Cargo Bikes

Is that £6 PER BOLT!!!???

Maiden voyage down the local bridleways to park / cafe. Kids fucking loved it. Was pretty easy going except for on one particularly steep ramp. Definitely going to need a motor if it’s going to be of any real use around Sheffield. Needs a kickstand too but like hell am I paying £500 for the surly one.

Strong contender for the stupidest bike I’ve ever owned, and I’ve owned a lo-pro.

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Omnium Kickstand is fairly cheap and heavy duty

£6 for 4

Can recommend the Ursus Jumbo for cargo bikes.

Though obviously check it will fit yours.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jumbo-Ursus-Double-Bicycle-Kickstand/dp/B00D1T90XK

Non-Amazon retailers also available.

😍

Cheapest I’ve seen is from decathlon

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/28-dual-leg-central-bike-stand-jumbo-100-kg/_/R-p-X8676964

I have a suspicion it won’t clear the fat bike tyres though.. depends where the mount is

A question for all you knowledgeable people. Is there any reason why the front wheels on long John style Cargo bikes are smaller diameter then the back wheels?

I am thinking of building something like a Muli cargo bike from a 20" folding bike but would like to use the original fork and wheel.

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Probably something to do with space on platform vs length of the whole bike. But is there something to consider in terms of handling?

Imo i think it’s mostly to give the cargo more space and keep it lower down. you can have a small wheel on the back too. So the difference isn’t important just that there’s a small wheel on the front for the cargo.

Small wheels are also inherently stronger so handle more of a battering right?

And if you had a big wheel in front of the cargo space you'd have a long ass bike

Check out GinkGo for large front and rear wheels (27.5” or 28”).

https://www.ginkgo.bike/product

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Yep, long ass bike

Where do you store your long tail?

Looks awesome BTW. I'd keep the fat wheel.

Another big dummy…

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/383531/

Blessed with a garage (hello golf club), but even that now needs a serious shift around if I’m going to accommodate it properly. Currently it’s blocking entry to the freezer. Will be a good motivator to throw out the many boxes full of abject shite that have been sitting there since we moved in 2 years ago.

Definitely going to keep the fat wheels as they will be invaluable in times of crappy weather, but reckon a 29er wheelset might make more sense for the drier months.

but first bafang ;)

Q

Lol yes. Bafang is in the “essential” column on the bike budget spreadsheet (no joke, it exists). 29er wheelset is in “nice to have”.

Just waiting on besbike to get back to me about when they think they might have stock in again.

I'd love something like this (but a bit shorter) to be able to have two childseats without tonnes of weight hanging off the rear.

I've been half looking half daydreaming at making a midtail from two mtbs. Normally things like that are a false economy, but cargo bikes are so insanely expensive.

And a pain to remove when they seize (which they do). Use a cut spoke.

Up to this point I’d been managing with one kid on their bike on a tagalong, and the other up front in a weeride but I had to finally admit that the smallest one was about a year too old to be up front and my one experiment with having the tagalong and a rear mounted child seat had to be aborted after about 5 metres as my front wheel was barely in contact with the ground.

It’s a shame that most of the shorter longtails are pretty premium items, as you can pick up a big dummy or kona ute for not a huge amount. Might be worth keeping an eye on eBay for an xtracycle leap or freeradical. They come up occasionally for not insane amounts of money. That was my original plan before this surly rocked up at a price I couldn’t refuse.

Glad I took the Hamax out before heading to screwfix. Not pictured, 5l of deck cleaner but that was in a green bottle so didn't fit the aesthetic.

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xtracycle leap or freeradical.

That's not a bad idea.

I was half watching for a kona ute, but storage and wife-veto are a factor. I guess if I can sell a load of stuff and make a home, then maybe I could get a pass in the summer.

The tricky thing for me is I do really need something which can go up a fairly steep grassy hill to get out to the rest of the decent footpath trails.

On a more practical note, does anyone have saddle suggestions for a more sitting up position?