Apr 5, 2011 0
Bill Kiely’s Big Dummy is no stranger to sun and sand, as he and his family hit the surf via bike on a regular basis. He shared some of his ‘Big Dummy’s Big Wednesday’ photos with us:
Xtracycle Big Dummy on Spring Break
Not only can an Xtracycle get you and your surfboard to the beach, but it’ll help you dry your towel as well! Keep on ridin’.
May 30, 2009 5
SurfLoader and Radish - perfect accessories for the beach
With summer fast approaching, playing in water takes on new precedent. We know these are thrifty times, so we wanted to share a low-cost alternative to using our LongLoader and WideLoader for your surfing adventures.
Before jumping into the details, watch this brief video to get a good understanding of what the finished product will look like.
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You’re missing the fun! Click the image below to download Flash Player now!
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The beauty of LongLoader is that it safely offsets long loads to be out of your pedaling zone. Since we’re on a budget here, we need to make our surfboard sit outside our pedaling zone without LongLoader’s help.
Be sure to cut the stick upfront longer than the rear one
First, saw your handle into two pieces: one 16″ section and one 24″ section. The longer stick will sit in your forward bridge with the smaller one in the rear bridge. Both sticks should be inserted the full length of the bridges.
The rear of your board will sit ~5-6″ away from your rack. The front of your board will sit a bit further from the racks to keep it from interfering with your pedal stroke. Use a friend to hold the surfboard over the pegs and move the tip out far enough to allow for a clear pedal stroke.
Secure the sticks in place by installing screws through the spring button holes on the horizontal bridges. This is to keep the sticks from sliding out of the bridges when in use.
Remember: always cut away from vital organs/digits
Cut your squeegee in half. Using one half, cut a rough profile of your board’s edge into the rubber section of the squeegee. You can either slice out the entire section of the squeegee or cut two vertical slices and fold over the middle flap. Repeat for other half.
Position cut squeegee vertically with cut end facing up. The center of the rear squeegee, where your board will rest, should be about 6-8″ from your V-racks. The front squeegee needs to sit about 4 more inches further away from the bicycle to offset and avoid your pedal zone.
Wrap tape around the squeegee and the stick a number of times depending on the strength of the tape used. If you kept a flap in your squeegee, fold that over the stick and begin to wrap tape around the squeegee. You can also add screws through the squeegee body, but you shouldn’t need to.
Note distance of forward squeegee
With your sticks secured with screws and your squeegee taped firmly to said sticks, you can put your board in place. Make any adjustments as needed to keep your board out of your pedal zone.
FreeLoader straps secure your board nicely
Secure your board by unbuckling all three straps on the FreeLoader facing your board. Also undo the mesh draw string for maximum wrap-ability. Pass the buckles under the board and over to meet up with the top buckle. Depending on your setup, you may need to use the opposite FreeLoader straps to complete the buckle. Tighten down and take a test spin.
Depending on your taste for pain, you will want to cover any protruding sharp ends. You don’t want a core sample of your shin, so tape those exposed bits well.
Radish, SurfLoader and Bali... Good times
If you decide to craft your own SurfLoader, send us some picts at info at xtracycle.com! Happy riding, both on land and on water!
Jan 2, 2009 1
Happy New Year, everyone! We hope your holiday season was filled with family, friends and love.
Just wanted to share a great Xtracycle sighting I had during my wonderful, albeit brief, Hawaiian vacation on the Big Island.
We arrived at Kona International to sunny skies, a light breeze and warm weather (sorry mainland peers, we empathized as you survived the ice storms and frigid temps, really). After getting our rental car and gathering our bearings, we headed toward Kona to pick up groceries before landing at our condo.
After shopping and getting over the sticker shock of island prices (30% more for mostly everything) we were heading out when my family said, “Hey, look! An Xtracycle.”
“What?! Where!?” was my reply. I grabbed my camera and bolted out of the car to see who was living the Xtracycle Hawaiian lifestyle.
Walking up to the tanned, smiling owner, I introduced myself and my Xtracycle affiliation and asked if I could snap a photo of her and her steed. Mary-Beth happily obliged, and stood behind her early nineties Cannondale turned Xtracycle.
Originally from Oregon, Mary-Beth had lived in Hawaii off and on for a couple years and practices massage and yoga wherever her travels take her. On her most recent trip back to the mainland, she found out about Xtracycle and snagged a FreeRadical Kit. She dug her Cannondale out of storage, had a local bike shop install it and shipped it out to Kona.
Now, Mary-Beth carries all of her belongings and camping gear with her as she explores the Big Island, enjoying her every day adventures in our southern-most state. Am I jealous, only slightly. :)
Hope your 2009 is divine. We are looking forward to sharing all of its excitement with you! Peace, Rick
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