What can you do with a cargo bike? How about deliver a christmas tree? You see those people with trees strapped to the top of their cars, but how many bikes did you see this year with trees strapped to them?

In this video, experience a little slice of life here in our hometown, Carrboro, NC, as Dave takes a Christmas Tree to the local gathering spot and gives it away. I love how when filming this video, little things happen here and there that just have “Carrboro” written all over them….

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

-Elise

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Madsen, Big Dummy, or Yuba?

Lately, we’ve had a lot of questions around the idea of which cargo bike is the best. In my experience, each one of them has advantages and disadvantages, both in utility, style, and type of load. Finding the right bike depends on how you’re planning to use it. If you get the right one, you’ll use it a lot. If you don’t, you’ll probably wonder why so many people rave about these and lament the money you spent!

Watch the video for some comparison of these three cargo bikes. There are many other bikes out there now, and other options – best saved for another video.

Add your comment below!

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

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If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Looks can sometimes be deceiving…

Have you ever been judged as someone you were not based on the way you looked? This has probably happened to just about everyone out there, especially those of us who don’t always take a lot of effort to consider our outward appearance every single day. This is a great excerpt about this concept. And if you need a lift today, humor will help! Enjoy.

This story was published in Adventure Cyclist magazine in December 2010, and was written by Joe Kurmanskie.

Ride On!

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

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At Cycle 9, we love Surly’s no-nonsense approach to bicycles.  These bikes are not flashy or trendy, but are elegant and refined in their functionality.  Made from CroMoly steel, Surlys are built to last and ride beautifully.

Take the Surly Cross Check, for example.

Surly Cross Check

The versatile Cross Check handles all terrains with ease.  It’s a great commuter bike, offering a fabulously comfortable ride.  After work, go ahead and hit the trails.  You’ll love how this bike handles off-road as well.  Reviewers rave about this bike and for a good reason.  Come on in to see what all the buzz is about!

Another favorite at Cycle 9 is the Big Dummy.  Don’t let the name fool you, this bike isn’t a clunker.  It’s made for hauling a lot of stuff and it does its job gracefully.  Compatible with Xtracycle accessories, the Big Dummy can carry a week’s worth of groceries, an 8 ft ladder, passengers, or almost anything else you can think of – all while riding smoothly.  The options are endless and car-less, which makes this Big Dummy anything but dumb.

Surly Big Dummy

Ok – I quit this gig.  I’m packing up my crap and heading out West.  Peace out amigos!  While you’re watching the evening news, I’ll be riding into the sunset on Surly’s touring bike, the Long Haul Trucker.  Because the Trucker’s frame geometry is designed to carry a lot of stuff, I can make it out to there with everything I need.  The ultra durable components make me confident that my bike won’t let me down on the way.  Once I’ve reached my destination, I’ll still have a great bike to get around town.  Yup, the Long Haul Trucker is my long haul ride.  It can be yours too.  Stop by Cycle 9 to see why it’s one of our best sellers.

Surly Long Haul Trucker

Xtracycle. Your Everyday Adventure

Xtracycle is the original longtail – the company that started it all when surfers wanted to be able to carry their boards to the beach. Designed originally for use in developing countries with paths instead of roads, the Xtracycle add-on Free Radical kit found a home in the US in the 1990s, and the idea has taken off in the last 5 years.

In today’s video I show what an Xtracycle kit is, how it fits with your existing bicycle, and talk about why you would want this great cargo bike solution.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike.

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Up close and personal – the Big Dummy with Stokemonkey

Now together again, two classics of the cargo biking world: Surly’s Big Dummy cargo bike and the Stokemonkey from Clever Chimp. Both of these products first emerged on the cargo biking scene in spring of 2008. Both sold out by mid-summer and were unavailable for awhile, building anticipation. Now both are available in new and improved forms.

Check them out here for an up close and personal view of how the stokemonkey works with it’s friend, the Big Dummy. If you’re in our area, come by the shop for a test ride – we have one set up and all ready to go.

- Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Bike will be put to test on Saturday

We once calculated that the Yuba Mundo, with it’s 440 lb payload capacity, could carry 900 bananas. Well, we decided to test this out for ourselves, just because it would be fun!

On Saturday, May 1st, Dave D., a long-time Carrboro resident and regular of Johnny’s in Carrboro, will attempt the feat. Bananas have been ordered and are awaiting pick-up at Weaver Street Market, our local food co-op  and community gathering spot.

Expected start time of 3pm should find Dave and his helpers attempting to load 900 bananas on his blue Yuba Mundo cargo bike. Will it be a record banana load???

The bananas will be pedaled (hopefully!) over to the Really Really Free Market at Town Commons (held from 2.30 – 5.00) to be distributed to a mob of hungry banana-eaters. Want to be par to the mob? Want to cheer Dave on?

Come on down and join in the fun!

-Elise

He Did It!!! See video here

http://www.cycle9.com/blog/cargo-bikes/banana-ride-successful/

Introducing my Daily Video Series – Go By Bike!

Today is my inaugural video of my NEW daily video series – Go By Bike! I started this series to talk about how to ride more and use your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike. Using your car less reduces your carbon footprint, saves energy, helps the environment, keeps you healthy, and makes your community a nicer place to live, so overall most people would agree it’s a good thing.

In today’s episode of Go By Bike, I show you how I set up my bicycle to carry 3 kids on my morning (and afternoon) commute. This may seem like a lot to carry, but I keep it fun, easy and practical. Check out my daily ride below…

What’s your daily commute vehicle? Post a comment and let me know.

Over and out…..

-Elise

p.s. if you like this video, please share it with one of the links below

In addition to a used Big Dummy, we have two Xtracycle equipped bikes for sale. (**11/30/09 – These bikes have been sold. We do sell used cargo and xtracycles occasionally, so stay posted, or join our email list for more info)

First up is a bike that was sold to a customer, used less than 10 times, then returned by the customer because she wasn’t able to use it. This is a Marin San Rafael Euro (now called the EZ Step), wedded to an Xtracycle Freeradical kit. Brand new, this setup retails for about $1,100. We are offering this used for $790 – over $300 off the normal price, for a very lightly used bike. The frame is 17″, designed for someone who is in the low to mid 5′ range, height wise. Please drop us a line if you are interested. Here are some pictures:

Second up is Morgan’s own used Xtracycle. She is building up a new Big Dummy for herself, with a slick continuously variable transmission by Nuvinci. So, sadly, her trusty Xtracycle rig has to go. This is a classic – based on a pink 1992 Stumpjumper frame made with Tange Prestige tubing and matching Specialized rigid fork. The bike has Deore XT components, a really nice Bontrager road triple crankset, platform pedals, and of course, the Xtracycle. Morgan is asking $525 for this, so it is like getting a used Xtracycle kit for $350 and bike for $175. Or something like that. Did I mention that it has the very comfortable Nitto Albatross bars? Or the SweetSkinz nightwing tires?

This bike setup is ideal for a tall(ish) person, 5’11-6’3 or thereabouts. Drop us a line if you’d like to see the bike, or inquire about having it shipped.

Now is a great time to get one of these – last summer, these were sold out nationwide for three months.

Gas will get expensive again….