Phil's Longtail Explores the True Essence of the Workhorse Bike. Children Not Included

Folks, some people live their entire lives on bicycles. Don't believe me? Take Phil's Longtail (PL) as the perfect example of the functions the age-old bike can perform. But before we explore just what this puppy can do, let me point out how it came about.

The PL is the work of Clandestine, a bike shop from the UK with a knack for building machines tuned to rider needs, and every bike Pi Manson builds is 100% custom; if you want one, you call Pi up, let him know what you wish for your trinket to achieve, and just wait for a return call. Best of all, if there is a bike you see on Clandestine's website that you like, you can also get one for yourself.

As for the PL, this bicycle was created for cargo carrying, including Phil's (he's a real person) two children. Furthermore, it's also meant to be used as a touring bike for family trips. With these notions in mind, Manson created the 26-inch wheel wonder before us. The best way to help you understand what was done to this bike is to invite you on an imaginary trip into being Phil.

You wake up in the morning and are getting ready to take on that touring trip with your kids. Well, because the rear of PL has been heavily modified for excessively large cargo or two kids, you won't need to worry about adding a cargo trailer to the back; there's plenty of room. Now, loading up a couple of jittery kids on a bike is no easy task, so to help stabilize the PL during loading and unloading, a twin-leg kickstand is added, and so is a steering lock to keep the front from moving around.

With kids loaded up and their feet planted on a pair of screw-on pegs, it's time to bring along the rest of the cargo. But where to place it? Luckily, another cargo rack is mounted to the front and can fit things like panniers to stuff with foods and snacks, and by the looks of it, even a cooler for drinks could be secured to the rack.

All that weight has to really do a number on the frame, and to ensure there are no structural issues, the rear looks as though it's been reinforced by the full-length top tube running clear through the entire bike. Speaking of the top tube, it's also been dropped to help to make mounting and dismounting easier and more stable. This also ensures you avoid kicking your precious cargo (child) as you swing your leg over. With a few things like integrated lights, fenders, and a 1X drivetrain, this sucker is ready. From here, tell your kids to hold on, and off you go.

At the end of the day, it's not the sort of bike you'll see in some museum or being showcased for its use of exotic materials. No, Phil's Longtail is a bike that you'll see people distributing packages with, taking their kids out for a spin, even grocery shopping; a true workhorse.