# Dumping the Dummy for a MinUte?



## farley (Feb 17, 2004)

Call me crazy (and I'm sure a few of you will), but I'm seriously considering selling off by Bid Dummy to get one of the new Kona MinUtes when they come out.










I've loved the Dummy, but sometimes it's hard to wrestle it in and out of the storage room at my apartment, in and out of the storage room at my office--onto the bike rack on my wife's car. . .

I know the MinUte won't carry the bigger, bulkier, crazier loads that a legit cargo bike would, but most days I carry my daughter, my work bag, her school bag, her lunchbox, and a stuffed animal--which all fits in two large panniers (well, except for my daughter). And if I threw a lowrider rack on the fork of the MinUte, I'd get a couple more panniers worth of space for grocery day. I'm just not sure how the MinUte would do with a kid on the deck. . .


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

Trying to envision a stoker stem/bar on there. I feel like your daughter will be positioned behind the rear axle. That may result in funky handling depending on how big she is.

I do like the idea of a smaller cargo bike to help some people bridge the gap into the lifestyle.


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## mattbryant2 (Apr 19, 2005)

Psssh. Maybe if it was steel, and maybe if you were planning to upgrade many of the components anyway. 

Though the mid-blade fork eyelets are something I wish the Dummy fork had. I looked into having some added, but it didn't seem worth the $150 I was quoted.


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## lawfarm (May 14, 2010)

Yo' crazy!

If you want a cargo bike, LWB is where it's at. Slapping panniers on a short, upright frame does not, a cargo bike make.


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## backcountryeti (May 21, 2004)

I have always been intrigued by the Ute, but this bike seems like it will not fit the bill. I feel like for the price I would just buy a Surly LHT and put a rack on it. But that is just for me, if it works for you, rock it.
On a side note, crazy prices going on for the entire Kona line...


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## BenSwayne (May 15, 2011)

sorry to drift, but matt: the big dummy does now come with braze on eyelets on the fork! You can get a whole new fork for the $150 you were quoted to add them to your old fork!


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## PugsleyLvr (Aug 15, 2011)

As a Kona Ute owner I'd say you're crazy...maybe.

The Ute has some pretty goofy design issues, some may be better on the MinUte but I doubt it. The Ute shoulda had 26" wheels. The load is too high with the 29" wheels and high rear deck. The bags hang way too high as well. Additionally, most of the load carrying area is to the rear of the hub, placing the majority of the weight far enough to the rear to reeeeallly lighten the front end more than I'd like. Couple that with a lack of Xtracycle compatibility and you've got a ride with few carry options, that carries the load too high and too far away from the "fulcrum" (rear hub). 

That said, I'm still gonna keep my Ute, mod my bags to move forward and lower, and swap my wheels for 26". After that I can maybe carry my kids and groceries without feeling like I'm riding a gigantic, wiggling, wheelie-popping clydesdale around town...


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## farley (Feb 17, 2004)

The more I've thought about this, the more I think the Minute ISN'T what I'm looking for. I just wish there was a slightly Littler Dummy, though. I feel like I rarely use the Dummy to it's full capacity (although I would regularly outdo a "normal" bike). I would just like something easier to maneuver in and out of my apartment and office. Oh well. The Dummy will certainly do for now....


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## LongtailJunkie (Feb 9, 2011)

I'll stick to my STEEL BD. Nothing rides like STEEL.


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