[lisaj]

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This is us on our new bike! Your input here helped me feel confident in my decision, and I really appreciate it. Our Xtracycle has genuinely changed our lives for the better. Love!

Also, Bicycle Space put us on their blog! http://www.bicyclespacedc.com/our-blog/2015/10/14/cargo-bike-convert

[lisaj]

@peterw_diy 126214 wrote:

Wait, isn’t anybody going to challenge Bruno’s amusing assertion that kids sit as still as sacks of potatoes??

Haha! Since I bought the Xtracycle without trying the Yuba, I don’t have an opinion on motors, but I DO have an opinion on kids sitting like sacks of potatoes! I have a Hooptie, and as such, haven’t tried to carry an adult, but I totally get how Bruno is saying that as passengers, cyclists will respond with their bodies in the way they would if they were doing the pedaling. On the bike, my kids act like they’re at home, which is to say, they bicker and squirm and harass each other and I am constantly shrieking “NO FIGHTING!” “KEEP YOUR BODY TO YOURSELF!” “WHO IS WIGGLING? PLEASE DON’T MAKE US FALL OVER!”

[lisaj]

@dasgeh 124249 wrote:

Happy to help.

Does BicycleSpace have the new Xtracycle in stock? I didn’t realize that. I may have to test it out. They are an excellent shop. I would feel very confident buying from them, and especially buying from such trusted brands (Xtracycle and Bosch).

Oh, yes, they did…but I just bought it! I love love love it, and so do my kids.

[lisaj]

Oh, wow, dasgeh, thank you for the welcome and so kindly taking the time to give me so much thoughtful information! Yes, I guess I was asking two questions and really didn’t know enough to separate them out. I feel more and more confident of the e-assist choice, even if it’s more expensive. I returned the borrowed Xtracycle to its owner yesterday and I am champing at the bit to get my own bike. I told my friend about the ride Saturday and hopefully she’ll be able to do it!

I went to all the links you suggested–plus a million others, because one leads to another and isn’t that the way of the Internet? I have to say, you have definitely helped solidify my thoughts. I don’t think we are likely to retrofit, unless it is Xtracycle with a non-Bosch motor, although the guy at Bicycle Space was way more positive about Bosch than Bionx. I already love and feel comfortable on the Xtracycle, and for someone who was a big chicken of a bike rider before, totally afraid of DC traffic, that is huge for me. I am going to test ride the Xtracycle with Bosch today. (We will be receiving some money from a deceased grandparent, and this “found money” will go to bike purchase. So crazy expensive is actually an option!!)

Thank you again for all your help!

[lisaj]

OK, jrenaut, the idea of dumping my kids in the street terrifies me but since I regularly trip and graze door frames when I’m walking, I suppose it’s inevitable for me.

Thank you so much for introducing me to Kidical Mass! That’s awesome!

[lisaj]

@Brünø Moore 124105 wrote:

Having ridden both Bosch bikes (an Edgerunner, a hybrid, and a hunting fatbike [what?]) and Bionix retrofit Edgerunners, I prefer the Bosch, but understand why someone might shy away from it (even aside from cost!) I like the way it works with my biomechanics—the bike feels more responsive, more ready, and more like an extension of myself than a machine I’m trying to control by working the pedals (in other words, more like a bike than a car)—as well as the way the electronics are integrated into the frame and the power of the motor. However, I’m not as much of a fan of the limited gearing (means you’re more dependent on the motor) or the proprietary, perhaps overly integrated, nature of the electronics. It seems a bit Apple Computer-y, like the PowerBook batteries that are specially shaped to the cavities of your laptop but can’t be changed. Oh yeah, and I’ve seen the number on the price tag and am not sure if I can count that high. I know it’s cheaper than a new car, I know it’s more practical than one if you live in the urban core, but…

All opinions are my own, not my employer’s, your milage may vary, battery life dependent on charge frequency and use, etc.

Thank you! I am going to test ride the Bosch Edgerunner in the next couple days. I’ve read that the Bosch motor makes a very smooth transition. And yes, the price tag is high. More expensive (and way nicer) than my first car, more than my current car is worth.

[lisaj]

Thanks so much for your input, jrenaut! I don’t know what kind of brakes but will certainly look into it. I’m actually very new to biking, so this is a big leap all around. I like how my friend’s Edgerunner brakes, but I don’t have much comparison. It’s been awesome the past week, I have to say. The kids love it.
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@jrenaut 124104 wrote:

…the used market will be really interesting in a few years. I think they’ll hold their value pretty well, so that takes some of the risk out of your investment. I realize it’s still a lot of money to put down all at once, but it might make it easier. Ours has really replaced our car for almost every trip less than 5 miles.

I believe this! I’ve been looking for used ones and haven’t found any in the area. And I know a lot of people with kids younger than ours who are staying in the city.

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