The Xtrabike allows the user of any bicycle to securely carry up to 200 pounds of load. After installing the Xtrabike frame with locally available tools, the user can load and unload the Xtrabike is faster than a truck. Purchased for the equivalent of $50 or less, it fits into the budget of most people in our project areas.

With the standard rear rack on most Chinese-made bicycles, the load sits on top of the rear wheel. The center of gravity is high, and heavy loads affect the handling of the bike. Bulky loads do not fit along the side of the wheels, because they interfere with the rider's foot.

The issue is not the weight, but the where it's carried on the bike. When high and unstable, the weight makes riding a dangerous challenge. When low and secure, it's as easy as ... riding a bike!

With an Xtrabike, there is ample space to carry loads low on the bike, without interfering with the pedal stroke. A second rider can also sit comfortably on the rear of the bike. Due to the longer wheelbase and the Xtrabike's rigid steel frame, the weight of an adult passenger or a couple children does not significantly change the riding properties of the bike over flat and rolling terrain.

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People in our project sites have other options for carrying load: buses, trucks, carts, motor-driven rickshaws, and bicycle rickshaws, for example. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Consider that the annual income for a Kenyan is about $400, according to the BBC. Even an Indian-made three-wheeled bicycle rickshaw costs nearly one year's income. A personal automobile or truck is not even in the picture. Sharing a truck amongst a community is an option, but not for an entrepreneur who needs to use transportation every day.

With an Xtrabike, an average person can afford to transport loads securely over distances comparable to an automobile.

Why is the Xtrabike so affordable? Because it has few moving parts, and re-uses the real wheel, brakes, and drivetrain of the original bicycle. (Buying an Xtrabike does require owning a working bicycle to attach it to.) Wheels are the most expensive components of bicycles. Buying a rickshaw or trailer entails buying two or three new wheels, while buying an Xtrabike does not require buying any additional wheels.

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Example of a Solidworks model of the Xtrabike produced in the Afribike workshop in Johannesburg. Please read more about obtaining plans for XAccess bicycles.

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The Longtail / Bigga Boda

Designed in Nairobi, Kenya, in partnership with Kickstart International, the Longtail is a light, strong, and inexpensive bike extension. The longtail is projected to cost $30 to an end user, which is 30% of the cost of a front-loader and 5% the cost of a bicycle rickshaw. The end-user cost of the Longtail is also lower than the XAccess Xtrabike.

The Longtail is our internal name, but during the Bigga Boda Trial Market in '05 and '06, we will be using the name "Bigga Boda" as the regionally-specific brand for this technology.

See more pictures of the Longtail in use by Makindu Children's Center in Makindu, Kenya.

For more information about buying or building a Longtail for your organization, Please read more about obtaining plans for XAccess bicycles.

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The Xtracycle FreeRadical

The FreeRadical and the Xtrabike are two different designs of the same root concept: a simple bike extension that radically increases the carrying capacity of an ordinary bicycle.

While the Xtrabike is designed for cost and durability, the Xtracycle FreeRadical is optimized for weight, performance, and style. Produced in Taiwan and distributed mainly in North America and Europe, the FreeRadical is the ultimate in performance among Sport Utility Bicycles. Please visit www.xtracycle.com to learn more.

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Xtrabike, Longtail, and FreeRadical: Which of these bicycles should my organization use?

We have many technologies at our disposal, and each has different points in its favor. Beyond the concept of bike extensions, which have proven to be an effective and inexpensive way to carry load with human power, we also recognize the importance of trailers, customized load-carrying bikes and, of course the human body, as effective ways to move load.

If you are interested in any of the technologies we offer for equipping your community or organization, we will help you understand the issues and find a good fit. If you are looking for the ultimate bike for development work, one that will take you around or off-road with gear and material for water projects, immunization programs, etc., we can supply you. If instead you need to make a transportation impact in a community without much money, we can make affordable load-carrying bikes available. If you are working with an organization with engineering, welding, or fabrication skills and resources, you can purchase plans for a Longtail or Xtrabike and make them yourselves.

Please contact us at techinfoATxaccess.org with your technical questions.

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