Monthly Archives: October 2013

Catching up

Where to start when one has been away for multiple days?

Recovery
After nine very blah days, I returned to [almost] full health in time to teach CyclingSavvy the first weekend in October.  For better or worse (perhaps better because my energy levels were still a bit low), the weather had other plans.

We made it through most of the “parking lot drill” portion of the class, including some low-speed drills on a freshly blacktopped parking lot that was quite slippery after a brief rain shower.  However, after two wet-pavement-related crashes (and with more storm clouds looming on the radar), we cancelled the afternoon road tour portion of the class.  I biked home, ate lunch, and passed out on the couch for two hours.

Found fruit
The following Monday, Gabriel and I visited a county park, where I just happened to come across some fresh persimmons.

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We snacked on some in the park (Sir is a fan), and I gathered a small bag for later consumption.  After painstakingly processing many of them into pulp, which later became persimmon custard, I’ve concluded that persimmons are best in small quantities, enjoyed raw, unless you have some sort of awesome way to separate the flesh from the seeds.

I originally thought our Foley food mill would serve well, but some places advised against it due to risk of scraping bits of seed into the final product.  So I removed hundreds of seeds by hand.  The custard is okay, “interesting” is a decent description — not bad, but probably not worth the trouble in the future.

By the time we encountered a persimmon tree right next to our campsite during this past weekend’s camping adventure (more on that in an upcoming post), I had had my fill of the fruit.

Biking
Having used the trailer recently and having decided that it’s workable, but not ideal, I’m back to having Gabriel in the front seat, trying to maximize the time we have to ride that way before he really and truly outgrows the thing (he’s still a few pounds under the 38-pound weight limit, but height-wise, his legs are already scrunched).

Last Friday morning, I turned what could have been tedious errands, if done by car, into a lovely 6-mile ride, stopping at a bakery, then making milk and [Schlafly pumpkin] beer runs.

This morning marked my first chilly weather ride.  By the time I left the house shortly after ten, I assumed my gloves and under-helmet hat would be overkill, but I brought them along just in case and quite happily donned them before my ride.  Nothing like some crisp, cool, fall riding!

Family bike options

After our recent longtail test rides, Matthew’s view was that we should just buy something — whatever choice we made would be good enough and we would most likely enjoy having the bike.  Worst case scenario, we could probably sell the bike for a decent price.

Longtails revisited
I agreed, to some extent, so I pulled together some prices and basic information for three longtails: Yuba Mundo (specifically, the Mundo NuVinci Lux), Surly Big Dummy, and Xtracycle Edgerunner.  I ruled out the Kona Ute, considered in my previous detailed comparison, due to the larger wheel size (bigger wheels equal higher center of gravity, meaning heavy loads are harder to balance).

I added the Big Dummy (previously ruled out due to price) back into the mix since it was one of only two longtails we were actually able to ride, and it seemed like it might have a slightly more aggressive geometry (i.e., be faster and more nimble, assets on longer rides and hills).

I’ve also read numerous good reports on Xtracycle’s new Edgerunner, which features a 20″ rear wheel, meaning the rear rack sits 6″ lower than the other longtails we’re considering.  As explained in the above-linked article, this “lowers the bike’s center of gravity and makes the loaded bike feel less unwieldy and top-heavy.”  As described, the Edgerunner seems to have many of the advantages (“a sportier, more nimble feel, which makes for a quicker-accelerating and more confidence-inspiring ride”) that made us reconsider the Big Dummy, but at a lower price point.

Photo from Splendid Cycles
Edgerunner, photo from Splendid Cycles

So once again, we crossed the Big Dummy off the list, and we were left with the Yuba Mundo NuVinci Lux and the Xtracycle Edgerunner, both of which would cost about $2500 (before tax), fully outfitted for our needs (rear child seat, longtail cargo bags, lights, center kickstand, etc.).  Gulp!

But what about midtails?
In the midst of these considerations, I read this post, singing the praises of the Kona MinUte, a midtail cargo bike.  We actually test rode, and had an opportunity to get a good deal on, a 2012 MinUte back in April, but I was pretty set on a longtail at the time.  The post on the MinUte, as well as this review of midtails in general, had me reconsidering.

While a longtail will fit on light rail cars (although getting it to/from the platform could be a challenge in some cases), it will NOT fit on bus racks, nor can it travel on Amtrak.  While I don’t often take combined bus/bike trips, having the option is appealing.  Also, a midtail really might be plenty of bike for our needs.

While the Kona MinUte may have been the one that got away, the midtail blog post had other inspiring rides, including this Workcycles Fr8.  I love that it has the option of a front seat for older kids.  I may have been sold on this bike, except that, with only eight speeds, I’m worried about how it will handle hills, of which we have our share.

Workcycles Fr8, fully decked out for passengers, photo from J.C. Lind Bike Co.
Workcycles Fr8, fully decked out for passengers, photo from J.C. Lind Bike Co.

And yet more options . . .
In addition to reading [cargo] bike blogs, I am part of a cargo bike Facebook group, Revolutions per Minute.  While it provides great inspiration, it’s really not helping me narrow my choices.

Someone recently posted information on the Circe Helios, a bike that can either be a tandem (with a rear seat that adjusts to fit riders as small a 3’6″, i.e., only four inches taller than Sir) or a longtail, depending on how you outfit it.  Brilliant!

Decisions, decisions
Our [temporary?] decision is that we will stick with what we have for now, using the IBert front seat until he outgrows it (any day now) and then switching to the trailer.  Since we haven’t used the trailer all that much, I made myself use it over the weekend, to see how I really felt about this option.

As far as general handling, speed, etc., pulling Sir in the trailer on my road bike felt pretty comparable to riding my hybrid (more upright, less-aggressive riding position) with Sir in the front seat (which is kind-of how I imagine riding one of the cargo bikes would be.

However, when it came to riding experience/fun factor, there was no comparison.  In a way, I’ve been spoiled by all of these lovely rides I’ve had with my beautiful, smiling boy in front of me, right between my arms, continuously and effortlessly interacting with one another as we travel by bike and take in the sights (hence the appeal of that Fr8 with the front seat).

While a rear-mounted child seat on either a mid- or longtail would not allow quite the same level of interaction as the front seat, it would have to be better than having my little passenger WAY the heck back there in the trailer.

The limited rider-passenger interaction, combined with the fact that, with his helmet on, Sir’s head is already brushing the screen cover on the trailer, may mean that this budget-friendly option’s days are numbered, almost before they’ve begun.