We recently asked our twitter friends:
What tips would you recommend for carrying groceries in your #xtracycle? Bags to use, packing styles, glass awareness, etc.
They don't make pack cats, so an Xtracycle will have to do
Get a glint of LongTail knowledge below:
For big trips here in rainy Portland I use a pair of B.O.B. Trailer bags, for smaller/dry trips I just use reusable canvas bags.
Don’t tighten the straps down all the way when chips and bread are involved!!!! :)
pack your own bags at store (dense). Mix glass with bulk bags on the bottom. mini soft sided cooler for hot days & ice cream… don’t forget straps for TP on snapdeck. Turn bags sideways to fit 4+, longways to fit 3-. don’t put 6 packs on top-can pop out
heavies: rear axle, forward & low; delicates & smooshables: wayback & up; breakables: dubbawrapped , tucked in & around; leave gaps for access 2 flaps oh, and kid on SnapDeck-up top :-)
If you bag your own groceries, don’t put all the canned goods in one bag! Give each bag a mix of heavy and light items.
Thanks to Nate, Dave, Shane, Large Fella on a Bike and Kathleen for their tweets.
Comment on this post to share your grocery packing tips!
Jessy Clonts, our neighbor in the Bay Area, test rode a Radish for 30-days this spring. This is a journal about her expectations, experiences and feedback. Enjoy!
Day 19
Today seemed like the perfect day to boulder with a couple of friends on a 30-foot hunk of rhyolite in the Berkeley Hills, also known as Indian Rock. I-Rock is about 2.5 miles uphill from where I live, and thus, “totally bikeable.” However the temperature on this day turned out to be 80 degrees by 11:00 a.m.
I’m going to admit something; please don’t judge. I staked out my proposed route in a car first. Then I decided not to bike it.
But here is my reasoning. Bouldering is a passion of mine, and it’s not often that I get to boulder outdoors with friends in the middle of a perfect day. In 80-degree weather, I couldn’t afford to be zapped of all my energy from biking before ever reaching the rock. It wouldn’t be safe for either activity.
And so, Indian Rock will have to wait for cooler weather before it gets to meet the Radish. It’s okay for the Radish to have high standards.
Jessy Clonts, our neighbor in the Bay Area, test rode a Radish for 30-days this spring. This is a journal about her expectations, experiences and feedback. Enjoy!
Days 12 and 13
Went camping and rock climbing this weekend in a car; I was a passenger, not the driver. The trip was 75 miles away, and I’m definitely not “bike” enough to have made the trip on two wheels. I thought of how fun it would have been to approach the Sunset Boulders on the Radish, but the car wasn’t set up to haul bikes, so had to leave it behind. I assure you though, the Radish was there in spirit.
Day 14
You know that old adage that you never forget how to ride a bike once you’ve learned? In my opinion, you may never forget, but you can get rusty. It’s only been a couple of days since I last rode, but after pumping some air into the tires and pedaling into to the street, it took me a minute to adjust back to being on two wheels.
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Jessy Clonts, our neighbor in the Bay Area, test rode a Radish for 30-days this spring. This is a journal about her expectations, experiences and feedback. Enjoy!
Day 11
I felt guilty for having driven a car, so today I was determined to ride in the rain. This being my first time, I was both scared and unprepared. Though I did have the foresight to pop off the wooden SnapDeck before heading out, I didn’t protect the seat with a plastic bag between trips, which resulted in soggy pants and a sour mood. Like an old lady, I rode the brakes and planned my trip in such a way that I only took right turns. Don’t judge; I am accident prone. What a day to get a new haircut!
When I came home I dragged the Radish up my stairs and into my house, and then lovingly wiped it all down to prevent rust. In these modern times, I can’t say I’ve ever been more grateful for a hot shower and flannel pajamas.
Jessy Clonts, our neighbor in the Bay Area, test rode a Radish for 30-days this spring. This is a journal about her expectations, experiences and feedback. Enjoy!
Day 6
After a long Saturday night, another trip to the gym took a lot of will power to hop on the bike and not beg a ride from a friend. Of course, once I was pedaling downhill in the beautiful 75-degree weather, I was more than glad to be on wheels.
More friends wanted more rides on the SnapDeck and I happily obliged. This Xtracycle really breeds community (or slackerism). I love it!
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