Le Peugeot est un Xtracycle

After the recent (ok, not-so-recent) Trader Joe's shopping experience (and many, many more like it), I decided to increase the cargo capacity of the Peugeot. I have long wanted a dedicated cargo bike, but haven't found the right setup, whether a complete bike or a kit--such as the Xtracycle. I wanted cargo capacity with the ability to transport two kids safely and relatively easily. We had been using an iBert seat for our younger daughter, but she was about at the max capacity, and, if I were going with a cargo bike, I wanted to move her to the back anyway. After much deliberation and all that goodness, I decided to go with the Xtracycle Longtail kit (2007 version freeloaders) with Footsies and a BoBike Maxi+ (NOT the Xtracycle BoBike [peapod]--details below). For reference, this is what the Peugeot looked like pre-conversion:

I got the idea for the Xtracycle/BoBike combination from the blogosphere, specifically Longleaf cycles. While I think the handlebar setup on their bike is quite cumbersome and admittedly Frankenstein, I just looked at the back of the bike. Bike got back! I like how the BoBike leaves a lot more room on the snapdeck and in the freeloader bags than the Peapod. My younger daughter rides in the BoBike, while the older daughter rides just behind, holding on to the BoBike, also using the Footsies. The use of Footsies precludes the use of the Kickback, so I kept the Pletscher stand already installed.

The chainstays on the Peugeot are plenty long, allowing room for the Pletscher kickstand in front of the Xtracycle bridge mount. Slick. You can see my wire splice w/ heatshrink if you look close. 

Continuing the install process. First, the Xtracycle Longtail kit comes with two brake options: 1) rim brake for 26" wheels (or 700c w/ an adapter), and 2) disc brakes. Since the rear wheel on the Peugeot is an Alfine 8-speed with the centerlock spline, I went with the disc brake option. This is where I ran into ambiguity from Xtracycle. Just to clear any confusion, the Xtracycle is ONLY compatible with 203mm rotors. ONLY! What's tricky is that you install the 203mm rotor with an ISO 160mm caliper/adapter. For example, I have an Avid BB5 160mm rear caliper which mounts directly to the Xtracycle frame. For the rotor, I have a Hayes 203mm 6-bolt rotor with a Shimano centerlock/6-bolt adapter. I originally ordered a 160mm centerlock Avid rotor, only to find the ambiguity of the brake situation on my own. Lovely, but it works. I was concerned about having a weak brake up front, and a super brake on the rear (the reverse of my MTB days), but it stops REALLY well. No complaints.

203mm rotor ONLY!!! 160mm adapter w/ Avid BB5. 

"Now that's a rotor." -Mick Dundee

The typically overdone Shimano centerlock/6-bolt adapter. DT Swiss makes a much simpler version (so does Problem Solvers).

The department of redundancy department of lockrings. 

Velo-Orange was out of stock on their front wheel stabilizer spring, so I fashioned my own, which will soon be modified again. I got a spring from ACE, used a CatEye reflector clamp around the downtube, and used a small L-bracket behind the front brake bolt. Voila. I do need to shorten and preload the spring (slide it up the downtube) from its current installation, but it works quite well.

The spring didn't look that long in the store, I promise. Fix coming soon. 

The BoBike was a quick and easy install. I tried to get the BoBike as far back as I could, leaving as much space as possible between the BoBike and the saddle while hovering just above the snapdeck. The only modification necessary on this install was to remove a small portion of the foot holsters where they interfere with the Freeloader system. NBD. There is a little bit of heel strike on the foot holsters, but moving the foot slightly forward (more toward the arch) solves the problem. We're not pedaling for top-notch efficiency here.

Little notch. 

I kept the original rear fender, with the hub-generator taillight. This took a bit of modifying to get the fender struts installed on the Xtracycle, since the mounts were quite unique/proprietary to the Peugeot frame. I drilled out some washers and got it to work quite well. After extending the taillight wire, it was ready to go.

Drilled out a washer and installed it in the Xtracycle fender mount.

Here's the install w/ struts. I did have to change the no-turn washers on the Alfine to match the dropouts.

I think the light actually works better than before. 

I removed the old, plastic rear derailleur and installed the Alfine chain tensioner, since I'm still running a double crank. I did find out that the 1/8" chain does not work through the Alfine cage! SRAM 830 it is. Also, the Alfine specs state a 20t max cog, which puzzled me (since I use a 22t). What I found is that removing the wheel with the Alfine tensioner is ridiculously hard with the 22t, leading me to believe that this is why the specs state a 20t max. Clearance is fine between the cog and the tensioner guide pulley, so that's not the issue. Just another detail to get the build right.

After a few headaches, the build was complete and I did in in our living room. Oh how I miss tool stands and workbenches. One day I'll have one of my own. We now have three bikes, all with Brooks saddles, generator hub lighting systems, and cargo capacity. Never would have guessed that five years ago.