where to get me a cargo bike

Harrybelafonte

mloc123 wrote: »

Marathons are a dog to cycle on... but should never puncture at least

The Kojacks have Race Guard and I've never punctured on them.

tomasrojo

Have a think about how you're going to lock it anyway. I don't have insurance, so nothing to add there. I do have a 110cm-(I think; it's about a metre anyway) -long Abus Granit CityChain X-plus, the built-in nurse's lock on the rear wheel and a Kryptonite Series 2 to secure the front wheel (and make it hard to cycle it way, or wheel it away if they manage to break the Abus). I'd read that it was a good idea to use a chain, because it's hard to get close enough to use a u-lock sometimes, and to make sure the chain was made of strengthened steel, and had links at least 10mm thick.

tomasrojo

I *finally*, after months of prevaricating, have put a new rear tyre on the bakfiets.

Just in case it's helpful to others, I'll post brieffly here.

I mostly followed the advice here:
http://bakfiets-adelaide.blogspot.com/2013/09/replacing-rear-tyre-on-cargo-bike-in.html

I got the rear wheel off the ground by using a little step, such as short people use to reach high kitchen cabinets, covered with some carpet to cushion it a bit and give a little more elevation, and hung the rear wheel over a drop in my garden. I used some bungee cords attached to a bike stand to pull the carrier up a bit, just to make sure the weight of the bike on the step wasn't crimping the cables that run under the main frame tube, but I don't think that was necessary.

shortie_chik

I haven't seen any mention of the Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E, but I'm wondering if anyone here owns one / knows anyone who owns one / has tested one out?

This is the bike I'm talking about. :cool:

I'm interested in getting a cargo bike to bring my son to creche and later school. I'd prefer to get a trike than a 2-wheeler. The B&B MK1-E is an amazing looking machine, but I'm wondering if anyone really ever actually buys these things? Is it just listed on the website to make the other bikes look like a bargain? This costs more than my last car was worth, but I cycle more than I drive.

Anyone any experience with the Urban Arrow for transporting a child either?

My current bike is a pretty heavy Kelly's Visage bought in about 2006 for €500 which I thought was a fortune at the time but I've gotten every penny worth of value out of it. I've cycled to work for years, not just a fair-weather cyclist so I know I'll get use out of whatever cargo bike I get in the end. Most important is that he is safe and comfortable!

I'm on maternity leave now until the end of the summer, so I'll probably just daydream about this bike for a few more months, while I wait to win the lotto. :rolleyes: It'd be left in the underground car park at home and I currently park in Drury St car park for work.

I've seen there's been a cargo bike event in the Phoenix Park the last few years. Haven't come across any mention of it for 2019 yet (or 2018, was it on?) but if it's on I'll get along to it.

ED E

Most of the cargo chauffeurs I see around town are two wheeled, there is one trike that participates in Dublin Cycling Campaing Events though. Tried it, not the leaning type, and its strange. If you're scared of balance on two wheels you rapidly get used to it.

It claims to be E btw and has no motor/pack specs? Strange.

Anyone any experience with the Urban Arrow for transporting a child either?

There are 3+ around Dublin, I think. Seem solid.


If you tweet @DublinCycling asking for input lots of their followers will chime in. Also try https://twitter.com/cargobikelife

kenmc

I saw a butchers going along lower kilmacud road about a year or 18 months ago, but only once. Couple of urban arrows around, plenty of bullits, bakfiets and babboes.
Personally never considered a trike, wouldn't fancy the brakes getting further away as you turn a corner. Least on a two wheeler, no matter how long, the steering is still the same mechanism

site_owner

I see more 3 wheelers on the school run, have rarely seen a 2 wheeler.

I think it depends on use case.

3 wheelers seem better over short distances, travel more slowly, are more practical and not great for hills

2 wheelers are faster and can cover more distance, better for hills (with the right brakes), but the trade off is space

I have a 2 wheeler as i felt trike cycling style wouldn't sit well with me, i have cycled the bike 30 or 40 after school drop depending on where I need to go, I know i wouldn't do that on a trike.

mr spuckler

shortie_chik wrote: »

I haven't seen any mention of the Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E, but I'm wondering if anyone here owns one / knows anyone who owns one / has tested one out?

This is the bike I'm talking about. :cool:

I'm interested in getting a cargo bike to bring my son to creche and later school. I'd prefer to get a trike than a 2-wheeler. The B&B MK1-E is an amazing looking machine, but I'm wondering if anyone really ever actually buys these things? Is it just listed on the website to make the other bikes look like a bargain? This costs more than my last car was worth, but I cycle more than I drive.

Anyone any experience with the Urban Arrow for transporting a child either?

My current bike is a pretty heavy Kelly's Visage bought in about 2006 for €500 which I thought was a fortune at the time but I've gotten every penny worth of value out of it. I've cycled to work for years, not just a fair-weather cyclist so I know I'll get use out of whatever cargo bike I get in the end. Most important is that he is safe and comfortable!

I'm on maternity leave now until the end of the summer, so I'll probably just daydream about this bike for a few more months, while I wait to win the lotto. :rolleyes: It'd be left in the underground car park at home and I currently park in Drury St car park for work.

I've seen there's been a cargo bike event in the Phoenix Park the last few years. Haven't come across any mention of it for 2019 yet (or 2018, was it on?) but if it's on I'll get along to it.

why not give the guys at Bretzel.ie a shout and ask if you can take a look at theirs? after all b&b use a picture of that bike on their site!

beazee

shortie_chik wrote: »

I've seen there's been a cargo bike event in the Phoenix Park the last few years. Haven't come across any mention of it for 2019 yet (or 2018, was it on?) but if it's on I'll get along to it.

Ask the organiser @mrsFitz:
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/member.php?u=210345

shortie_chik

Thanks for your replies folks!

I will see if I get any personal experiences from the cargo cyclists on twitter. I've contacted Mrs Fitz to see if the cargo bike event will be on over the summer too.

I did wonder if it would be a bit cheeky to ask the Bretzel Bakery if I could have a look at their wheels, but maybe they'd be ok with it! I'm planning to try out a couple of other cargo bikes the local shops have in store. I've read some online reviews of the B&B but I'd really want to go for a spin myself.

I'd be planning to use it to go to creche / school in my neighbourhood, and to / from work in the city centre after drop off. Takes me about 30 mins normally, so just short local distances (groceries and appointments etc), no high speed mountain trails planned!

mr spuckler

shortie_chik wrote: »

Thanks for your replies folks!

I will see if I get any personal experiences from the cargo cyclists on twitter. I've contacted Mrs Fitz to see if the cargo bike event will be on over the summer too.

I did wonder if it would be a bit cheeky to ask the Bretzel Bakery if I could have a look at their wheels, but maybe they'd be ok with it! I'm planning to try out a couple of other cargo bikes the local shops have in store. I've read some online reviews of the B&B but I'd really want to go for a spin myself.

I'd be planning to use it to go to creche / school in my neighbourhood, and to / from work in the city centre after drop off. Takes me about 30 mins normally, so just short local distances (groceries and appointments etc), no high speed mountain trails planned!

if I were you I'd certainly give the Bretzel Bakery a shout, nothing ventured nothing gained after all! I'm in a similar boat to yourself at the moment, getting more & more curious about cargo bikes for the creche / school / work run as well as general runaround to the shops etc. right now I bring my son to creche on a Weeride seat and also have a trailer for short journeys at weekends etc. the idea of being able to go for longer cycles with my kid (soon to be kids) on an e-cargo bike is very appealing, as is the possibility of further reducing car dependency..

beazee

shortie_chik wrote: »

I did wonder if it would be a bit cheeky to ask the Bretzel Bakery if I could have a look at their wheels, but maybe they'd be ok with it!

Not sure now, but it might have been the Bretzel Bakery B&B MK-1 I've took for a spin in Phoenix Park two years back. The leaning into corners felt strange.

Unlike the other trikes I've rode (which don't lean) not even what I experience on my two-wheel cargo. Probably something one could get used to - but strange at a start.

The two-wheelers offer you an advantage when trying to squeeze by in traffic.

site_owner

if you are planning on taking it into town, do have a think about your usual route.

one of mine takes me up north strand onto amiens street, up the quays, acros college green and then up to aungier st.
i lock up in drury street.

i'm fine on a 2 wheel, but the width of the B&B (91cm vs the bullitt 46cm) would have me stuck in traffic for most of my route

CramCycle

I found the trikes with two front wheels odd to ride. Cargo bikes take a small setting in time but simply did not enjoy it. Have to be a two wheeler for me.

shortie_chik

site_owner wrote: »

if you are planning on taking it into town, do have a think about your usual route.

one of mine takes me up north strand onto amiens street, up the quays, acros college green and then up to aungier st.
i lock up in drury street.

i'm fine on a 2 wheel, but the width of the B&B (91cm vs the bullitt 46cm) would have me stuck in traffic for most of my route

I come from Castleknock, normally though the Phoenix Park (when it's bright enough, otherwise Navan Rd), up the quays, across Parliament St bridge to Dame St, hop off and cross at the pedestrian light to George's St, and around to Drury St. There are bike lanes for a lot of my route. Even on my regular bike, I can get stuck behind buses coming up the quays pulling in to stops and taxis driving over the line of the cycle lane. But I'll be leaving the house mega-early if I have to do a creche drop off so I'll have to give myself extra time for not squeezing past traffic so much anymore.

site_owner

butchers & bicycles say on their site that greenaer have a bike for test drive so if you havent already i'd say you could get a look at theirs

https://www.butchersandbicycles.com/faq.html

shortie_chik

site_owner wrote:

butchers & bicycles say on their site that greenaer have a bike for test drive so if you havent already i'd say you could get a look at theirs

I have contacted them and they don't have one in store at the moment but I'm in no rush. I'll chance my arm contacting the Bretzel Bakery if GreenAer don't have it in the next few months. They know I'm interested anyway, I'm going to call in to try the urban arrow.

site_owner

cool, theres also a FB group for the B&B (not specifically irish) but you should get some good user stories etc
and if theres an irish owner, theres a good chance they could be on it

https://www.facebook.com/groups/133725557361275/

tomasrojo

I see, omitting the cycle couriers, about 8-10 regulars with cargo bikes on my route. I think three of them have three-wheelers, and the rest two-wheelers.

I think two-wheelers are easier to manoeuvre, easier to store, and, I assume without really knowing, faster. They're pretty stable too, but if I was cycling in the ice, I think I'd prefer a three-wheeler for just that day.

shortie_chik

tomasrojo wrote:

I think two-wheelers are easier to manoeuvre, easier to store, and, I assume without really knowing, faster. They're pretty stable too, but if I was cycling in the ice, I think I'd prefer a three-wheeler for just that day.

Without any experience or actual evidence I agree. I've read three wheelers take a bit of getting used to, but I'm hoping to get lots of use out of it so it shouldn't be a problem once I've practised a bit I hope! I'd like to be able to use it every day, assuming no very serious bad weather warnings.

ED E

shortie_chik wrote: »

I'm on maternity leave now until the end of the summer, so I'll probably just daydream about this bike for a few more months

This came up in my feed, thought it worth posting
https://twitter.com/thismombikes/status/1086334093418057728

shortie_chik

ED E wrote:

This came up in my feed, thought it worth posting

Too late for me! He's 11 weeks old, bump is melted away! (Mostly. The rest to follow when I'm back on my bike again!)

Harrybelafonte

I've said it earlier in the thread and repeat here, anyone who wants to try out a Bullitt for a week or some can give me a buzz and I'll sort them out as best I can for a trial.

tomasrojo

https://twitter.com/Bicicleto_ZGZ/status/1088375257944203264

tomasrojo

Good price if in good nick, I think:

https://twitter.com/ellenfromnowon/status/1089581997230641152

tomasrojo

Some thoughts on riding a top-class three-wheeler:
https://twitter.com/bikesandbabies/status/1088846896599363588

tomasrojo

tomasrojo wrote: »

Good price if in good nick, I think:

Sold now.

site_owner

i needed a bit of extra space at the weekend, the on thing about the bullitt is that it is very much a 2 kid bike

cdaly_

site_owner wrote: »

i needed a bit of extra space at the weekend, the on thing about the bullitt is that it is very much a 2 kid bike

I'm picturing Mrs Owner scrunched up in the Croozer...

Ferris

site_owner wrote: »

i needed a bit of extra space at the weekend, the on thing about the bullitt is that it is very much a 2 kid bike

a.k.a the Brady bunch setup:D