I really liked the idea of an Omnium, they seem like they’s ride more like a road bike, but having the load that much higher kinda scares me off.
I’d really love to test both with someone’s toddler side by side, but I doubt that’s something I can arrange…
Anyone ridden both?
I’ve ridden cycletrucks and a bullet before and I wouldn’t want to put my kid on a cycketruck.
My Xtra iis fine with a 40lb maniac toddler on the back. All I hear is "go fasta dad!”
That said, a front loader would be pretty sweet. There’s no reason to not get a bullitt if you can swing it.
No question for me, 100% Bullitt. Best bike purchase ever. I’ve ridden some of the other more seemingly kid friendly options and I didn’t find any of them to be fun to ride loaded or unloaded.
We started both kids on the Bullitt at ~9 months. Initially they sat in an infant car seat strapped inside a plastic cargo box. Once they could sit upright moved into a Yepp Maxi attached to the floor. The older kid (now 4) sits on a seat attached to the top tube when he isn’t riding his own bike.
No question for me, 100% Bullitt. Best bike purchase ever. I’ve ridden some of the other more seemingly kid friendly options and I didn’t find any of them to be fun to ride loaded or unloaded.
We started both kids on the Bullitt at ~9 months. Initially they sat in an infant car seat strapped inside a plastic cargo box. Once they could sit upright moved into a Yepp Maxi attached to the floor. The older kid (now 4) sits on a seat attached to the top tube when he isn’t riding his own bike.[/quote]
This sounds great. Do you have any pics of your setup with the car seat strapped in?
These are the best I could find quickly.
Hard to see because of the blanket, but the blue strap wraps over the top of the car seat as well as hooks in behind (just like a seat belt in the car) to secure the seat to the frame. Had to make some cuts in the plastic box todo this.
I would not put a kid on an omnium. The higher center of gravity makes it far more difficult with heavier loads. As the kids get past toddler age it will be basically impossible to tote them around on an omnium. Whereas I’ve ridden grown ass men on the bullit with ease of steering although hard to push a 230lb man around for sure.
What’s the best way/place to buy a Bullitt? The nearest dealer listed on their website is 5 hours away, so it seems like I’d have to deal with shipping and buying it sight unseen.
I really expected to find more on ebay and elsewhere. This looks like an expensive project…
How do y’all haul around cargo bikes? Any luck getting them on public trans or mounted on a bike rack on a car? I’m still hoping to get one some day, but half of the good places to ride near me are a 20-30 mile ride away.
I put the xtracycle in the back of my minivan, but only if I need to take it to the shop. If we can’t ride there, we don’t go. Cargo bikes are fucking difficult to carry. If you’re gonna do fun biking with a kid, look at the weehoo trailers or something like that since that way you can carry it there.
Otherwise, use a big truck, a van, or a tandem rack.
Don’t you live in the East Bay? Just get the fucker onto BART.
edit: I’ve 100% not done this, and would imagine that it might be a little bit nightmarish. If you could get it up the escalators, it would be doable from the platform onto the train itself.
I take my Bullitt on local and regional trains in Germany quite often. It’s only a PITA when train is crowded.
Most of the time I need to lift up the back wheel to squeeze in the elevator, escalators are easy too.
Accepted method is a tandem rack.
I’ve put my xtracycle on my trunk rack but would not recommend. They just do not travel well.
I’ve taken the bullit on bart before. During the slow hours and figure out what stations have elevators that are not piss filled or escalators that won’t be too busy. West O is honestly the easiest for me and then in the city…probably embarcadero?
and as for purchasing the easiest route is as Eric said, order from splendid and have it shipped freight. If shipping costs is scaring you from the project you probably don’t want to do the math on the rest of the it either.
The shipping costs aren’t too scary, and I appreciate all of the options that Splendid offers. I think the scarier part is not having a local shop/dealer familiar with Bullitts that can “just fix it” if something is amiss, since carving out time to ride a bike is already a challenge. Considering the Yuba front loader too, which I think I can test ride locally whenever winter ceases.
i wonder if perennial cycle would have someone with experience? they seem to have a lot of weird bikes on the stand when I go there.
