# Alternate bag sources for Xtracycles?



## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

Before i go and drop like $700 on Xtracycle bits at their website, are there any third party options in lieu of the Freeloaders?

I tried Googling but all I came up with was online bike shops selling the Freeloaders, or blogs about people making their own. Didn't know if there was a company out there who makes stuff, kinda like Revelate or something. Ideally not super boutiquey, similar in price to the Freeloaders ideally.


----------



## TroyS600 (Mar 29, 2007)

I'm not aware of any. I thought the xtracycle bags were too expensive so i went ahead and made my own. I can now tell you that the xtracycle bags are worth every penny! haha It's a lot of work to make a set, and after all that work, mine aren't nearly as good.


----------



## SRALPH (Jun 27, 2008)

XJaredX said:


> Before i go and drop like $700 on Xtracycle bits at their website, are there any third party options in lieu of the Freeloaders?
> 
> I tried Googling but all I came up with was online bike shops selling the Freeloaders, or blogs about people making their own. Didn't know if there was a company out there who makes stuff, kinda like Revelate or something. Ideally not super boutiquey, similar in price to the Freeloaders ideally.


You could order a set of the adventure racks or whatever they are called now - the one's that have the lower rail for mounting panniers on. I picked up one so I can mount my Ortlieb panniers on one side - I have a vrack with freeloader on the other side.

The advantage to this option is you can move the panniers between bikes. The only thing about the adventure rack is it doesn't have a lower rail to secure the lower hook on a pannier mount to. I string a piece of webbing between the vertical posts down low for that.


----------



## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

You might want to check out some of Devo's Dummy threads. He has used BOB trailer sacks strapped to the frame to carry far more than the freeloaders are capable of. You just need a couple of cheap flat cargo straps to tie them on.


----------



## longhaultrucker (Jan 24, 2007)

I bought the Xtracycle Hoodie bag for mine (basically an ECO kit when setup tis way,check it on their website),a pic...









Seems like it was aroun $70 for the Hoodie itself,well worth the investment IMO :thumbsup: It swalos camoning gear for 2 and 12 packs like they aren't even there. The website says "4 bags of groceris",but I've squeezed a week's worth for the family (me,wife,2 kids) in there more than a coupel times,between the Hoodie and the top/rack-area. Underneath the Hoodie isn't a solid rack (though the Flightdeck does fit,if a bit tightly),but it's reinforced with thin plastic to make it usable to strap stuff to it. 

Oh wait...do you already have the longtail kit,or are you just talking about bags to use ON the longtail? If you're just starting and have a donor bike,the complete ECO kit was like,$400-430 shipped if memory serves


----------



## catsh16 (Jul 11, 2006)

We just built our first run of ExtraHuge roll top bags for ExtraCycles.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151754097367698.1073741835.359421477697&type=1

Full 1050D ballistic cloth... strongest material available, highly water repellant. We just sold our first dozen bags locally. We have another 10-12 on hand... likely to go quick. $125 per bag. 
color options including:

Coffee/Grey
Grey/Yellow
Grey/Red
Green/Yellow
Blue/Grey

Email me if interested... info at upski dot com
cheers, Kevin


----------



## adson3492 (Dec 6, 2014)

How about an illustration of your 
plans here? Having a hard time picturing it.


----------



## NordicNorm (Jul 25, 2014)

Surly's Big Dummy Bags look pretty nice (as does the X2). For a low budget solution, you could strap on a couple of Ikea bags. They're about the right size. Devo and Vik (and others I'm sure) have gotten good results with BOB drysaks and wideloaders.


----------

