Xtracycle made a reputation for itself years in the past as one of many pioneers in long-tail cargo bikes. When it began electrifying these, it piqued our curiosity and we’ve been wanting to get on one ever since. The celebs aligned this 12 months, and Xtracycle despatched us the RFA to run by the paces.

Xtracycle has been constructing cargo bikes as no-compromise automobile replacements for ages now. The corporate isn’t new to this area, and actually, it helped to create among the very first long-tail cargo bikes round. Expertise is a really troublesome factor to exchange, and Xtracycle’s expertise constructing bikes was evident from the minute the RFA arrived at our door.

The Xtracycle RFA could be kitted out with a ton of equipment to customise it to your life. Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

The RFA is Xtracycle’s “Prepared For Something” e-bike that can also be a transformer. It may be setup as both a short- or long-tail e-bike that comes from the manufacturing facility with an extended rear rack. The rear part of the bike could be reconfigured to accommodate a smaller household, match extra comfortably in smaller environments, and finally adapt to satisfy the wants of your life as your life adjustments.

The Meeting

The RFA was designed and constructed like a race automobile of the electrical bike world. It makes use of among the highest high quality supplies and elements out there, which helps it function effectively and reliably over years and a long time of use. This design ethos carries into the packaging, and our evaluate bike confirmed up in excellent type.

After unboxing, the RFA arrived about 85% assembled and required the attachment of the stem, entrance wheel, and some different knick-knacks that had been all very simple on paper. In actuality, the meeting was extra complicated than a typical e-bike and required an additional little bit of precision to get it excellent. Our RFA arrived from the manufacturing facility with the unsuitable spacer setup on the fork. This required an additional journey to the bike retailer, and whereas it’s not one thing we’d anticipate on a motorcycle straight from the manufacturing facility, it was not a serious situation.

As a result of further precision wanted to get the bike completely assembled and tuned, I do suggest clients prepare for meeting at a neighborhood bike store versus trying meeting by themselves. We assemble dozens of evaluate bikes per 12 months and at first, it was counterintuitive that the upper high quality RFA was more durable to assemble and tune to perfection. It’s not rocket science, however for a motorcycle of this high quality, it’s value getting it put collectively and tuned to perfection versus simply put collectively.

The Journey

Heading out on the RFA, the ahead using place is straight away evident. The geometry of the RFA’s body places the rider in a ahead leaning place that’s much like a mountain bike. For these on the lookout for a extra upright place, chances are you’ll wish to take a look at buying an adjustable stem to convey the handlebars up and nearer to the seat.

Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

On our first lengthy trip of the Xtracycle RFA, we headed right down to the seaside to get some hills and lengthy flat stretches in. The RFA pairs the Shimano’s STEPS e-bike equipment with its extra conventional mechanical elements, together with a luxe 11-speed derailleur and cassette within the rear. The 250-watt Shimano EP8 mid-drive motor is tuned fantastically to enrich the biking expertise.

It’s like having an extra one, two, three, or 4 individuals behind serving to to pedal. It’s not a loopy quantity of help that’s going to make you want you had a throttle so you possibly can simply sit again and cruise. However relatively, it’s a pleasant quantity of energy that helps you rise up hills, carry heavier masses, and go additional than you’d have on a guide bicycle.

Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

This philosophy is obvious in the truth that the RFA has an 11-speed cassette out again. This e-bike was made for pedaling, with the motor and battery there merely to enrich the general using expertise. Basically, the addition of a motor and battery lets you do fairly a bit extra together with your bike with out having to undergo unnecessarily because of this.

The Xtracycle RFA was designed and constructed to be a workhorse, so we put it to make use of at each alternative. Zipping down the hill into city on the RFA was at all times a blast and felt secure because of the hefty hydraulic brakes it’s packing. These present a lot wanted stability and management when heading down hills, and particularly when carrying treasured cargo on the rear rack.

Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

The big selection in gearing provided by the RFA’s 11-42 tooth, 11-speed Shimano cassette was extraordinarily useful when commuting up and down steep hills day-after-day. It was a breeze to shift the snappy derailleur right into a more difficult gear for downhill sprints that allowed me to maintain pedaling at speeds higher than 20 mph the place the pedal help disengages.

On the way in which up the hill on the way in which residence, shifting right into a decrease gear made it straightforward to contribute as a lot as doable on the uphill climb. After all that is additionally the place the motor and battery come into play. The Shimano EP8 mid-drive motor places out 250 watts of steady energy, with the flexibility to push out as much as 500 watts for brief bursts. The height energy output is crucial for tackling brief steep climbs like the previous few blocks as much as our home.

The Shimano STEPS system on the RFA can present as much as 400% pedaling help, which is able to make anyone really feel like Superman whatever the terrain. What’s good concerning the tuning on the RFA is that integration of the pedal help is so seamless that the engagement of the motor doesn’t detract from the biking expertise, however relatively, it accentuates it.

Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

Whereas many American riders are used to using in a forward-leaning, mountain bike model, we’d like to see the RFA come from the manufacturing facility with an adjustable stem that enables for an upright seating place. The RFA is such a versatile platform that including one thing like this may make it extra succesful and versatile, supporting much more riders with completely different preferences.

Cargo & Equipment

The Xtracycle RFA comes with foot rests and wheel skirts from the manufacturing facility that make it straightforward to throw a passenger on the again and get cruising with your mates or household. It additionally comes with a beefy center-mounted, twin leg kickstand that gives a pleasant, secure broad base for the bike whereas stationary, no matter what you’ve obtained strapped to it. After all, it’s in all probability not a good suggestion to go away it absolutely loaded with people or cargo whereas parked.

Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

The RFA additionally comes with a set of full metallic fenders and built-in entrance and tail lamps, rounding out the complete service commuter platform. Build up from that base, Xtracycle additionally presents a variety of equipment that make it straightforward to dial the RFA in to completely complement your way of life. For these with little youngsters, the RFA could be fitted with two Yepp Nexxt Maxi baby seats. Observe that these are a unique mannequin than the ever-present Yepp Maxi carseats, which aren’t appropriate with the RFA.

Xtracycle presents a formidable vary of rear handrails and bars that bolt onto the rear of the bike, comprising its “Hooptie” rail system. These are an effective way to offer youngsters an additional sense of reassurance and safety whereas using on the rear of the bike.

The PorterRack and PorterPack make it straightforward to convey alongside private gadgets with ease. Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

As your youngsters develop out of automobile seats, Xtracycle presents the MagicCarpet seat cushion which supplies a pleasant soft place to your youngsters to park. Mixed with the Hooptie rail system and the included footrests, the RFA is reworked into the last word automobile to take your youngsters down to highschool for drop-off.

Xtracycle has a entrance rack that it calls the PorterRack. The corporate despatched us one in all these, together with a PorterPack entrance bag that rapidly grew to become one in all our favourite e-bike equipment ever. It’s the proper place to park your telephone, water bottle, keys, strawberries, youngsters, helmets, or another swag you’re packing whilst you’re using.

It secures to the rack with a single hefty Velcro loop, making it straightforward to place it on and take it off whenever you arrive at your vacation spot. Drop a lock within the bag whereas heading right down to work, then swap it out for a helmet and shades when it’s time to head into work. It’s tremendous handy, and being up entrance, straightforward to entry as effectively.

General

Most e-bikes out available on the market are little greater than evenly modified clones of what others have completed. The Xtracycle RFA seems like a clear sheet of paper construct the place the parents at Xtracycle sat again over a 12-pack spitballing concepts for what the perfect household e-bike would appear like based mostly on their a long time of expertise on bikes. The outcome was a motorcycle that was not solely constructed to final, it was designed to final.

It is ready to remodel and evolve as your life and household do over time and a long time. The rear rack can actually broaden or contract to fit your wants. A bunch of equipment could be added, modified, upgraded, and eliminated as wanted. It’s a jack of all trades and is a superb possibility for these trying to ditch their outsized 4-wheeled automobile in favor of a 2-wheeled electrical automobile that offers you as a lot of a exercise as you’re on the lookout for whereas adventuring by life.

Picture credit score: Kyle Area, CleanTechnica

It was clearly designed and constructed to final over time. Sure, it can want service. Sure, it can have to be tuned. Sure, it can final. And if you happen to’re fortunate, it’d even grow to be a member of the household.

The Xtracycle RFA retails for $4,999 and is available in black and white liveries. For extra details about the Xtracycle RFA or to order one for your self, head over to its official on-line residence.

Xtracycle RFA Electrical Cargo Bike Specs

• MSRP: $4,999
• Motor: Shimano STEPS EP8 mid-drive motor
• Motor Energy: 250 watts steady, 500 watts peak w/85 Nm torque
• Battery Capability: 630 Wh
• Body & Fork Materials: 4130 Chromoly Metal
• Weight: 60.2 lb
• Weight Capability: 400 lb
• Brakes: Tektro 4-piston hydraulic brakes
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM NX11 X-HORIZON
• Rear Cassette: SRAM GX PG-1130 A1, 11-speed, 11-42 tooth
• Max Velocity: 20 mph
• E-bike Class: Class 1

Disclaimer: Xtracycle supplied the RFA to the creator for this evaluate.

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