The Bike Wishlist: An Orange-Colored Easy-Mount Mini Cargo Bike

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 fascinated with 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.

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.

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.