2 Wheels Maybe

I am excited! I looked on Electrek today and found a Radwagon article by one of my favorite e-bike journalists, Micah Toll. (You may also know Micah from e-Bike School , Vruzend Battery Kits, DIY Solar Power , and a plethora of other greenie projects.) In the Mesquite Hugger/2Wheel universe, no singular vehicle has appeared in print more than the Radwagon. Not even the Citicar comes close. And it makes sense - I have not run across another vehicle that embodies the quest for an enjoyable, inexpensive, low-carbon personal hauler more than the big orange bike from Seattle(ish). Micah Toll on the Radwagon (on Electrek.co) Indeed, the Radwagon has been my yardstick for green vehicles since it hit the market. $1500 (shipped) gets you a machine that'll haul close to 400 pounds and let you enjoy the world immensely while not making you feel like you're on display in your own little people aquarium. That guy looks familiar... Every time I look at a green vehicle...

It's no surprise to regular readers that I'm a bit obsessed with cargo bikes. In my regular forays into the internet cargo bike jungle, I kept running across images of the Portal Longtail Cargo bike. I think it was even the first cargo bike I ever saw with a PTO. But every time I started to add it to the list of desirable longtails, I remembered there was one big problem - you could not buy one in the states or have one shipped over. Fortunately, that has changed. The main Portal site Good news, US cargo bike fans! You can now buy one stateside for $875 and get free shipping! (That's $124 less than the awesome Yuba Mundo Classic!) And there's a philanthropic BOGO as a huge bonus for us save-the-world types. What's this philanthropic BOGO thing? Toms Shoes Philanthropy Like Toms (and Bobs) shoes, when you buy a Portal Cargo Bike, the company donates a second bike to a Nepalese entrepreneur to help them in business. So, when you throw a le...

Woohoo! It's that time of year again! nationalbikechallenge.org The National Bike Challenge begins next Wednesday, so this weekend is a great time to dust off the old bike, borrow a bike, buy a bike, or create a really clever disguise for your car. What's that? You're not planning to join? Oh come on! Haven't you been saying you need more exercise, more sunshine, more optimism, more stamina, and nicer legs? Haven't you been complaining about the rising cost of gasoline? Didn't I hear you say you don't want to pay for a gym membership? (Oh, come on - surely something in there struck a chord for you.) So, let's talk about the challenge's virtues: It's free to join. You can win prizes. It can truly pedal you to a healthier place. There's no minimum or maximum - it's encouragement to get out and ride. You don't have to ride every day (but you can.) If you are competitive, it's a great place to find people...

I got to ride it a few miles last Tuesday, and I was reminded how an e-bike can be a wonderful thing when you're facing a Lubbock summer. It was 99 degrees outside. I was riding into a 15 mph wind. And I was travelling 15mph. And it all felt great! Other than the PAS not working, I knew it was finally, truly, an e-bike I could ride. So I took it for a ride on Wednesday, and it was once again pretty darn cool - for about half of a mile. And then the battery died. Actually, it still had voltage (38 volts) but the amp-hour capacity was depleted. In real-world terms, my salvaged battery cells aren't up to the job of hauling me and the bike more than a few miles. In West Texas terms, they were rode hard and put up wet before I got 'em. So, I ended up ordering a small stack of these from IMR Batteries . So, after the new cells arrive, it's time to rebuild the battery pack (again).  The battery pack folly list: $80 worth of used cordless ...

Okay, maybe conquer is a little overboard, but Two Xtracycles Are for Sale and Another One Vacations in New Mexico doesn't have quite the same ring, so let's just focus on the Xtracycles. Xtracycle 1: An Edgerunner for sale in Albuquerque This one is being regretfully re-homed because its family is too. So, why am I including it here? You have to read the ad. There are some Craigslisters who rise above the usual details, price, and pics. This is definitely one of those. Check it out! Superheroes Don't Get Gas! What can you haul with a cargo bike? Apparently two kids and two more bikes - superhero indeed! Xtracycle 2: A Radish with Wheels The Radish is an interesting piece of Xtracycle history. Back when Xtracycle was still offering their original add-on cargo bike kit - the FreeRadical, they also offered the Radish complete bike for those who weren't into the whole DIY approach. Back in the day, they were about $1200, ...