One Night Out On A Bike

When people talk about bicycle touring the image that come to mind more often then not is something that looks like this - - -

- - - and conjures up images of long, multiple days in the saddle, riding across Canada or some such "crazy" adventure requiring quitting your job, growing dreadlocks, and not having a shower for weeks at a time.

Truth is, touring by bike can be just like that. Or it can be so much simpler and still offer the feeling of being away from civilization - even if it's only for a single night.

New Brand Announcement - XTRACYCLE Cargobikes

My personal journey into the world of cargobikes (and subsequent tumble down the rabbit hole towards creating BikeBike) started in a rather humble way - purchasing a relatively unknown product called the "Freeradical" from a local shop that was going out of business back in 2007.

This humble little add-on that basically transforms a standard bicycle into a "longtail" cargobike completely changed my life and opened doors to worlds I hadn't really dreamed of.

Car-free living in Calgary?! Now totally possible. 

Fostering of a deeper connection to my city? I totally get it. 

Choosing to spend more locally instead of driving halfway across the city to get a "deal" at Costco? Way more satisfying!

And the list goes on to this day.

Tankbike was a revelation that eventually lead me to research the phenomena of cargobikes of all kinds and who/where/why/what were offering them across North America. It didn't take long to see that there were quite a few shops who were focusing on city/cargo/family bikes and before I knew it I was in the midst of an "entrepreneurial seizure" that eventually lead to the birth of BikeBike in 2010.

Tankbike at rest in North Glenmore Park

Easily the heaviest bike I'd ever owned and easily the funnest bike I ever built.

Xtracycle has always had a special place in my heart and now we're finally offering them for sale at the shop!

Things have changed a lot since those early days and so has the products available from Xtracycle. The Freeradical is no longer available (although, there is a new design in the works) but in its place, a complete bike has emerged called the Edgerunner which in our view is the best longtail design available on the market today.

2016 Edgerunner/Bosch mid-drive electric version

Xtracycle has always been a little cheeky :)

There are a few Edgerunner models available, starting with the 24D at the bottom of the range and going all the way up to the Bosch-equipped electric model. One thing that makes these bikes so nice for use in Calgary is they all come with MTB-style gearing and disc brakes out of the box. Super-low gear range for crawling up the many hills in this city and powerful disc-brakes to slow you - and your precious cargo -  down no matter where your travels take you.

We've got a demo model available to try out and/or rent out for a few days if you're interested in a longer-term test.

Bikes are now starting to arrive and more models will be available as they trickle into Canada.

You'll be blown away by how fun these bikes are to ride - loaded or unloaded!