Dirt Works is proud to announce that we now represent Xtracycle. The North Californian company is one of the highest profile bike-ridin' activist / environmentalist / concerned human-being companies in the world. The Xtracycle or Free Radical as it is known, acts like a bike but works like a truck.

The FreeRadical comes with everything needed for seamlessly adding a boot and a backseat to your bicycle. It is an attachment for your bicycle that deftly shifts your rear wheel back 15 inches and transforms your existing bike into a Sport Utility Bicycle.

Imagine your favourite bike with the rear wheel stretched out behind the seat, a big, stable platform for a load or a passenger, and elegant saddlebags on either side that are expandable when you need them and are cleanly out of the way when you don't. Best of all, your bike is still lightweight and fast, and because the load is centred between your two wheels, the whole package handles with ease. Suddenly you have much less need or desire to drive around town for your errands.

What's the difference between a FreeRadical, a sport utility bicycle and Xtracycle?

The FreeRadical® is a retro-fit attachment that adds cargo-carrying capability to a regular bike, turning it into a sport-utility bicycle, or S.U.B. The S.U.B. concept is a co-evolution of truck and bike that completely re-imagines how much you can do on two wheels. XTRACYCLE® is the name of the company that invented, manufactures, markets, and licenses the original FreeRadical and created the S.U.B. category. Plenty of people refer to their whole S.U.B. as an 'Xtracycle', much to the dismay of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

What can it carry?

The Xtracycle S.U.B. enables adventurers to carry outdoor gear like tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, firewood, snowboards, scuba tanks, and climbing gear. In the city, the S.U.B. is incredibly useful for carrying various everyday loads, such as shoulder bags, computers, bicycle boxes, suitcases, art portfolios, concert instruments, guitars, massage tables, paintings, political signs, tool boxes, recycling, another bicycle, and of course, groceries. With the addition of the LongLoader and H-rack accessories to the standard FreeRadical kit, things like ladders, lumber, surfboards, and paragliders can be carried easily along the side of the bicycle, kind of like an outrigger. The Xtracycle S.U.B is the first production 'bicycle' that can effectively transport a longboard or a whitewater kayak.

Will a FreeRadical work with my bike?

The FreeRadical fits most 26"-wheel bicycles (the vast majority of mountain bikes, three speeds, and beach cruisers). A touring version to fit road bikes is also available. The FreeRadical has mounts for long-arm cantilever brakes. If your bike has a different kind of rim brakes, you can get long-arms from us. If you don't have any idea what we're talking about, give us a call and we'll figure it out together.

What kind of terrain is it suited to?

An Xtracycle S.U.B. can go almost anywhere a regular mountain bike can, from high-speed singletrack, muddy paths, snowy alpine roads, beach-front trails, and backcountry fire roads to scenic routes, crowded traffic streets, and cross-country highways. Only in highly technical singletrack that requires the front wheel to be frequently lifted over obstacles is it not at home.

How are people are using it?

For faster, simpler, and more reliable backcountry and cross country touring.

For human-powered multi-sport adventures combining biking and other outdoor activities such as surfing, skiing, kayaking, and climbing.

Commuters are finding a new level of car-replacing utility.

Accessing roadless areas with specialized gear and equipment.

Businesses are using it for running errands, moving parts around facilities or from one store to another, and picking up office party favors.

Many people use it primarily as a passenger vehicle for friends, family, and lovers.

Replacing short car trips, such as for picking up groceries, recycling, and going yard-saleing.

Musicians with large instruments are riding to gigs that they had to drive or walk to before.

Bike messengers and courier companies are using it to carry bigger and more varied loads through congested city cores, faster than previously possible.

Crazy kids are surfing on the SnapDeck; really crazy kids are surfing on the SnapDeck with no one steering the bike!

For bike-based businesses like electrical contracting and landscaping.

Parents are using it to tote around kids too big for a bike seat or trailer, and too small to keep up over long distances.

Beginning and intermediate mountain bikers are using the S.U.B. to ride harder trails with more confidence.

How is an Xtracycle S.U.B. better than a trailer?

In short, it rides better and carries a greater variety of loads, including passengers. More specifically:

Rides better unloaded. After a short time of getting to know it, the bicycle/FreeRadical combo feels like riding a regular bike, on most any surface, going as fast as you please. If you?ve ever ridden on uneven terrain with an unladen trailer, you know it bounces around and makes you wish you didn't have it with you.

Rides better loaded. The long wheelbase, low center of gravity, and weight over the rear wheel combine for performance so solid that many riders feel more comfortable on an S.U.B. than on a short bike. Most people will never believe this until they experience it for themselves, but it's true, and it's a distinct advantage over towing a trailer. It's got Gravity Advantage JuJu, man!

Lighter. At just 9 pounds, the FreeRadical is lighter than any utility trailer we know of. (It's 3 pounds lighter than the BOB Yak; try shaving 3 pounds off your bike's weight!) Also, because the accessories are so easy to remove, you can cut its weight down to 5 pounds in seconds and still have enough utility to haul, say, a boxed bike. Trailers are heavier in part because they require the introduction of an extra wheel or two into the system.

Simpler. The Xtracycle S.U.B has no moving parts—no fragile linkages, additional axles, or different-sized tubes, tires or spokes to maintain or wear out (or bring along on an expedition). And the elegant truss geometry makes it strong enough to carry loads as big as most people would ever care to pedal.

Passengers. Carry them safely. Carry them in style. Have more fun.

Long loads. Ever try to put a ladder, 2'x4', longboard, boxed bike, assembled bike, pair of skis, or kayak on a BOB? The long and awkward load capability of the FreeRadical put it in a whole different load-carrying category previously reserved for truck beds and roof racks.

Always there. Some will say "but with a trailer you can just take it off when you aren't going to need it." Problem is, who wants to or can conceive of any need that might arise during a day away from home? We and the Xtracycle owners we've heard from have discovered the joy of having utility that's always there, that you don't have to think about bringing along or hooking up, that you're never left without. Think of it as the spontaneity enhancement vehicle.

Carryable. Pick the whole rig up by the handlebars and Top Stay (see The FreeRadical Book, page 25) and carry it up stairs and over logs. This is crucial if you want to carry your rig down into the subway, up on to a commuter train, or up the stairs to your apartment.

How much can the Free Radical carry?

We rate the FreeRadical's payload capacity at 200 pounds (in addition to the rider), much higher than most people would want to or could carry. The weak point in the system is typically the rear wheel. If you plan to carry heavy loads we recommend a heavy-duty wheel—some combination of a beefier rim, thicker spokes, and/or an increased number of spokes. A good quality MTB wheel can handle 200 pounds of static load, but would be stressed by taking such a load off-road. However, if you really plan to carry 200 pounds with regularity, you should consider getting a purpose-built utility bike such as the Long Haul. Unless it's a person, a 200-pound load would likely be too unwieldy to want to carry with much regularity. (People are easier to carry because they help balance when starting and stopping.) The Xtracycle S.U.B. is at its best when carrying smaller loads (sub-100 pounds), over a variety of terrain, fast. Going fast with more than 100 pounds of cargo is not advised. It's versatile enough to handle lots of other conditions, but there might be a better alternative if you have a frequent and specific high-cargo need.

Can I install the Free Radical myself?

At a minimum, installation of a FreeRadical requires enough bike-mechanicing knowledge to add links to a chain, install new cables, and adjust the brakes and derailleur. It takes a shop pro 30–90 minutes, and aside from the chain, brakes, and shifting systems, requires just three bolts; we have heard of home mechanics taking a whole day to do it. Xtracycle highly recommends that FreeRadical installation be done by your local independent bicycle dealer. They have the skills and tools to do it safely and right.

Does it go on any kind of bike?

The FreeRadical 26 is intended to go on bikes with 26-inch wheels—most mountain bikes, three speeds, cruisers and the like. The FreeRadical 700c goes on city bikes, cross bikes, touring bikes and others with 700c wheels. Wheel size is usually shown on the sidewall of your tire.

How does it handle with a load on one side only?

It really depends on the length of the ride. You and your bike automatically (magically) compensate by turning the wheel slightly and putting the bike into a barely noticeable lean. What you will notice, though, is that one arm will get tired after a while because it's putting slightly more pressure on the handlebars. So when riding for more than 5 miles or so with lots of weight, we suggest balancing your sides to within about 10 pounds or so.

How does the length affect maneuverability?

The Xtracycle S.U.B is only a half of a wheel longer than a regular bicycle (15 inches). But it's way shorter than any other cargo bike or a bike plus a trailer. Many people who see it think it will handle like a tandem, but after trying it say some variation on "Wow, I couldn't even really tell it was back there". The long wheelbase also offers some comfort (dampening) and safety aspects. The bike is more stable laterally and longitudinally, making it safer to ride in many off-road and asphalt situations. Many users claim to be riding harder trails, faster, and crashing less. Dave in San Francisco says, "I really like switching between my Xtracycle and my regular bike, depending on what I need. One day you're driving the stable SUV and the next you're in the zippy Miata. I like the combination of experiences."

H-racks and V-racks

A V(ertical)-rack can be inserted into the FreeRadical's Front and Rear Bridges and used as an H(orizontal)-rack, greatly increasing the versatility of the FreeRadical base package. Say you go to check the mail at the post office and it turns out you have a giant package that won't fit in the FreeLoader and is unstable on the SnapDeck; you can just remove one of the V-racks and insert it horizontally on the other side. Voila, you have a big-box carrier! The length of the rear section of the V-rack is such, however, that it protrudes all the way through the Rear Bridge, making it impossible to insert a second H- or V-rack horizontally on the other side. For this reason, you must have two H-racks if you want to have a horizontal loading platform on both sides of the bike. H-racks cannot be used as V-racks.