Transport bike that's not a cargo bike - options

SilverLiningOK

I looking for a bicycle that suitable for daily use with no long commutes but also has good load carrying capacity and durability. The cargo ones such as Bakfiets or Bullit are too cumbersome for my needs and for storage. They are great to look at though.

So far I have tested the Bear Men's (made by Azor) and a BSP (assembled in NL but not made there, not sure which model). The Bear was so comfortable to ride and quite responsive but quite heavy. The BSP being much lighter frame didn't feel as comfortable on road but was good otherwise. Pricing is quite similar but Bear seemed far more the job with quite strong racks and other options. Both bikes had the upright riding position is so much feels so much better than the usual scrunched over forward pose on a hybrid or road bike. I not interested in speed but comfort.

Anybody have any other suggestions that can be purchased in Dublin area that they have experience of ?

Alek

How about Kona Minute? I have one as my Van-Bike.

Great deal on CRC now, I've paid 790 and never regretted :-)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/kona-minute-bike-2012/rp-prod95392

You're welcome to try it if you want - PM me for details.

SilverLiningOK

alkos wrote: »

How about Kona Minute? I have one as my Van-Bike.

Great deal on CRC now, I've paid 790 and never regretted :-)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/kona-minute-bike-2012/rp-prod95392

You're welcome to try it if you want - PM me for details.

Nice looking bike there. I really want hub gears though plus full chain guard and strong front rack as well. It will be expected to carry shopping and much more but no kids. Want to use it wearing regular clothes and no greasy parts exposed. That's why the Dutch bikes is where I started lookings. Must have another look at what CRC have online, since you reminded me. Thanks.

VinDevo

I have an Azor transport, double tube that I'm very pleased with. They also do what Workcycles call the Fr8 which is lighter. All Azors are custom built so so can spec all the parts to suit you. (http://www.workcycles.com/ most of their bikes are re-badged Azors)

Velorbis, http://www.velorbis.com/ Danish Bikes - used to be carried by ThinkBike in Rathmines

bambergbike

Something like this?



German/Swiss/Austrian postie bikes come up on ebay or ebay small ads if you search for "Postfahrrad."

Carrying luggage high like that (as opposed to using panniers to get a load with a low centre of gravity) makes for very easy loading and unloading, but poorer handling characteristics. Fine around town, not so great when cornering as you descend a steep hill. I removed the basket from my town bike and got panniers instead after cycling down a big corkscrew hill on a foggy night in a snowstorm with a heavy load that felt a bit too high.

The Dutch seem to have postie bikes with better load distribution (panniers):

SilverLiningOK

VinDevo wrote: »

I have an Azor transport, double tube that I'm very pleased with. They also do what Workcycles call the Fr8 which is lighter. All Azors are custom built so so can spec all the parts to suit you. (http://www.workcycles.com/ most of their bikes are re-badged Azors)

Velorbis, http://www.velorbis.com/ Danish Bikes - used to be carried by ThinkBike in Rathmines

These look remarkably similar to one of the bikes that I tried with differences such as gearing options and dynamo lights etc. The quality also looks good and I have heard good things about these elsewhere on the web. How many gears did you go for ? Do you carry loads front and rear ? What's the handling like on the various surfaces - cobbles, potholes, icy etc ? This is the sort of thing I am after.

I would prefer to buy from a bricks and motar shop though rather than online. It would be better for warranty and after sales service. I can do a lot of the little needed maintenance myself but some stuff may be beyond me. Pity they dont have a dealer here offering all the options.

The BSP bikes that I looked at seemed quite flimsy in comparison to this lot. The lighter construction might eventually succumb our poor roads.

bambergbike wrote: »

Something like this?



German/Swiss/Austrian postie bikes come up on ebay or ebay small ads if you search for "Postfahrrad."

Carrying luggage high like that (as opposed to using panniers to get a load with a low centre of gravity) makes for very easy loading and unloading, but poorer handling characteristics. Fine around town, not so great when cornering as you descend a steep hill. I removed the basket from my town bike and got panniers instead after cycling down a big corkscrew hill on a foggy night in a snowstorm with a heavy load that felt a bit too high.

The Dutch seem to have postie bikes with better load distribution (panniers):

Love picture Would I have to dress like that too ? Good idea to have a look.

Andy-Pandy

I have a Kona Honky Inc and Ortlieb Panniers, tonnes of space in those panniers.

VinDevo

These look remarkably similar to one of the bikes that I tried with differences such as gearing options and dynamo lights etc. The quality also looks good and I have heard good things about these elsewhere on the web. How many gears did you go for ? Do you carry loads front and rear ? What's the handling like on the various surfaces - cobbles, potholes, icy etc ? This is the sort of thing I am after.

I would prefer to buy from a bricks and motar shop though rather than online. It would be better for warranty and after sales service. I can do a lot of the little needed maintenance myself but some stuff may be beyond me. Pity they dont have a dealer here offering all the options.

The quality of Azors is excellent. I have the eight speed shimano hub. I carry loads - used to carry the two kids, one on the back and one on a seat on the cross bar. They've grown, so now its sometimes one on the back 'dutch style'. I have a box on the front and panniers to do the shopping. It's a steel frame, and fat tyres so it's very comfortable on any surface.

I imported mine and had similar worries about wannanty, however (thankfully) it was never an issue

tomasrojo

Would a trailer be any use? I've found the Bike-Hod very useful, and any load it can't take will usually go in or on the Chariot Cougar.

SilverLiningOK

tomasrojo wrote: »

Would a trailer be any use? I've found the Bike-Hod very useful, and any load it can't take will usually go in or on the Chariot Cougar.

Thanks but no thanks :-). Got a loan of one a few years ago and found that it did carry quite a load. Using was quite problematic as other road users ain't used to them and could easily end up in a near fatal situation. Parking was also an issue as no everywhere was keen to see it going indoors for shopping purposes. This coming from a long time cyclist of many years both commuting and touring. The transport bicycle seems much a much better option to me.

SilverLiningOK

VinDevo wrote: »

The quality of Azors is excellent. I have the eight speed shimano hub. I carry loads - used to carry the two kids, one on the back and one on a seat on the cross bar. They've grown, so now its sometimes one on the back 'dutch style'. I have a box on the front and panniers to do the shopping. It's a steel frame, and fat tyres so it's very comfortable on any surface.

I imported mine and had similar worries about wannanty, however (thankfully) it was never an issue

Going with the locally available options or popping over to Amsterdam with my credit card seems to be the way to go then.

Harrybelafonte

SilverLiningOK wrote: »

Thanks but no thanks :-). Got a loan of one a few years ago and found that it did carry quite a load. Using was quite problematic as other road users ain't used to them and could easily end up in a near fatal situation. Parking was also an issue as no everywhere was keen to see it going indoors for shopping purposes. This coming from a long time cyclist of many years both commuting and touring. The transport bicycle seems much a much better option to me.

Fatality from a trailer? I used two types of trailer over the years and came nowhere near anything like this. Have you experienced it?

Why wod it go indoors for shopping purposes? Do you intend on rolling the bike along the aisles?

tomasrojo

My experience is closer to harrybelafonte's experience. In fact, I find motorists more careful around the trailers. No problem with bringing the Bike-Hod into shops, as off the bike it resembles one of those trollies that working-class pensioners often use. In stores with hand scanners, you can load up the stroller directly before paying, but I've never lived near such a store.

VinDevo

SilverLiningOK wrote: »

Going with the locally available options or popping over to Amsterdam with my credit card seems to be the way to go then.

Azors are built to spec, delivery time is 4-6 weeks. You will find stockists of the bikes in Amsterdam but they will be to Dutch spec - 0-3 gears, back pedal brake etc. You could order one through Workcycles and they will ship to here - not that I'm trying to prevent a trip away to Amsterdam!

beazee

tomasrojo wrote: »

In fact, I find motorists more careful around the trailers.

Never had an issue with drivers on the public roads while pulling a trailer, plenty of margin left at overtaking.

Contrary to what am I experiencing now with the cargo bike - there's always 1 or 2 per week (11 km p/day commute) leaving next to none margin. Possible reason being they can't see from the rear the bike is different.

BTW: Any takers on the trailer?

dubmess

http://omniumcargo.dk/

GTDolanator

dubmess wrote: »

http://omniumcargo.dk/

very pretty and look extremely well made

dubmess

GTDolanator wrote: »

very pretty and look extremely well made

To know the guy who designed them, a long time bicycle courier in Copenhagen. They are pretty new but early reports are very good. Light, responsive and able to haul lots of cargo.

One French courier cycled to Copenhagen to collect one and them rode back from Copenhagen to Paris carrying his other bike on it. Not bad!

Planet X

Brilliant looking bikes alright.