Take It Off!

Last night I finally found some time to put on the 2.0" Schwalbe Big Apple on the rear of the Madsen.  I had trouble seating the tire, so I swapped the rubber rim strip for some cloth rim tape, which seemed to help.  Many spokes were very loose, so I tightened them.  Attention Madsen owners: I know the bike is awesome, but it should still be serviced periodically.

When I visited Madsen Cycles in SLC, Jared assured me that this tire would fit with the stock fender, but he added that one must clip out the crimped section of the rear fender with tin snips to accomodate all that rubber. Most plastic fenders are missing this section anyway.  I was able to hack it without removing the bucket.

However when I took the kids to the library today, I found that the chain now rubbed a bit on the hacked fender when I used the large cog.  And the taller tire caused the kickstand to float just a bit too high off the ground, which allowed  the bike to roll when parked - not cool.  The bucket needed to come off so I could finish what I had started doing half-assed.  Typical.


Removing the bucket is easier than I had thought it would be.  You must only remove three screws.  There are two small nutted screws at the bottom of the bucket that hold the bucket to a cross bracket.  Then under the rear seat, there is a screw-type hose clamp that holds the bucket to the round top-tube of the support rack.  That's it.  I pumped the tire to max pressure (70 psi), adjusted the kickstand down (the kickstand is held in place by what is essentially an upside-down seat post clamp), then reduced the tire pressure a bit to soften the ride.  I trimmed my fender hack job, then adjusted the v-brake pads while it was convenient.  Note the blue sticker that indicates that this is one of the discounted "scratched" models.


While I had the bucket off, I also took a few measurements.  Using the highly accurate "bathroom scale" method, I found that a 2-seat bucket weighs 24 lbs, and the bucketless kg271 (with aftermarket VO saddle and fat Schwalbe tires) weighs 46 lbs.  I rode the bucketless bike around the block and found it to be as zippy as my 50 lb Xtracycle.  Yes, zippy is relative in this case, but you'd be amazed how well these longtails can lurch out of the gate.

I would also say that the Avid BB5 front brake I put on the Madsen (upgrade from the stock Promax brake caliper) works about as well as the Avid BB7 on my Xtracycle when the bikes are unloaded (160 mm rotors on both.)  However, the BB7 allows far better control and stops the loaded Xtracycle much better.  Madsen owners, if you are contemplating an upgrade to the brakes, go with the BB7.

It's taken me 8 months, but I finally have the bike dialed in the way I wanted it.  I was really pleased with it on Day 1, but a few simple upgrades and comfort modifications have made it one of my favorite bikes to ride.  And for the second time this month, I talked to someone outside the library who already knew about Madsen Cycles, but stopped to chat because he was completely shocked to see one in Tacoma.  Most of the folks who ask me about the bucket bike think it's a home-made hack and are surprised to find that I bought it fully assembled (without ever seeing one in person!) and ready-to-ride straight out of the box.  Hopefully these recent encounters with other bike enthusiasts indicate that the cargo bike wave is finally headed for T-town.  Any of you shop owners want to hop on the Madsen dealer train?  C'mon!

Buckets-O-Fun

We've had our Madsen "bucket bike" for 10 days. We've put 20-30 miles on it, usually in less than three-mile increments and always while hauling 20-100 pounds of children. We have ridden it every day since it arrived. Here are some initial thoughts:

-The bucket works great for hauling small children - lots of them! Unlike in the trailer, they sit up a bit higher and can see everything. They want to ride in it and have a blast, even big kids.

-The kickstand works well. Apparently the height is adjustable, but I haven't needed to adjust it. The kids know that rocking or bumping the bike too hard could knock it over, but it would take quite an intentional shove to do it.

-The frame is rock solid. Even while hauling my 6'3", 185 pound buddy around the block for our first adult-in-the-bucket test ride, I didn't notice the frame wiggle at all. This is substantially different than the amount of lateral wiggle that I feel with my Xtracycle when it's laden with even 80 pounds of groceries. I feel that the 600 pound limit on the bike is realistic for the frame, but wonder how some of the other components would hold-up under such a strain.

-The welds are ugly, but the paint is sweet. And few bikes come with paint-matched fenders that look this sharp. Get the blue one, you know you want to.

-The stock saddle and handlebars work fine, but I'm replacing both with a VO Model 8 and a VO Tourist Bar. This bike is not going to be ridden fast and I like sitting upright at slower speeds. The adjustable stem is handy since the frame is one-size-fits-most.

-The tires are 1.75" wide, which seems narrow compaired to the 2.3" Schwalbe Big Apple tires on my Xtracycle. Fender clearance is the limiting factor, but I'm thinking I'll switch to Schwalbe Marathon tires front and rear, or maybe a 2.0" Big Apple in the front. I would like more air volume and do not want to change many flats with a loaded bucket.

-The Promax mechanical disk brake in the front feels much weaker than the Avid BB7 that I use on my Xtracycle, although it could be that the load on the Promax brake is generally much heavier due to the additional curb weight of the bike and passengers. I've really only tested the BB7s with speed, comfortably stopping from 60 mph, but I would not trust the Promax brake to do that same task.

-The gearing is OK for flat places, but not realistic for running loaded in Tacoma. I frequently find myself in the lowest gear when hauling even two kids, just to navigate my neighborhood. Before I venture further, I would like to swap the 48T chainring for a 36T, which also requires a new right-hand crank.

-Every bike should come with a chain guard. I like that this one is long enough to cover most of the chain.

-The bike didn't come with any sort of owners manual. It would be nice to have a few words from the manufacturer on some of the unique bits of the bike, like the bucket and the kickstand and the screws on the sides of the top and down tubes (which are apparently for some sort of front rack that is to-be developed.) Even a detailed FAQ that I could download from their website would do.


Overall: This bike can work hard, looks good, and is an excellent value.

I feel like the bike is helping to bring me and my family closer to our community by letting us experience it together in a healthy and fun way. That is worth more than a few car payments in my book. (Plus, I'll spend less on saddle, bars, and crank than I saved on shipping and the scratched-frame discount, so I'm still coming out way ahead.) Tacoma doesn't see many cargo bikes and I've already been stopped twice by folks who want to get an Xtracycle, but just don't know how well it would work here. Remember that test rides are always free down at the ranch.

I'll go in to more detail as we put in more miles. So far, Sarah has taken our youngest to the doctor and the fruit stand. I've taken toddlers to the farmer's market. We frequently ride along with Sarah on her way to work in the evening; the kids facing rearward so they can chat with mom face-to-face while she rides behind. I still haven't done a big grocery trip because a certain little boy wanted to take the Xtracycle that day instead. Go figure.

Little Passengers

On Saturday I tuned up the brakes on my Xtracycle and Cross Check, now that the foul winter weather has taken its toll on the brake pads. I also added a new rear fender to the Xtracycle made from a coroplast campaign sign I found in a ditch post-election. I needed to test ride the setup, and decided to give Tula her first ride in the PeaPod seat.

It was biting cold in the damp 45°F air, but she didn't seem to mind at all. In fact...

I'm pretty sure she loves it! Now I need to finish my Snapdeck hack so that my 3 year-old can ride behind the PeaPod. More to follow!

Garage Time

With my wife working nights and me home all day and night with the Little Ones, I start to feel a little cabin fever now and then. Last night I moved all of the crap in the garage to the middle to make a track. Tonight, I tuned up my Cross Check brakes and tested them out...



Here's the damage...

From Garage

I know, you can hear the cantis chirping and you're thinking, "I thought he said he tuned up the brakes?" Well, it's 32°F out there and I had beer to drink. Plus, the squealing just gives everyone a little extra warning that I'm coming in fast.

And now, back to my Snow Cap and your regularly scheduled programming...