How hard is it to install an Xtracycle FreeRadical on my mountain bike?

Installing an Xtracycle FreeRadical on a mountain bike is a 2-4 hour procedure. A professional bike mechanic may be able to do it in as little as 45 minutes to an hour. But for an occasional mechanic, in a normal garage setting, you should budget the majority of a Saturday afternoon.

If you're located in the Bay Area, check out our installation and self-install services.  

People ask us if they'll be able to install their own Xtracycle FreeRadical, and here's the test we use:

If you've ever successfully removed and re-installed a derailleur on a bicycle, you'll be able to do it. To install a derailleur, you need to be able to remove and install a chain, measure, cut, and install cable housing, and adjust the derailleur. If you can do these things, you have what it takes to install an Xtracycle FreeRadical. 

Tools you'll need include wire cutters, cable cutters, a chain tool, allen and box wrenches, a torque wrench (helpful), and a clamp or stand for holding the bike upside-down while you do the deed.

Here are some of the things that can slow an installation:

- Cables and housing on the bike are old and need replacing. The FreeRad comes with longer cables for the rear brake and derailleur, and housing for the last leg of their journey. But if the other bits of housing are old and rusted, your new cables will wear faster.

- Ditto for the chain. The FreeRad comes with a chain extension but not a whole new chain. If yours is old and stretched, your bike won't perform well with an old chain patched on a new chain.

- Wierd dropouts. Bicycles with odd shaped dropouts can often make for awkward installation of the Xtracycle FreeRadical. If you're not sure, send us a picture!