Surly Big Dummy
This time,
Cycle 9
will be working
hard to get some of the Surly Big Dummy frames into
the store when the next shipment arrives. Our goal is
to have at least one demo model for people to test
ride before they buy.
So, if you want one, drop us a line, we can put you
on the waiting list, and the top names on that list
will be the first ones called when the frames arrive.
We are also happy to spec out a custom package of
components to go with the frame (Shimano or Sram),
and as a fellow enthusiast, we'll treat you well.
The Big Dummy is not inexpensive, it retails for
about $900 for frame only. So a built out Big Dummy
will retail for anywhere from ~$1450-$1900 depending
on the quality of components used. The Yuba is a
great lower cost alternative (at <$900 for the
complete bike), but will not be nearly as custom
tailored to the individual rider.
The Xtracycle is my inspiration
But today I was reminded again of why the Xtracycle was so inspiring and revolutionary when I first got it.
My daily load hauling machine: An Xtracycle carrying 8'X10' carpet, office chair, and other miscellaneous items, for a 7 mile ride. It handled fine.
I went by a
friend's house to drop off something I borrowed from
her. She is (sadly) moving out of town. When I got
there, she had put together a big bag of food that
they don't want to move across the country. No
problem, it fit right into the expandable Freeloader
bags on my Xtracyle. Then, I called home before
heading there, and found out that we needed a few
groceries, and that we had a pickup of our food share
from the Carrboro Farmer's
Market. Two stops
later, I had a well loaded bike with the
equivalent of four large grocery bags stuffed full
of food and other items like laundry detergent,
books, and clothes. I rode merrily on my way home.
In the past before my Xtracycle (now a distant
memory) it would have gone something like this:
Go by friend's house. She offers me food and items. I
accept a few items and stuff them in the remaining
space in backpack or pannier, but I can't take the
big jug of laundry soap and big box of detergent, nor
the books, nor several of the other large items. Then
I call home, find out that I need to pick up
groceries and stuff at Farmer's Market. So, I ride
home (7 miles), drop that stuff off, and then because
it is late already, I get in the car and drive back
to pick it up (there is no way that a big bag of
groceries and the whole farm share would fit in my
backpack or pannier, or even a big basket). Then, all
that money and CO2 saved goes right out the tailpipe.
That is how my bike life used to be before the
Xtracycle. It was frustrating at times, to say the
least.
And the thing is, the Xtracycle, though it looks a
bit odd, has little impact on the feel of the bike.
It still rides like a normal bike, and in fact, it is
more stable than a normal bike. Sure, it is 7 pounds
heavier - but it is a 7 pounds that has saved me from
extra trips many times. It has freed me of paying for
an expensive University parking permit (the cost of
which could buy a new bike every year). This thing is
incredible.
Sometimes, when I show it to people here in the
Southeast, they kind of say "cool" and then quickly
move on. They don't know what to make of it. There
are no "celebrities" they've seen on TV riding one.
Their friends don't (yet) ride one. So they just see
it as an oddity from the "Left Coast" and dismiss it.
Sometimes it makes me sad, I want to tell them in a
loud voice: "this thing could change your life, it
changed mine!" But pushy proselytizing never works.
But, if it weren't for the Xtracycle, Cycle 9 would
likely not exist. It was this one single product that
made me realize how much more a bike could be a part
of everyday life. I really long for the day when more
people are riding bikes like this, realizing they
don't have to be financially chained to their car. Do
I hate cars? No. They are great in certain
circumstances. But I love not being dependent on one
every day. Not being dependent on foreign oil, on gas
stations, on insurance people, on auto mechanics (I
do all of my own bike maintenance, it is not very
hard). It is freeing. So, my personal goal is to
share that sense of freedom with more people. And
that is one of the important reasons why we created
this little venture.
Yuba Mundo is here!
This is a serious load carrying bike. Originally designed as part of the WorldBike project, this has now hit the USA, and we at Cycle 9 have been fortunate enough to get our hands on a few for testing and for customers.
We'll have more hints, comments, and observations as we further experiment with the bike.
Available now in our online store, or in our Chapel Hill store.