# A new Dummy



## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

I am now officially a new Dummy. More pictures coming as I have a chance to take them. Here is the dummy in my wife's TINY Honda Fit for the ride home from the store:









So far, the bike is set up like this:

Done by the store:
"Complete" BD 18"
Jeff-jones Loop Bars
Shimano front dyno-hub
Rear stoker
Schwalbe Big-apples
Shimano Dyno-hub up front (the DH-3N72)

Done by me:
Bar-end foot pegs
Yepp Easy-Fit seat
Rolling Jackass Kickstand
Fenders
B&M Head/tail lights (waiting for plug for head-light; didn't come with hub)

Only had the initial test ride so far, but this bike is really, really fun to ride. Of course, the cross-check that I took out for a spin while they were cutting my head tube was even more fun. I see more bikes in the future for me.


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## ThundaCrymz (Oct 22, 2012)

Congrats!!!  Post updates whenever you can!


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## MikePedals (Oct 19, 2006)

It FITS! Pics of the dummy too!!


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Ok, I finished the (initial) set of build parts today, and took it for a test ride with the girls... I'll put my thoughts on how it rode in the next post. First, pictures:
NOTE: Apologies for the streaking from lights and flashes; best I could do at the time.

Assembled and ready to go:









Closeup of the Cockpit:









Stokers && foot rests for a toddler









Headlight (B&M CYO-T):









Tail light (B&M Toplight Plus)









Ready to go:









Out at the Library:


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Ok, now for review time...

THE BIKE: This bike rides amazingly well. With no cargo on back, I wouldn't know I was on anything other than a normal bike. The Big Apples are a great ride, especially over bumps. My old bike was often a struggle (and with the trailer, it was just bad). This bike keeps telling me "GO FASTER." With the girls on back, I can really feel the higher center of gravity, and how top heavy it is. With cargo in the loaders, it will probably improve, but with just the girls it feels a little unstable when slow or stopped. However, when I'm riding, the extra weight is just that: more inertia. It takes a bit more to get going, but it doesn't take any extra effort to KEEP going. The difference between this and the trailer is complete night-and-day. The trailer was constantly slowing me down. With the dummy, I just get started a little slower.

Locking this beast up is going to be a problem, between the extra frame and the schwalbies. I have a Kryptonite Mini-7 and cable. I think I'm going to have to invest in a TIGR to lock the rear wheel and frame to something, and use the mini-7 to lock the front wheel to the frame. I could barely lock it up at the (admittedly crappy) library racks.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

ROLLING JACKASS: With a top-heavy cargo bike (aka KIDS), even after one ride, I am COMPLETELY glad that I spent the money on this. It's expensive. But with a top-heavy cargo bike, it makes loading and unloading the girls easy. The bike just sits there, no problem. If you are just carrying STUFF and not KIDS, it might not be worth it. But with precious cargo on the back, GET THIS. You would not believe how completely stable it is. EDIT: The RJ is a kickstand, just in case that wasn't clear.

B&M LIGHTS: I've only temporarially routed the cables so I could go for this ride. I'll need to take a half hour or two this weekend to clean them up and make everything permanant. That said, these are great lights. The CYO provides an AMAZINGLY bright light, focused on the road as it should be. The wide-view running lights (the T in the model) provide good wide close-in light. The focused beam is good far away. I wasn't worried about missing things as I went around in the dark park, lightly lit side streets while viewing xmas lights, or on the major roads. The tail light worked well, as far as I could tell. Every time I glanced back I could see a red glow following along behind. The standlight turns off with a switch when you reach your destination, which is a nice touch. I didn't have any worries about traffic between the two.

JEFF JONES BARS: This is my first experience with anything beyond basic handlebars. I can already tell that I am going to love these. With the girls on back, the wide position at the end of the bars is just right when at a stop or going slow. Once I speed up a bit, the positions at the center are a bit low on leverage for any fast turns, but are fine for mostly straight riding. The forward aero-position is great both for getting out of the wind and for getting a better power position on the pedals. I'm not familiar with drops, so I can't compare with them, but on a mountain bike, I would have no problem recommending them to anyone.

DRIVETRAIN: This is a shimano drivetrain with SRAM shifters. It seems fine; nothing that stands out good or bad at this point.

BRAKES: AVID BB-5s. With the girls on the back, it doesn't feel that these are braking as fast as my old rim brakes. Of course, I haven't tried screaching to a halt yet, so my feeling may change. I may try upgrading to bigger rotors in time if they still feel under-powered. We'll see.

FREELOADERS: My girls managed to abscond with one of the velcro-buckles while assembling yesterday. A quick trip to REI for new buckles, and what they call strap-all (self-mating velcro straps) fixed that. Probably better than the original velcro loops, at that.

That's it for initial thoughts, at any rate. More thoughts and reviews as I get more time on the bike.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

bikemike575 said:


> It FITS! Pics of the dummy too!!


I love my wife's FIT. Actually, I think that the FIT and the Dummy go together pretty well. The FIT is not too much of a car, lots of carrying capacity, great gas milage, and seats 4 very comfortably. For long trips or bad weather, this is how to go!

The Dummy has a lot of cargo capacity, seats 3, has infinite gas milage, and is great for short to medium treks. I know it's the SUV of bikes, but it really feels similar to something like the FIT.


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## Fresno (Jul 11, 2011)

evandy said:


> ROLLING JACKASS: The bike just sits there, no problem. If you are just carrying STUFF and not KIDS, it might not be worth it. But with precious cargo on the back, GET THIS.





evandy said:


> Ok, I finished the (initial) set of build parts today, and took it for a test ride with the girls...
> 
> Ready to go:
> 
> ...


*How old is your toddler? She appears to be too young to riding that way without another child seat.*


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Fresno said:


> How old is your toddler? She appears to be too young to riding that way without another child seat.


She is three and a half; the other one is 1.5. They are both small for their age. No problems with balance and stability for the 3 year old so far.


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## islander (Jan 21, 2004)

Can you speak to why you'd want this over a double chariot trailer? I mean, the trailer is better in the rain, has lower centre of gravity (safer), cheaper, ligher overall setup, and with a set of pannier you can carry some cargo. Now, granted, you can't carry that big bag of dogfood, but I just can't see one doing that with 2 kids on board unless there a StokeMonkey in there. What am I missing? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get a cargo bike, but I got stuck when trying to rationalize it over the Chariot....


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

islander said:


> Can you speak to why you'd want this over a double chariot trailer? I mean, the trailer is better in the rain, has lower centre of gravity (safer), cheaper, ligher overall setup, and with a set of pannier you can carry some cargo. Now, granted, you can't carry that big bag of dogfood, but I just can't see one doing that with 2 kids on board unless there a StokeMonkey in there. What am I missing? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get a cargo bike, but I got stuck when trying to rationalize it over the Chariot....


Sure. Your evaluation may be different than mine. I have been using a chariot, so here is what I feel. This seems to match up with other reviews...

1) rolling resistance; there is less of this. Much easier to keep going
2) air resistance; wind doesn't affect you as much. 
3) footprint; narrower and shorter than bike plus chariot

There are some downsides, as you mention. Some have made custom rain covers to deal with them. Some are relative; chariot is low to the ground, so it is much easier for drivers or traffic to miss.

In the end, it is largely personal preference, as we will weight the ups and downs differently.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

*First Grocery Run*

Recently completed our Inaugural grocery run. No trouble getting 4 full bags into the dummy... Note the girl-appropriate bling on the handlebars now. I think I'm done adding or playing with it for a while; need to clean up the wire routing for the light, but that's about it for now. I locked up the frame and front wheel, since that's all my lock would manage. I figure that if someone can get the bike upside down to get the real wheel out before the new lock gets here next week, they are supermen.

















For a comparison to my chariot on the old bike... normally with the chariot I am operating in the 2nd front chain-ring, and the lower half(bigger gears) of the rear gearset. On the way to the store (~5mi) I was using the big front chainring with the mid to upper half (smaller gears) of the rear gearset. Must have had a bit of a tailwind, because I sure had a headwind on the way back (plus groceries); Outer chainring up front and lower half of the back gearset, dropping down to the middle front chainring to climb a couple of short hills. All in all, the dummy + kids + food was MUCH more pleasant to ride than 2 kids in the chariot with no cargo. I really appreciated the aero tuck and extra hand positions on the JJ loop bars. Two hours from door to door (10mi travel + shopping); not too bad, but my legs were feeling it by the last couple blocks home.

We had a short detour to the local LBS to grab a wheel reflector for the front wheel; it was on the way anyways. Guys in the shop all said "What is that??" and "That's awesome" and other similar phrases. They tried to give me the wheel reflectors free just for the fun of seeing the bike, but I left a couple bucks anyways. Note to self: Break the habit of swinging your leg behind to get off the bike. Knocking the toddler off the bike is not fun for anyone.


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## flatfendershop (Jan 7, 2012)

evandy said:


> She is three and a half; the other one is 1.5. They are both small for their age. No problems with balance and stability for the 3 year old so far.


But could she hold on if you had to swerve unexpectedly? I hate to spoil any fun, please be careful.


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## Plum (Sep 14, 2004)

flatfendershop said:


> But could she hold on if you had to swerve unexpectedly? I hate to spoil any fun, please be careful.


My youngest has been riding like that since he was 2, he's 4 now. I added a simple seatbelt around/under the v-racks and deck, goes over his legs. He can't get off unless its unbuckled. He would probably be fine without, but it adds a level of confidence.

Plum


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Plum said:


> My youngest has been riding like that since he was 2, he's 4 now. I added a simple seatbelt around/under the v-racks and deck, goes over his legs. He can't get off unless its unbuckled. He would probably be fine without, but it adds a level of confidence.
> 
> Plum


I've thought about making an upholstered seat for her. She loves construction and woodworking, so it is a good project for the two of us. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. I've been thinking about a seat-belt for it, but have been waiting to see how her balance is. Can always make it removable, I suppose.


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## islander (Jan 21, 2004)

flatfendershop said:


> But could she hold on if you had to swerve unexpectedly? I hate to spoil any fun, please be careful.


I'm thinking about potholes, tire blowouts and storm drain gates right now. Hang on is right. All not problems in a chariot, and the lower centre of gravity mean the kids haven't any real distance to fall. Grocery run - why not put some weight in a set of front pannier to spread the load?


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## Plum (Sep 14, 2004)

islander said:


> I'm thinking about potholes, tire blowouts and storm drain gates right now. Hang on is right. All not problems in a chariot, and the lower centre of gravity mean the kids haven't any real distance to fall. Grocery run - why not put some weight in a set of front pannier to spread the load?


I have a dummy, a piccolo and a chariot to move my 4&5 yo kids. The chariot only gets used if its very cold (below 15 degrees) or raining, and not necessarily even then.

It's kinda like towing a uhaul with an empty Suburban, doable, but not convenient or necessary. Carrying the kids and groceries on the bike is not a stretch, the kids (mine anyway) much prefer riding with me to riding in the chariot. The chariot involves more locking and security issues, parking and maneuverability issues and makes a big difference in the effort. The chariot feels like a sea anchor compared to a loaded dummy.

To each their own, but the more obstacles involved in getting out the door on the bike, the more likely I am not to use it. If a trailer is what works for you, then go that route. A dummy makes it unnecessary or redundant most of the time, as well as more complicated and cumbersome.

Plum


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## Plum (Sep 14, 2004)

evandy said:


> I've thought about making an upholstered seat for her. She loves construction and woodworking, so it is a good project for the two of us. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. I've been thinking about a seat-belt for it, but have been waiting to see how her balance is. Can always make it removable, I suppose.


I screwed a gardening foam pad to the deck. A little cushion, waterproof, a little insulation and it was the right size without mods. Cheap too.

My seatbelts are easily removable, just pull them out. I leave them on there, they come in handy for trips to the grocery without kids. I use old webbing belts from worn out pants. 99.9% of the time they're not necessary, but a little extra security never hurt, especially with kids that can be in attentive.

Plum


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Plum said:


> The chariot feels like a sea anchor compared to a loaded dummy.
> 
> To each their own, but the more obstacles involved in getting out the door on the bike, the more likely I am not to use it. If a trailer is what works for you, then go that route. A dummy makes it unnecessary or redundant most of the time, as well as more complicated and cumbersome.


The other thing I am noticing as I've been riding with my girls is that it's a much more interactive experience on the dummy. I can hear them, they can hear me. It's easier for them to look around and see things, being up higher. We can talk about what we are seeing (like the elk in the park we rode through today). Frankly, at this point, if I tried to put them in the trailer I would have a tantrum on my hands. Not that I won't let that happen if necessary, but for my girls and me at this point, I don't see any reason to do so.

They are also not as squashed in the dummy as in the trailer. We have a mid-sized double trailer and even with the girls being small for their age, they are pretty close in there. I've had to stop and break up some situations that are due to crowding. Plenty of room for them on the dummy.

As mentioned, I'll probably make a cushioned upholstered seat with a belt for my three year old, but other than that, the dummy is definitely the right solution for us. Other families will make different choices... Considering that I found out about the dummy via a bunch of other family biking blogs, we certainly aren't alone in our choices.



Plum said:


> 99.9% of the time they're not necessary, but a little extra security never hurt, especially with kids that can be in attentive.


No argument there. I'll probably build something more interesting just to have the opportunity to do it with the rider... she'll have a blast, and it won't be that hard.


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## Lone Desert Walker (Sep 15, 2011)

nice bike, Good choices on build.


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## SSSasky (Mar 17, 2004)

Why not drop those foot pegs for your older daughter down a bit? She looks awfully cramped up. Dropping them down would probably make her more comfortable, and secure, and lower the overall centre of gravity a bit.

Maybe there's something I'm not seeing? I'm sure you've thought of this - it just looks less than ideal in the photos.

I think it's great to have the kids on a cargo bike, and I salute you for it.

I think come kiddy time for me, I'll look at a Bakfiets-style bike. Put the kids out front where I can see them, lower centre of gravity, and easier to provide effective rain cover. Just my 2 cents.

Anyways, I love the setup, and the family biking mentality. I'm sure your daughters will look back very fondly on these rides.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

I put em where she said she wanted them. I'll probably drop them soon anyways, but I'm letting her make her own choices there. I ask her every ride if she wants them down or not, and she says no.

I've seen a bunch of pictures of backfiets-style bikes. They look interesting; but they are also not a bike I would use for general cycling. The thing I like about the dummy is that I can hop on and go for a ride and it's pretty close to a normal bike (when it's not loaded up with kids and/or cargo).


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## tideiscup (Jan 1, 2013)

I finished the (initial) set of build parts today, and took it for a test ride with the girls


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Well, the weather here was pretty nice today (for winter). About 30 degrees, clear and sunny. So we bundled up the girls and took them for a ride out to the playground (~ 5 minutes). Everyone had a great time... I'll post a couple of pictures tomorrow when I can pull them off the phone.

In other riding, I've been taking the dummy back and forth to work as my commuter. A little bundling up in the morning, and the cold is no problem; as long as the roads stay clear, should be great. There is something very, very peaceful about the deep silence in the morning while biking through the park. Weather brisk and chill, nothing but the sound of chain on the sprocket and the wind.

There are a lot of errands I want to get on the bike for, but with needing to tote the two girls around, and the cold weather, I've been a little leary of half-hour each way rides through the cold with them on back. No problem for me, but I'm driving... they would just be in the cold; nowhere near as fun. Anyone else out there biking with kids in the snow? How does it work for you?


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## obkook (Feb 21, 2012)

Very nice build! I just finished negotiations with my wife today and will be pulling the trigger on something very soon. At the top of my list is a Dummy very much like yours. I have 2 kids (2 1/2 and 6 mos) so I will likely get a Yepp for the back and a Yepp Mini up front. Later on move to single seat + stoker.

However I think I will also add a hub motor to mine. I live on a steep hill in San Francisco and am starting to feel my 46 years...

Keep the reports and pictures coming - good inspiration for me!


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Good luck, obkook. I will DEFINITELY recommend the Yepp easy-fit on the back; it's a really great seat. I can't speak of the mini up front, though. Our 25% 2yo fits nicely in the Yepp Maxi, so it's defenitely flexible; but I think that 6mo is probably way too small. Actually, you might want to check with your pediatrician; most of the recommendations we see are that you don't want to bike with the kids until they can sit up well by themselves. They need the neck strength... Of course, by the time they can do that, they will probably be doable in the Yepp Maxi.

Out here in flat Illinois, I haven't had too much trouble without the motor, but San Francisco is a whole other story. Are you looking at BionX, or something else? It would be great to see what you end up with.

In personal news, we took advantage of a weird 49F day last weekend, to do another grocery run. Everyone had a great time; only "problem" was the 2 year old falling asleep in her seat just as we reached home. She was so groggy when we dismounted that she could barely walk through the hallway; went right back down for a nap, needless to say.

I'm really loving the limited time we get on the bike with the girls; can't wait until spring when we can really go for some adventures.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

Not to derail the thread (nice build!) but obkook you definitely don't want to put a 6 month old on a bike- a child should be able to comfortably sit upright on their own for an extended period of time before they ride, especially when you consider their head/neck has to support the extra weight of a helmet.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

XJaredX said:


> Not to derail the thread (nice build!)


Hey, Mr. XJaredX! How is your dummy working out for you and yours? Haven't seen too many posts. I'm still a bit jealous you were able to 100% custom-build yours!


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## knibby (Jun 9, 2011)

We have a hooptie on the back of our Big dummy. The 4yr old uses the stokers and the 2yr old has a yepp. Anyone have any homemade solutions for a back rest/headrest so the child using stokers can dose off safely?
Thanks


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## damnitman (Jan 30, 2008)

...size "super small" Hans devce?
Welcome


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

Great looking bike - thanks for sharing. You wont regret having a dyno-hub. I just love mine which does my lights at night and during the day keeps my gps and cell phone charged. I use my bike for touring and I gotta tell you that the worst thing on my prior trips was sitting in camp ground bathrooms and laundries waiting for those items to charge. It would often mean 2 hours hanging around watching them, too terrified to leave in case someone pinched them. Now I've the dyno-hub that worry is a thing of the past. I use a gizmo called an E-werk which sorts out all the current requirements.
Happy spinning!


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

rifraf said:


> Great looking bike - thanks for sharing. You wont regret having a dyno-hub. I just love mine which does my lights at night and during the day keeps my gps and cell phone charged. I use my bike for touring and I gotta tell you that the worst thing on my prior trips was sitting in camp ground bathrooms and laundries waiting for those items to charge. It would often mean 2 hours hanging around watching them, too terrified to leave in case someone pinched them. Now I've the dyno-hub that worry is a thing of the past. I use a gizmo called an E-werk which sorts out all the current requirements.
> Happy spinning!


I'm curious to see how you rigged up a current regulation circuit for charging up your GPS/cellphone/etc. Please do tell!


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

Leopold Porkstacker said:


> I'm curious to see how you rigged up a current regulation circuit for charging up your GPS/cellphone/etc. Please do tell!


Hi Leopold,
I have attached to my hub press on double connectors. From these, one set of wires goes directly to my Edelux headlight. Another set of wires goes up to my E-werk, which is mounted on my frame (head tube). From my E-werk wires go to a cache battery mounted opposite my E-werk on the head tube. The battery has a USB typre interface wire coming from it. When you buy the E-werk you get different wire connections to fit things like Nokia phones and my Garmin Edge 800.
Heres a link where it is undoubtedly better explained. Hope this helps.
Busch & Mller E-WERK Charger
Let me know your thoughts.

Update, 
just looked some more at your question and think it may be leaning more toward the regulation of current side of things. Hmmmmm, electrics arent my forte'.
The E-werks beauty is that you can change both the voltage and amps.
I dont bother, in that I have the E-werk set to USB standard which charges the cache battery at 5v and I'm not sure how many amp as I'm not home at the mo.
The battery is continually topping up what ever item is connected (most often my Edge 800).

Does this help?


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## Bong_Crosby (Oct 10, 2006)

Leopold Porkstacker said:


> I'm curious to see how you rigged up a current regulation circuit for charging up your GPS/cellphone/etc. Please do tell!


There's also this option: Home

I've been using their products on my LHT for several years now with great success.

Here's another review:

CyclingAbout.com | World Bicycle Touring | Gear Reviews | Blog | Tips - Review: Pedal Power Plus V4i Battery Kit and iCable


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

rifraf said:


> Hi Leopold,
> I have attached to my hub press on double connectors. From these, one set of wires goes directly to my Edelux headlight. Another set of wires goes up to my E-werk, which is mounted on my frame (head tube). From my E-werk wires go to a cache battery mounted opposite my E-werk on the head tube. The battery has a USB typre interface wire coming from it. When you buy the E-werk you get different wire connections to fit things like Nokia phones and my Garmin Edge 800.
> Heres a link where it is undoubtedly better explained. Hope this helps.
> Busch & Mller E-WERK Charger
> ...


Ahh, got it. Thanks. Looks as though the unit is using the battery for an "in between", in that it is being charged and then the current from the battery is actually charging up your portable devices.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Just finished some custom running boards for the dummy... it looks like I'll probably end up re-making at least one since I got the bolt holes slightly wrong. Even though I measured about 6 times, the loop clamps when tight weren't at the same place they were when loose. Ah well; only an extra $10 for a new board. I'll run with these for a while to make sure that they are in the right size and place before I remake them. I still have enough aluminum tubing left for another set a few more inches out, if needed... and I may decide to make a 2nd set with 6" boards instead of 4".

Anyone besides me /love/ the look of hickory? There was a georgous bit of knotty pattern near one end of the boards, which I left out due to concerns about strength. Too bad. EDIT: The one that's upside down looks even better on the top... but I wanted to show how everything fit together.









Parts list:
2 packs Aluminum loop clamps; McMaster #8863T57
1 aluminum bar 6' (enough for 2-3 sets of bars); McMaster #9056K731
1 6' 1x4 Hickory board, Hardware store
8 1/4" carriage bolts + locknuts


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## The Sagebrush Slug (Jan 12, 2004)

Mmm, hickory!

Looks good to me!


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

*Spring has sprung?*

Well, after a very sunny day yesterday, today is a little grey and windy. Still, after the long winter it's nice to be out and about on the bike again. I know a lot of people bike with kids in the snow, and we did on a couple of days... but mostly it seemed like a bad idea with lots of wind. Maybe I'll build a wind shelter for the back at some point, but right now it just isn't ready for windy COLD weather.

Still, after a winter's commuting, not too bad:

A little rust on the fender bolts to clean up (T-9 boeshield and steel wool on bolts??):









The rust on the chain cleaned up nicely about 3 weeks ago; no sign of coming back:









STILL need to clean up my horrendous wiring job, though!









Foot pegs are finally lowered for the 3 year old (she agreed at last):









View from the cockpit:









All in all, still trucking and ready for a spring and summer of FUN:


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Well, I just made a change to my dummy... I've been dealing with a lot of hand pain lately. Not sure if it's just sore muscles or carpal tunnel, but I've been icing my thumbs and wrists once or twice a week. Boo.

My new commuter setup has road bars, and seems to be a little easier on my hands than the dummy... so I sprung for a set of ergon GP-1S grips for my dummy today. They definitely seem MUCH more comfortable than what I had on there before, which is awesome. I'm glad I went out to REI to check them out, as I would probably have gotten the Larges on-line; but getting to try them side by side there was no question that the small grips fit my hands much better. I also raised the brake levers so they weren't so far down low... Any other suggestions on things to try?

I'll post some pictures in a day or two when I have a chance to take them.


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## Flying_Scotsman (Jul 12, 2011)

I have the ergon's with the built in short bar ends, find that I can change my hand position so I dont get sore on longer rides.


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## Trower (Apr 27, 2009)

evandy said:


> Well, I just made a change to my dummy... I've been dealing with a lot of hand pain lately. Not sure if it's just sore muscles or carpal tunnel, but I've been icing my thumbs and wrists once or twice a week. Boo.
> 
> My new commuter setup has road bars, and seems to be a little easier on my hands than the dummy... so I sprung for a set of ergon GP-1S grips for my dummy today. They definitely seem MUCH more comfortable than what I had on there before, which is awesome. I'm glad I went out to REI to check them out, as I would probably have gotten the Larges on-line; but getting to try them side by side there was no question that the small grips fit my hands much better. I also raised the brake levers so they weren't so far down low... Any other suggestions on things to try?
> 
> I'll post some pictures in a day or two when I have a chance to take them.


I use a Soma three speed bar (mustache style bar) on my Design Logic cargo bike and really like it! Way more comfortiable than flat bars and the bike still remains very stable So I would say try out some different bars on the Dummy, hand pains no good and well its worth a trying some different bars out to eliminate it!


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Pictures coming soon... I actually managed to take a few on today's grocery run. I measured it on Strava today, 11.1mi round-trip, 1h 40min, including shopping time, door to door. Two girls in tow and a great time had by all. 

Last week I had some errands to run on Thursday after work, so I took the Dummy. First time in a long while that I've been on it by myself, without the girls. I was amazed with how stable and balanced it is. my cross-check turns on a dime... when I try to corner the Dummy it just wants to keep-on-trucking straight ahead. My normal commute time to work is 13.6 to 14.1mph over 20 minutes. On the Big Dummy, I hit 13.8 with no wind... surprised the heck out of me! Although I did notice that I maintained a much more constant speed, where the cross-check tends to surge faster at the drop of a feather and then drop back again.

I am officially LOVING the Ergon grips. They feel fantastic and comfortable under my hands, and the hand pain I was experiencing is down to an occasional twinge. I love my Jones loop bars, and don't think they have anything to do with the hand pain. I suspect the combination of working at a computer all day with low muscle strength in hands, arms, and core body. With the Ergons things are doing fantastic, and as I get more fit I have no doubt things will continue to improve.

On another thread someone told me that the Pugsley is a truck. I have therefore promoted the Big Dummy to Freight-train. Will try to post some pictures tomorrow.


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## Nakedbabytoes (Jul 24, 2012)

Nice! Ergon grips came on my used Trek Transport I picked up 3 weeks ago. Never had them before and love them! Do you have integrated bar end ones or just the grips? Mine have integrated bar ends. Nice for sitting and grinding up hills under loads.

My TT is faster than my pugs but slower than my Salsa Casseroll. It rides astonishingly well, even under loads. I hardly notice the length unless I stand up and sway/grind up a hill. But yes, I probably should then, huh?


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Oh, and I forgot to post my #1 biggest problem with the Big Dummy: the Brakes.

It's not that they don't work well (they do!). But whenever I need to use them, I lose a huge amount of inertia and it takes forever to get back up to speed without killing my legs.

I love this bike.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Bleah. cell-phone pictures did NOT come out. Here is a quick snap of the new Ergon-equipped cockpit. I will attempt to grab some more in-use shots the next time I'm out.


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## phsycle (Apr 14, 2011)

Any more updates, evandy? I have a 4 and 1 year old kids and will end up setting up the back like yours. I've got a Jones loop bar as well that I'll be using on it, as it didn't work out on my MTB. I'll also be setting mine up as a 1x10 with 32T up front and 12-36T out back.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Just riding it with my girls and having a good time, really. I did take the lights off to move to a Pugsley for the winter, since I don't really seem to do too much night-time riding on the Dummy these days, although I have in the past and probably will again.


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## syncro87 (Oct 7, 2013)

Sweet bike. I've always wanted a Big Dummy, and will have one someday. I have the same kiddo seat and like it a lot. Your setup is fantastic and I envy it.

Off topic...bought a new 09 Honda Fit back when the second gen came out, a loaded Sport Nav. The concept of the car is wonderful and the space utilization amazing. But I hated the rest of the car and traded it after a year on a Civic. The air conditioning was horrible and could not even remotely keep up with Kansas City summer heat. The suspension was not just firm, which is good, but rather was brittle / harsh, which is not good. You could tell whether a dime was heads or tails driving over one. The very responsive steering became a liability driving across Kansas on a windy day, with the engine screaming to maintain highway speed on slight uphill grades as the transmission shifted endlessly. Maybe a stick shift would have helped that.

I love small cars, and love wagons/hatches, so in theory I should have loved the Fit. But I can't remember ever hating a car that much, now that I think about it. It's probably just, no pun intended, a bad car for wide open midwest spaces and much better suited to urban areas with smooth roads. I was probably trying to put a square peg in a round hole so to speak.


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## phsycle (Apr 14, 2011)

Synchro - Too bad about your experiences with the Fit. My 07 now has 70k miles and I still love it. So useful and gets 35-40mpg. I do have a stick, so maybe that helps. At least the Fit retains incredible resale value so hope you didn't lose much. 

By the way, the AC is weak so I tinted all windows. Now, I hardly need the fan speed above 2 even on 100+ Degree days.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

syncro87 said:


> Sweet bike. I've always wanted a Big Dummy, and will have one someday. I have the same kiddo seat and like it a lot. Your setup is fantastic and I envy it.


Yeah, the setup is absolutely perfect for us. I haven't managed to get out as much as I'd like this year, but every time we DO get out, we love it. The Yepp is a really, really great seat. Easy to put on/take off, doesn't get hot in the sun, and has a very sturdy frame if we should ever get in a crash. I had a welder friend mod a Tubus Cargo to put a window in it so that I can even put the seat on my cross-check. It's around on another thread here somewhere...

If you can use the cargo space (for kids and/or stuff), then I think it's really hard to go wrong with a Dummy.


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## Butchcantswim (Oct 6, 2013)

*Surly Deck with Yepp Seat*

Do I need an adapter to put the Yepp seat on the back of our new dummy? My rear deck is slightly different than previous years.

So stoked on this bike! :thumbsup:


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Yes, you will need an adapter with the surly deck. Your other option would be the new XtraCycle Flight Deck version two which just came out. It has a cutout for the yepp.


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## KBel (Jan 17, 2014)

I bought a Dummy back in October, and I didn't get enough riding in before winter hit. Can't wait for spring...my 5 yo loves riding the Dummy to school. I got him his very own bell that I mounted to the hooptie, and he constantly rings it and talks to everyone we ride by


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

My two girls (4/2 now, though 3/1 when I got the dummy last year) love it too. We go grocery shopping, to the park, and all sorts of places on it. There is a bell on the stoker bars for my oldest... like yours, it's ring ring ring all the way.


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