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About Xtracycle
Xtracycle invented the longtail cargo bike. Ross Evans designed the FreeRadical, a bolt-on extension that turned an ordinary bicycle into a load-hauler, while managing a Bikes Not Bombs project in Nicaragua in the 1990s. In 1998 he and Kipchoge Spencer founded Xtracycle to build and sell it, and the long rear deck they popularized became the template the entire cargo-bike industry copied.
The company kept the design open, which helped the longtail format spread far beyond its own catalog. Over time Xtracycle shifted from extension kits to complete bikes, then to a fully electric lineup built around Shimano STEPS motors and a modular accessory system, the Hooptie kid rails, PorterRack, and snap-on bags that let one frame carry kids one day and groceries the next.
Xtracycle operates out of Oakland, California, and now builds family- and utility-focused electric cargo bikes exclusively. The current range spans compact midtails to long, passenger-ready longtails, all rated for heavy payloads and designed to replace a second car.
Most popular Xtracycle models
Xtracycle’s lineup is all electric cargo, sorted by how much you need to carry. The Swoop ASM is the flagship family longtail, with a low step-through frame, a long rear deck for two kids, and the accessory set bundled in. The OmniTierra is the off-road midtail, built with wider tires and adventure geometry for hauling gear onto dirt and gravel. Both ride on Shimano STEPS power and Xtracycle’s modular passenger and cargo system.
The RFA, short for Ready For Anything, is the compact utility bike with an adjustable wheelbase that shrinks to fit a bus or car rack, then extends back into a stable hauler. The Hopper is the smallest and most affordable, a nimble compact cargo bike that ships as a Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike with a front PorterRack and Hooptie passenger rails included. A loaded family longtail carries kids and the kind of replacement value homeowner’s policies routinely cap below, which is where stand-alone cargo bike insurance from Velosurance fills the gap.
The flagship family longtail. A low step-through electric cargo bike with a long rear deck for two kids and the full passenger and cargo accessory set bundled in.
Ready For Anything. A compact utility e-bike with an adjustable wheelbase that shrinks to fit a bus or car rack, then extends back into a stable hauler.
The compact cargo bike. The smallest and most affordable Xtracycle, shipping as a Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike with a front PorterRack and Hooptie passenger rails included.
The off-road midtail. Wider tires and adventure geometry on a Shimano STEPS platform built for hauling gear onto dirt and gravel.
Why Velosurance is best for your Xtracycle
Velosurance is a stand-alone policy that covers theft and accidental damage and can be optioned to create a comprehensive umbrella of protection for your cycling lifestyle.
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