The Wheele Bicycle Surfboard Carrier

One of my lifestyle modifications is to start surfing again. So why did I stop surfing in the first place? Mostly excuses, water too cold, too crowded, and too much attitude. Backpacking became the perfect escape from the sport of surfing. I decided to go back on my own terms, and the first rule was to do as little driving as possible since I live so close to the beach. Doug at Surf Country suggested The Wheele as the best tool for my task of getting to the beach locally with a surfboard. You can order it anywhere online, but hey, Doug has lots of stoke and he even put it together for me! All I had to do was ride my bike there and hitch up! The maiden run was to Campus point for an evening go out. Oh, and my surfing? Still have not ridden a wave standing, but I'm working on that.

The Nuts and Bolts

I does come in a box, so assembly is required. As I said earlier, Doug did this for me, but it looks straight forward and the unit comes with tools to do a proper assembly. 

My first impression is this is not a CAD geek garage project. It is well thought out and the materials are corrosion resistant for lots of salt water and air exposure. The ditty bag holds my wet suit and towel and comes with a removable lid. The frame itself adjusts to a long and short length. I have it set on the long adjustment for a long board. I might add that the frame does clears my back wheel bike rack. Sweet. The hitching assembly is attached to the seat post and remains there. This is a very crucial, high stress point, but so far I see now weakness in the design. The single wheel is not pneumatic, but a good blend of softness for shock absorption and hardness for a good roll.

The Ride

Have you ever driven a school bus? I would highly recommend that you get a side mirror for your bike if you do not have one already. There is lots of weight back there and it's long, so I am sticking to the bike paths for now. Negotiating left and right turns require lots of width so consider your route and skill level before heading out. The ride is smooth and in no time I was up to three quarters of my normal speed on the flats.

If You Want to Ask...

Do you like it? Hell yes! Parking at UCSB is not free. The enforcement endeavor by the Campus Parking folks is top notch and they are very good at getting those citations issued when there are violations. The Wheele is a ten.  I think this puppy is going to pay for itself by the savings in parking and gas and I will get the good ride to the beach even if I chose not to get wet.