Cargo Bikes

Cargo is mostly one child (5 years old) all year round so canopy was a must. Wanted him forward facing so he can see more things rather than looking at me grimacing up the hills. Even in freezing weather he can sit inside the canopy and be warm rain or shine. He like to read his books in the bike and eat so again canopy/interior space is duper useful.

We also end up carrying his friends around at times too, especially back from kids parties after they’ve seen we have cycled there rather than driving in a car.

In the summer we sometimes remove the canopy so the wife and nipper can both go in the bike if we wanted to all go to the park/pub/out for meal locally.

Also load it up with tools/building supplies when needed and have also fabricated a bike rack on the back to transport our boys bike so we can say cycle to Richmond Park and then let him ride around with us until he’s tired, then cycle home...

The lack of canopy and reverse seating made the omnium a no-go for us. I see plenty of kids wrapped up like mummies on rear seats in the cold/wet weather...can’t say they ever look happy, whereas my boy just laughs at me as i’m the one getting wet! :)

Oh, I'm pretty much set on a Bullit myself - though the GF and I don't have kids yet - I agree with you completely. I was just posting to say that carrying a kid with an Omniums is highly doable.

:) if it was me, we’d have a Bullitt, but I’m completely sold on the Douze’s handling and i’m super happy the wife rides it just as much as me! If we didn’t have a kid, i’d Probably be very tempted by an Omnium... choices, choices!!! London Green Cycles should have a Bullitt, Douze and Omnium to test ride so you can see what suits you best.

Good shout, though I'd probably be easier to go ride the Omnium that my mate has or the one on show at the LBS where some other mates work - plus I live in town called Odense in Denmark, so test riding a bullit in Copenhagen wouldn't be impossible either ;)

So, if you speak to the team at Omnium and Bullitt, to them they are selling a completely different product with hugely different uses and therefore are not in any way comparable. To us in the UK I guess there's so few two wheeled cargo bikes around that we put them all in the same boat.

We sell Omniums to customers who want to carry 'things', faster than you would be able to deliver it in a car (this is true even in a small town like Bournemouth) we have a coffee roaster that delivers all their coffee locally (8 mile radius) on an Omnium. Omnium bikes are easier to store, considerably lighter and easier to handle when carrying a 'mid' weight item like tubs of coffee (50-60kg). They're also easier to carry weird shaped items as the 'flat bed' cargo style can have anything strapped to it. In Copenhagen they don't think twice about sticking a small child or two on the front of an Omnium, partly because they have huge cycle lanes and often they're being ridden by messengers/ex-messengers/experienced cyclists.

Bullitts are much more popular with people with kids, especially in Copenhagen, they're easier to just sling something into the front (providing you have side panels) knowing it won't fall out, including a child. We sell Bullitts to people wanting to ride along the seafront where it is extremely flat and there's not much traffic, they also offer a carbon belt drive option which is helpful when riding by the sea.

I have a Mini-Max because I can use it as a regular bike and it stands on it's end in my hallway. I don't have kids but I did have a dog who used to sit in the front of our shop Bullitt:

Omnium bikes handle much better, also as someone who regularly carries heavy loads on both, one notable thing that is much easier on the Omnium is lifting the front wheel up onto a high curb, sounds minor but for me at least, it ends up being quite important.

great, please talk about Omnium mini-max versus Omnium cargo! What is the difference in use.

Mini-max handling is even closer to a normal bike, shorter wheelbase, snappier steering.

Obviously it's not as useful if you are carrying very bulky/long items but you can fit extender bars or in my experience, if something (like a surfboard) is longer than the front of the rack, you can just strap it down at the back. Although having a longer rack on the Omnium Cargo means if you have items that are high you can move them further away from your bars so it doesn't affect your steering.

Also the mini-max is just above head height when stood on its end so it's easier to store.

I bought a Mini-Max as I don't need the extra carrying capability on a regular basis, for me it's a daily that happens to be able to carry stuff when needed. I have the extended bar that has proven useful for larger items (including a 2m long table top). I like the fact it's a lovely bike to ride regardless of it being a cargo bike, it's not just a load carrying tool.

Full size omnium's longer wheel base makes it more stable. But don't think it makes much difference unless you're carrying 70+ kilo

Very good info, thank you for taking the time!

thanks for all the info-
mini-max sounds like a fun bike.

I guess this is somewhat subjective too!

I prefer the bullitt handling!

Well summarised! And in your later post... totally agree, high curbs can be a nightmare at times with a fully loaded bike! :)

This! And then there are all the mad 3 wheeled cargo bikes that we don't see at all here (like the idea of the tilting ones).

Found the R+M load/Packster, Douze and Urban arrow whilst they look similar to a bullitt, they weigh so much more (although you wouldn't be lifting any of these up a flight of stairs into a flat anyway so maybe weight isn't hugely important to some) and handle much more sedately. Not that this is bad, for some the confidence and comfort they bring is welcome.

My partner whilst a moderately experienced rider was interested in a 2 wheeled cargo bike for a few reasons, one, a different way of touring, two confidence on the roads amongst non forgiving traffic (which the weight and size of the Douze/Urban arrow gives in huge amounts), but they are really hard to pedal beyond the 16mph limiter and once the battery has run out its pretty miserable if loaded. Bullitt I ride around approx 40% of the time with the assistance turned off (for quiet and to make me actually burn some cake off) which I don't think I'd do quite as often with some of the others.

Have a few mates with Omnium copies (self built out of steel) and honestly really like the way they ride, even more fun, but most of the things i need a cargo bike for the long john style works better for us.

good thing it's got those Anything cages at the front so you have somewhere to put your stuff

Anyone in SW london have a cargo bike I could borrow tomorrow?
I have to go north of the river to pick up 2x 10 kilo gas canisters for my brazing.

Oi oi what time? I’d be up for giving you a lift + cans if I’m about (and you fancy it)

Need to pick your brains regarding brazing, what my entry point is £ and kit -wise. I don’t mind ugly, so long as it works.

Haha in the death trike? It’s a long pedal! Not sure yet, gotta get the motorbike to a garage first thing

I haven’t started yet so I can’t offer much advice other than that the kit I bought was about £170, comes with torch, hoses, flashback arresters, gauges, goggles and then that again for gas cans (deposit mostly for rent free gas, much cheaper for refills)
I’ve gone for Oxy propane because it’s a little less explodey than acetylene

Nah lol f that!

On the urban arrow 😎

Wooo when did you get that? Electric assist? How would we get there and then get the cans back to mine? Don’t want to make you have to cycle like 100kg round for 30 miles

It’s not mine, I’m working on it at the moment :)

Yeah e assist! 100kg is nothing. Still have another 50kg to spare before it hits capacity haha.

Just remembered though I’m getting dragged out to the countryside tomorrow which will probably make me unavailable for the best part of a day. Sorry 😐.. could do Sunday though if you don’t manage to sort something (assuming the place is open)