Fossil Free Friday - Cargo Bikes in the Media (WooHoo!)

[This one is for those of you who've been going through Mesquite-Hugger-Cargo-Bike-Post withdrawals]

 

What you'll find in this thrilling episode:

• a new Yuba (that's not a longtail)
• a review of an old friend - the Radwagon
• and a bit of Xtra teasing

 

The New Yuba

 

Yep, Yuba did a big ol' reversal by offering a new bakfeits-style cargo bike - The Supermarché. This is the first Yuba I've seen where the load goes in front of the rider. You can learn more and see it in action on Wired or you can check it out on the Yuba site. (Me, I still want the Yuba Boda Boda V3 stepover or a plain old $999 Yuba Mundo.)

 

Check it out on wired.com

 

Even if you're not really interested in that particular cargo bike, the Wired video still does a nice job of going over what a cargo bike can do and how effective it can be in helping us drive less, pollute less, and spend less. Good stuff!

 

The Radwagon

 

And then there's the $1599 Radwagon (now with free shipping!) If you've spent much time around here, you know I have a big ol' crush on the tangerine banana bike from Seattle. Check out the recent article in Men's Journal:

 

Men's Journal article here

Since I am married to a lovely woman who really, really

wants a Ducati Monster, I had to include this quote.

 

PS. Rad Bargain alert: Radpower has the

Ballard Bag on sale for 1/2 price right now. 

 

The Xtra bit of news...

 

...is that I received an email from Xtracycle this week, and it contained some very Xciting words: New Bikes Coming Soon. I am staying tuned and will let you know!

 

Your Xtracycle random montage

 

May ditching your car become more and more common and may we all breathe easier and curse a lot less.

 

New Crop of Austin Craigslist Cargo Bikes - Love ya, ATX Weirdness!

Oy vey, these cargo bikes, they keep drawing me back in, but it doesn't hurt to look, eh? For those of you in the area, there are some good deals and some real diversity this month. Enjoy! 

 

Lots of big-haul choices this month!

Metrofiets:

 

Those cool kids over at Compost Pedallers are liquidating another Metrofiets (handbuilt in Portland, OR!) If you are serious about hauling on a bike, you can't get hardcorer than this, y'all! This one is $200 less expensive, but it does not have the big box.

Oak Cliff Cargo Bikes:

 

 

Handbuilt on the south side of Dallas, Texas - this is an amazing price for any vendor bike and especially amazing for a handcrafted machine like this one. Have you always dreamed of vending by bike, this could be a great start.

Trek/Gary Fisher:

 

 

This one is my absolute fave from the list. It was built by Trek/Gary Fisher as a longtail cargo bike and has lots of nice upgrades and modifications. $800 - not shabby at all! This model has been discontinued but that sure won't affect how it hauls! (Sigh...)

Yuba Boda Boda:

 

 

Still in the box at $699 - it's a Yuba Boda Boda V2 "People for Bikes" edition - somebody is in for a deal!

 

Longtail Bicycle Build Pt. 1

(Somebody, please stop me!)

 

Me, I've been watching plans, talking to a few welder buddies and reading My Solar Electric Cargo Bike.

 

May you find yours and may it haul awesome and eco-friendly, dear reader!

Fossil Free Friday: A Cargo Bike Relapse

[Snagit, I blame this one on Derek Markham.]

A few weeks back I made a declaration that I was giving up the (active) pursuit of owning a cargo bike. Since then, it's been cargo bike temptation everywhere I look. But I have mostly avoided the temptation to keep looking.

Until yesterday morning, that is.

One of my coffee-swilling buddies asked me if I missed riding my bike this week. (I have. It's been one of those weeks where the bike has not been the right tool for hauling stuff and people about, so I've been driving the old Dodge.) Then he commented that it would be nice if I had a bike that would haul stuff and an extra person - the extra person in this case is a certain eight-year-old that I take to school most days.

I don't think the coffee guys noticed, but a dreamy thought bubble appeared over my head:

[A woman at church once told me that I look like an older, heavier Adam S.

I don't go to that church anymore.]

The dreamy thought bubble contained my default cargo bike -  the Radwagon. There are lots of cargo bikes I'd love to have, but the Radwagon is always that subconscious first thought when cargo bikes pop into the brain. Mmm...Radwagon!

So, I had a little internal talk with myself:

So, I went back to my normal default dreamy thought bubble, and life was good again:

Yes, life was good again until I turned the computer on. There it was -  a Derek Markham article on TH:

Check it out on Treehugger

Derek, what's the deal? Are you the guy who takes a tres leches cake to a weight loss meeting? You're killing me! Why'd you have to pick the Radwagon? Why not a German postal cargo bike like Feargus used? (Much less tempting)

Check it out on CITYLAB

Or maybe something Scandinavian and way out of my league like this:

The Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E

In case you are wondering...

For me, it's pretty simple.

The more I can do on a bike, the less I need a car (or truck), the less I need to burn gasoline, the less I contribute to climate change, and the less I damage the air that all of us (including the eight-year-old) breathe. So, a bike that can serve more purposes is a better bike than one that can just serve a few. A cargo bike is a pickup, a station wagon, a commuter, and a chick magnet. (I came up with that last part because my wife already told me she will not leave me if I start riding one.)

Also, if it can raise my status in the kingdom of nerds, that's an added bonus!

If you want even more reasons, find fourteen of them in this article:



Check it out on IceBike

(Out here in the 'burbs, Number 2 may not apply, but don't let that slow your roll! ;-)

Okay, I can see it in your eyes - you want to know more. Here are some links to help you see what's out there in the cargo-sphere: (In alphabetical order - they are all very cool!)

• Benno Bikes
• CycleTrucks
• Design Logic Bikes
• Juiced Bikes
• Kinn Bikes
• Madsen Cycles
• Metrofiets
• Pedego Stretch
• Surly (Big Dummy and Big Fat Dummy - best names)
• Virtue Cycles (3 very different styles)
• Xtracycle
• Yuba Bikes

May Derek help us all to make some healthier choices! Somebody sure needs to.

PS. Adam Sandler is a few years older than I am! 

A Leaning Cargo Trike, A Confession, and a New (to me) Electric Bike

Okay, I have two cargo bike confessions to make.

The first, and the most pertinent to this post, is that I have never cared much for three-wheeled vehicles, including cargo bikes. It's not a dislike for what they are, it's a missing what they can't do - and that is lean. I love bikes, motorcycles, and scooters the very most when I get to lean while riding. Cornering well on a two-wheeler is an art and a thrill for me. So, each time I've ridden a three-wheeler that doesn't lean, my body and mind have been sorely disappointed.

It's why I lean toward (you know the pun was intended) cargo bikes like the Radwagon, The Yuba Mundo, and the Benno.

So, I thought I'd share with you a three-wheeled cargo bike that does an impressive job of leaning. It showed up on Electric Bike Report recently, and it does indeed look like lots of fun (if you're not sitting in the front getting seasick!)

 link to the video above

For those of you who want lots of details, it's not available yet, it's European, and I fear it will be very expensive. But it is a seriously cool machine...

...and I love the front suspension!

Carqon website - check it out!

Now for the other confession.

I have decided to stop looking for a cargo bike. Yep, I know it's very scandy (Thanks, BB!) but I picked up a new-old e-bike and came to a new realization. It's time to quit focusing on what I don't have. What I do have is one really nice second-hand pedal bike, one really nice second-hand e-bike, two different second-hand bike trailers, and a really crowded garage! I've come to a time when I want to do more with what I have rather than waste time wanting something more. Some day I may end up with a cargo bike, but it no longer needs to be an obsession.

Here she is - a Prodeco Phantom X 500-watt, folding E-Bike.

Yep, it's a very cool bike, especially considering that I picked it up used for a very small fraction of the original asking price. Why was it so inexpensive? Well, the original 36-volt battery pack has a dead pouch or two, so the pack will only charge to 32 volts; this does not impress the controller which demands at least 34 volts. (Low-voltage cutout) That's why there's a silver bullet on the rear rack. It's the battery from the Huff-E Rat, and that battery is doing a nice job on the Phantom.

This is the first bike I have ever owned that has disc brakes and a suspension seat post. They are two luxuries I am enjoying! (But  the cushy seat post feels a lot like having a low rear tire. I will have to get used to that.)  Having 500 watts of power is also enjoyable. The 250-watt setup on the Huff-E actually made me feel sorry for the poor little thing hauling big ol' me around. This motor is a much better fit. (If you're over 200 pounds, go for something bigger than 250 watts.)

That's it for the cargo bikes and e-bikes today. I will keep you posted on how the Phantom is doing. I may even get brave enough to try repairing the original battery. I will keep you posted on that too.

May going green be a good deal, may you appreciate what you have, and may you be well.

As always, thank you for reading this.

More Holiday Cargo and E-Bike Deals (Minipost - 2/3 less calories)

If you don't like Radpower Bikes, or Yuba accessories, or Evelo products, or the Ariel N-Class, or building your own electric moped, move it along - there's nothing to see here.

More details here

 

This sale is color-dependent. Me, I'd rather have my Radwagon in Orange, but for $175 off, I could ride blue happily. And the RadMini looks tough in black, especially with the new fenders.

 

Yuba sent me an email today about new accessories they now offer. Did I mention that I almost got to touch a Yuba Cargo Bike this past weekend? So close!

 

The Go-Getter Bag looks sweet and useful!

 

Don't forget Yuba's Family Boda Boda Bundle sale, Evelo's Black Friday Scale Sale, Rad's (possibly still available) Radcity discount, or Ariel's N-Class sale.

 

And for those of you inspired to build a DIY Monday-Motors-type-machine, 1977 Mopeds has a big sale on this piece of coolness, but I am not sure how much it costs without the motor and with the discount and all that stuff.

 

Picture it with your electric motor instead of that nasty little gas/oil burner

 

1977 Mopeds

 

May you satisfy your consumerist desires for something green to get you around cleanly!

 

 

 



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!

Electric (and Cargo) Bike Discount Season Heats Up! (Minipost)

Two more bike deal emails rolled in this week.

Electric Bike Deal:

Once again, Evelo is offering their sliding scale Black Friday sale. You can save on their e-bike line, but the discount does not extend to my favorite Evelo Product, the Evelo Omni Wheel; however, they do have some Open-Box Specials on those that can save you $250-$350.

Check out their sliding scale of discount here

Some of Evelo's Virtues - Love the 10-Day Trial, the Warranty, and Free Shipping!

 

Cargo Bike Deal: (Non-electric)

 

For those of you looking for a nifty way to get your family around, Yuba sent out a Holiday Special deal to get you started. For $999 you can get a Boda Boda V2 with lots of family-friendly stuff and a Flip-Flop Balance Bike.

Lots of extras and a balance bike for the regular price of just the bike

 

If you are in the market for a mid-tail cargo bike to haul the kiddoes, this is a sweet deal!

 

I will keep you posted if any other bargains pop up!

May a bargain make you a green(er) biker!

PS. If you run across other e-bike or cargo bike deals, please share so MH can spread the word!

PPS. Sondors and Ariel Bikes still have their sales going on.