame anyway, and there's bound to still be some issues with me not getting quite the riding position I'd be most comfortable in. So, at this point I'm stuck trying to figure out if I want to spend the full $470 for a LHT frame, or try to find something else suitable.

--- In rootsradicals@yahoogroups.com, Sean Mackin wrote:
>
> I have always been curious about the Nashbar frames. I look forward to a ride report. The old Stumpy frame should be good ebay fodder to offset your outlay too. There are some nostalgic folks that love those old frames.
>
> Sean
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Feb 16, 2013, at 8:51 PM, "kiltie_celt" wrote:
>
> > Well, a lot of you probably read my blog post detailing how I constructed my Xtracycle using my old '94 Stumpjumper as the donor bike. Well, I've ridden it some and through a couple shakedown cruises decided to change some things around. The most recent change was to swap out the riser bar/bar ends combo in favor of a trekking bar to get more hand positions. I finally got all the parts for the trekking bar conversion and started working on it this weekend.
> >
> > Long story short - the old Stumpy frame is too small. The Stumpy frame which is an 18" worked just fine as a mountain bike. I ran the bike with the stem way lower than the seat and though I ran a lot of exposed seatpost the smaller frame (I should take about a 20" normally), allowed me to have a stiffer more maneuverable bike for tight singletrack mobility.
> >
> > So, as I sat there this evening trying different bar positions, raising and lower the stem, etc. I came to the realization that I prefer a more stretched out riding position similar to my touring bike and that the more upright position caused by the smaller frame (ie. shorter top tube), means I need to invest in a new frame. I could trawl ebay and Craigslist until the cows come home, but that would take a lot of time and looking before I found another suitable frame in the right size and in good condition.
> >
> > So, I decided I'd just buy the Nashbar aluminum mountain bike frame and their corresponding suspension-corrected cro-moly fork.
> >
> > http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_173009_-1___202388
> >
> > http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_174928_-1___202347
> >
> > Of course this all means I'll need a bunch of extra stuff like headset, seatpost clamp, bottom bracket, lower rise stem, etc. but I think the extra expense will be well worth it to end up with a better fitting frame that will be much more comfortable for longer rides. The plus side is, the mountain bike I've been wanting to build with a drop bar can be done with my old Stumpjumper, so I'll still be keeping it around and I'm sure down the road it'll see use again once I can build it back up. Of course, I'll be sure to blog the construction of the new Xtracycle based on the larger aluminum mountain bike frame. And there will undoubtedly be another booze-fueled shakedown cruise as well.
> >
> >
>

Okay, so the search for a larger frame continues. One stumbling block is trying
to keep the price of the frame to something reasonable. Reasonable being less
than $200 I hope. There was a possibility of getting a Long Haul Trucker frame
at cost, which is roughly about $280. I could still stomach that because the LHT
frame is really nice, however that deal possibility fell through and is likely
off the table at this point.

One of the things I began debating though, was going with another cro-moly steel
frame like my Stumpjumper or going with an aluminum frame. I've been reading
that a lot of folks like an aluminum frame to go with the FreeRadical because
the stiffness of the aluminum helps combat some of the inherent flexiness of
bolt on design of the attachment.

The problem I'm running into, looking at all the aluminum frames available is
that most of them are designed around front suspension, whether they come with a
fork or not. I can buy a suspension-corrected fork but that just seems to mean
the frame is going to have a weird, jacked-up front end. I'm sure it doesn't
affect the handling any, but has anyone felt that a suspension-corrected
fork/frame combo handles weirdly with as an Xtracycle?

Another idea was building up the Xtracycle around the same 700c touring frame
that my daily commuter bike is built on. I could still run a 26" rear tire which
would help with weight capacity. However, the front fork would potentially limit
the front tire (with fender), to no more than possibly 700x40, maybe, MAYBE
700x45, but I doubt that large size (equivalent to 28x1.75), would fit within
the fork.

Of course that sort of Edgerunner layout might work, in theory but the front end
would be jacked up a couple inches over the back and I don't know if that makes
a difference, especially when the wheelbase is so long. Also, I wonder if the
700c up front would compromise low speed handling with a heavy load. I'm not too
enamored of that idea as a whole. Just seems to have too many potential issues.

So, any thoughts from you folks regarding steel versus aluminum, 26 versus 700c,
suspension-corrected versus frames designed to be totally rigid (ie. older 90s
mtbs or something like a LHT)?

I have a suspension fork (Giant Boulder XT frame w stock fork), and like it, have had no problems at all. So far 1 yr of riding as an xtracycle conversion (just over 1000 mi) in varied conditions, half of it under an approx 100lb load of kids and school gear. Lots of flex in the add-on frame under these conditions, very happy that the donor frame itself is stiff.

Brian, DCish

Currently I have a Big Dummy, but prior to it I had a Univega 750 FS
mountain bike frame with the Xtracycle on the back. The Univega was a
fat tubed aluminum frame, and I honestly feel it was felt more rigid
with a load on the Xtracycle than my Big Dummy. I can only attribute
that to the flex inherent to the Big Dummy’s steel frame. The Univega
lasted me for many years, with over 30,000 miles on it. I worked as a
cargo bike messenger in New York City on that thing, but most of my
heavier loads were personal, like Costco wholesale runs or lumber from
Lowes, etc. I also liked the Univega because the top tube was lower down
than most other bikes. With the top tube being lower
mounting/dismounting the bike was easier, but it also meant I could get
some relief from the saddle while waiting for traffic lights by sitting
at an angle over the thick frame tubing.

	 When I first got the Univega it was before the turn of the century
(sounding like an old-timer), so I am not sure you would be able to find
one. If my Big Dummy ever catastrophically failed on me though, I think I
might try to hunt down a Univega though and attach an Xtracycle again. I
am all about low-maintenance, so having the pricier Big Dummy makes me
constantly paranoid over rust developing. I know the FreeRadical
extension is susceptible to rust, but at least with an aluminum donor
bike frame I could still be riding a bike while I get a replacement
FreeRadical… and that would also be cheaper than an entire Big Dummy.

	 I believe the Univega came with a stock suspension fork. Admittedly, I’m
not sure what you mean by a suspension-corrected fork, though I have
heard the term before. In any case, when I first got the Univega, I
dialed down the suspension fork to be as stiff and responsive as
possible. Eventually though I replaced it with a non-suspension fork,
which also had disc brake mounts. That was before I upgraded to an
Xtracycle extension though. I am not a big stickler on biometrics,
dimensions, and geometry. I just try out bikes to feel my comfort level
with them. Either way, I never felt replacing the fork “jacked-up” the
front end as you say.

	 To your other inquiry into input on using your 700c touring frame with an
Xtracycle, I would not recommend that. Admittedly, I am not really a road
bike rider, so I may be biased. I have always been a mountain bike hybrid
guy, who rides with 1.5-1.75” tires even on my long-tail bikes. Keep in
mind, I have certainly toured with panniers and camping loads on my
hybrids. It is just that I feel a tougher mountain bike is much more
suited for ideal compatibility with an Xtracycle. As you pointed out you
would most likely have better suited tire/wheel options with a mountain
bike frame than with your touring bike. Then again, as I said, I am more
about feel than crunching numbers, so if you tend to feel more
comfortable riding your touring bike, you may want to start off trying to
merge an Xtracycle to your commuter touring bike. That would be cheaper
than initially trying to purchase an unfamiliar mountain bike as your
donor frame for and Xtracycle. Who knows, as you progress you may find
you do feel more comfortable on your 700c touring bike, then decide to
keep it as your Xtracycle’s mate.

	 I hope that helps, but keep in mind if you mate an aluminum frame to an
Xtracycle there are some minor issues you have to accommodate for. One
significant issue is the steel tongue of the Xtracycle grinding/sawing
into the chain-stay bridge of my aluminum Univega. Every now and then
after getting the Xtracycle, I would feel it becoming a little squeamish
and would have to tighten the bolts passing through the tongue. At first
I just thought I had to break it in or something, but then when it
happened one or two more times I figured I should apply some loc-tite to
the tongue bolt. When I was going to do that I only then noticed the
steel tongue was cutting slowly into the aluminum. That was what caused
the bolt to loosen, not apparent road vibrations as I had speculated.
Keep in mind this is while I was working every day as a messenger and
therefore putting my bike through a lot of motions. The average Xtracycle
rider with an aluminum donor frame probably would not experience what I
did, at least not as extreme. In any case, by the time I caught it the
chain-stay bridge had been cut almost in half with two grooves. The
simple fix I applied was buying an inexpensive short piece of plumbing
pipe from Lowes or whatever, then I cut a few little trapezoidal shaped
half-pipes with drill holes in the middle. Using two of these I
sandwiched the chain-stay bridge before reattaching the Xtracycle. That
totally fixed the issue.

Ride safe,
_TONE_

TONE,

A "suspension-corrected" rigid fork is simply a fork that replaces a suspension
fork. They are designed to have a similar trail to a suspension fork and have
longer legs than a typical rigid fork for a bike that would be specced without
front suspension. Basically just a longer rigid fork to replace a suspension
fork.

The more I've thought about it, I just can't do a 700c frame, even one as robust
as the Nashbar touring frame that is the basis of my everyday commuter rig. I
just won't be able to get fat enough tires for the front wheel. I'm definitely
narrowing it down on some inexpensive aluminum frames. Thanks for the advice on
watching the connection area at the chainstay bridge. It seems like it might
just be a better idea to add a second FAP in there with a longer bolt and do
away with a direct connection around the chainstay bridge.

The other major reason for sticking with 26" wheels is that I already ordered
some nice Schwalbe Marathon 420 tires and I have some SKS Chromoplastic fenders
ready for installation. I just have to keep plugging in the numbers until I find
a frame that looks like the measurements will work.

--- In rootsradicals@yahoogroups.com, "Tone" <tone@...> wrote:
>
> 	 Currently I have a Big Dummy, but prior to it I had a Univega 750 FS
> mountain bike frame with the Xtracycle on the back. The Univega was a
> fat tubed aluminum frame, and I honestly feel it was felt more rigid
> with a load on the Xtracycle than my Big Dummy. I can only attribute
> that to the flex inherent to the Big Dummy's steel frame. The Univega
> lasted me for many years, with over 30,000 miles on it. I worked as a
> cargo bike messenger in New York City on that thing, but most of my
> heavier loads were personal, like Costco wholesale runs or lumber from
> Lowes, etc. I also liked the Univega because the top tube was lower down
> than most other bikes. With the top tube being lower
> mounting/dismounting the bike was easier, but it also meant I could get
> some relief from the saddle while waiting for traffic lights by sitting
> at an angle over the thick frame tubing.
>
>  When I first got the Univega it was before the turn of the century
> (sounding like an old-timer), so I am not sure you would be able to find
> one. If my Big Dummy ever catastrophically failed on me though, I think I
> might try to hunt down a Univega though and attach an Xtracycle again. I
> am all about low-maintenance, so having the pricier Big Dummy makes me
> constantly paranoid over rust developing. I know the FreeRadical
> extension is susceptible to rust, but at least with an aluminum donor
> bike frame I could still be riding a bike while I get a replacement
> FreeRadical… and that would also be cheaper than an entire Big Dummy.
>
>  I believe the Univega came with a stock suspension fork. Admittedly, I'm
> not sure what you mean by a suspension-corrected fork, though I have
> heard the term before. In any case, when I first got the Univega, I
> dialed down the suspension fork to be as stiff and responsive as
> possible. Eventually though I replaced it with a non-suspension fork,
> which also had disc brake mounts. That was before I upgraded to an
> Xtracycle extension though. I am not a big stickler on biometrics,
> dimensions, and geometry. I just try out bikes to feel my comfort level
> with them. Either way, I never felt replacing the fork "jacked-up" the
> front end as you say.
>
>  To your other inquiry into input on using your 700c touring frame with an
> Xtracycle, I would not recommend that. Admittedly, I am not really a road
> bike rider, so I may be biased. I have always been a mountain bike hybrid
> guy, who rides with 1.5-1.75" tires even on my long-tail bikes. Keep in
> mind, I have certainly toured with panniers and camping loads on my
> hybrids. It is just that I feel a tougher mountain bike is much more
> suited for ideal compatibility with an Xtracycle. As you pointed out you
> would most likely have better suited tire/wheel options with a mountain
> bike frame than with your touring bike. Then again, as I said, I am more
> about feel than crunching numbers, so if you tend to feel more
> comfortable riding your touring bike, you may want to start off trying to
> merge an Xtracycle to your commuter touring bike. That would be cheaper
> than initially trying to purchase an unfamiliar mountain bike as your
> donor frame for and Xtracycle. Who knows, as you progress you may find
> you do feel more comfortable on your 700c touring bike, then decide to
> keep it as your Xtracycle's mate.
>
>  I hope that helps, but keep in mind if you mate an aluminum frame to an
> Xtracycle there are some minor issues you have to accommodate for. One
> significant issue is the steel tongue of the Xtracycle grinding/sawing
> into the chain-stay bridge of my aluminum Univega. Every now and then
> after getting the Xtracycle, I would feel it becoming a little squeamish
> and would have to tighten the bolts passing through the tongue. At first
> I just thought I had to break it in or something, but then when it
> happened one or two more times I figured I should apply some loc-tite to
> the tongue bolt. When I was going to do that I only then noticed the
> steel tongue was cutting slowly into the aluminum. That was what caused
> the bolt to loosen, not apparent road vibrations as I had speculated.
> Keep in mind this is while I was working every day as a messenger and
> therefore putting my bike through a lot of motions. The average Xtracycle
> rider with an aluminum donor frame probably would not experience what I
> did, at least not as extreme. In any case, by the time I caught it the
> chain-stay bridge had been cut almost in half with two grooves. The
> simple fix I applied was buying an inexpensive short piece of plumbing
> pipe from Lowes or whatever, then I cut a few little trapezoidal shaped
> half-pipes with drill holes in the middle. Using two of these I
> sandwiched the chain-stay bridge before reattaching the Xtracycle. That
> totally fixed the issue.
>
> Ride safe,
> _TONE_
>

 

I have had a lot of good luck with Craigslist, pawn shops and thrift stores. You can let someone else take the new bike depreciation. On most given weeks here in SoCal there is usually a few Surly frames on Craigslist. With a little patience you should be able to score something that will work. Two of the local bike shops near here take trade in's too. You am want to ask what is in the back (demo's and scratch and dents lurk there too). Keep us updated, we love build reports (or at least I do).

Sean

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 19, 2013, at 5:33 PM, "kiltie_celt" <matthew-campbell@...> wrote:

 

Well, I was looking at the specs on that Nashbar frame along with reading the reviews, when I realized that according to all the information I'd gathered, the Nashbar mountain bike frame is no larger at 20" than my Stumpjumper frame is at its 18" size. So, it was back to the drawing board.

In discussing this with a friend, he proposed the idea of getting a Surly LHT frame that takes 26" wheels and using that. He works at a bike shop and thought he might be able to get me the frame at cost, but I found out from him earlier today, "no dice" on that. Of course a LHT frame would solve a lot of my issues with geometry, giving me a riding position very similar to my daily commuter bike which is also a touring bike, albeit a 700c.

I'm ruling out the idea of a 700c Xtracycle primarily because you can't get larger tires on the back wheel, let alone a fender and also a 700c wheel is not going to be as strong as a 26" wheel. I thought briefly about maybe using the same 700c Nashbar touring frame that is the basis of my daily commuter and running a 26" wheel in the back with the 700c wheel up front, but I can't imagine how that would affect the geometry.

Of course, now that I'm thinking about the LHT I can't imagine that I wouldn't be somewhat disappointed with a lower quality mtb frame. Of course the higher quality mtb frames end up being as expensive as an LHT frame anyway, and there's bound to still be some issues with me not getting quite the riding position I'd be most comfortable in. So, at this point I'm stuck trying to figure out if I want to spend the full $470 for a LHT frame, or try to find something else suitable.

--- In rootsradicals@yahoogroups.com, Sean Mackin wrote:
>
> I have always been curious about the Nashbar frames. I look forward to a ride report. The old Stumpy frame should be good ebay fodder to offset your outlay too. There are some nostalgic folks that love those old frames.
>
> Sean
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Feb 16, 2013, at 8:51 PM, "kiltie_celt" wrote:
>
> > Well, a lot of you probably read my blog post detailing how I constructed my Xtracycle using my old '94 Stumpjumper as the donor bike. Well, I've ridden it some and through a couple shakedown cruises decided to change some things around. The most recent change was to swap out the riser bar/bar ends combo in favor of a trekking bar to get more hand positions. I finally got all the parts for the trekking bar conversion and started working on it this weekend.
> >
> > Long story short - the old Stumpy frame is too small. The Stumpy frame which is an 18" worked just fine as a mountain bike. I ran the bike with the stem way lower than the seat and though I ran a lot of exposed seatpost the smaller frame (I should take about a 20" normally), allowed me to have a stiffer more maneuverable bike for tight singletrack mobility.
> >
> > So, as I sat there this evening trying different bar positions, raising and lower the stem, etc. I came to the realization that I prefer a more stretched out riding position similar to my touring bike and that the more upright position caused by the smaller frame (ie. shorter top tube), means I need to invest in a new frame. I could trawl ebay and Craigslist until the cows come home, but that would take a lot of time and looking before I found another suitable frame in the right size and in good condition.
> >
> > So, I decided I'd just buy the Nashbar aluminum mountain bike frame and their corresponding suspension-corrected cro-moly fork.
> >
> > http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_173009_-1___202388
> >
> > http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_174928_-1___202347
> >
> > Of course this all means I'll need a bunch of extra stuff like headset, seatpost clamp, bottom bracket, lower rise stem, etc. but I think the extra expense will be well worth it to end up with a better fitting frame that will be much more comfortable for longer rides. The plus side is, the mountain bike I've been wanting to build with a drop bar can be done with my old Stumpjumper, so I'll still be keeping it around and I'm sure down the road it'll see use again once I can build it back up. Of course, I'll be sure to blog the construction of the new Xtracycle based on the larger aluminum mountain bike frame. And there will undoubtedly be another booze-fueled shakedown cruise as well.
> >
> >
>

I wish Yahoo groups were a bit more versatile, in that I'd really like to shut
down the previous two incarnations of this thread so that folks don't keep
posting replies when I've been able to definitively solve the problem. So, I'm
hoping by make a third and final post on the topic all of you will see this and
know that I've figured out a solution.

I forget who first suggested it, but there was a mention of someone who
purchased the front end of an Xtracycle Radish. So, I called the folks out there
in California and explained the search for a new frame and asked if they had
just the front end of a Radish available for sale. Turns out they did have one
and will sell it to me for $250. So, problem solved.

Also, I now get the advantage of having the dropped top tube that makes getting
on an off the bike easier, still get to use 26" wheels, and my fenders will
work. The only draw backs are I'll need a longer seatpost, and frankly, the
color is kinda gross. I'm not a big fan of the cream color. I'm looking into
possibly getting the frame powdercoated to match the FreeRad, or getting the
whole sheebang painted to some other color. However, powdercoating is likely to
be too expensive, so I'll probably have to explore other options.

 

I recommend MAAS Powdercoating in Livermore. They do all my frames…

On Feb 21, 2013, at 4:22 PM, "kiltie_celt" <matthew-campbell@...> wrote:

 

I wish Yahoo groups were a bit more versatile, in that I'd really like to shut down the previous two incarnations of this thread so that folks don't keep posting replies when I've been able to definitively solve the problem. So, I'm hoping by make a third and final post on the topic all of you will see this and know that I've figured out a solution.

I forget who first suggested it, but there was a mention of someone who purchased the front end of an Xtracycle Radish. So, I called the folks out there in California and explained the search for a new frame and asked if they had just the front end of a Radish available for sale. Turns out they did have one and will sell it to me for $250. So, problem solved.

Also, I now get the advantage of having the dropped top tube that makes getting on an off the bike easier, still get to use 26" wheels, and my fenders will work. The only draw backs are I'll need a longer seatpost, and frankly, the color is kinda gross. I'm not a big fan of the cream color. I'm looking into possibly getting the frame powdercoated to match the FreeRad, or getting the whole sheebang painted to some other color. However, powdercoating is likely to be too expensive, so I'll probably have to explore other options.

I found out from the guys at Xtracycle that the Radish frame is actually
powdercoated, so stripping it for repainting won't be very easy. Apparently
powdercoat strips best with a chemical stripper versus some kind of
sandblasting. Also of issue is that the local maker/hacker space does not in
fact have a spray booth so there probably isn't anywhere there that I could do a
"dirt free" spray job. It's too cold to spray outside at my apartment as well,
and frankly I'd rather not have to build the bike then tear it all down again in
two months when it's nice enough outside to spray it. So, it looks like if I
want to change the frame color, probably the easiest route is going to be
applying cast vinyl film. At least that's something I can do indoors with a
minimum of mess, and if I don't like the color I can always peel it off and
choose another.

--- In rootsradicals@yahoogroups.com, John <gtodroptop@...> wrote:
>
> I rattle caned a Dyno Roadster and it came out great.
>
> On Feb 21, 2013, at 7:38 PM, Thom Chiaramonte <thom@...> wrote:
>
> > I recommend MAAS Powdercoating in Livermore. They do all my frames…
> >
> >
> > On Feb 21, 2013, at 4:22 PM, "kiltie_celt" <matthew-campbell@...> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> I wish Yahoo groups were a bit more versatile, in that I'd really like to
shut down the previous two incarnations of this thread so that folks don't keep
posting replies when I've been able to definitively solve the problem. So, I'm
hoping by make a third and final post on the topic all of you will see this and
know that I've figured out a solution.
> >>
> >> I forget who first suggested it, but there was a mention of someone who
purchased the front end of an Xtracycle Radish. So, I called the folks out there
in California and explained the search for a new frame and asked if they had
just the front end of a Radish available for sale. Turns out they did have one
and will sell it to me for $250. So, problem solved.
> >>
> >> Also, I now get the advantage of having the dropped top tube that makes
getting on an off the bike easier, still get to use 26" wheels, and my fenders
will work. The only draw backs are I'll need a longer seatpost, and frankly, the
color is kinda gross. I'm not a big fan of the cream color. I'm looking into
possibly getting the frame powdercoated to match the FreeRad, or getting the
whole sheebang painted to some other color. However, powdercoating is likely to
be too expensive, so I'll probably have to explore other options.
> >
> >
>

I have a Dummy with the original bag style and love it, use it for my business,
my 17 year old niece has been helping me at the Farmer's market and needs a bike
to ride and carry her 26 pound dog. So I'm thinking about adding an xtracyle to
my LHT and using a sidecar for the dog, in a carrier. I have a sidecar but don't
use it much. Any thoughts on this?

Also for economy I'm thinking about going with the hoodie, it seems limited, any
thoughts?

How would you carry a 26 pound dog?

I would go the rout of a trailer unless she has a bunch of other stuff to carry.
An extra+a sidecar+ surly LHT = a ton of money.

I'm all for getting new extracycle users but there may be cheaper and just as
efficient ways to meet your goals.

Sent from my iPhone

Robert already posted a link to the instructional guide I wrote up for
the Xtracycle compatible side car for dogs, which I made and call the dog
chariot. Thanks Robert for also correcting the link within that old post
of mine.

	 I can say from experience the dog chariot works really well. When in a
car I always put a full chest harness around my dog with it chained to
the back seat’s head rest to make sure a sudden stop does not choke my
pup from the forces of being thrown forward during an abrupt stop. The
same goes for the dog chariot. I either use a chain with a clip to attach
the harness to the dog chariot framing or I just clip a leash to the
harness with the handle loop of the leash wrapped around the stoker bar I
attached to my seat post. There is a close up photo of the leash and
stoker bar set up, along with all the other photos and technical guides
on:
http://www.cranksgiving.net/XtraDogChariot/

	 What is nice about the leash set up is I can stop and tell my dog,
Pandora, “Off” and she will get off. Granted she does it reluctantly
sometimes because she is either lazy or wants to be closer to me, but
once she is off I can ride with her running alongside me. When I do that
I always try to ride at the edge of the pavement beside the grass though.
I found out early on the pavement is hard on her feet, especially when
the asphalt is hot during the summer from the sun. Now Pandora is fully
grown, so I do not think that is as much of a problem, but I would think
soft grass still feels much nicer to any dog’s feet.
	 It did not take too long, maybe two or three outings at about 15-30
minutes each, for my dog to become accustomed to her optimal positioning
when running along side my bike. Before that it was awkward with her
pulling away a lot or being fearful of my big-assed bike while in motion.
Make sure your leash is not too long when doing this though because your
dog might be inclined to slow down and trail behind you. If your dog can
do that, then he/she will also be able to switch to the other side of
your bike, which means your dog might be exposed to automobile traffic!

	 Admittedly, I have not ridden with my dog for a long while. The last time
I did she was around forty pounds. The photos of her on the dog chariot
were when she was still less than twenty. In any case, when she was
around forty pounds I had to make sure I was securely straddling my bike
before she got in. Otherwise she was likely to tip it over if she hopped
on alone with enthusiasm. Keep in mind this happened despite me having a
Kick Back dual-footed kickstand. I actually had to take Pandora to the
vet this past Thursday for a mild ear infection, and they weighed her. To
my surprise she is now seventy nine pounds! They grow up so fast. She is
a Border-Collie/Lab mix, so we figured she would max out at about sixty
pounds. I have handled unbalanced loads of that weight on one side of my
bike before, so I was not too worried. Eighty pounds might be a whole
other ball game though, but I am still confident I can manage.
	 In any case, since the original inquiry stated the niece’s dog is twenty
six pounds, I have no doubt that dog would be easily manageable even by a
seventeen year old young lady. Heck, my bicycle lock and chain weigh
about that much! In fact, I use my lock and chain to counter-balance
loads on my bike, including my dog.

	 I would imagine for a dog weighing only twenty six pounds a person could
get away with not having to build something as elaborate as I did. When I
was a messenger I used a trick where I would drop the free loader flaps
through my wide loaders, then I would pull them out and up around the
wide loader bars before clipping the free loader’s three straps back up
to the buckling points at the deck. This effectively created a tightened
hammock stretched below and between the wide loader and the free radical
frame. It also provided an added fabric lip/bumper/wall of about four to
six inches high extending up from the wide loaders. The height of the
fabric wall depended on how deep I inserted my wide loader tubing into
the free radical mount holes. This was before Xtracycle used spring-clips
inside the tubing to retain the wide loaders in the mounting holes, so
this trick also kept my wide loaders in place from gradually shaking out.
	 I would not recommend using just this set up with a dog because their
paws nails might rip into the free loader fabric. However, you could just
drop a 0.25” to 0.5” small sheet of plywood or plastic down into that
same space to support such a small dog. The mesh/flap at the ends of the
free loader with its tightened draw string should be enough to keep the
dog in place fairly well. I would just make sure the edges of the board
are smoothed out well or have some kind of added soft/thick edging so
your board does not cut/saw into the free loader fabric. Maybe just
wrapping the board in a towel or small blanket would do the trick, and it
could also be easily removed to be washed while providing a little bit of
padding and grip for your dog.

	 To the original inquiring poster (SoapPedaler), you said you have a side
car. Is that a side car made specifically for use with an Xtracycle set
up, or is it a side car for attachment on any bike. My question is merely
for my own curiosity, but if you already have a side car, then I would
think it would be ideal for carrying a dog, even a larger one than mine.
Do you have photos of the side car?

Ride safe,
_TONE_

My dog is about a third of the weight of the dog in question.  He is
about 6 kg or 8 lbs.  I bought a laundry basket to sit on the
non-traffic-side wide-loader.  I use the free-loader clips to hook the
laundry basket into place through the basket's handle holes.  I figured
the dog's weight would keep the basket from flipping out over bumps
(since the attachment was only at the top), but went ahead and added
another strap that went through one handle, around the basket and to the
wide loader.  This basket could easily contain a much larger dog. The
only problem with my dog is that he's too small to get in by himself.  I
have to lift him in and out.

My dog wears a harness.  I fixed a strap with a clip on it to the top of
the non-traffic-side v-rack.  I clip this strap (aka seat belt) to the
front of my dog's harness.  I found that if I clip it to the back of his
harness (i.e. the usual spot), he could jump out (but this was with a
smaller basket).  I usually clip his leash to the front of his harness,
too, since it helps keep him from pulling (or swings him back around to
me when he does pull).

Somewhere on the internet, I have seen a picture of someone carrying a
2-3-year-old nephew in a free-loader.  The kid looked comfortable
enough.  When I tried it, the kid wasn't that familiar with me or the
bike, so it was no-go.

Anyway, I find that the weight of my dog is negligible, but his basket
is on the opposite side of my bike's battery (I've got a stokemonkey).
A 2-3-year-old kid probably wouldn't be too much of a problem, either.
A lot of it has to do with experience. Heavier weights, like Tone's
80-lb dog, would require some adjustment in handling.

I have carried loads that were so heavy and so poorly balanced (this
last being the problem), that I had trouble getting started and needed a
push.  After that, it was ok.  Recently, I carried a large box full of
books that was heavy enough to make the bike wheelie when parked.  The
box could have been 70-80 lbs.  I could pull the bike down when I wanted
to ride it - so no wheelies in transit.  I did have to give the bike a
serious lean to compensate for the weight.  This lean for balance
becomes automatic with practice.

CL

Message 14628, untitled, has been deleted due to likely being a spambot posted
infection message.  DO NOT click on the links in any untitled or link only
messages ot those which have a unrecognized link and a generic message such as
"Check this out!"

All such above posted messages will be deleted ASAP and the sender moved to
moderated status as soon as the message is noted.  Unfortunately there is no
means to prevent posted messages from being sent to members who have selected to
receive all posted messages as posted or as a daily summary.

Rich Wood

Does anyone have a local bus company that uses racks that fit an Xtracycle? We
have a small town and if there were someone making better bike racks, I could
probably convince our local buses to install the better racks as they need
replacement and on all new buses.