This hopefully is going to be some collection of more or less useful information about the Surly Big Dummy Xtracycle longtail from a users point of view. This blog is in no way related to the manufacturers and companies producing this bicycle or any parts of it. This blog is non professional. Authors cannot be held liable for correctness or usefulness of information contained in this blog. Use this information on your own risk, but better check back with bicycle professionals. No responsibility is taken for any damages or injury whatsoever probably arising from using information given in this blog.

Note that any product names mentioned here may be protected and owned by the manufacturers.

Publishing of readers comments

Readers are welcome to create comments at log entries. Note that it is up to the author of this blog to approve comments for publishing or just delete comments unpublished. Commercials, spam, verbal injury and off-topic comments will never be published.

And finally, any content provided in this blog should not be copied without prior permission of the author.

Now, what is a big dummy longtail bicycle?

Surly bikes, a well known bicycle manufacturer from the US developed a steel frame suited to fit the Xtracycle racks and parts for carrying big things on a bicycle. While Xtracycle itself only offers some bicycle frame extension to fit ordinary hardtail bicycles, called the free radical kit, resulting in a longer wheelstand, Surly built a completely new bicycle frame that perfectly interfaces to the Xtracycle rack without any modification or additional parts. What you get is a prolongated bicycle, called a longtail that can be used to carry loads (or even people) on the one hand, but on the other can be used for normal or sportive cycling without restrictions. Surly releases this frame both for road and offroad usage as well, and there is not much of restrictions on using all kinds of parts or assembly kits. Nevertheless, in case of intermixing different types of parts it is probably a good idea, to stick to current MTB standards where necessary, as like 135mm rear hub width.

The big dummy appears to be the perfect bicycle for everyday riding and getting things done, but maybe it is much more. It is fast. It is real fun riding. It is cool. And somehow it always gives relaxed rides. I have been cycling for more then 20 years now, and to me it looks like a new and exciting category of bicycles, jumping the gap between old fashioned and brand new, serious and funny, short trip and long travel, every day and sport usage, efficiency and comfort, onroad and offroad riding. It all comes down to one bicycle, working well under all those conditions. A pretty good concept and a nice experience. In other words: it has got the holidays built in, which is the main reason for its big size.

Due to the fact, that the big dummy and Xtracycle components seem to be quite popular in the US, I am setting off this log in English language, although residing in Austria/Europe. In case of readers reactions, comments, responses I may decide to switch language accordingly.

The Author

Check my web home for more details. I have been a passionate cyclist since probably 1988, riding several road sports cycles, different kinds of mountainbikes and other stuff. I have started off this blog due to the fact that Surlys Big Dummy with Xtracycle system is quite a new way of cycling, combining every day usage, riding fun and travelling in a perfect way.

Article updates

Unlike other blogs I keep updating old articles and pages whenever I like to add new information. Mostly but not everywhere updates are indicated by ‘late addendum’ or whatever. This blog sometimes works like kind of technical archive for my own needs. So, just in case you happen to find an interesting article in here, you may probably keep on checking for an update every now and then.

1 Comment

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  By Fin Gypsy, November 28, 2009 @ 19:54

  Hi! Nice to see another Big Dummy in Europe. Cool site with some interesting info. If you want to check out a Big Dummy and a dog on a 17,000km tour of Europe visit http://cyclinggypsies.wordpress.com
  Any more trips planned soon? We are in Berlin at the moment.

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