SnapDeck Mods

My kids love riding on the Xtracycle. That's no question. Recently, though, I've been thinking about doing some modifications to a custom Snapdeck to make their ride a little more comfortable. (The Snapdeck is the piece of wood the kids sit on on the back. It's what everyone points to and says, "Hey, you have a skateboard on your bike!")

I love the idea of kid seats on the bike, but didn't want to lug them around all the time. The seats I've seen are awesome, but pretty bulky. My hope is to make a set that will collapse into the deck and almost disappear.

Here's my initial thought on the design.

I think I could cut two custom decks out of 1" thick pine. One could be my base, then the other could be cut up into two sections to make back rests. I could then bevel the back rests and hinge them onto the base deck. I hope to use straps (Xtra's Utility Belt) to adjust the level of recline. That way, my kids could kick back and relax, or sit more upright depending on which kid (I have three different sizes, you know).

If this worked, I could easily fold the seats, buckle them snuggly to the base deck (by looping underneath) and ride away, virtually free of seat bulkiness. With the seats folded down, I could still grab cargo at a moments notice, haul an adult, or use the Xtracycle as a work table while working on the other bikes. Basically, it would have all the functionality of the regular Snapdeck.

Most of the supplies have been purchased. I've got a few more things to grab and I'll be on my way to figuring this thing out. Anyone tried anything like this before? I'm sure I'll have to learn as I go.

Get out there.