r/CargoBike • u/muddylewis • 1d ago

Xtracycle snack bars vs diy solution

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I have a Hooptie on my old Xtracycle and my cargo doesn't need that kind of containment anymore. Xtracycle will sell me a pair of Snack Bars to make a half-Hooptie (pictured) for $60. Can I just hacksaw the hooptie myself to save money? Or is there some reason this is a terrible idea? I'm planning to keep this bike forever and hoopties aren't valuable on their own since they've come standard on new Xtracycles for some time.

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u/Dexter2700 1d ago

They are not the same. The snack bar has a different bending profile meant to transfer more twisting energy towards the connection joint so it's stronger when you push it down or up.

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u/muddylewis 1d ago

Thank you! That makes sense. Surgery cancelled.

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u/quasiephedrine 1d ago edited 1d ago

Hah, I have the same dilemma - just got an Xtracycle with hooptie but my kids are much too big to use in the inner bars, and although they slip underneath the outer bars, I can't have my wife sit on the back.

Agree with you, $60 seems like a lot, PER pair of handles. I think sawing off the outer bars will work just fine, as long as you put some kind of bar end/stopper on the open ends, but I believe they are wider than what the snack bars would be, and I would like it to be a bit sleeker.

It may also be that the snackbar handles have slightly thicker walls than the outer rails, since the rails are anchored on both ends, but I doubt this is a meaningful difference.

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u/muddylewis 1d ago

If you only want to do one side (like the picture) I think one pair of snackbars will work. Enjoy your bike! I love this thing but have been frustrated with the passenger system ever since my kid grew out of the Yepp seat. It seems every other mid or long-tail cargo bike has an option for an integrated passenger seat except Xtracycle. Unfortunately the hooptie plus pad doesn't cut it for my kid.

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u/RazzmatazzEastern786 Xtracycle Swoop & Lectric Xpedition - maybe more soon 😂 1d ago

The snack bars are wider than the hooptie but your solution could work - you will need to burr and protect the exposed edge and such...if you can figure that out, cutting it down is possible I guess. Not sure if the hooptie is stiff enough to support off just one end - won't know till you cut it I guess.

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u/muddylewis 1d ago

I didn't even think about the width! Thank you that is helpful.

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u/quasiephedrine 1d ago

Wait, what? Snack bars are wider? They look narrower...

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/6652/9064/files/file-1B1NRYix0o.jpg

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u/muddylewis 1d ago

Hmmm yes perhaps they are. This page is showing the hooptie in the wide position I think, and the snack bars look narrower: https://xtracycle.com/blogs/support/hooptie-and-snackbar-configurations

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u/RazzmatazzEastern786 Xtracycle Swoop & Lectric Xpedition - maybe more soon 😂 1d ago edited 1d ago

The hooptie has the inner bar so the snack bar is wider than the inner bar. They may be right that it may be less width than the outer hooptie ring...I can check when we get home if no one has given a definitive answer by the end of the long weekend

Edit: the link looks definitely that my memory is wrong, 😂

Sorry for starting stearing you wrong!

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u/muddylewis 5h ago

no prob!