Review of Xtracycle FreeRadical Conversion Kit -700c

Xtracycle FreeRadical Conversion Kit -700c
By: Xtracycle Average Rating: 5.0 Total Reviews: 4
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We LOVE our Xtracycle

On: 2008-07-02

Seriously, more people should have the Xtracycle. We absolutely LOVE it! We are not car-free, but have reduced our car-use by half since we started using the Xtracycle for local commuting. We get lovely family time riding together, too (my husband paddling, with me and our 4-year-old sitting at the back). We were very impressed with the quality of the FreeRadical. Light-weight but very sturdy. The saddle bags are also genuinely useful. We use our Xtracycle for leisure, grocery runs, urban touring, transportation, library and video runs, and any other trip less than 5 miles.If you are reading this and are interested, dont hesitate to get one. It will change your life! (Our model is the Full-kit 26" but the difference is only the size of the tires. I have placed a review under that model as well.)

The BEST solution for families who want to go car-free

On: 2007-01-22

Im not car-free, yet, but I am car-lite, and on track to cutting my automobile use down to about 1,200 miles/year. The Xtracycle lets me use my bike to transport one or two children, or up to six or so bags of groceries.

Xtracycle extends your rear axle about 15 inches back, and makes it possible to have the extra-long Snap Deck. Apparently, my kids enjoy riding the bike, with the optional "Footies", foot-shaped pieces of plywood that slide into the side of the main unit. Im planning on installing a stoker bar so they have something else to hold onto besides the unit itself.

Dont bother with trailers, because the kids outgrow them by the time theyre in elementary school. Also, trailers are incredibly cumbersome when it comes to parking or navigating on sidewalks. Also, forget about getting in and out fast if you feel the need to lock up your bike as well as your trailer. Just doesnt work well.

The same goes for those strap-in seats that latch onto the special rear-rack thing. For little kids only, and you cant carry anything else in them.

As for the "ride-behind" or "tag-along" units that are sort of like half-tandems, my younger boy enjoys riding it, as it gives him the option of pedaling. However, the unit I bought rattles around like crazy and there is a lot of yaw and pitch involved with the child pedaling or moving around. Also, parking wth these is just as bad as with the trailer.

The best solution for me is the Xtracycle: there are no "extra" units to trail behind and require additional security measures, and the fact that Xtracycles behave as if they are just regular bikes, but longer by about a foot or so, means that theres no problem with maneuvering or parking.

Sure, the cost is at least double that of the alternatives, but the benefit is that you can use an Xtracycle wherever you go without even thinking about it--so you never have to pass up a chance to swing by the supermarket because you forgot to bring along the trailer. Or give a friend a lift, because the snap deck works as a seat for adults as well as kids.

Drawbacks: There are a few:

- The bike can be very tippy if youve got lots of bags of groceries, so a two-legged, heavy-duty kickstand is a worthwhile add-on.

- The standard setup doesnt give you any security for your groceries or whatever you carry, so you have to either bring all your stuff inside with you at every stop, or just trust that no one will steal it if you leave it with the bike.

- Not every bike will work, or work easily with the Xtracycle.

- Youll get so used to riding the Xtracycle all the time that if you have any other bikes, youll either start thinking about adding another Xtracycle or getting rid of them.

Xtracycle Rocks!

On: 2006-12-14

I bought one after looking at everything on the net. I wanted a way to take my kids to school since it is so close and parking is tough. They love it and I do too. Everyone thinks it is great and I dont know why more people dont have it. The only difficult part was admitting that I couldnt install it myself and had to have the local bike shop do it for less than $50.

Xtracycle Rocks!

On: 2006-12-13

I bought one after looking at everything on the net. I wanted a way to take my kids to school since it is so close and parking is tough. They love it and I do too. Everyone thinks it is great and I dont know why more people dont have it. The only difficult part was admitting that I couldnt install it myself and had to have the local bike shop do it for less than $50.

AWESOME!!! LIFE CHANGING!!!!

On: 2006-11-13

I bought one of these three months ago along with a peapod (this is a child seat). I use it everyday and do not drive a car. I have three kids and I haul two on the xtracycle and the other is old enough to ride his own bike. My 3yo rides in the peapod and my 7yo rides on the snap deck behind the peapod. I used to own a trailer, but my 7yo out grew it and yet was not old enough to ride with me in traffic. Then I discovered the xtracycle! Not only can I haul two kids on it with no problem, but I have hauled 200lbs of a food coop order on it plus two kiddos! It handled beautifully. I just cannot say enough wonderful things about it. Now that I have it, I can haul just about ANYTHING on it. I even haul my husband sometimes.
We liked the xtracycle I got for my bike so much that we got one for my husband. So, on the weekends when my husband is with us, my oldest gets to ride on dads snapdeck.
I would say, if you like to bike and want to be able to haul all kinds of stuff and people too, this is absolutely the way to go. It is so stable and secure and handles extreme loads with no problem at all.