xtracycle freeloader review, from an eBike perspective.

[davec]

my intentions were not to trash this product- everything has room for improvement
i havnt explored this product enough to make proper judgement
this kit seems to provide an affordable solution to anyone needing a cargo bike
how applicable it is to the e-bike world time will tell. my main concern was the french nut floating around in the boss hog- but with the fastnener bolt holding it in place- it should do for now... maybe ill end up replacing it in the future with something that fits all the way in
i'll have more to add once i actually built it and start using it.

 

[Chalo]

my main concern was the french nut floating around in the boss hog- but with the fastnener bolt holding it in place- it should do for now... maybe ill end up replacing it in the future with something that fits all the way in
i'll have more to add once i actually built it and start using it.

The interface between that nut and the frame is equal to or greater than the interface between a normal hub and the frame. I don't know what improvement you could make that would result in any practical difference. If you've worked on bikes much, you know that axles often do not have a snug fit to their dropout slots, and that except in extreme cases it doesn't matter. The only interface that counts is between the face of the axle locknut and the face of the dropout. This is the same deal.

Don't make this harder than it has to be! Your concern is unfounded. Spend your attention doing a good and thorough job of assembly. Remember to grease all the threads.

Chalo

 

[HAROX]

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[HAROX]

July 2013, I removed the Xtracycle from the Haro, and installed it on a Giant Sedona. Within the week, someone made off with the Haro, Oh well. The Sedona is a slightly better bike overall. Definitely it's a great cargo bike.

 

[pdf]

Just saw this thread. I have been riding a motorized Xtracycle for over 2 years as my daily driver, about 5,500 miles. I frequently load the crap out of it. The only thing I have done with the frame is to use a larger washer where it connects in the front; I think that is necessary but no big deal. Also, I am pretty sure the rear wag comes from the wheel spokes and not flex in the frame. The frame looks way too light to be cantilevered that far out the rear, but I can tell you that under anything even closely approximating normal use for this setup, it works great. I have the Stokemonkey setup which I recommend (but is currently not available, should be soon). Xtracycle has been in the business a long time and I have talked to them on the phone several times. The frame is made overseas, but guess what, so is damn near everything we are using. I think they have shaken pretty much all the bugs out of it by now.

One weak point with the rest of the set up I have experienced is that the plastic buckles on the bags will break eventually if you really load up the bags frequently, which I do. I had the retailer where I got the Xtracycle say they would ship me metal replacements for free, but I would have had to rip out the stitching to the bags and re-sew to replace them. In the end, I just used a piece of aluminum wire to hold them together. It works fine but stronger buckles would help I think.

Lastly, re-running my cabling for the rear derailleur so far back has made the rear shifting sloppy with my indexed shifters. In some of the literature, they mention potentially going to non-indexed shifting. Some people with better shifting hardware may not have this problem, but I have found that I lose one gear due to bad indexing no matter how I tune the derailleur. With a motor, however, it is not that crucial to hit a particular gear so it is not really much of a problem.

So I'm pretty satisfied. I have carried unbelievable amounts in both volume and weight on this bike. It is pretty hard to beat.

I would not recommend a conversion to 700c (which I have) actually. The tire is very close to the front of the frame and it is tricky to fit a fender on the rear. However, if you have to use a 700c frame, it does work.

 

[Sword_of_Khaless]

I installed a Freedradical kit on my bike with a front hub motor. I was pretty skeptical up until the point that I actually installed it on the bike. The only thing that I didn't like about the hardware is that the washer that fits on the tongue was not large enough. I replaced it with a washer of my liking and was on my way. I didn't have any problems with loose bolts anywhere, especially with the french nuts. In fact, I was quite pleased with how secure it seemed once everything was torqued up. I do periodically check the tightness of all of the bolts, but that just seems like good practice. The shifting has been a bit tricky to dial in, but I suppose that is to be expected given the length of cable.

I run my bike around 20 mph and it handles smoothly and very predictably. If you are planning on going 30 mph, then I would probably go with something with welded joints (a la Mundo, or Big Dummy). I really do not think that a cargo bike should be going 50 mph, at least not safely.

 

[davec]

just a quick follow up to finish this thread- my bike with the freeradical kit got stolen
based on my experience with this kit i would not buy another one
the kit had a flex and didnt feel stable- sometimes it would even feel bouncy....
i feel this kit is allright for someone who needs something cheap to haul stuff around the neighborhood
but based on the design its not something that will last and i didnt feel comfortable doing over 20mph on this thing... the hardware itself nuts and bolts got loose many times so i had to keep an eye on it....
other than that it was ok- i ended up purchasing a yuba and im totally happy with it

 

[neptronix]

I figured that would be the case. It seems like there are a lot of varied reports - but you know what? if something is solid, there should be more of a consensus of opinion. Like who here thinks that the cromotor is crap or that RC Lipo doesn't put out enough power, or that infineon controllers are unreliable? ... not many.

Sorry to hear for your loss, glad you've got a tank of a bike now. Harder to steal a bike with a frame that is what, 15-20 pounds.. :lol: