Fossil Free Friday: 6 Compact Cargo Bikes

Since getting to sit astride a Yuba Mundo, I keep looking toward smaller cargo bikes. That thing was huge!

So I take notice every time a new one pops up. Which happened this week. The Tern GSD is making the e-bike rounds, and it's a very cool bike, but they haven't posted any prices yet and it may be a little while before we can get one over here. So I got to thinking about what is available over here...

 

The Ariel Rider C-Class

 

Ariel builds some pretty nice bikes and they don't skimp on the parts: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, Samsung battery pack, and Shimano Altus running gear. The C-Class can be had as a 250 watt or a 500 watt and can run up to 30mph. There's a lot to like. Prices start at $2099 and don't go up much.

CycleTrucks

In a world of mass production, the CycleTrucks stand apart as handmade works of very useful bike art. They build the Beavertail, the S.U.B. (sport utility bike), and some racks and custom work. Prices start around $1300 and that seems a bargain for what you are getting. (And they can fly!)

Tern GSD

Tern is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of some pretty nifty folding bikes, and they have just launched a new cargo bike (that does not fold but is also pretty nifty). It's not much (if any) bigger than a standard bicycle but it has cargo capacity like the big boys. It also has a Bosch mid-drive motor system that will help tern the hills into childsplay. I am excited to see more details on this one.

ExtraCycle Cargo Node

Speaking of Tern, the Cargo Node is what happens when you team the Tern builders up with the Xtracycle builders. If you don't know XtraCycle, be sure to check out the EdgeRunner, the Leap, and the FreeRadical - all very cool. The Cargo Node folds, it hauls (up to 350 pounds), and it's small enough to be the junk in your trunk! The non-electric Cargo Node starts at $1800.

Bike Friday Haul-A-Day

Much like the Tern GSD, the Haul-A-Day is a non-folding cargo bike from a folding-bike company, but it does have some built-in shrinkability. The non-electric starts at $1250 - BionX electric system can be added. The Haul-A-Day can weigh as little as 33 pounds. Bike Friday is based in Oregon and offers lots of options and custom possibilities. Cool stuff!

Juiced Cargo Bikes

I keep going back to the Juiced bikes. If you want to ride a long distance on a proven hauler, check out the U500. It's available with three different battery packs with ranges from 40 miles to over 100 miles. The U500 has a lot of higher end components and 500 watts of power. The U350 is a stripped down version that'll still make a great two-wheeled truck for $500 less. [Juiced U350 ($1499) and U500 ($1999) 100+ mile version $3199!] Bargain hunters, be sure to check out the refurb page on the Juiced website. There are some cargo bike bargains lurking there.

Republic Bikes Kids Cargo

 

Hey, it's $349 and too cool for words. What else could you want!

 

May you haul your stuff around without burning gas and may you not need an acre to park your hauler. 

The Rise of the Simple Bike

The blog post I've been unsuccessfully trying to write for the last month is about distillation, the idea of getting one's life down to a maintainable level of simplicity in order to focus on what matters most. I see it in the minimalism movement. I see it in a lot of the millennial generation's more endearing traits. And, not surprisingly, I am seeing it in bicycles. (I know, I see lots of things in bicycles.)

I've written a great deal about Detroit Bikes. Their first model, the A-Type is my favorite bike they offer. This manufactured-and-assembled-in-Detroit bicycle is all about distillation if you want a regular bike to get around on. Just look at it:

What a machine!

It has a simple and low maintenance three-speed hub, fenders, a rear rack, a coaster rear brake and a caliper front brake. In the last year, I have come to love a three-speed hub. Here in Lubbock you just don't need 21 or 24 or 27 different gears. Three speeds keep it really simple and they are super-low maintenance. If I were to buy this bike, the only addition I would need is front and rear lights; otherwise, this thing is absolutely ready for a daily commute. Would it fit your needs? ($699 plus $50 shipping) (Check out the B-Type if you'd rather have a step-through.)

Or would you like one even simpler? Well, check out the Republic Studio. This thing is very simple cool:

Ah, the simple life!

So, what makes it so simple? First and foremost, it can't get a flat. It runs airless tires!

And it has no greasy chain - it has belt drive. And it has some really killer Shimano Roller brakes that are inside the hub. And it has the same Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub as the A-Type above. And it only weighs 26 pounds. This is a get-on-it-and-go bike. It's even shipped ready-to-ride. (This one is $799 and shipping is $99. It also comes as a step-through.)

Since this is Mesquite Hugger, you may be asking yourself Where are the simple electric bikes?

Well, I've covered a few in recent months - bikes like the Vilano Core, the Sondors Thin, Populo, the Propella, and the Karmic Koben, but today I present to you the most simple and beautiful e-bike I've seen - the Budnitz Model E. (One small warning - this one falls well outside the budget of us poor boys and girls, but snagit, it's cool!)

Gorgeous!

Still gorgeous!

The Zehus all-in-one-hub motor and belt drive

The Budnitz Model E in these pics is the Titanium version. Before shipping, this one runs just shy of $9,000, but those of you with thriftier budgets can get the painted steel model for $4,000. Cool in this case is not cheap, but it's sure easy to admire the simple elegance of this machine. Budnitz claims that this is the lightest e-bike on the market and that it can achieve 100 miles per charge if you pedal hard enough.

Well, I guess it's time for me to hop on the old Huffy and head home.

May you achieve your own distillation and find that simplicity can be wonderful.  

Cargo Bikes Again? Going Low $

Ross Evans sent me a teaser email this week. (Ross, you're killing me!) Ross is a cargo bike pioneer and the guy who designed the Xtracycle FreeRadical - a high quality kit that allowed you to turn your favorite bike into a cargo bike very easily and inexpensively. He is  a legend in the cargo bike world.

 

As I learned about and started wanting a cargo bike, I decided that a FreeRadical was the way to go. So I went to the Xtracycle website and learned that they were no longer selling the FreeRadical, snagit! They were designing a replacement kit (the Leap) that would come to market soon. Practicing patience...

 

Here is Ross' email:

 

 

I keep watching my inbox. The Leap is very high on my list of desirable cargo bike options (with the Yuba Mundo and the Radwagon.)

 In the meantime, I have been checking out other lower-cost options for those of us wanting a cargo bike. I have found some interesting stuff in the under $1000 category. Let's start with a longtail. (Yes, the longtails are my faves.) The least expensive full-framed longtail I have run across is the Sun Atlas. I will let the Amazon ad do the talking.

 

Strangely enough, this model may have been discontinued. You can find it on Amazon, but the version on the Sun website is smaller (and much less expensive.) While you are there, check out their Atlas trikes. There is some cool stuff lurking in the three-wheel section.

 

 

Speaking of trikes, this may be your least expensive option for scoring a cargo bike. Check out this Schwinn trike from Amazon that costs little more than the shipping on the longtail above. My grandmother had one of these - we had great fun trying to figure out how many neighborhood kids would fit. Definitely worth a look for people on a budget (and for people who are scared of tipping over.)

 

Schwinn on Amazon

 

Next up is the Virtue Truck. Virtue is a San Diego-based bike company with some very cool bikes at very reasonable prices. They have two other (very tempting) cargo bikes that fall just above our $1000 cutoff price, but they are definitely worth a look. (Search for the SchoolBus and the Gondoliere.)

 

The Virtue Truck

 

We've featured the nimble on MH before. If you have the right situation, this thing is high quality and low dollar at $149 (but the wheels are tiny.)

 

Nimble Scooters (Check out the Urban)

 

 The final bike is from another American bike company, Republic Bikes out of Florida. The bike is the Socrates Cargo Bike. I love the look of the Socrates and I have to admit that I have entirely too much fun every time I visit their site - you can try out every possible color variation and combo before deciding on your particular brand of eccentricity. If I had a business that offered bicycle deliveries, I would get a fleet of Republics to do the job and advertise. If you get all crazy and order one, be sure to get the three-speed option - multi gears make a big difference when you are hauling lots of stuff. When you visit their site, be sure to check out the cool and inexpensive Plato Bike and the bike Republic built for the Google headquarters.

 

Republic Bike Socrates

 

There you have it, folks - lots of droolworthy cargo bikes at prices that won't break the bank. If you have (or buy) one of these or know of others that aren't listed here, please share.

 

May your stuff get hauled greenly and may your health and joy grow with each ride.