Encounter during an evening grocery run

Lost in contemplation of the snacky goodness we just purchased.

This evening we made a quick trip to the grocery store for a few items, which is not so consequential in itself. What was unusual about the trip was something that we experienced on the way home.

We were at a traffic light on a small street waiting to cross a large street. There was a large SUV in the left turn lane on the large street, positioned to turn onto the small street toward the side opposite of where we were. Then I noticed that although the driver had a green light and that the road was clear for the SUV to turn, it didn't, but rather stayed immobile in the turn lane.

After several seconds, the passenger side window rolled down and a woman yelled something at me. My years of riding in traffic has conditioned me to the occasional, often unintelligible message yelled in my general direction from a motor vehicle, which I mostly ignore or dismiss.

Tonight was a bit different. Following a couple of repetitions, I realized that the message was in the form of a question: "Who made your bike?"

I shouted back, "Surly. Surly Big Dummy." The passenger repeated "Surly" to the driver and yelled "Thanks" to me. With the exchange complete, off motored the SUV.

Perhaps the occupants went home to order their very own Big Dummy. Perhaps they left with more nefarious motives. Who knows. Only later did I realize the unfortunate positioning of the model name of the bike in my response, which may have been received as a personal epithet following the name of the manufacturer. If you were in a gold Suburban and think a guy on an oddly long bike called you a "Big Dummy," I assure you that's not the case.

This encounter was a bit puzzling for me, although in retrospect it probably shouldn't have been. Quite different from my personality preferences, the Big Dummy wants to get noticed. During the nearly three years that I've been riding this big distinctive bike around suburban Denver, I can recall only a handful of trips during which no one has eagerly asked me about it. Even just a few minutes earlier when leaving the grocery store, I had talked with a bicyclist who wanted to check out the Dummy and the load it was carrying. It stands to reason that some people who happen to be in cars may be just as curious.

This bike induces a stream of questions from nearly anyone within sight of it, and has forced me to become a bit more of an extravert by way of explanation. In fact, the people who have asked and received information from me about the Big Dummy, sometimes in depth and at length, easily number in the hundreds over the past few years.

I don't know what effect these sort of encounters have had on Big Dummy sales. However, in my mind's eye, the people in the Suburban are presently making plans to upgrade from a large capacity GM machine to a large capacity Surly machine. To them I say you've made a great decision and I look forward to meeting you on the trail to hear of the fun you will have had.

If anyone from Surly ever reads this, you're welcome. My commission can be set straight by hooking a Daddy up with an "I'm with Big Dummy" t-shirt, size large. Maybe one in size extra small too, for good measure.

We love you, you Big Dummy.

Sprucing up the Big Dummy

The before photo; rear rack, deck and bags removed.

After 5 1/2 years of mostly trouble free riding, a few things on the Dummy have been hanging out on the pending maintenance list, perhaps a bit too long. Last weekend, I finally got to some of them, but not before taking a ride with the girls to enjoy the great weather with a picnic.

Current primary Big Dummy co-pilot and little sister.

Former primary Big Dummy co-pilot, occasional Big Dummy caboose rider, and big sister. Lael's old glasses undoubtedly make her faster.

After the ride, first up was to swap out some cable housing. The housing has suffered more than any other part from the weather and inattention to which the bike has been exposed as a kid hauler/utility beast over the years. Because it still shifted fine, I had been comfortable in my neglect, but the time for action had arrived. A Big Dummy is a big bike with what seems like miles of cables and housing. With a swept back handlebar that makes the housing jut forward before eventually arching rearward, not to mention the fact that it is a lanky 22" frame, the noodle-y effect seems even more exaggerated.

A crack in the housing near the junction with the head tube had been there long enough for the exposed compression cables to rust.

Another crack just past where the housing exits from the front shifter. 

Refurbishing the housing sucked up much of a roll of the derailleur housing I had on hand, which happened to be blue.

Just prior to my decision to tackle some much needed maintenance, I decided to see how a Surly Open Bar felt on the Dummy, in comparison to the Nitto Albatross bar that had lived on the bike since I first put it together in 2008. As I happened to have one around, I quickly swapped the bars just before taking the earlier ride with the girls. By the time we arrived back at home, I knew the Surly Open Bar was on the bike to stay.

A Surly Open Bar, this one with the 40 mm rise, is wider than a Nitto Albatross.

The Nitto Albatross has perhaps a bit more rise than the +40 mm Surly Open Bar.

The Nitto Albatross and Surly Open Bar are both great handlebars for enabling a comfortable upright riding position, which is especially useful for seeing and being seen in traffic around town. Both are made of high quality chromoly steel, have minimal but pleasant flex, and a nice swept back profile.

As much as I've enjoyed the position and shape of the Nitto Albatross on the Dummy, at a mere 560 mm wide, it feels far too narrow as compared to the much wider bars that I now have on some of my other bikes. The Surly Open Bar is 666 mm wide, which is a bit better, but what I'd really like is a bar of similar shape in the range of 750 mm or so wide. I've become a huge fan of the Salsa Rustler 2 bar on my Monocog, but would prefer something with much more sweep and a bit more rise if installed on the Dummy. To my knowledge, a truly wide, highly swept, good quality, modern riser bar does not exist.

Both Maxxis Larsen TT tires had developed goathead induced slow leaks that I'd been nursing for a few weeks. 

Next up were the tires. The Dummy has been shod in a pair of Maxxis Larsen TT 2.0" tires for about the past three years. The Larsens have been terrific tires, with low rolling resistance and just the right amount of traction whether on or off pavement. They don't excel in mud, but that's not a common surface around here. They have held up exceedingly well, and I couldn't say enough positive about them, though I'd probably prefer the 2.35" to the 2.0" version. However, time and miles had taken their toll, with the tread wearing thin and the sidewalls beginning to separate near the bead.

As I have perhaps too much tire stock on hand, instead of buying another pair of Larsens, I chose a pair of mildly used Specialized Roll-X 2.0" tires that have been in my bike barn for some time. They have more aggressive knobs than the Larsens, but are no-frills and have a less fancy casing with standard steel beads. The rims on the Dummy are Mavic X 823 UST-compatible tubeless, which I've had for several years but always run with tubes. Until now, that is.

I installed a couple of Mavic tubeless valve stems, mounted the tires, squirted in 2 ounces of Stan's and pumped 'em up with a compressor. One bead on each tire needed a little encouragement to pop into place, but after that, they were good to go. I didn't have to do any Gorilla Tape chicanery with the tubeless specific rims. Three bikes in my fleet are now tubeless, each by a slightly different method, but I can't see going back to using tubes unless absolutely necessary.

The after photo. There are still a few tasks left to do, but the Big Dummy is revitalized.

I ran out of available time before completing a few other maintenance tasks, but the Dummy already feels a lot happier. It's about due for some somewhat more intensive bearing work, and the Freeloader saddle bags need some repair work, but I have no doubt that the bike is up for just about anything. This is easily the most useful bike I've ever owned, and I look forward to many more years of harnessing its utility.

Big Dummy-ifyed roof rack

D'oh! A super-sized Big Dummy versus normal sized rack tray.

In the two and a half years that I've had my Big Dummy, I've only hauled it somewhere in a vehicle a few times. When hauling was necessary, I was able to put it in the bed of my old pickup with little difficulty. Now that I no longer have a pickup, it was necessary to figure out how to load the Dummy onto a roof rack. The photo above illustrates the sad situation of when a longtail bike encounters a standard rack tray.

Commercially available long rack trays exist, which are made for long wheelbase recumbents, tandems and other freakishly long bikes. However, for me they have some serious drawbacks: A) They cost considerably more than standard rack trays. B) They are not typically stocked at bike shops. C) Most importantly, I don't already own one. However, I'm too stubborn to let these drawbacks hinder my quest for Big Dummy transport. I resolved to construct a long rack tray of my own that could be converted back to a standard bike tray easily, if I so desired.

I started out with a 14 year-old Thule rack tray featuring a fork mount, mostly because I already had it on hand. However, for my purposes, the parameters of the fork mount were key to determining whether or not the project could be realized. Some older fork mounts aren't compatible with disc brakes because there isn't sufficient clearance, but fortunately mine had clearance aplenty. If it hadn't been compatible, I would have been faced with spending money, which isn't exactly my style.

The disc caliper clears the fork mount. Expense averted.

So, once the fork mount was determined to be compatible with my Big Dummy, the project was a go. Finding an appropriate extension tube was the first step in the construction phase. I had a three foot length of a two-inch diameter fence post of the sort typically used for chain link fences. As a bonus, it had even been painted a similar shade of dull black as the tray. I marked a centerline along the post with a Sharpie. If you are reading this with the intent of building your own version, this step is important to ensure that the axis of each hole that is about to be drilled is parallel with the others. You'll see where I'm going with this shortly.

Marking a center line on the extension tube.

Next, I retrieved an eight inch section of a rack tray that I had previously trimmed from another rack tray used for carrying my daughter's bike on the Big Dummy. If you don't have an extra section of tray, you have a couple of options. One option is to cut a section off the end of your existing tray and use a longer extension tube to make up the difference, but this will make it so you can't go back to a standard length tray. Another option is to try to find an old tray at a yard sale or on Craigslist. Sometimes they are cheap or free if they are old or have broken pieces. As long as the tray is not damaged, the condition of the rest of the donor rack or tray assembly doesn't matter. 

Stub of a tray and the end of the extension tube.

The next step is to mate the section of tray to the extension tube. I drilled matched holes in the tube along the centerline, and in the center of the bottom of the tray using my drill press. If you're careful you should be able to do the same with a hand held drill.

Tube and tray getting the drill press treatment.

Matched holes, ready for bolts.

It was at this point that I had to use some hardware that I actually had to buy specifically for this project. I could have pieced together some mismatched sets of bolts, washers and nuts from what I already had, but I decided to go the extra mile to attain perfectly matched aesthetic beauty. I'm sure you'll agree it contributed to a spectacular outcome.

The only expenditure for this project was $8 and change for some 5/16 x 3" bolts, flat washers, lock washers and nuts.

I placed a nut on the bolt section inside the tube for the hole nearest the end, to avoid crushing the tube when the outer nut was tightened.

After the tray section was mounted to the extension tube to form an assembly, the next task was to attach the assembly to the tray. For this, I needed some mounting holes. I used an existing hole near the end of the tray for one of the mounting holes and then drilled another at the far end of the extension tube.

Two holes in the tray will correspond with two holes in the extension tube.

I flipped the tray over to make it easier to mark the locations to drill holes along the center line of the extension tube.

After drilling holes in the extension tube, the assembly is bolted in place.

I found it helpful to test the placement of parts by fitting the bike to the rack tray along the course of the project.

An important part of this procedure is to understand how everything fits together before drilling or cutting anything. I have a couple of other longtail bikes, so I made sure that there was some extra room along the short section of tray to adjust the wheel strap. In the event that I need more adjustment that is allowed, I can always drill more holes in the extension tube to extend or shorten the total length of the modified tray. In a matter of a couple of minutes, I can also remove the assembly and use the tray to mount standard sized bikes.

Top view of extension assembly.

Bottom view of extension assembly.

I reassembled the rack on the car with the fork mount toward the rear, otherwise the extended section would have interfered with the hatchback when open. I then mounted the Big Dummy on top. It worked like a charm. The design of the extension assembly causes the rear wheel to be mounted a couple of inches higher than in a standard rack. This higher location for the rear wheel improves the clearance for the cranks and chainrings over the lower section of the tray, and provides clearance for the bottom of the front fender, both plusses.

Now that's a Big Dumb roof rack. 

Note the room for medial adjustment of the wheel strap on the extended tray section. 

After all was done, I gave the Big Dummy a good cleaning to remove the magnesium chloride and road grime accumulated over the winter. It shined up well and looks pretty good for a workhorse.

Big Dummy clean and unloaded. Even a beast of burden appreciates a day off once in a while.

Big Dummy Nick

A smiling Nick getting the full suburban cargo bike experience.

Over the past weekend, I helped my friend Nick put together his new bike. Following a plan to purge some of his lesser ridden bikes, he got himself a swanky new Big Dummy. I'll admit, this strategy of trading out a few old bikes for one new bike is something I have been heavily contemplating as of late.

Excited about all the tools and stuff in the bike barn.

Nick bought the complete bike version, so instead of building it up from a bare frame, a good deal of the parts were installed already. However, being a guy with definite ideas about what a bike should be, he brought along a few parts to swap out from the stock build. Notably, Nick selected a Brooks B-17, a Surly Open Bar, Ergon grips, and Silver friction bar-end shifters on Paul's Thumbie adapters instead of the stock components. We took a leisurely approach to installing and adjusting parts, and the process took a little longer than expected. But, in the end, we had fun and enjoyed a little side trip to the LBS along the way.

Over the course of a few hours the gigantic Big Dummy box was reborn as the fuselage of an aircraft.

The intrepid pilot flew this imaginary airplane on many exciting trips, including to Africa and San Diego.

Once the build was finished, we had a side-by-side comparison of old versus new. I bought my bare frameset several years ago when a complete bike was not an option. I was impressed with the quality and selection of parts on the complete bike, especially the beefy wheels. I noted a few minor changes in the frame as compared to my first generation Dummy. The different top tube design is the most obvious, but the newer version has a couple of additional braze-ons on the rear end to better accommodate the Xtracycle parts. I quite like the design of the new Tekdeck, with its connection hooks that have a superior grasp on the v racks as compared to the old wooden Snapdeck. I may have to look into getting one.

My 22" 2008 Surly Big Dummy next to Nick's 20" 2012.

Bent as opposed to sloping top tubes are the most obvious design difference.

Tekdeck on the left; homebuilt wooden deck on the right.

Girls like new and shiny things. The old Dummy is a little forlorn at the shift in attention.

Clouds began to grow menacing in the late afternoon, so we had to get Nick on his way to the ride back downtown. We escorted him on our Big Dummy to the Platte River trail access point for his route home.

Good-natured Nick graciously endured rampant little girl admiration.

An urban dweller bravely negotiating the wilds of suburbia on the way to the trail.

Co-pilot enjoying a snack on the ride home.

Piggybacking on the Big Dummy

Ever since she started riding her own bike, she's been constantly improving and building endurance. She often logs two or three miles daily with trips to the library, the park and now school. Even so, on many rides there are places where it's necessary for her to be a passenger instead of a rider. The difficulty with this is that I want to protect her, but I also don't want her to miss out honing her skills through the fun of riding her own bike. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to bring her bike along, whether she's riding it or not.

Initially, I carried her smaller 12.5 inch wheeled bike in one of the Big Dummy's cavernous Freeloader panniers. Her current bike, a 16 inch wheeled Electra, is big enough that it won't fit in a Freeloader, so I've been towing it with its front wheel in the Freeloader and rear wheel on the ground. This has worked mostly well enough, but recently the Electra has exhibited a tendency to squirm around enough to loosen itself every mile or so. I'd been thinking of a better solution, and this evening finally got around to putting it together.

The product of a wideloader, some old roof rack parts and about 45 minutes of tinkering

Continue reading to find out how it all came together.

Viva Streets: a Denver ciclovia

The girl knows what she likes, and she likes car-free streets.

Ciclovia means bike path in Spanish. However, another meaning of ciclovia is an event that occurs due to the temporary closure of a street to motorized traffic, often between two parks, so that people can explore and celebrate their city a car-free manner. This definition of ciclovia manifested in Bogota, Colombia several years ago, and has spread to numerous cities around the world ever since. Today, Denver held its first ciclovia called "Viva Streets" along 23rd Avenue between City Park and Stapleton.

A couple of miles worth of people enjoying where they live under their own power.

Exploring new neighborhoods and public art is always fun.

It was terrific to see so many people out enjoying the Park Hill neighborhood. However, the festivities weren't limited to humans, as we saw dogs, cats, chickens and even a parrot out and about. A stretch of a couple of miles of 23rd Avenue was closed to cars, encompassing many restaurants and commercial districts, several food trucks, a few parks and impromptu stops of all types.

Dexter and 23rd was a very popular source for food, drink and people watching.

LiveWell Colorado and BikeDenver teamed up to bring the event to the city, and The Park Hill Bike Depot played a prominent role as neighborhood host. Each of these three organizations deserves all the accolades and support that you can muster.

The queen of the bike rodeo receives instructions.

Bikes of all shapes and sizes were constant fun to look at, especially for someone like me.

One of the few vehicles larger than the Big Dummy allowed on the street during Viva Streets.

We were fortunate enough to see many of our friends along the way. I met M of MandG, proprietors of the Biking and Baking blog, which covers one of the best combinations of two great things. We also met up with our friend and Park Hill denizen Tracy, aka Fixed Gal, of I Like Bikes fame. Tracy let my daughter try out her snazzy new Robin's Egg Blue  Surly Cross-Check for size. Unfortunately, it'll be a while before she's able to fit a Surly of any type, except for the back seat of the Big Dummy.

Testing out Tracy's fancy blue Cross-Check. Just a few more inches. Sure looks fast though.

The co-pilot's seat of the Big Dummy fits just right.

We hung out with Tracy on a playground, trying out some of the equipment, then she accompanied us for a second run through the bike rodeo at her request. Tracy is quicker than I am, and had coverage of the bike rodeo performance up before I did. Cool photos, Tracy!

The starting lineup for the snail race.

At the end of our Viva Streets experience, we stopped by the Denver B-cycle booth to see some more friends and to check out a couple of B-cycles of unfamiliar colors. We also enjoyed a little time with Ben and his canine pal Henry, a remarkably patient and mellow little dog.

Red, blue and gray, each from a different city. Personally, I'd also like to see a nice grassy green. Maybe a mustard yellow too.

Ben and Henry check out the Big Dummy.

We made a quick stop at the People for Bikes booth and she won a water bottle and some stickers. You should sign the people for bikes pledge if you haven't already.

Finally, we stopped off at the fountain at the southwest corner of City Park to stick our hot feet in some cool water, before heading for home.

A little slimy on the bottom, but nice and cool.

Celebratory dance at the fountain.

I'm not in a position to know, but if I had to guess, I'd say Denver's first ciclovia was a huge success. Hopefully this means there will be more like it in the future. Congratulations and thanks to all the organizations and volunteers who worked so hard to make it happen.