Last week my friend Jeff Mandel from Exit Shoes came by the shop after work and we made a do-it-yourself video on how to create an Xtracycle Snap-Deck pad. It’s basically a fabric slip cover over closed cell foam, with elastic straps to hold it onto the Xtracycle Snap-Deck. It provides a nice cushioned seat for a passenger to sit on the Xtracycle. Jeff and I both ride Xtracycle equipped bikes and I really like how they act as an open source platform for all kinds of modifications and accessories.

Materials: Fabric and/or leather for top, bottom and sidewall. Elastic, closed cell foam, contact cement and (optional) zipper. You can recycle jackets or outdoor type fabric and camping pads for closed cell foam.

Tools: Single edge razor blade or box knife, rotary cutters or scissors. A decent home sewing machine with a denim needle and heavy thread (especially if you are using thicker materials).

You are going to need some basic sewing skills and if you want to put in a zipper, it does not contain all the info really needed to face the zipper to match the material. We left that as an exercise for the viewer!

If you don’t have the skills or the time to do this project, you can buy a similar pad from the nice folks at Clever Cycles.

Click on the movie to watch it, then go make one!

It may take a minute or so to download.