Longtails
Until recently it’s been uncommon to see North American cyclists carrying large items without the use of a trailer. A new generation of bikes called longtails are changing the landscape for utility cycling. If you’re thinking of reducing your car use, or looking for a way to be more “self-propelled,” it’s probably your most practical option. Two longtails I’ve been testing for Momentum are Surly’s Big Dummy and the Xtracycle.
Xtracycle
Xtracycle was the first company to make longtails available in North America. They’ve been at it for about 10 years now, and their website contains a wealth of information on all things longtail.
We tried out the Free Radical, Xtracycle’s conversion kit that allows you to transform your existing bike into a longtail, and a few of their more popular accessories. There are a lot of available accessories: wide loaders, long loaders, ground effect lighting, even a blender attachment to turn your bike into a mobile margarita bar. Xtracycle accessories can also be used with the Big Dummy frame.
The Free Radical bolts onto the back of a traditional bike frame to create a longtail bike. The Xtracycle conversion kit has everything you need to ensure a smooth transformation, though I had to jerry-rig one part of the assembly to compensate for my mountain bike’s super-beefy chainstays. If you’re not a DIYer, any decent mechanic should be able to follow the excellent instructions provided with the Free Radical kit.
When I finally put foot to pedal and got rolling, I had my first revelation: the Xtracycle rides like a bike. There’s no uncertainty, no learning curve. It takes a bit longer to turn because of the long wheelbase but the bottom line is this: if you can ride a bike, you can ride an Xtracycle.
Big Dummy
The Big Dummy is an integrated longtail frame: a study in utilitarian design. The curving top tube makes it easier to mount and dismount; there are braze-ons (mounting points) for every conceivable accessory or addition (including tabs for disk brakes, a good idea if you’re carrying heavy loads); and passenger foot-rests are integrated into the frame.
Despite its extra length, the Big Dummy handled like a long, stable bike. For anyone who’s ever jackknifed a trailer or wrestled with a cargo trike or bakfiets, that’s a big plus.
The Ride
My amazement over the seamless transition from bike to longtail lasted until I got home and confronted the first downside of longtail ownership: how to store an eight-foot-long bike. The longtails took up a lot of space wherever I went. At the wrong angle they’ll take up a whole sidewalk; they poke a bit too far out of standard bike stall; and don’t even think of trying to put one on a car or bus rack.
These limitations arise from the physical attributes that make longtails the überbike from a utilitarian perspective. Having used trailers as well as tried a number of other utility bike designs, I can say with confidence that the longtail model has all other comers beat. The super-long wheelbase makes the longtail stable, while the extended rear-end allows one to load it up with an extraordinary volume and range of stuff.
With the aid of long or wide-loaders if necessary, strap on unwieldy items and feel the super-hauling power of the longtail. I’ve carried two 40-litre kegs, two full-sized mountain bikes, an (empty) 200-litre plastic box, and a ten foot ladder (though not all at once). Recently, while trying to load a crib in the back of my car, I turned to my partner and said, “You know, I should’ve brought the bike.”
An incredible number of smaller items can be organized and packed in the Xtracycle’s oversized panniers. Over the course of a seven hour holiday shopping epic I managed to cram all my gifts, plus enough food and drink for eight people on the longtail. I should also mention that when you have to make a lot of stops, the open-pannier system Xtracycle uses can be a bit nerve-wracking.
While doubling someone on a normal bike takes nerves and skill (on both parts), I never thought twice about offering someone a lift on my longtail, and every passenger was eager to accept. I’ve never had an easier time picking up girls.
My personal horizons started to expand as I realized how easy it was to haul stuff around, and I became more cavalier about what I would pick up and make work.
Head to Head?
Surly readily acknowledges that the Big Dummy is the product of a collaboration with Xtracycle. An integrated longtail was simply the next logical step in the evolution of the model that started with the Free Radical conversion kit. Both companies are practical and forward thinking; considering Surly’s reputation for excellent design and their ability to get behind non-traditional ideas while keeping costs low, you’d be hard pressed to find a company better suited to take the longtail concept to the next level. Add to this the fact that all of Xtracycle’s well thought out add-ons work with the Big Dummy and – if you’re considering a longtail – the only tough question is: how do you choose between the two?
With the Big Dummy, you’re getting the height of utilitarian bicycle design. The frame is purpose built to be a longtail – the niggling complaints that users have had about the Xtracycle and the work of finding the perfect bike to convert have been removed from the equation. For example, responding to concerns about how Xtracycles handle with heavy loads, Surly built the Big Dummy out of steel, meaning the frame can handle lots of load-induced flex, and used a massive, ovalized boom tube instead of two chainstays to make the back end more rigid. All you have to do is spec it, load it up, and ride.
But the Big Dummy will never be anything but a longtail. It’s very good at what it does, but with this evolutionary step forward, a major strength of the original design comes shining through: the Xtracycle is a longtail when you want it to be. When you need the extra carrying capacity, simply bolt on (or, even easier, use the new quick release option!) the Free Radical, make a few quick modifications and your everyday commuter gets a bit more trunk for your junk.
The choice between models, then, boils down to four questions: your budget, how serious you are about longtails, how often you need to haul things, and how much storage space you have.
www.surlybikes.com
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