where to get me a cargo bike

Cabaal · 08-11-2021 8:45am

Dutch bike shop were very good to get back in touch with me as they just received and built a bike for a customer on Friday so I drove up on Saturday to give it a spin.

Without the assist it certainly handles the same way as my current gazalle+trailer setup, as in fine on the flat but its going to be a constant slog on the hills. This makes it a pain in the arse where I live as there's two very steep hills on my commute.

I only got to try it around the yard but have to say was happy with the pickup on the electric assist. Really would like to try it on some up-hills to see how well the assist can manage the weight.

Colour wouldn't be my taste but was good to see the opening options on the rain cover, seems good and solid too.

what_traffic · 09-11-2021 9:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118134704#Comment_118134704

That was sound of them.

The Canopy(Clarijs?) color alright does not go with the rest of the bike setup(which is very cool I think). I would have gone with a Black one.

tomasrojo · 09-11-2021 11:13am

I think a rain canopy is a few hundred euro, if the colour really offends. Our bakfiets came with a black canopy, but it's not that style. It's one that you unhook at the back and fold open to the front of the bike

tomasrojo · 09-11-2021 11:16am

A rear carrier might be a handy addition too, as if you're carrying two kids and their stuff for school, it's nice to have your own gear easier to get at.

tomasrojo · 09-11-2021 11:17am

Looks great though! Seems to have pretty much all the advantages of the standard bakfiets, but a lot less tiring!

Also, not roller brakes. Sort of a souped-up rim brake?

Cabaal · 09-11-2021 11:43am

I'm def planning on a rear carrier, its just handy to throw stuff in the panniers out of the rain, the likes of a jacket or clothes for the young lad etc for just in case situations. Also I already have panniers on the gazelle so might as well get use of them.

I'm thinking either a orange, petrol blue or cream colour as they would give a nice contrast to a black box and black rain cover, similar to this picture.

My current gazelle has rollerbrakes rather then rim and I will say I've found them much better then rim brakes, but its been suggested for real stopping power I should be looking at disc brakes. This would be important on downhills and this is something I'm wary of as one of the big hills I have to use each day at the end of it I must stop before crossing a main road!

The rain cover pictured and on the red one I looked at over the weekend is a 90 open versyion, it opens at both sides and opens at the back so you can talk to any passengers. Really like this design.

tomasrojo · 09-11-2021 11:47am

That orange is great.

I find the roller brakes on the bakfiets adequate, and their performance is much the same regardless of weather, so overall I'm a fan, but I sometimes have to do a foot-anchor drag if I'm carrying a lot and have to stop suddenly. Though that was partly because the front brake was worn out, after five years of heavy use. I think disk brakes are generally regarded as preferable in terms of stopping power, alright.

what_traffic · 10-11-2021 9:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118140242#Comment_118140242

Have you ever greased your roller brakes tomasrojo? Just wondering should I be doing it once a year?

I find the roller brakes on my FR8 fine most of the time, just try and not allow myself to build up speeds on the downhill sections near me.

tomasrojo · 10-11-2021 12:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118144648#Comment_118144648

Yeah, I grease them a few times a year. You can hear a rasping sound when there's too much metal-on-metal contact. My front roller brake just wore out from all the use, I think (~40000km), rather than neglect. It does more work than the rear one in stopping the bike, as is usual with brakes.

what_traffic · 10-11-2021 1:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118145348#Comment_118145348

Thanks for that info, I better grease mine so - you get the manufacturer grease for it?

tomasrojo · 10-11-2021 7:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118145871#Comment_118145871

There's a little port on the body of the roller brake, sealed with a small rubber stopper. You can pull the rubber stopper out, and squirt grease in. You need a grease gun with a long-ish nozzle to squirt it in far enough, and you need to use a grease that has a high resistance to heat, as roller brakes can get really hot from the friction of braking. I just asked in a bike shop for a grease that can withstand high temperatures, and I already had a simple grease gun that came with a tube of Finish Line grease. You rotate the wheel after every squirt until you've rotated it fully and think you've greased every "minute on the clock".

I think Shimano sell a grease that's specifically for roller brakes and has a long nozzle, but it was a bit pricey and at the time I didn't want to wait a week or so for delivery.

what_traffic · 11-11-2021 9:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147562#Comment_118147562

Thanks tomasrojo. I will give that a go, purchased the Shimano grease yesterday. The nozzle looks to be as you describe.

Rang the local BS, they said they didn't have anything suitable and be better off buying online.

magicbastarder · 15-11-2021 8:07pm

https://twitter.com/happy_roman/status/1459073775098642450

Cabaal · 22-11-2021 4:41pm

Pulling the trigger with DBS and the bakfiets, opted for discbrakes and just waiting to hear back on price for the changes.

Looking like it'll be May 2022 before I get it sadly,

tomasrojo · 22-11-2021 7:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118206736#Comment_118206736

Well, you'll definitely enjoy it, I think! So useful!

Cabaal · 09-12-2021 2:20pm

Got confirmation from DBS that my order is in and confirmed.

Just looking at price for urban arrow from greenaer.ie, its gone up by almost 1k for the 2022 bike versus the 2021 version! Scarily big price increase.

magicbastarder · 14-01-2022 11:49pm

caveat: i haven't watched this, could be dross:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5pytNeRS7g

dingbat · 24-01-2022 3:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118295560#Comment_118295560

An extra grand for a different display and belt instead of chain. Wowza.

Effects · 24-01-2022 3:54pm

Has it changed to a gates carbon drive now?

What kind of price is the new one?

Edit: I had a look, nearly €7,000 before extras. Jesus that's pretty steep.

dingbat · 24-01-2022 5:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118526169#Comment_118526169

It's an astonishing jump.

Effects · 24-01-2022 5:54pm

What's it mainly down to? I know demand is crazy for cargo bikes, so is that the main reason. They know they can charge that much.

magicbastarder · 24-01-2022 6:01pm

you'd think smaller framebuilders would be getting in on the action too?

Effects · 24-01-2022 9:11pm

Didn't Larry Vs. Harry start off small, and demand grew?

dingbat · 25-01-2022 10:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118526806#Comment_118526806

Well between Raleigh and Decathlon that's two potentially big players getting in. If the bikes are any use, that is.

mr spuckler · 25-01-2022 5:38pm

CSS have this in stock, no idea of the quality mind...

https://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=152840

what_traffic · 25-01-2022 8:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118526753#Comment_118526753

Is it commercial demand more than domestic?

Effects · 26-01-2022 11:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532320#Comment_118532320

Maybe a mixture of both? But I see them used a huge amount domestically. People wanting to cut down on their carbon footprint, as well as being healthier. Supply was also limited by availability of components last year. I just got lucky when someone changed their mind on a Bullitt they had ordered, and I was able to take it.

I use mine for both commercial and domestic. But it's really cut down on the amount of journeys I need to use my car for work. And that also saves me a huge amount of time. 20 min vs 45/50 to get to work, and about the same to get home again.

CantGetNoSleep · 26-01-2022 11:46am

Cost will need to come down for them to really take off I think. With a bit more ambition in infrastructure in cities and large towns (i.e. moving beyond paint and recognising that the climate emergency will require reallocation of public space away from private cars), these could become a no-brainer particularly for replacing a second car in a huge number of families. Not at close to 8k when you add in accessories though. I'm considering one myself due to an upcoming longer commute and baby on the way but half that would already be excessive for what you are getting I think. Hopefully as suggested above the likes of Decathlon, Halfords or Canyon will improve on this

what_traffic · 26-01-2022 12:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118534225#Comment_118534225

Be interested in what kind of usage you are using it for on the commercial side? Delivery or services?

True from a Commercial - switching employees from small Vans to Cargo Bike (I prefer the Irish version myself: "Rothar Bosca"), a 1k increase on price is still going to save them big money; they can take hit more than domestic, but if family's are switching from a 2nd car - its equivalent I guess.

Read recent article from UK on it from Business perspective:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jan/20/cargo-without-carbon-the-rise-and-rise-of-e-bike-deliveries

tomasrojo · 26-01-2022 3:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118534506#Comment_118534506

Noticed the Irish for cargo is lastas while on the bus through Dublin Airport (connected to Last/Lastwagen in German maybe?), so wondered if Irish for cargo bike might be rothar lastais, and so it seems to be, at least sometimes.

where to get me a cargo bike

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