Coming soon to a city near you: Bakfietsen (Danish cargo bikes)

[larsks.livejournal.com]

The Dutch Bicycle Company is apparently opening a store in Somerville. From an email I received recently when I inquired:

We have rented a spot at 50 Tufts st in Somerville, we should be open for business around January 30- this date depends on the city counsel and occupancy permits etc... So barring any weirdness from the city, we should be open in about 6 weeks.

If you haven't seen one before, this is a bakfiets:





Room for two or three kids, or lots of groceries. They're expensive (seriously), but an interesting option for running errands around town. Great for kids, since you can see them and talk to them while you bike, the the kids can see where they're headed (as opposed to say, trailers, where mostly they see your bicycle, or child seats, where they have an uninterrupted view of your backside).

I've seen one roving around Somerville this past fall. If only I had a garage!

Comments

[turil.livejournal.com]

My Burley Flatbed trailer (at about $200) can haul more than this cargo bike.

I mean, I love cargo bikes and all, but this thing doesn't seem to have all that much value for the extra cost compared to a bike with a trailer. Plus, with a trailer, you can remove it and have a regular old bike, which makes life easier for storage and shipping and such.

[larsks.livejournal.com]

I have both a Burley cargo trailer and a child trailer. I think these bikes could carry at least as much as the flatbed, depending on how the load was configured, and I think they're certainly better for kids than a trailer -- for the reasons I stated in the original post. Mind you, given their cost I'm probably going to be using my Burley's for the forseeable future, and even if I could afford one I've got no place to park it.

Typical Dutch

[rosiewoodboat.livejournal.com]

The Dutch model for parking these cycles is outdoors. They are designed with Stainless and other corrosion resistant materials to be left outdoors in the weather.