Cargo Bikes

more on cargo bikes on PSFK, including a video from Copenhagen -

http://www.psfk.com/2010/09/copenhagens-cargo-bikes.html

Not sure I'd pop my kids in the front of one on London streets though!

ok so i got myself a massive christiania trailer for cheap on ebay for child carrying.

The plan is to put seats in made from plywood with a cushioning and knocking up some straps. Hopefully it'll become a 4 toddler park trip machine.

A large part of me desperately wants to get a full christiania trike though and i was wandering if it would be possible to convert it.

What needs to be done is knock together a frame for the bike body. this would need a really short steering tube that is near the floor with ample clearance for the box above.

does anyone who'd be able to do this for/with me - ie a frame builder/bodger? it doesn't need to be a work of art, some thing that will just work and be strong, like a tall bike construction. I've got a pretty good plan in my head already, I just can't weld and don't really have the time to learn.

This is me when I did a half Ironman with a fridge: 1.9k swim (fridge in boat), 92k bike (fridge on trailer), 21k run (fridge on back)....

more on cargo bikes on PSFK, including a video from Copenhagen -

http://www.psfk.com/2010/09/copenhagens-cargo-bikes.html

Not sure I'd pop my kids in the front of one on London streets though!

If you're seriously that worried about riding with a cargo bike, you could always take up cycle training to able to feel not just confident about riding with your kids in the bike, but also feel pretty safe.

I've seen quite a handful of parents with the bakfiet in London transporting their kids to school and the usual shopping trip around Bloomsbury, if they can do it, so can you.

This is great. Having something similar migt persuade me into building a single speed mountainbike, which until now I haven't done because I don't fancy a 30 min ride to the trails on a spinny bike. How are trailers like this attached to the bike? Something like this? Do they work ok with quick releases?

How are trailers like this attached to the bike? Something like this? Do they work ok with quick releases?

I have a child-carrying trailer that attaches to my bike with a linkage like that. I'm using it with a quick release and it's ok, but not ideal - it can work loose and shift around a bit. I'm going to get a solid axle at some point and try it like that - I just need to get a little spanner to carry around in my tool kit in case I get a puncture...

nuknow that bike is gorgeous. Groupset and ride as is, the patina is great.

I really like the idea of making the struts of the racks more decorative. Old railings and shutters esp. in France, Spain and Italy could be good inspiration.

I'm sure this is what this fella did, from old racks. I absolutely love this finish.
Would definitely ride it like that.

There are constructor (note - constructor mean they build not just frame but component too) who build rack like those for a living.

Alex Singer is one example.

I've got my own MIG welder anyway!

There are constructor (note - constructor mean they build not just frame but component too) that build the rack, mudguard, derailieur etc.

Alex Singer is one example.

Could you re-write this please Ed. It does not quite make sense. I think I understand what you men but I'm not sure.

Alex Singer is one example.

Not quite: Singer's bikes used A.V.A mudguards, Cyclo dérailleurs, Moyne freeewheels etc...
René Herse apparently build everything on some of his bikes but all the ones I've seen had parts from typical brands of the era.

This is me when I did a half Ironman with a fridge: 1.9k swim (fridge in boat), 92k bike (fridge on trailer), 21k run (fridge on back)....

You are a mentalist, but I like your style.

In fact, I love it. This has made my week.

René Herse apparently build everything on some of his bikes but all the ones I've seen had parts from typical brands of the era.

Rene Herse is definitely a better example than Alex Singer, ta for pointing that out.

Courier on a bullitt cargo bike with some big ass delivery boxes just went past me in lausanne station. He had a bionix motor in the back wheel. Perfectly understandable. Looked fast as.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/07/cargo-bikes-for-business.php

The box contains one of the early models of mobile phone.

http://www.econologica.org/bikebits.html

Sorry if repost.
I like the Tow-A-Bike idea a lot: Very clever!

http://www.econologica.org/bikebits.html

Sorry if repost.
I like the Tow-A-Bike idea a lot: Very clever!

Ok, I noticed the first problem, then I think I saw what they did to solve it, and it's fucked up.

Your forks have a pretty narrow spacing, much narrower than what your rear spaceing will be (annoyingly enough I haven't a clue what the spaceing is on the front because it's one of the only things that comes standard on bikes, which means I don't actually have to know it).

So, I was wondering if that meant that they had bent the forks out to fit on the rear axle of the towing bike, then I noticed that the "front" wheel that they attached to the forks of the tow-er is actually a rear, meaning that essentially the tow-ee bike has two rear wheels and a set of bent out forks. FTS

Just tell your mate to get a bus to your house, after all, you are the nice person who is loaning them a bike.

Front spacing is 100mm. The rear spacing is likely to be 126/or 130 depending on the age of the bike.

So say 13-15mm respacing for each fork, which is quite a lot even for steel forks. I dunno, maybe fine for a permenent set-up, if you set the forks carefully (too much for cold setting?). I certainly would'nt view it as a interchangable set-up though. So bending your forks out, cycling a bit, then bending them back and giving the bike to a friend. No thanks.

Front spacing is 96, 100 or 110 mm

96 some old bikes 100 most bikes 110 though axle.

Front spacing is 96, 100 or 110 mm

96 some old bikes 100 most bikes 110 though axle.

96 is pretty old low-end stuff, and you aint bending a 20mm through axle fork arm 10mm anyway.

So 100mm. Picky bast*&d ;)

Pedant badge please