Possible business venture..

Hi all,

I'm sure as a few of you know, I currently own a few of these (the one pictured is actually on eBay):

Last night I had the idea of creating a small mobile coffee stand on the back of a trike, in trailer form or actually mounted on the back that I think would be pretty cool to have around cycling events and when not at events just used in London for daily commuters etc.

I personally have absolutely no idea how to mount a miniature coffee machine on the back of this or where to store the cups, how licensing would work, getting stock and all the other details.

Literally just throwing the idea out there and would appreciate some views from others with experience!

James

Check out Coffee Cranks on Facebook, similar idea based in Manchester, run by a lovely guy who'd be more than happy to chat about it.

Do it.

Great idea!

Nice idea.

Trikoffee?
531 Coffee?

The little coffee stands in box-body scooters that you get in marketplaces sometimes might be a good model. Or this:

http://www.velopresso.cc/

It's a nice idea but, because trike wheels attache single sided only, I'm not sure how they would cope with handling the stresses of a commercial grade coffee machine, water tank and the assorted supplies that you would need to do a business. Obviously trailers work with this but you'd be adding into the stresses of the drive function as well. Worth checking with the hub manufacturer first before you kick of any grand plans.

I do think the idea of a bike coffee shop is a very good on though and a trike could prove an advantage over a two wheeler for trucking around event sites. A simple custom rigged trailer could be very easy to build that serves as the machine point and worktop.

Also look at/contact the Brixton peoples kitchen- they've put a small kitchen on the front of a trike... https://brixtonpk.wordpress.com/

Thanks for the replies!

I could get a nice rack made so that wouldn't be a problem, I could also look at getting some better hubs etc.

My only problem is actually selling the coffee, I don't live in London so couldn't do this myself plus I have absolutely no experience as a barista. (any forum members be interested in getting involved?). Ideally looking to fund the project and hand the setup to someone so they can go out and earn and we'd split the profits.

James

I'd surprised if the back end had the strength for a coffee machine and a water bowser.
It might need some serious frame mods.

From what you've said, it sounds like get it stable and looking great with a coffee machine and nice brooks etc.
Looking the part.

Then flog it on ebay to some twat with a waxed moustache and daddy's cash to spend.

My vision is painting it No Quarter Purple with some really nice lug-lining and pin-striping built with a lot of chrome and leather.

I love the idea, and it's super cute and I LOVE tikes.
But there's very little profit in this cart style unless you can fund a good sized fleet, and take a couple of years to develop the business to start turning a decent profit.

But but, there's guys who have done it and done it well, but these guy's - their passion is for coffee and it's been years and so it's positive in that respect...
Former coffee cart owners have moved on to bigger and better things could provide insight into this field.
Most notably, Flatcap coffee who are still around in multiple locations, but also ventured into the form of a more permanent Notes Coffee and music.

Also the former Indie coffee, a cart, were in a W London market, and moved on to bigger and better things at Full Stop coffee on Brick lane.

Both their coffee is pretty top notch so you'd need propah baristas to compete.

You would also need to consider whether you could produce enough volume from said small machine to be viable. Most places where you would want to/could trade would have large footfall and if it was a small machine meaning long waiting times, people will not hang about.

I use food traders a fair bit through work, and there is nothing more frustrating from a customers perspective than when you have to queue for ages waiting for something, and nothing more frustrating from a client perspective of a trader running out of supplies half way through an event.

You would also need to consider there may be no water or electric available a pitch so you would need to factor this in.

Commercial coffee machines are seriously heavy, and most don't take kindly to being shifted about a lot, a big issue apart from strengthening the rear end would be how difficult it would be to ride it any distance at all.

I can imagine this becoming completely unsustainable quite quickly i.e. needing a van for all the supplies etc and the trike becomes a show piece.

I fancied doing something like that, only selling gin.

I thought I'd call it my OffLicencycle.
I didn't do it because I'd only drink the profits. And the stock.
#sadface

Didn't read the thread but have a look at the link http://www.velopresso.cc/

Then flog it on ebay to some twat with a waxed moustache and daddy's cash to spend.

This. There's any number of utterly fucked old Citroen H vans and the like converted for artisan coffee or free range organic food service on eBay with at least an extra zero tacked onto a price that'd buy you a very good non converted example.

All you have to do is decide is the potential profit worth the lifelong guilt of having slayed a puppy?

It's a nice idea but, because trike wheels attache single sided only, I'm not sure how they would cope with handling the stresses of a commercial grade coffee machine, water tank and the assorted supplies that you would need to do a business.

I could get a nice rack made so that wouldn't be a problem, I could also look at getting some
better hubs etc.

Could the rack come off "forks" over both back wheels? This would balance out the stresses.

You'd need custom built hubs that would need to be able to take a standard fork arrangement, plus the single sided fork of the trike, plus not interfere with the current drive system. If you can engineer one of those then alls well and good but you get to the point where you're overengineering something and may as well buy something that is alredy available on the market because it will end up costing the same.

Not sure how much better you can make a hub that functions well and is designed to stand up to bending moment that would also be affecting your drive system.