2 Wheels Maybe

I finally started, y'all! Long-time readers of MH or 2WM are thinking, Jeez, MH, it took you long enough! To that I say,  Both of you are absolutely right. Our biggest-ever posts on both blogs have been about cargo bikes, and the really big one is about a No-Weld DIY Longtail Cargo Bike . So, here we go, people - it's time to build one. This week, the final piece fell into place: a Giant Simple Single cruiser bike ($35ish). Originally, I planned to pick up a cheap Huffy cruiser for the build, but cheap Huffys (Huffies?) have been rather rare lately, so I ended up with a nicer (but cheaper) bike. The free swingarm donor The other two main components that previously came into place are a nice and very cheap 3-speed Schwinn step-through ($20 and not pictured) and a junky full-suspension mountain bike ($0). So, the goal here is to balance this equation: Giant + Schwinn + Junky MTB = Longtail Cargo Bike < $100 Humble beginnings (I'll also...

[Update at the bottom] For those of you who've been following the most-read story on this blog, there's a full resolution. You can order the Envoy for $749 from Amazon and receive free shipping if you're a Primer. My hope for this bike is that it helps Americans to develop an appetite for cargo bikes and creates a larger market for all the cargo bike manufacturers/sellers. There are so many really great offerings out there, but I live out here in the sticks (only a quarter million people live in Lubbock) and I have never seen a longtail, midtail, or bakfeits style cargo bike pop up within 200 miles of here. And I've looked! Spread that cargo bike love people - they're the healthiest station wagon, pickup, minivan recreation/transportation device available! So, yes, it's very inexpensive and pretty cool, but be sure to check out the other amazing cargo bikes on the market, and if you're lucky enough to be near a shop that sells them, check them o...

Should I go into bumper stickering? (Or stick with my day job?) From last weekend's ride It's been a full year now since my wife bought me an electric bike. It's been a good year! The most important thing I can tell you about it - I ride a lot more (and drive less) because I have it. And that is what I wanted out of it - healthier heart and lungs, less contribution to polluting the planet. It's also been a very dependable ride. It's a workhorse. Before the rear rack (first ride) What have I done to it? Replaced the skimpy tubes with thorn-resistant tubes and added tire sealant to those. (I've not had a flat since. Do this with every bike you bring home!) Added the rear rack. Swapped the handlebars and stem. Adjusted the brakes often. Adjusted the derailleur twice. (I'm thankful there's just one.) Added a Wald collapsible side basket . (Very happy with this addition!) What will I do soon: Replace the brake pads Adjus...

Love the Mongoose logo! This is not a drill, people - it's coming to the US! It's coming in hot! Unfortunately, it's not coming in cheap. (Is this another of those presidential tariff thingies?) Since our first Mongoose Envoy post , I keep swinging back by to check on the status of the first department-store longtail cargo bike. Today my perseverance was rewarded. The Canadian link referred me back to the USA. Man was I excited! So I clicked the link and was rewarded with a little less excitement. What had been $500-Canadian had become $750-US. (Which is still pretty inexpensive for a longtail cargo, but no longer vastly less expensive than the competition.) Check out the US Mongoose Envoy site here. Not much has changed since the our first posting about the Envoy. The bike looks the same. The site still links to the really great Chris Akrigg video . (Even if you're not a cargo-bike dork, it's a lot of fun to watch.)  In case you were wo...

It seems that the people who read this blog [I am very thankful for all four of you!] prefer posts that include cargo bikes, electric bikes, or klunkers. So, I thought to myself, Why not feature all the electric cargo klunkers I can find? And I started the search.  The only one I had stored in my memory was available at Luna Cycle a few years ago... It was a beast, but I haven't seen it on their site for quite a while. You could buy it fully built or you could order a bare frame. For what it was, it was quite cheap and really wild.. As I kept searching, I decided it would just be smarter to seek out turn-key electric klunkers . And that didn't pan out too well either. So I searched for electric cruiser bikes and got a lot closer. Two of the first klunker-ish electric bikes were from the same company - Vintage Electric Bikes. I've been a fan of VEB since I saw this video back in 2014. They are beautiful and powerful bikes but I seldom write about ...

[Happy first day of the National Bike Challenge ! May you pedal healthily and joyfully, and may your bike haul all you need!] When I think of cargo bikes, two brands automatically pop into my brain - Xtracycle and Yuba. These are the two companies that have been there designing and selling longtail cargo bikes for several years and they have stayed focused specifically on cargo bikes and cargo-bike kits. In my mind, these two are the cargo-bike kings of the hill. For the last few years I've had my eye on one model - the Yuba Mundo Classic. At $999, it has continually been the best bang for the buck if you want high quality and low price. While it's not as high-tech (or light) as the more expensive Mundos, it's a beast that's capable of hauling 440 pounds and has a reputation for lasting year after year. If you're cheap like me, you know this is a great way into cargo biking. The page for saving 20% on the Mundo Classic I had not been on the Yuba s...

Okay, not a lot of Black Friday deals have been announced yet, but...   RadPower Bikes (All models) ...the ever dependable holiday sale at Rad Power Bikes has been announced, and it's impressive. All their bikes have a $300 or $400 price reduction, free shipping, and you may even be able to score and additional $200 savings if you order two. The Sale Page That means you could have a pair of Radwagons shipped for $2600. That's two electric cargo bikes for less than most places will sell you one. For $2400, you could have a pair of RadCity bikes. In our new tariffed world, this is quite a deal.   GenZe 100 Series e-Bike (Nearly New)   This one is a last-minute addition to the list, and I'm impressed. You and your sweetie can have a pair delivered to your house for less than $1500. Not bad!   This one looks like a smoking bargain to me!   Check out this big boy with 0.1 miles on it!   Evelo e-Bikes (You...