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• #11877
Keep us updated please I'm considering the same
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• #11878
Basically the same. In the Uk there is a huge push going on not really behind the scenes by Trek and Spesh to buy up a lot of shops or at least get some contracts laid out.
Cargo bikes are super niche and in the uk at least will remain super niche for near another ten years yet.
Only small and weird bike shops (like us and many others on here) have bothered to push cargo bikes in the Uk at all, small to no margins (except tern and r+m, big fat margins on those boys), difficult to acquire, difficult to warranty now thanks to Brexit import /export issues. Very low numbers sold per shop, this year especially slow. And now the big boys from the US (with similar thick margins), Europe like Cube are starting to really get into this market. Sure they'll sell the demo bike that they are contractually obliged to stock in, and maybe one more, then they won't get another, won't have any mechanics that truly know what they are doing, and your£5-6k trek long tail will be impossible to get a fork or any other accessories for within 5 year guaranteed.
At least with the regular euro brands, R+m, gazelle, ua, bullitt, omnium and all the dozens of Dutch and now French and Italian offering yes it may not be super quick to get a replacement fork for a 2015 premium cargo bike, but it will at least exist and you will eventually get it.
Beware industry has seen this market behavior dozens of times on repeat for decades. -
• #11879
No luck for me with Douze in Australia. They're not sold here anymore and the shop as well as the brand flat out ignored me when I emailed about the crack in the frame.
Lucky I found a mobile welder guy 😎
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• #11880
Did you manage to try a Yuba? Keen to hear!
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• #11881
100% agree. Large brands that are used to cycling through different and incompatible models annually are not going to be good for the cargo bike market in the uk.
For the market to grow, it needs to become more visible and reliable. Save reversing brexit, sticking with European cargo bike companies that are visually recognisable on the street and give customers the right to repair is the best way to do this.
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• #11882
I did not, but wish I had
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• #11883
Interesting. Makes sense.
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• #11884
I think part of the problem is that cargo bikes in general are using unique approaches to the point that they pretty much all have a few completely specific components even with the smaller brands.
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• #11885
My bakfiets doesn't really have anything that's specific. Ok, the kick stand, but that's part of the frame. The ball joints in the steering arm are also standard I think.
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• #11886
bakfiets is maybe not the best example but even still the forks. Some use 2 steering arms, some one, some still 1" steerer tubes, often times still roller brakes so path to upgrade is not great etc etc etc.
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• #11887
Yes, was thinking about forks, but that's part of the frame? I just changes mine for disc ones. And 1" is ofc jokes.
I am more interested in seeing what happens with, for example, Bosch motor equipped bikes in a few years.
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• #11888
Oh that’s easy, you can already buy adapters for bafang.
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• #11889
Oh nice.
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• #11890
I've started on a new cargo project over in current projects that I figured some people on this thread might be interested in (and also might give me some feedback!) It's my attempt at fixing all the things I hate about our Omnium (including, but not limited to: horizontal TT, connector rod steering, cumbersome back wheel, tiny clearances, and no motor).
I've just about got the frame built, and will start screwing bits to it now, as they trickle in through the post.
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• #11891
anyone on here serviced a Spinner 300 suspension fork on an Urban Arrow? Can't find a service/bushings kit online. Was wondering if there was another make I could use?
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• #11892
How bad an idea would it be to grind off part of this spine to fit a Bafang mid drive? I was thinking I may get away with it since there’s some extra strength in that area from the triangulation onto the seat tube.
How far can the mid drive motor be rotated downwards to clear something like this?
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• #11893
Who needs a van?
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• #11894
Ha wow that’s impressive! Can’t quite tell from the photo, are you sitting between the two stacks of wood? How was the handling?!
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• #11895
Yes, sitting between the stacks.
Handling wasn't all that brilliant but I think it could have been significantly improved if I'd inflated my rear tyre properly, and also cut down the rear rack struts to fit the bike better.
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• #11896
Wowsers that's a haul!
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• #11898
Ehat about cutting the extra seat tube behind the bb instead?
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• #11899
Interesting! I’ve always seen them mounted ahead of the BB, can they be mounted behind too?
I’d definitely feel a lot better about cutting that part
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• #11900
If I adjust the saddle on my UA to the best position for me, my toes barely brush the ground, making it a bit sketchy if I stop with a heavy load/in the wind.... anyone used a dropper seatpost on a UA? I reckon it could work well but concerned that there'll be enough swivel to get the saddle straight - the seat-tube is at one hell of an angle on UAs
I asked a mate in Malaysia about getting this sent over. He reckoned a £100ish.