Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Moving by Bicycle

In June of 2009 I made up my mind to move from one apartment to the other. I also made up my mind to make this move using only bicycles and bicycle trailers. After making up my mind to do this I did some research and found some great testimony to this from other individuals and groups having done this on the Internet.

Two days ago, after I'd decided to move I found out about a contest that Madsen Cycles was putting on. If you're interested in helping me win, click this link to their site and check out their cool bicycles (it'll open in a new tab/window).


I started off on a Sunday afternoon by loading a few plastic tubs into the "kid trailer" I pull with my Schwinn Tempo road bike.


Schwinn Tempo and Converted Kid Trailer.

After the first load with the Schwinn I sent a text message to my buddy Captain E to see if I could borrow his Madsen Cargo Bike. I did two more loads with my Schwinn/trailer combo and then heard back from Captain E so I cruised down to pick up the Madsen.

Upon retrieving the Madsen and Captain E's homemade bike trailer I could tell that this game was ON! I rode it home and began to load it up with my stuff. I've moved a lot in my day and I have numerous plastic tubs to hold just about everything. This made loading the flatbed trailer a breeze.


The Madsen loaded up.

The consecutive loads went off without a hitch as well. I was able to stack tubs on the trailer and bulky, odd-shaped items into the Madsen's ample bucket.


The snowboards depict a common site in any Bozeman move.


Note the fly rods sticking out the top of the traffic cone.


Having things packed well from the get-go is important.


Furniture, skis, you name it!

The last load I had been contemplating since the start. When I set off to make this move using only a bicycle I assumed that the last load I made would be in my automobile. I justified that I would have to move my car from one location to the next and that it made sense to load it up with stuff. Although, as I proceeded further and further with the move I became more and more stubborn to move everything with cycles. The last item left was my boxspring, mattress, and bed frame. I solicited the help of fellow members of the Bozeman bicycling community whom I know are up for general jackassery such as this. Responses from SingleTrackM1nd and tjdzor came swiftly and with great enthusiasm.

The three of us sat in the sunshine pondering the massive load, first making attempts to put the mattresses on SingleTrackM1nd's Xtracycle. The weight was no problem for the Xtracycle but the size was. It became clear, quickly that the Madsen would have to be used as the width of the bucket was idea for balancing the width of the load of the bed.

After placing the load onto the bucket one test run was made unsuccessfully but I felt confident in my abilities so we re-secured the load and set off down the street. SingleTrackM1nd and tjdzor road ahead blatantly stopping traffic at the two major intersections, laughing, shouting, and capturing video along the way. The load was precarious and it required great concentration but in the end there was SUCCESS! A whimsical video was captured by tjdzor. Check it out:


The Madsen made it all the way from point A to point B, albeit with general un-stability requiring some careful maneuvering. But, it DID make it. No egg on my face.

26 comments:

  1. Brilliant! Nice work.

    ./ben

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  2. Having just moved about half a mile down the road I wish I had thought this was possible before borrowing a friend's car. Inspirational Sam.

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  3. Ben, isn't funny that something as old as bicycling is considered brilliant in the age of cars? And Holdfast, thanks for the comments - keep the idea in mind for future moves, or when your friends ask you for help in moving.

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  4. Fantastic I love the concept and I love the video. Here in Denmark the iconic bike brand is Christiania Bikes and they have many types of bikes that could be used for moving house. However, I have never seen a bed moved on a bike.

    Thanks Sam for the inspiration.

    Roger

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  5. I'm very intrigued by cargo bicycles such as the Madsen, Xtracycle, Bakfiets, as well as custom ones.

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  6. i love it! my rents used to drive me around the block in our 76 vega to put me to sleep when they could've just strapped a tiny bed to our schwinn world sport! you're organizational skills and stubbnorness continue to amaze me

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  7. That's impressive indeed. However, I'd like to see you move that bed with homemade remote control booster rockets. Just saying. ;)

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  8. Also, I'm going to go try out a Madsen at my local bike shop. You hear me Madsen? This advertising is totally working.

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  9. well done! nice work. saw the link from the Madsen site -- good luck in the new place.

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  10. great post! I love it. Looks like your Buddy's MADSEN is missing The rubber kickstand feet, he may have had the old-style feet. we have since upgraded to some bomb proof feet. get me an address and I will ship him some new ones.
    Jared Madsen
    MADSEN Cycles

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  11. I'll let him know right away. I appreciate the comment! And I sincerely appreciate your company. Keep your eyes and ears open for the next issue of The Practical Pedal magazine in which there should be an article about the Madsen vs. Xtracycle featuring the Madsen used as a hot tub!

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  12. Everybody know the only people who ride bikes are poor and/or crazy.

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  13. I agree wholeheartedly, Stevil. But, according to the "speeding prophet" in the Jeep Cherokee they are also something else:

    http://thebozemanfix.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-gained-great-insight-last-night.html

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  14. Great stuff, though only possible if you move within the same city - moving more than 20 km could make that a serious undertaking!

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  15. Amazing and wonderful. I got a great chuckle from watching your video and looking at your pics. Innovative and unconventional but that's good by me.

    I am also doing some pre-scavenger hunt surveillance too... good luck!

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  16. Good on you for trying and making it work. I would have hired a van much to my shame. Like the fire starting video on BPL by the way.

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  17. No shame necessary. Do what you do and do it well!

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  18. I just moved by bike myself! The only tricky part for me was moving my 9 and a half foot surfboard! Haha. Well done friend!

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  19. Hi Sam- when you get home come check out the winners of the Scavenger Hunt!

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  20. opps..Isn't funny ?? Someone is moving bed by bike. It looks like impossible for me. But here we can see that "Impossible" itself saying "I m possible". well done friend ! you did great job.

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  21. If I see this guy on the road, I will take my hat off..

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  22. Its good to find people like you and blogs like this, where people share their personal experience from their encouters with different removalists. If you ask me that means a lot.

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