Saturday, October 18, 2008

Surly Big Dummy



My obsession for the day, the Surly Big Dummy. Here's a link to the best built example of this bike, The Goat. There's a flickr group dedicated to these things. They're the absolute best cargo bike made right now. You can haul up to 400 lbs (including the weight of the rider), even additional people. I'm obsessing over how to get one and further, how to justify it. I've already bought two bikes this year:


My Bianchi SOK 29er single speed. The best freakin' bike I've ever had.


And my Specialized Singlecross singlespeed cyclocross bike.

I figure between those two and the inevitable road bike I'll have to buy (you've got to have one for training/group rides/riding the trainer/etc...) it'll be awhile before I can justify another. Besides, the Big Dummy costs $2700 and to build it up super trick, the way I'd want, with internally geared Rohloff hub, Brooks Saddle, Avid Discs, etc... there's no telling how much $$ I could tie up in one. In the meantime, I'm thinking I'll just modify my old mountain bike using the xtracycle (the inspiration for the big dummy). For $500, I can add the xtracycle to my old mtb and see how much I use it. Maybe put an odometer on it or start a ride log and set a goal, like 500 miles or 100 rides, and reward myself with a trick Big Dummy when I get there. The entire xtracycle concept is so thourough, I'd even be able to transport my bass on it! That'll be a picture worth posting.

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