I had wanted an Xtracycle for a few years, but the plan never came together.  I was worried it wouldn’t fit into my apartment, I didn’t have a donor bike to attach it to, I didn’t really love the 2 piece design, I had other bike priorities, etc… You know how it goes.  Then in January 2008 I read on the Surly Blog they were making a integrated cargo bike frame that used the Xtracycle accessories and it was going to be olive drab.  It must have been all those years I spent in the army and watching too much MASH, but I couldn’t help myself.  I was on the phone to Bow Cycle after about 5mins of reading that post.  There weren’t going to be many of these beasts made in the first production run so I wanted to get my order in ASAP.  Naturally the guys at Bow made it happen and I was the proud owner of an 18″ Surly Big Dummy in April 2008.

The Frame:

Make no mistake about it - this is a very loooooong frame!  The wheelbase on my 18″ frame is a huge 146cm [57.7"].  The design shows a lot of thought - everything is over sized and all the little details have been taken care of:

• curved TT so you can mount/dis-mount easily with a big load
• massive ovalized frame tubes in key areas to stiffen up the frame
• extra triangulation in the rear sub-frame to make it stiffer than an Xtracycle
• big stiff fork to let you brake effectively without buckling the front end
• clearance for fat rubber so you can really load it up
• accepts discs or v-brakes
• works with all Xtracycle racks, bags and accessories
• 4130 Chromoly because steel is real
• tough powder coat
• 4 bottle cage mounts

Like all the other Surly frames I’ve seen and owned it does exactly what you need it to, but they don’t add anything superfluous or unnecessary so your $$$’s go towards the important stuff not being flashy.  The welds and alignment on my frame were good and the build went together without a hitch.

One thing to keep in mind with these frames is that the top tubes are really long and the stand over is really low.  This means you want to really pay attention to sizing the bike by the TT dimension taking into account what bars you’ll use.  If you are using swept back bars [Titec H-bars for example] you’ll need a longer TT than if you are going to use a flat bar or drops.  Don’t size this bike just by the stand over or you’ll end up with a frame that’s way too big for you.

My only compliant with this frame, like all Surly frames, is that the decals are not protected so they come off really easily.  Great if you want a stealth bike look [perhaps not possible with the Big Dummy!], but not so great if you like your bike to stay minty fresh as long as possible.  On a positive note you can get replacement decals.

The Build:

I wanted my Big Dummy to be tough and versatile.  Besides the obvious role of hauling stuff I planned on doing some rough gravel/dirt road touring.

• Rohloff hub [14 speed internal gear hub] 16T cog - great performance in bad weather and muddy roads
• Rohloff chain guide & chain tensioner
• Mavic EN321 32H rear rim built up into a very strong dishless wheel since the there is no cassette used with the Rohloff
• Mavic X717 32H front rim with Shimano XT hub
• Schwalbe Marathon XR 26 x 2.0″ [strong expedition touring rubber]
• Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes & Avid 3.0 levers
• Avid Flack Jacket low friction cables
• Race Face LP Turbine ISIS cranks w/ 38T Blackspire chainring
• Race Face ISIS BB
• 8spd SRAM chain
• Titec H-bars
• Ergon Grips
• Brooks Champion Flyer saddle
• Salsa seatpost
• BMX platform pedals

A Rohloff is spendy at $1400+, but with a service life of over 150,000kms it’s actually not any more expensive than a normal derailleur drivetrain on a $/km basis.  The upside is it’s immune to weather/mud, etc…  It shifts perfectly all the time and needs very little maintenance.  It shifts at a stop or while coasting - very handy on a cargo bike as you can’t just lift the back end to get into an easier gear if you stop at the bottom of a steep hill and forgot to downshift.  Plus if you are a bike geek a Rohloff is really cool!  I’ll be posting a review of the Rohloff in 2009 and cover all nitty gritty details then.

Since the bike is so long and uses full run cable housing for weather protection you’ll want to use low friction cables and housing.  Hydraulic discs would solve the problem for the rear brake.  The Rohloff uses a twin pull/pull cable system rather than a single cable and a spring.  This is nice because it’s pretty much immune to long cable run issues.

Wheels are important on a cargo bike that can see 400lbs+ of rider and cargo.  A 32H XC MTB rim is fine up front, but the back wheel needs to be beefy.  If you are using a derailleur setup get a 36H or 40H freeride or touring rim.  With an internal gear hub like a Rohloff a 32H freeride rim is fine since the wheel is not dished and therefore way stronger than a typical 32H MTB rear wheel.

You need big rubber to carry big loads.  The two tires I’d recommend are Schwalbe Marathon XRs or Schwalbe Big Apples.  The XRs are tough expedition tires that are fairly flat resistant, have enough tread for some off road action and will last a long time.  Big Apples are a lighter duty tire with minimal tread, but they give a very comfortable plush ride.  Get ‘em in 2.0″ or 2.35″ width.  If you get loads of flats where you live try a Schwalbe Marathon Plus - it’s slower/heavier than the other tires I suggested, but it’s nearly flat-proof and long lasting.

Handle bars are a personal choice, but you need something wide enough so you get the leverage you need to control a heavy load.  A MTB riser works fine.  I really like Titec H-bars for their comfortable ergonomics and multiple hand positions.  I use the wide position when I need to control the bike more or when I’m just relaxing/cruising.  When I want to make tracks with a light bike I grab the bar extensions in a sort of aero position.  I use Ergon grips on all my bikes that don’t have drop bars.  They are soooooo comfortable!

160mm discs are lots of brake for the BIg Dummy. I used Avid BB7s because they’ve served me well for years.  The Big Dummy has canti posts if you want to run rim brakes.

Besides the Big Dummy frame and the bike parts you normally need you’ll have to score some Xtracycle parts.  Here is what I got:

• v-racks [essential to support freeloaders & snap deck]
• freeloaders [multipurpose bags that adapt to most loads]
• snap deck [gives you a place to carry passengers or strap down cargo]
• wide loaders [let you carry big bulky items]
• tray bien [a bike carrier for your bike!]
• long loader [pushes long items out a bit so you can pedal without hitting them]
• footsies [for your passenger's feet - makes 'em feel more secure]
• disc caliper protector [stops cargo in the freeloaders from bumping your disc brake]

You can read about all these and other accessories here.

I’ll be posting a “how to article” in early 2009 discussing the ins and outs of carrying various typical loads on a Big Dummy - stay tuned.

The Ride:

Did I mention this is a long bike?…=-)  You sit at about the middle of the bike.  This means you don’t get thrown up by bumps the way you would on a normal bike where you are sitting over the rear wheel.  Combine that with some vertical flex from the steel frame and you’ve got a uber plush Cadillac ride.  The long wheelbase gives the bike a lot of stability when you get up to speed.  I’ve put miles on my Big Dummy on the highway, in the city, crappy rough dirt roads, muddy roads, off road entirely and on snow/ice.  The best way I can describe the ride is easy.  This bike makes everything a bit less challenging and a bit more fun.

One thing the Big Dummy is not is a speed machine.  With heavy wheels, fat rubber, a beefy frame/rack system and upright posture you will not crush any roadies!  Having said that I’ve put hundreds of loaded touring kms on this bike with lots of climbing - it can take you places for sure.  With a heavy bike and a big load you’ll start to use your momentum to get over obstacles.  It takes a while to get the Big Dummy up to speed, but once you do it’s not slowing down fast either.

So what about hauling stuff?  If you get the basic Xtracycle accessories I mention above carrying a couple bikes, 2 weeks worth of groceries, a filing cabinet, a friend - all are easy jobs for the Big Dummy.  Light and bulky items are the best because they make you look like a hero, but are actually super easy to pedal around town.  Heavy items need a bit more thought to ensure they are carried so they don’t mess up your handling.  Keeping the load low, forward and balancing it left to right is the way to go.  That’s not always possible though.  I’ve carried 60-70lbs on one side of the Big Dummy and I was a bit wobbly starting off, but after a block or so I got the bike under control and there was no drama.  With a bit of practice you’ll be amazed at what you can carry with a Big Dummy.  Kayaks, ladders, book cases - whatever…if you can imagine it you can probably haul it.

The Big Dummy also makes a nice expedition touring bike.  It can easily carry whatever you need for a long remote journey.  It’s tough enough for the roughest roads or no roads at all!  When I tour I use an OMM rack and panniers on the front to balance the load at the rear.  This makes the handling really stable.  The Big Dummy is a long bike to ship by plane, but people fly with tandems so it’s not a showstopper.  If you are going to fly a lot with your Big Dummy you can get S&S couplers installed to make it much smaller.

The Big Dummy has really changed the way I think about bikes.  My truck only moves when I need to do something for work involving long distances and lots of equipment.  For just about all the rest of my transportation needs the Big Dummy takes care of me.  Surprisingly the Big Dummy is a lot of fun to ride empty and I’ll take it out for a spin for no particular reason at all.  The cool thing is if I’m out just cruising and decide to pick up something I don’t have to think about it. I know my Big Dummy will make it happen.

The Big Dummy Complete

When I ordered my Dummy the only option was getting a frame and building it up yourself. This gives you total control over the build, but it’s way more expensive than buying a complete bike.  Surly has come to the rescue and is offering complete Big Dummies for 2009.  You can still get a frame/fork and DIY, but if you want to save a lot of hassle and $$$ just order a complete Dummy.  You can check out the complete Big Dummy specs here.

Dummy Lite?

So you have Big Dummy envy, but don’t have $2K+ burning a hole in your pocket?  No worries there are some less expensive options that give you most of the capabilities of the Big Dummy for under $1K.

Xtracycle Freeradical Kit: This works with any MTB or hybrid to turn it into a longtail cargo bike.  You can use all the same Xtracycle accessories as the Big Dummy does and the change is not permenant so you can return your bike back to normal if you want to. My friend Karen has an Xtracycle MTB and loves it.  Although it won’t be as stiff as a Big Dummy when you are carrying the heaviest of loads it will still haul 200lbs of cargo.   If you fly a lot this may be a better option as you can pack an Xtracycle and MTB into a single large bike box.  Read more here.

Kona Ute: This longtail bike from Kona is a great value.  You get an intergrated frame, waterproof bags and shorter more manuverable wheelbase for around $1K.  The only real downside is Kona doesn’t have a lot of accessories for the Ute and the Xtracycle products are not compatible. Read more here.

Cargo Trailer: Almost any bike can haul a cargo trailer.  This can add a lot of utility to your existing mountain bike at a very reasonable cost.  They are also nice if your cargo needs are sporadic as they quickly detach from your bike and can be stored until they are needed next.  You can also share a trailer amongst family members or friends if nobody needs a full time cargo bike. Read more here.

Want to be a Bigger Dummy?

If you want to read more about the Surly Big Dummy click here, but I warn you - there is a lot of Big Dummy spew at the other end of this hyper-link!  You can also read what the Surly Blog has to say about the Big Dummy.