On Bucket Bikes

The new Madsen bucket bikes debuted today!  It's worth checking out.  There are many improvements and new features, some of which I've hacked or wanted to hack onto my own bucket bike.  One of my biggest issues with our original model has been the kickstand.  Here's my final fix using a piece of 5/16" all-thread and some nylon lock nuts.

The solid rod not only fixed the kickstand so that it stays in place when deployed, but it also keeps it from bouncing around as much on bumpy terrain.  And Madsen has confirmed via Twitter that their new model kickstand is "upgraded and improved, [with] new factory, bolted-on rubber feet, [and a] solid rod stop pin."  Along with the new parking brake feature, this sounds like a rock solid way to load rambunctious cargo.


In other news, TBR fabricated rain cover v2.0 for a neighbor to the north.  Brynnen Ford and her kids use their e-assist Madsen year-round on the hills of Seattle.  (Thanks for sending these photos, Brynnen!)

This one is a bit taller than our original and incorporates hi-viz fabric and a Scotchlite-trimmed porthole on the back. The passengers love it!

Any other thoughts on the new Madsen model and accessories?  I'd like to see that rear rack in my stocking at Christmas!

Show Your Colors

Few activities in life can embody a feeling of independence, freedom, and liberty like cycling.  Even though its popularity has come and gone repeatedly over the last twelve decades, the bicycle has remained a revolutionary vehicle for generations of dreamers.  I'm not usually a flag waver, but riding around with the Stars and Stripes blazing on the back of my bike overwhelms me with patriotism and a sense of hope for the future.

Our nation's flag is not only a reminder of battles fought and lives sacrificed, but also of a great land full of natural beauty and a bounty of resources that should be shared, respected, and enjoyed.  While celebrating our nation's independence, remember to respect the freedoms of others.  Happy Independence Day from TBR!

Zeit-Bike Tacoma

Mrs. TBR and I went downtown to see the locally-made Zeit-Bike bicycle sculptures on display at the Tacoma Art Museum.  Our timing was perfect and we found the artists riding their artistic contraptions around Tollefson Plaza during a break in the drenching rain showers we've been having all day.

Two of the three artists even offered test-rides to the by-standers.  I rode one with a trailer wheel-powered fan that inflated the large plastic wind sock on the back.  Brilliant.

There's still plenty of Bike Month left.  More Tacoma events here.

Madsen Rain Cover

This is our first attempt at a rain cover for our MADSEN kg271 bucket bike.  We wanted something simple, inexpensive, light, and hopefully durable (i.e. kid-proof.) that would keep the kids warm and dry for short trips around town on the rainiest of days.

The support frame is made from two pieces of 1/2" electrical conduit coupled together, so it's modular for summer storage.  The frame sits in the bucket on top of the seats.  The cover is primarily Sunbrella fabric, a light awning material, with zippered vinyl windows.  The nylon strap, sewn into the bottom of the cover and fastened under the lip of the bucket, keeps the whole thing in place.



Conception and production was a group effort.  Many thanks to my dad for helping with the pipe bending, and many many thanks to my wife for showing off hew prowess with a sewing machine.  Hat tip to Crow for sending us to Seattle Fabrics - they had everything but the conduit!

Unless the weather is too nice, we'll have a full review soon.  What do you think?

Stoked

After watching this Totcycle video showcasing some of the ways other Pacific Northwest families mobilize on bikes, my oldest daughter reminded me that we needed to put some stoker handlebars on the back of our Xtracycle .

Xtracycle sells a stoker bar kit, but I had all of the bits laying around.

Mom photographed our first departure, but I wish I could have recorded the squeal of excitement that Gwen made when hit cruising speed.  She loves it!

Early Bicycle Remodeling

I found this photo somewhere on the web a while back (unknown source.)  I find it inspiring.  She makes family biking look so easy!

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!

Idle Hands are the Devil's Playground

When winter rolls around, I usually find myself out in the garage on cold nights playing bikes. Once the over-due maintenance is done, I start to tinker. Here are some of the project that I've been working on.

Photos
I never seem to have my camera around when I want it, especially when I'm biking, so I'm making a camera mount for my handlebars. That way I can also take decent low-res videos of my epic rides.  Instructions are here and the bits cost about $2 from the hardware store. (Note: The Ace Hardware at S. 12th and Sprague carries all of the bike-sized metric bolts that you could ever need.)

Tires
I've wanted to upgrade the rear tire on our Madsen, but no local shop stocks a 20" Marathon. Well last Saturday the Mrs. and I found ourselves in Seattle, volunteering at the Winter Beer Festival. We had parked at a B&B called Inn of Twin Gables*, where we would be staying the night, then walked over the Ballard bridge to Hale's for the event.

About half-way over the bridge, we spotted the Dutch Bicycle Company of Seattle.  What luck!  We checked out their awesome selection of Dutch bikes and they happened to have just one 20" Big Apple burried up in the rafters.  I strapped it to my bag and we continued to the festival where we poured tastes from Schooner EXACT Brewing.  They took home the second place people's choice prize for their Hoppy the Woodman barrel-aged winter ale.  The beer was great and we had an awesome time.

*I highly recommend the Inn of Twin Gables.  Katie, the innkeeper, was an excellent host (a story of her grandmother provided the title of this post.)  And she made us a very tasty and healthy breakfast.  Possibly the best night I've ever had away from home, and at a very reasonable price.

Rain Cover

The kid's don't mind getting a little cold and wet, but the downpours in November and the sub-freezing temps of December are extremes that I'm not always comfortable biking in with children.

I'd seen pictures of Madsen's prototype rain cover, but have heard it's been shelved for a different design.  Being cheap and not wanting to wait for a produciton model, I'm making my own.  The frame is made of 1/2" EMT electrical conduit.  It's super light and easy to form, plus the frame disassembles into two pieces for summer storage.   The cover itself will be made from outdoor canvas and clear plastic.  A drawcord at the bottom will go under the lip of the bucket and hold the frame down.  This is where I am so far.  You'll have to imagine the rest.

This should work fine for low-speed, winter kid hauling.  I'll post more photos and a how-to when it's done.

More Madsen Fun

I'm still digging on our Madsen kg271 Bucket Bike. I've made a few changes to it and have been happy with the results. It's a comfortable and stable setup with enough stopping power for the low speeds that come with hauling three toddlers around the neighborhood. I still plan to swap on a smaller chainring and a Marathon Plus tire in the back, and might try a larger brake rotor on the front.

We've become regulars at the pocket park in our neighborhood, thanks to the Madsen. It's the closest park to our house, but it's too far to walk to with the little ones, especially on a hot day. It's only a slow 5-minute ride, door to slide, with the Madsen. Other parents at the park have been very curious about the bike. The seat buckles in the bucket seem to be the one feature that makes them say, "That's great. I'd put my kids in something like that."

The bike has come in really handy for this one-car household. Last night, I picked up the kids from the baby-sitter after going on a group ride with the Harmon Bike Club. A nice slow ride with the kids was a great way to cool down.

Speaking of kids, remember that I'm riding the Courage Classic this summer and will challenge myself to ride our bucket bike if I can reach my fund-raising goal. Donate today!

Hauling Stuff on Bikes

This weekend I made some changes to my Cross Check and Sarah's Cannondale to address the fact that she is the sole bike commuter in this household now that I work from home. The front basket just wasn't cutting it for her, so I swapped my rear rack to her bike (with much filing of struts and adjustment of fenders to make it fit.) She also agreed to try my Brooks B68 after our Valentine's Day outing.

From Sarah's Bike

She said it handled better with the load in the back and that the new saddle was a huge improvement. Mission accomplished.

I finally installed a kickstand on the Cross Check, which required a special mounting plate. The main purpose of this is so that I can prop the bike while I'm trailering, which has been an issue. The Wald basket holder rests nicely on the Nashbar Front Rack, so I secured it with zipties and plan to use it for quick errands. The basket removes quickly and without hassle from the holder, unlike on Sarah's bike where all of the housing from the brifters made it cumbersome to take the basket off. Note that If I didn't have the rack, the basket holder would have rubbed on the headtube, which was causing paint abrasion on the Cannondale despite my best preventative efforts.

From Cross Check

After a few hours riding their trikes in the garage today, the big kids asked to go for a ride in the trailer. It was misting heavily and a bit chilly, but I just took them out for a few miles around the neighborhood. Despite the damp cold, I still had to stop and take off my coat (thank you, Kickstand). We went just far enough for the gentle bounce of the Burley on our pitted Tacoma side streets to lull them into a brief slumber.

From Cross Check

I think this new setup is going to work great. My only beef is that the weight of the basket pulls the steering hard left when parked on the kickstand, but I can eleviate most of this problem by simply taking off the basket. I'm very interested to find out if I can install a steering return spring on this rig a la Dutch city bikes. I also think the basket needs a custom paint job...perhaps something a little obnoxious to stand out whilst I'm wandering the isles of the grocery store? Lime green maybe?

Upright Cross Checking: Initial Thoughts

I took the Cross Check out for a few miles this evening, quickly zipping through the neighborhood to my favorite look-out spot. The conditions were not unlike those of many other short jaunts, but the ride was far more fun and enjoyable. Why?

1. Responsiveness. It's easier to start and stop with the upright position, the long-pull mtb levers give more stopping power to my cantis than the Tiagra aero levers, and the down tube shifters eliminated two loops of cable housing that were keeping my front wheel virtually locked straight making the bike feel more nimble.

2. Stability. Riding with no hands is much more stable. Up hill, down hill, slow, or fast, the bike tracks much better. This may be related to the lack of derailleur cable housing in the front, or that the weight of the bars has shifted towards the rear of the stearer tube. Either way, I like it. On a few hills, I easily stood out of the saddle and rocked the bars back and forth, which took me back to my BMX days. I wrapped part of the bend of the bar so that I could lean forward on climbs and stay in the saddle, a trick that works wonders with my Albatross bar on my Xtracycle.

3. Visibility. I am now constantly looking up and rarely looking down. The grip area is slightly below level, but the bar could stand to be tilted down a bit more to increase hand comfort.

Down tube shifting isn't as awkward as I had anticipated, though I did find that I track better when I use my right hand to shift both the left and right levers. (I'm left hand dominant.) It's not built for top speed, but will be a great bike for errands and day rides where the added cargo capacity of the Xtracycle is unwarranted. I've left the clipless pedals on for now so I still look somewhat legit to The Pros. (You know who you are...)

Next test: Trailering.

Evolution of a Bicycle

I really got into bikes in 2005. After training for the STP on a Marin Rocky Ridge , and ultimately borrowing a svelte steel road bike for the ride itself, I decided that I wanted a good road bike of my own to use as a commuter.

My commute was a bit of a bear, about 14 miles of RR tracks and gritty shoulders. I settled on a 2005 Surly Cross Check Complete Bike.

From Cross Check

The bike served me well. I picked it because it would give me some flexibility with setups and would allow me to tinker. Clearance for wide tires with fenders, semi-horizontal dropouts for single-speed/fixed, lots of braze ons, and a reasonable price tag.

After nearly a year with the stock setup, a switched to a Brooks B17 saddle, On One Midge bars, and added a set of Reelights.

From Cross Check

This was a more comfortable, yet aggressive setup that worked well for time-trialing the route home, as well as some fire road hill climbs in the northern Cascades. After tiring of the super-wide Midge, I switched to a Nitto Randoneur bar and added a Nashbar front rack, so I could have a good place to strap the battery of my Blackburn X3 light. I also added a 26T granny ring and a Salsa Chain Guard instead of the 48t big ring. I tend to spin and like to climb hills, so why not only have those gears?

From Cross Check

I figured that this would be the last time that I would mess with the setup for a while. However, when I left my job in October to be a stay-at-home dad, my time in the saddle went from 2 hours/day to 30 minutes/week. I had just replaced the rear rim (because rims wear out in the Pacific Northwest if you ride year-round) and wanted to use it. The few group rides I've done in the last few months have left me tired and sore, yearning for the upright position of my Xtracycle, despite it's 20 pound weight penalty over the Cross Check.

A Velo Orange Tourist bar and some Avid FR-5 levers were an inexpensive and effective fix. The shifters were moved to the downtube to clean up the cabling mess on top of the front rack, and are still indexed. The bike is lighter, feels faster, provides better visibility of me and for me, and has reinvigorated my desire to ride this bike.

From Cross Check

The only change I can foresee is a switch to Paul Thumbies instead of the downtube shifters, but time will tell. I can't wait for the next group ride...