CargoPod for Crazybike2

Finally needing to carry more than will fit in a backpack forced me to add a cargo pod to the new bike on Monday. I used the same kind of aluminum box as I'd had on the upright Columbia bike, but mounted it much differently.

In this case, I used radiator hose clamps, fed thru slits drilled into the pod, clamped around the bike frame in a few places.

In one spot I did not have a small enough hose clamp, so instead used part of a clamp from an old bike light generator.

In another spot, the frame is too far away to clamp directly to, so I put a block of wood between the frame and the pod, clamping all the way around both frame and wood.

I didn't have any other hinges laying around handy just at that moment, so I just used the side panel and lid from the other bike's pod for now, as I'm planning on only using the other bike as an emergency backup bike now--this new one is much more comfortable, and despite it's weight feels like it takes much less effort, and hurts my knees less while riding (although startup from dead stop is not as easy even in lowest gears). I'd already taken the lights off the upright, after all.

The only modification I had to make to the bike itself for the pod is cutting a small notch out of the seat's back to clear the lid. Since the seat is already cracked all the way across there, it doesn't take any real strength out of it. Makes no difference to ride quality or seat movement/flex.

I could have put the cargo pod back a couple of inches instead of doing this, but spacing considerations with the taillight assembly off the upright bike left me with a choice, and dealing with the seat was easier than the taillight.

Now I have a single left pod, just as I did on the upright bike.

I've now got about 84 miles total on the bike, about 16 since adding the pod, and it's had no handling or other issues even when it's heavily loaded. The pod is well-behaved, and shows no signs of problems with the clamps, either.


I went with a white/orange striping on the front and rear of the pod to increase visibility in both day and night situations, since this bike is not as tall as the upright bike, it may help with visibility from direct rear or front viewing traffic.

The lights help, too, of course. With both headlights on, it's significantly more visible than only one.


I don't use the incandescent taillight, though, because it takes so much continuous power that I would only have an hour's riding time *at best*, and a lot less than that before the headlight got so dim as to be useless.



Later, I'll put a new post up with pics of it in darkness, once it is actually dark enough to take them (it's still not even sunset yet).