Someone has a new Xtracycle (sport utility bicycle) here in Northfield:
Imagine your favorite bike, with the rear wheel stretched out behind the seat, a big, stable platform for a load or a passenger, and elegant saddlebags on either side that are expandable when you need them and are cleanly out of the way when you don’t. Best of all, your bike is still lightweight and fast, and because the load is centered between your two wheels, the whole package handles with ease. Suddenly you have much less need or desire to drive around town for your errands. Picture this: a breezy unloaded ride to your favorite grocery store, coasting reliably around corners; arriving ahead of traffic; parking at the rack directly in front of the entrance; shopping and easily loading your four bags of groceries; then pedaling home, care-free on a bike that handles just as swiftly now that it’s loaded.
nice bike. Very handy for around town. this is an option as well:
http://www.bobgear.com/trailers/index.php
or one of these:
http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/home
and this site is helpful:
http://1world2wheels.org/how-to-go-by-bike
biking is an excellent mode of transportation, especially around Northfield. The town is small enough that you can get anywhere quickly and efficiently.
Nice bike! I believe the Minn. company Quality Bicycle Products (qbp.com) makes the frame for Xtracycle accessories (though it is built in Taiwan, I think). Now QBP is also selling the frame, the Big Dummy, separately:
http://www.surlybikes.com/new/bigdummy_pop.html
Here’s some more commentary:
http://clevercycles.com/?p=150
[…] starting to see a lot more bikes downtown, including more weird ones like the Xtracycle that I blogged about last […]