Burley Piccalo and Xtracycle

People have asked about the detail of this setup so here are some pictures and a brief description of the process.

I took an old front hub and filed/ground the flange (where the spokes usually go) to match the curve of the Xtracycle frame.  This is the most important step because if the two do not fit like a puzzle piece than the hub rotates downward.  You do not have to get this profile perfect but get it close.  I have not had my hub rotate and I have used this hub “hitch” to tow full size bikes around as well as using it for the piccalo.  This hub required a 2″ muffler clamp that can be purchased at any auto parts store.  Other hubs may need a larger clamp.  The clamp secures the hub to the frame of the Xtracycle.
 
I drilled out the mounting holes on the moose rack to fit the axle of the hub.  The moose rack clamps onto the hub using the hub’s quick release.  For the top of the moose rack I purchased some stainless u bolts and simply bolted the moose rack stays to the Xtracycle frame.  You do have to slide the snapdeck forward to allow room for the moose rack.  The moose rack comes off in a couple minutes if needed.  I do use a clamp to help squeeze the moose rack so it is easier to get the quick release tight on the hub.  Maybe I will bend the moose rack to fit the hub at some point but for now it works just fine.  I have been using this setup for 80+ hours and had no problems so far.  I do check the u bolts for tightness on a regular basis.

600 mile Bionx PL-250 update

After 600 miles and two months I am going to keep the Bionx.  I am going to swap out for the Bionx PL-350 to see how that does.  I am interested in the range of the battery.  The PL-250 is impressive so far with its power.  How can one complain traveling 20mph with a case of beer in the back of a cargo bike?  With the setup pictured above I usually keep it under 15mph.  I am happy with the speed of the 250 but the range gets a little short when loaded down.  The long way to work is just under 19 miles and I seem to be getting around 15miles on level 4 with a medium sized load (office bag and such – no trailer).  I did tow a customers bike home about 9 miles the other night and had no trouble making my 15 mile commute using level 4 for towing 9 miles and level 2 for 6 miles.  When I use this setup for towing it is the hills that really cut into the range.  I weigh about 150lbs, my bike weighs about 80lbs with all the extra junk I keep in it, and the trailer setup is 150lbs.  

My biggest complaint so far is having to use the sunrace 9sp freewheel.  This is a low quality part and there is no alternative if you want to run a 9 speed drivetrain.  It does not shift like the Shimano xt part it replaced.

My only glitch so far, and I have used this in the rain at least 75+ miles, is one wet night I was starting up a hill.  I was using level 4 and going 19.5mph when suddenly it felt like someone applied my brakes or I had a flat.  I looked down at the controller and the speed was still 19.5mph but I was definitely slowing down.  I pedaled up the hill and pulled over.  The controller was locked and the display was a snapshot in time.  It still showed 19.5mph and none of the buttons worked.  I could not even turn it off.  I unplugged the controller from the battery and plugged it back in.  I turned it on again and everything functioned fine.  75miles later and it has not happened again.

I anticipated my Bionx mileage would decrease as the weather got nicer and I switched to my road bike for some of my commuter miles.  I have not put many miles on my road bike this year.  Having a utility bike that travels at road bike speeds is addicting.

gasoline consumption

What if every adult in this country left their car at home once every 20 trips?  I think the results would fundamentally start to change our whole economy.  For one thing, we would have to import less oil from non-democratic societies.   People would start becoming aware at how unfriendly many of our urban landscapes have become towards people walking or biking. 

According to Howstuffworks.com the USA consumes 400 million gallons of gasoline per day.  Obviously, even if you are car free buying products such as food take energy inputs (gasoline for example).  To be very simplistic with some assumptions: if one third of gasoline consumption is used by cars, and you can reduce your consumption by 5% by getting out of your car once every 20 trips, that would save the US over 6 million gallons of gas every single day.   A naive and idealistic example to be sure.   Sooner or later the price of gas will force people to start addressing how they live their lives and drive their cars.   Maybe it will force cities to reevaluate their obscene zoning requirements for parking.  Is it an any ones interest to have acres of blacktop parking for a Target store in an urban environment?  Especially when there is no safe sidewalk access wide enough for a wheelchair or a child trailer.  Don’t get me started….

Gas and towing

After 6 months of Xtracycle ownership I still am finding new uses for this cargo bike.  My niece spent the weekend with us.  We had the Xtracycle loaded up with a days supply of stuff – diaper bag, water, etc.  My 4 year old rode on the snapdeck and we had the Burley behind with my 1 year old.  In the back of the Burley we had my nieces bags.  We all rode our bikes to Grand old Days and the tens of thousands of people.  We dropped of my nieces belongings at her friends house and continued on to the kiddy area to play.  Then we watched the parade.  I always forget how funny parades can be.  One minute we are watching the Gay rodeo association float and the next minute Norm Colemans GOP election float passes by.  My niece met up with her friend and as they were leaving I had completely forgotten about her bike.  I was suppose to bring it back to our house.  After a vain attempt to attach her bike to the Burley I ended up attaching her bike to the bike hitch I have mounted to the rear of the xtracycle.  I moved the Burley hitch to her bike and off we went.  There is something liberating in having a bike that can do almost anything a car can do.  Plus, we always get the best parking spots.

My family is by no means car free.  I have not figured out a safe solution to transport my kids in the winter.  At least not a safe enough solution I can live with.  But now that it is warm my wife and I drove our car to work a total of 12 miles last month.  At work today we were talking about people driving their cars 4 blocks to pick up a newspaper and a customer told me that some of his employees regularly drive their cars across the street to pick up lunch.   Maybe gas needs to be more expensive.