Frequently Asked Questions
Will a FreeRadical work with my bike?
What kind of terrain is it suited to?
What's the difference between a FreeRadical, a sport utility bicycle and Xtracycle?
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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.
- 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.
What’s the difference between a FreeRadical, a sport utility bicycle and Xtracycle?
The FreeRadical® is a retrofit attachment that adds chic cargo-carrying capability to a regular bike, turning it into a sport-utility bicycle, or S.U.B. We like to describe the S.U.B. concept as a co-evolution of truck and bike that completely re-imagines how much you can do how fast and how fun 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;” the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says that’s bad, but we haven’t been able to figure out why.
