Well you do don’t you?
In my opinion, you need a cargo bike. If that was enough and everyone listened to me, that would be easy eh? Lots of you will disagree so let me explain why.
They are fucking cool. Yep not a very important factor to some however, for me it is. The first time I saw a cargo bike and thought wow they are cool, was in Belgium a few days before the start of the Transcontinental Race (TCR). My friend Rich and I rode onto a ferry in Dover, off at Calais and cycled to Geraardsbergen. Both of us are bike mechanics however, I stopped getting paid for it sometime ago. We volunteered to undertake the bike scrutiny of all the TCR racers bikes to ensure they were roadworthy and safe plus they followed the race rules. Mike Hall the founder of the TCR was a friend, and a great friend to Rich. Riding out and helping at one of Mikes events after his death was some closure for Rich and an awesome thing to be part of.
So back to cargo bikes… The Belgians do it right, as a tradition ex pro cyclists when they retire open up a cycling themed café in their town. Geraardsbergen was no exception to this. The area and community is steeped in cycling culture. It was while we were getting chips (yep Belgium style) that 3 riders on Omnium Cargo bikes rocked up, elegantly flicked out the stands and went into the cycling café. Their 3 gleaming (one was burple) steeds sat in the sun, their cycle courier esque style and cool tats had an influence on me. I wanted to be as cool as them and needed an Omnium to be so. So there we go, they are fucking cool, I have one, have the tats and dress like a nerd (cosplay?). I am well aware this won’t have convinced most of you so I’ll carry on.
They move people, and are especially good at moving people who have had much wine. Sitting precariously in the front or back of a cargo bike is a thrill as you relent control of your life and wellbeing to the rider. Adding some booze into the mix makes it a hilarious and giggle inducing experience.
But you don’t need to be drunk at all. A trip to Amsterdam last year showed how a huge city can give up cars and use a cargo bike as an everyday vehicle. Kids go to school in them, friends go out on the town in them, shopping is done in them. They were mostly e-cargo bikes and were as acceptable as cars are here. If I ride my omnium around, you get so many comments, odd looks and people jumping out the way in fear as they just don’t expect to see such a large bike on a shared path. In Amsterdam, no one bats an eyelid. at. all. No one. There are a few schemes in Sussex now where you can rent one and if you haven’t tried one, or are curious, and I urge you to try one. You only need to look around Brighton and Shoreham to see more and more parents taking kids to school on them. It genuinely makes me so happy to see normal people using bikes as a legitimate mode of transport.
They move dogs. Do I need to say more? What better way is there if getting a dog to a walk than on a cargo bike? You think you get looks from riding a cargo bike, stick a dog on the front and this trebles at least! My dog is fab on the front and loves smelling the air being rammed into his snoot.
They move stuff. Since getting a cargo bike, it has been used where I’d previously use my car. Be that a trip to the post office to send a bike frame, picking up some bike parts from a friend, carrying bikes to races or doing a shop at the local supermarket. Yes your car can do this, or you can walk, but it’s often easier, cheaper and more fun to ride.
N+1. Nuff said there!
Some ride almost like normal bikes. There are many types of cargo bike. Some are nimble, others barge like, some strange and alien and others feel just right. They all take some getting used to, it doesn’t take long however. I’ve had the most experience on my Omnium and can say other than the front end being light when unloaded, it rides like an MTB. It’s been on a few NBHD and Porteur rides, the trails of Steyning, Stanmer park and a few laps (one with a passenger on the front) of a Singlespeed UK championships race last year. This demonstrates how capable they are and although harder than a normal bike, certainly a novel and fun experience.
There are probably other reasons for getting one, but that will do for now. Porteur has Omnium and Larry vs Harry cargo bikes if you are curious and I’ve been eying up the copper Omnium they currently have in stock, it’s very cool.
To wrap it up, I think more people would benefit from having one and doing more journeys by bike. The more we all ride, the more acceptable and accessible it is. Take Amsterdam, that culture didn’t happen overnight but it started somewhere. Normal people doing normal trips by bike and unusual people doing silly trips by bikes is a good thing and I personally want to see more and more of it.
