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Idle wondering here at my desk about using an electric cargo bike instead of a car for the majority of my trips around town. This is totally unrealistic at the moment, more interested speculation.
We live at the top of a sod of a hill. We use the car mostly for out-of-town travel and the weekly trip to the supermarket at the weekends. Car is also used when I'm gigging - I play bass and drums (not at the same time).
It occurs to me that we could stop using the car to do the shop and use an e-cargo bike for most local pootling.
It's probably not feasible in the immediate future simply because of cost, but in the more medium term it might be possible. I see no problem a cargo bike couldn't be used for the shopping and at least moving the bass and amp around (I suspect drums might be a step too far!).
Has anyone done this? I'd be thinking more of a 'proper' bike with an Xtracycle back end rather than a Dutch-style big cargo thing. Tern do an interesting 'urban' e-cargo bike but I'd prefer bigger wheels. Just for aesthetics more than anything I'd prefer a built-in motor rather than a conversion. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Not really any idea tbh, just curious though, if there's any benefit to a cargo bike as opposed to a bike + trailer? Could be an option too? Then that would leave you open to buy a bike that isn't just defined for one purpose?
Guess the big question is one of manoeuvrability with a trailer, but then again you could balance that out that a cargo bike might get a bit iffy if you overload it too?
Dunno, just thinking out aloud there. Don't have any experience of either.
Hmm, hadn't discounted a trailer - mainly because I hadn't thought of it!
My thinking towards a specific bike was more I could also use it to ferry my lad around too.
Give Ben at Kinetics in Glasgow a call. He would be your man for sage advice. I have just written an interview with him for the mag. Top bloke who really knows his stuff. In fact, I think his bike of choice is pretty much exactly what you are considering.
Cheers
Sanny
I’ve just ordered a Yuba Spicy Curry Bosch for exactly what you describe.
All my commuting (20 ish hilly miles/day) and all the general running about/shopping/kid carrying duties etc.
Will let you know How it goes once it arrives! Soon I hope 👍 (Excited!)
I had a Dutch Bakfiets (unassisted) for the kids when they were smaller, and it was great for carrying huge amounts of kit like boxes of shopping, or 2m planks strapped to the sides of the box.
I sold it when the kids were old enough to ride their own bikes, and I now have a Carry Freedom trailer. It's a very simple design, but you can strap almost anything to it. I can get a 140 litre IKEA plastic crate on the back with a big family shop, and I've seen pictures of someone towing a fridge. It packs down to nothing in seconds and hangs on the garage roof.
Are you in Scotland?
If so, you can get a 3 year interest free loan of up to £3k for an eBike.
From Energy Saving Trust or someone like that
I looked at e-cargo bikes a couple of years ago. To me it felt like the obvious first bike to benefit from electric assist. At the time there was very little on the market and what there was was very Heath Robinson in comparison to the conventional urban bike equivalents. Hopefully the market has moved on since then. An E cargo bike could be literally all the transport some families need or at the very least the ideal 2nd vehicle.
Things have moved on a LOT in the last three years for sure. Depending on what you want (long tail/bucket type)
Yuba and XtraCycle both do Bosch CX powered long tails. Urban Arrow are great for the front loader type (as are loads of others)
and the Butcher & Bicycles MK1E is a fantastic piece of kit. Rode one a few weeks ago, and although it’s not right for me, it was a brilliant ride and the prefect tool for families with a couple of young kids, or kids and a dog etc.
Cheers all, some great ideas.