Sunday, November 20, 2016

Electric Cargo Bike Dream (Delayed in Dallas)

We are in the metroplex to see family and friends. (Which was awesome - I have missed you all!)

The trip also included a trip to Small Planet E-Bikes. While I love most (if not all) e-bikes, I was headed there to see one thing - an electric Yuba Mundo. As much as I have written about and schemed to try to purchase a longtail cargo bike, I have never actually seen one in person or ridden one. And it scares me to make an investment like that without any actual experience. Here was my chance. And I was excited!

I went to an honest to goodness electric bike shop!

So, we parked behind the store and walked around the front, but there were no bikes out front. And the windows were dark. And there was a sign taped in the window apologizing for the inconvenience.

So, I now need to send an apology letter to the proprietor because I left a little DNA evidence behind. No, I did not break in and take the Yuba for a ride. Yes, I did drool all over the windows.

Waaaaaaaaaa....
 
Yuzipago, the patron saint of e-bikes, obviously knew I was coming. Notice how the late afternoon sun shown only on the Yuba. It was like a good/bad '80s movie. (I heard angels singing - really.)

[But I have to admit, that sucker was huge. Really really big! Like maybe too big for me. But I'll need to ride one before I make that judgment. Maybe I need to start looking at mid-tails. That Boda Boda V3 is looking better and better. Or maybe I can find a Kinn Midtail out there somewhere.  Or maybe I need to take my friend Dale up on his offer of sharing his welding skills. SnagIt, it would have been nice to ride that Mundo.]

For those of you who are obsessed with other electric bikes, let me share some more drool-soaked photos.

Maybe an E-Glide or an Easy Motion on the front, a green Boda Boda V2 in the back
 
Sure enough, those are Faradays (and they were gorgeous)

Easy Motions up front and (My Oh My) Stromers on the back row! 

Drool on windows
 
On a much sadder note, right around the corner from Small Planet we found a really really cool bike shop - Oak Cliff Bicycle Company - that was having a going out of business sale. They had some amazing stuff around and it was easy to see that this shop was a labor of love. But love does not pay the bills. Please support your local bike shop regardless of what you ride.
 
So there you have it, folks, the post where I almost got to check out a Yuba. All in all, it was a great day, and sometimes the wanting is better than the having.
 
May your green adventures go smoothly, or may they be filled with good friends!

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