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! 

Cargo Bike Central: Two Bargains on Austin Craigslist

I've been sneaking in some little bike rides lately. And it feels good to be back on the bike. Good enough that it keeps the dream alive to go car-free (or at least much more car-lite.) But giving up the hauling capacity of the pickup would be tough. Giving up the gas station, however, would be downright joyful. So I keep my eyes out for cargo bikes.

This week, I've found two big bargains, and one is even in my price range, both are too far away, though. So, hopefully one or two of you will be closer and in the market to begin your cargo bike adventure.

Big Bargain on a BIG Bike

There are actually two stories here. We'll talk about the bike first. This big ol' workhorse was built by Metrofiets in Portland. Check out the website to learn more. This one has the 8-speed internally geared rear hub. Oh so cool! And it is indeed a $4000 bike (before shipping) if you buy a new one. Be sure to check out the Metrofiets logo - it's not every day you see a winged elephant. At $1200, you will have a hard time finding a better deal, especially out here in Texas.

A whole lot of bike for only $1200!

The second story here is how this bike has spent its life. It's been a carbon neutral carbon-negative company truck for Compost Pedallers in the state capital. If you don't know Austin, it's a place that doesn't really fit the Texas mold. They have a slogan - Keep Austin weird! This is a place that actually embraces a company that uses cargo bikes to collect household scraps to make compost. How cool is that?!! Carbon-neutral transportation used to collect and create a carbon-negative product. If we had a lot more of that, we would not be in the mess we are in. 

Bravo, Compost Pedallers!

(Loving that Surly Big Dummy! The bike - not the young lady)

The Other Great Deal

For those of you who aren't sure you want such a big beast or you're not ready to shell out four figures on a bike, check this next deal out. This one is like a BOGO deal. The bike is an Electra 18-speed cruiser -  a desirable thing in its own right. The cargo extension is an Xtracycle FreeRadical. And it's not unheard of to spend that much money on a used version of either. Yep, $175 is a great deal even if you factor in that this thing is pretty weathered.

The Stuff Mesquite Hugger dreams are made of!

This one has actually been featured on Mesquite Hugger before, and it cost $100 more then, but it was probably in better shape then.

May you and I both find the right tools to go carbon-free and may the Compost Pedallers and bike makers of the world thrive and help us get there.