Good things come to those who wait, and when you have tough requirements that can take a while. Tim knew exactly what he wanted in his family’s newest bike: big and sturdy enough to carry his 3 year old son, small enough to fit on a bus rack, with sizing to fit both his tall frame and his wife’s petite one. And he wanted to buy American. After detailed research he found the perfect bike: a midtail from Kinn Bikes of Portland, Oregon.
As the name suggests, midtail bicycles fit in the space between a standard bike and the extended-frame cargo bikes made popular by Xtracycle, aka “longtails.” While midtails can’t carry two kids as comfortably or carry as much cargo as longtails, many, like Tim’s Kinn Cascade Flyer, come with a twist: turn the front wheel 180 degrees and the bike length shortens by 4 inches, just enough to slide into a bus or train’s bike rack.
While the Kinn may have been perfect for Tim, his wife wasn’t so keen on its frame color and it was to be her bike too. Tim’s easy fix was having the frame re-painting and while they were at it, using Rhino Lining for a durable finish. Never heard of Rhino Lining? It’s a nubby coating that’s commonly sprayed on truck beds to protect from scrapes. Perfect for a bike that gets some abuse on the mean streets of San Francisco.
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- Rhino Liner was sprayed on before it was repainted in wife-approved green.
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- Hub-generated lights are convenient for a bike that’s 24 hour transportation.
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- A slanted top tube makes mounting and dismounting easier with a load.
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- The rear rack has more than enough room for the child seat (not shown).
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- A chain guard keeps Tim’s work trousers neat and clean.
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- The frame is built with adjustable foot pegs for growing children.
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- Tim added Monkey Lights to light up his wheels for side view visibility.
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- How often does a bike come standard with a locking compartment?
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- It’s big enough for a wallet or mobile phone, but I don’t recommend it.
Location: Old Del Monte Dried Fruit Plant 51, near Diridon Station, San Jose.
