Every Day Adventurers

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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1. Measure & Chop

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.

2. Chop some more

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.

3. Measure & Chop

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

4. Wrapping Time

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.

5. Fine Tune

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

Let us know how it goes!

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!