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The Caddyrack

11/20/2014

12 Comments

 
Life on the Bullitt before the Caddyrack was okay. We had to do some finagling to get a rack on there because Bullitts surprisingly don't come with braze-ons for mounting a rack. I used a rack-mount seatcollar and had a freebie rack put on that was in the bike shop. It wasn't ideal but it added more room for cargo. I was amazed that once the boys were in the box (or the box was full), there was little room left for the rest of our stuff.
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Only room for one set of panniers, small because of the risk of heel-strikes.
Once we got the Piccolo, I installed the special rack and that was slightly better. Now, we could get one munchin out of the box and "helping" to pedal, leaving more space in the box for extra "stuff." The Burley Piccolo rack was sturdier than the one we had before but it still wasn't ideal for panniers because of the mounting bracket. 
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Crazy Train!
Our next set-up has been an amazing upgrade: John Lucas's Caddyrack! It has changed our Bullitt for the better. 
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Prototype #1
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Great towing capacity!
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Testing out the whole rig.
The Caddyrack is unlike any other rack I've seen. Because there weren't any mounting points at the seatpost, John used a sleeve-type mount on the seatpost and bolted it into the frame by the dropouts. 
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We've had the rack for a few months now and I've been really impressed with its versatility. We can tow bikes both large and small, sometimes even two at once! 
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We can carry an extra kid sitting on the deck, although we're working on some foot-guards to keep them toesies out of the spokes so for now, it's just for short rides with very trustable kids. 
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The Caddyrack has its very own Burley Piccolo mount built in! Easy on-off when we need our Crazy Train to load up. 
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The side bars at the bottom are wonderful for stabilizing a large load. 
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This was a super heavy load, maybe about 100lbs. We didn't go far but it worked. I needed real tie-downs for this.
It can hold panniers (although my rack design doesn't have a lower bar to attach the bottom of panniers, yet. That was a feature we discovered was needed after this prototype was developed). 
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We don't have a Yepp Maxi seat but there is a built-in bracket for that, too! 

The Caddyrack has basically doubled our carrying capacity for the Bullitt, something that I had always been a bit frustrated about. This rack adds about 10ish lbs but we're riding around on a bike that weighs 80 already and we add 90lbs of kid most often. The benefits and functionality of this rack are worth it. I love it! 
12 Comments
Melissa | HerGreenLife link
11/20/2014 03:47:40 am

It's amazing how fast the cargo room get's eaten up! We have an Edgerunner, and I'm drooling over the big front basket on Dorrie's bike (over at Hum of the City).

Love seeing all your different loads and various kid-carrying positions on the Bullitt -- impressive and inspiring!

Reply
Elle Steele link
11/20/2014 05:41:56 am

I always have to remind myself "kids are cargo, too!" We always need more space! A front basket is amazing on a longtail. Davey from G&O Cyclery in Seattle created that 20" wheel + frame mounted basket system. It looks like a great setup, although not very easy to install from what I hear.

Reply
Niklas Vollmer
2/6/2015 06:01:04 am

How cool! My son is 12 and beyond being on the back of a cargo bike. He and I are intentionally carless and bike everywhere. Is there a Caddyrack or another solution like (like in the photos above) that attaches to an adult cyclocross frame and will allow me to hitch (vs. ghost ride) and deliver his adult cyclocross bike to/from his school? A quick-release version would be great as I only need to transport second bike once or twice per week and otherwise like to stay nimble on my commutes on the tricky Atlanta streets.

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Tom link
4/10/2018 05:49:37 am

My solution for towing bikes:
https://web.facebook.com/exozox/photos/pcb.165865957453762/165863970787294/?type=3&theater

Reply
Elle Steele
2/6/2015 07:51:17 am

The Caddyrack is great for towing bikes! Ive towed regular-sized bikes with it easily. I just use a bungee cord around the front wheel and roll along. What kind of bike do you ride now? It's not a light rack but its utility options are amazing! You can contact John Lucas through his facebook page: Cycle Trucks.

Reply
Greg
4/6/2016 09:58:27 am

I just found out about this rack. Exactly what I was looking for.
What kind of child "seat" is that in the picture with the kid on the rack (and another in the front with a folding bike) ?
I mean the red one with fabric backrest.
Sorry for my English.

Reply
Elle
6/21/2016 03:08:44 pm

Do you mean the Piccolo trailabike? It's made by Burley, very stable. John made a special mount for the Caddyrack to be able to attach the Piccolo directly do it.

Reply
Benjamin
6/12/2016 06:27:53 pm

Hello Biking familly!
Thanks for all info shared through your blog. This is very interessting.

As I'm the lucky owner of a bullitt I would love to upgrade it with the same rear rack and bag you show on pictures. Can you tell me where did you find this? Caddyrack and rear bags.

Enjoy your life in cargo bike!

Benjamin

Reply
Elle
6/21/2016 03:10:15 pm

The Caddyrack is made by a local builder in Sacramento named John Lucas of Cycle Trucks. The bags are just basic panniers but attach well to the Caddyrack. More info: http://www.cycletrucks.com/products.html

Reply
Liz
8/1/2018 11:54:58 pm

Sadly, Cycle Trucks is no longer making the Cadyrack. I'm posting here on the faint hope of finding someone who is selling a used Caddyrack.

Reply
Julie
10/29/2019 08:25:35 pm

Do you know the size of the rack-mount seatcollar that you used? (Thanks so much for this helpful post).

Reply
Volkmar
2/3/2022 08:31:01 am

Hi, I`m from Germany. This rear-rack for the bullitt is amazing. Where can I buy it?

Thanks al lot!

Reply



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