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| Interesting concept: a step-through mini cargo bike. Paint it orange, and I'm in love. Photo credit unavailable. |
I've long had a fascination with orange bikes, and I eventually want one. But it's difficult to justify a new purchase when I already own various styles.
Enter the mini cargo bike idea. I love small-wheel bikes, so why not an orange-painted, easy-mounting, mini-velo-style? Pedal-powered only.
I've been eyeing the Tern Short Haul. On paper, it ticks all the boxes. It can be stored vertically in a garage, tipped onto its back rack. I had the opportunity to inspect one in our local bike shop. In person, the bike, to my eye, is clunky: thick tubing, moto-style tires, and overall, the length is longer than I had anticipated, especially when I sat on the saddle. It felt ungainly.
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| Tern Short Haul |
There is always the Crust Clydesdale Fork or a similar Veloce Pick Up Fork that converts older mountain bikes into bombproof front loaders. I like this option, despite the hefty price, because it opens up various bikes for conversion. Add high-volume rear panniers, like Vincita's Skye Panniers, and, voila, lots of cargo space.
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| Photo credit: Veloce Pick Up fork. |
What makes sense is eventually replacing my step-through commuter bike, or better yet, repainting it orange, because 20" step-throughs are hard to come by. Along with the fork conversion, I'd add Bullmoose-style bars, something else on my wishlist. They're at a similar angle to the Arc bar on my Peugeot commuter, so they'd work.
Whether or not these ideas come to fruition is anyone's guess. And honestly, I don't need a cargo bike - I just want one.
These are the musings that take up brain space. Tell me I'm not the only one.
I have never ridden a cargo type bike and it is an interesting design, but I don’t know if having all the load on the front would be good…but that is based on my experience with a basket on a 700c wheel. I think the load is carried lower with the 20” front tire. I do know that Orange Bikes are good! And you are definitely not alone in spending time on bike things…there must be millions of us
ReplyDeleteInteresting machines, even though we ride recumbent trikes and I have a self-built cargo trailer, I too have always liked cargo bikes! If I ever do decide to add a two wheeled bike back into the lineup, I will probably get a cargo bike of some sort!
ReplyDeleteYou always need another bike!
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