Cargobikes

iamrik · February 14, 2012, 9:49am

Coming half year or so I’ll be designing a cargo bike for a major bike company in Holland (30,000+ bikes a year) that is to be brought on the market in 2013. Meant for transporting kids to school, groceries, etc. Two wheeled, cargo in front of rider but behind front wheel.

Unfortunately I know shit about these type of bikes. I reckon there are some people here that have ridden them or own one so I figured I would ask.

I have complete control over the frame, the cargobox and the styling.
Putting parts on it when that is done is someone else’s task.

For me, most important:
Not look boring
Not weigh 10 tons (read: <25 kg)

We talking about these things:

School me, what can we fuck up and what must we absolutely do?

JUGE_FREDD · February 14, 2012, 11:28am

Read the entirety of this blog’s history: http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2012/

especially the review stuff like this: http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2009/04/29/the-fake-bakfiets-cargobikes-keep-on-coming/

Face · February 14, 2012, 2:42pm

[quote=iamrik]Coming half year or so I’ll be designing a cargo bike for a major bike company in Holland

…

Unfortunately I know shit about these type of bikes. [/quote]

quit your job and let someone who knows what the fuck they’re doing take over.

Rusty_Piton · February 14, 2012, 2:55pm

It boggles my mind when ignorant people feel the need to reinvent the wheel.
http://www.larryvsharry.com/english/
Listen to Face.

timberland_boots · February 14, 2012, 3:22pm

[quote=Face][quote=iamrik]Coming half year or so I’ll be designing a cargo bike for a major bike company in Holland

…

Unfortunately I know shit about these type of bikes. [/quote]

quit your job and let someone who knows what the fuck they’re doing take over.[/quote]

Of course, there is a strong precedent of designers planning bikes without knowing how they work, maybe yours could be the next spokeless wheeled belt drive cargo bike that is also a coffee table

iamrik · February 14, 2012, 3:24pm

[quote=Rusty Piton]It boggles my mind when ignorant people feel the need to reinvent the wheel.
http://www.larryvsharry.com/english/
Listen to Face.[/quote]

We’d all be rolling on penny farthings if that was the mindset.
I understand bikes. Just not cargobikes. Yet.

Russell · February 14, 2012, 3:24pm

[quote=Smitty][quote=Face][quote=iamrik]Coming half year or so I’ll be designing a cargo bike for a major bike company in Holland

…

Unfortunately I know shit about these type of bikes. [/quote]

quit your job and let someone who knows what the fuck they’re doing take over.[/quote]

Of course, there is a strong precedent of designers planning bikes without knowing how they work, maybe yours could be the next spokeless wheeled belt drive cargo bike that is also a coffee table[/quote]

fucking luld

Orc · February 14, 2012, 3:50pm

[quote=Buffalo Bill]
especially the review stuff like this: http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2009/04/29/the-fake-bakfiets-cargobikes-keep-on-coming/[/quote]

But, aside from an unspecific “the chinese are icky” tone, isn’t the primary complaint in this post that the components on them are awful? The best-designed frame will founder on those same rocks if the price is brought down by outfitting it with junky components.

Russell · February 14, 2012, 4:37pm

Make sure to add a pedal powered coffee grinder and a tequila bar

NOVELTYNAME · February 14, 2012, 5:03pm

[quote=Russell][quote=Smitty][quote=Face][quote=iamrik]Coming half year or so I’ll be designing a cargo bike for a major bike company in Holland
…
Unfortunately I know shit about these type of bikes. [/quote]
quit your job and let someone who knows what the fuck they’re doing take over.[/quote]
Of course, there is a strong precedent of designers planning bikes without knowing how they work, maybe yours could be the next spokeless wheeled belt drive cargo bike that is also a coffee table[/quote]
fucking luld[/quote]
quit your job
put someone else with more experience there.

Larry_Winget · February 14, 2012, 5:31pm

[quote=Rusty Piton]It boggles my mind when ignorant people feel the need to reinvent the wheel.
http://www.larryvsharry.com/english/
Listen to Face.[/quote]

Those bikes are the shit.

Light, strong, handle well unloaded, come sensibly speced at a lot of different price points, come in fun colors, and fit a variety of riders. The adjustable threadless stem setup is particularly brilliant. The relatively narrow width is also nice. More appropriate for a US-style bike lane than a Bakfiets.

The only thing lacking atmo is a good child carrier. This is an area where most “cargo” bikes suck. You spend a fuckload of money and your kids sit on a plywood box or in a plastic tub. Sure, you can build something cool but not everyone wants a project.

So, if I had one piece of advice it would be work on a child carrier that is comfortable, has a good restraint system, is weatherproof (won’t get funky or soggy), has a good optional canopy/windshield, and can be installed on/removed from the bike quickly (like under a minute). Modular/configurable would be cool too (two small kids, big kid/small kid, small kid/lockbox, etc…).

jimmythefly · February 14, 2012, 5:43pm

The preferred nomenclature is cagro bikes, dude.

timberland_boots · February 14, 2012, 6:21pm

Lockbox to put your kids in would be a hot seller ATMO

timberland_boots · February 14, 2012, 6:29pm

Bro if you meet a sup girl at the bar you can’t fit her in no fucking animal carrier

Russell · February 14, 2012, 7:18pm

Disagreeing from personal experience

eric_ssucks · February 14, 2012, 7:27pm

1: Easy steering
2: Low weight
3: Not stupid box design.
4: Stiff chassis.
5: Low price.

pick 3, make it happen.

skregzilla · February 14, 2012, 9:33pm

Lockbox to put your kids in would be a hot seller ATMO

[/quote]

Look at the cop dude in the middle’s hat. Seriously? Can you get a hat that’s not 3 sizes too small? I bet he rides a sw8 fixie to work 3 sizes too large to compensate.

Dickason_Daniel · February 15, 2012, 1:01am

you should incorporate some giant glow sticks in your design.

eric_ssucks · February 15, 2012, 1:04am

FTFY

iamrik · February 15, 2012, 1:00pm

[quote=tarckeemoon][quote=Rusty Piton]It boggles my mind when ignorant people feel the need to reinvent the wheel.
http://www.larryvsharry.com/english/
Listen to Face.[/quote]

Those bikes are the shit.

Light, strong, handle well unloaded, come sensibly speced at a lot of different price points, come in fun colors, and fit a variety of riders. The adjustable threadless stem setup is particularly brilliant. The relatively narrow width is also nice. More appropriate for a US-style bike lane than a Bakfiets.

The only thing lacking atmo is a good child carrier. This is an area where most “cargo” bikes suck. You spend a fuckload of money and your kids sit on a plywood box or in a plastic tub. Sure, you can build something cool but not everyone wants a project.

So, if I had one piece of advice it would be work on a child carrier that is comfortable, has a good restraint system, is weatherproof (won’t get funky or soggy), has a good optional canopy/windshield, and can be installed on/removed from the bike quickly (like under a minute). Modular/configurable would be cool too (two small kids, big kid/small kid, small kid/lockbox, etc…).[/quote]

Modular is a word that’s been doing some bouncing around here in the office. Good one.

Goddamnit I knew that thread existed but failed to use tarckspelling.

[quote=eric_s]1: Easy steering
2: Low weight
3: Not stupid box design.
4: Stiff chassis.
5: Low price.

pick 3, make it happen.[/quote]

First four doable, last one just fucks it up.

Glow dicks as option or standard?