where we're (maybe) going

Looking at the various iterations of cargo bikes (two or three wheel box bikes, long tails, those with platform racks over the front wheel, heavily-built large-racked regular bikes, etc.) we're pretty set on a two-wheeled, front loading, box-type bike. Why? Well, we want the load low and up front for handling and so we can keep an eye on it (especially in the case of kids and dogs), and we, or I at least, want to keep the bi aspect of a bike in the equation.

Options we've found are the Bakfiets produced in the Netherlands (I believe they're still actually made there) which are sold here by Clever Cycles, and a Chinese version of the same basic design sold in Portland by Joe Bike. There are also a couple few local options here in Oregon; CETMA and CAT Oregon (bikes are branded as Human Powered Machines) are both made down in Eugene, and then there is also Metrofiets right here in Portland. Wow - that's actually a lot of choices compared to what was around not so long ago, and it's really great if you live, you know, where we live - how lucky we are.

But which to choose? A locally produced bike would be great and sort of further the whole eco aspect as, on the surface anyway, it would seem to decrease energy use compared to transporting a bulky object here from Europe (of course, this is one of those questions that would require careful scrutiny of all aspects of materials sourcing and production efficiencies to have a true comparative value, and, frankly, I'm a combination of not smart enough and too lazy to do that), and even failing that we do like to support local industry (we work here too, you know, and money helps to pay bills and such).

All of the bikes above are pretty similar in overall design. With the exception of the CETMA bike, they all run a single boom section of frame under the cargo area up to the front. The Joe-Bike and the Human Powered Machines Long Haul have shorter cargo boxes (the Bakfiets comes in short or long, but only the long is currently sold by Clever Cycles), and that sort of puts them out of the running for us as we absolutely want room for a cart's worth of groceries and a kid. I really like the CETMA concept; it's local, it's produced by a super-small business (at this time), which I think is great, I like the platform-tubing-as-structural-frame idea (big fan of form following function), and the modular and "bi-partable" aspects of the frame. Prices for most of those are right around $3k (as this is written 3/09) with the Joe-Bike coming in at a very close to wow-that's-only-half-as-much (and that's for the optioned-out Portland edition) $1599. Components vary, as do assertions as to which type of systems are best, from bike to bike though.

As much as I want to go local, we are currently leaning towards the Bakfiets. Why? Well, it's got the long box, it seems to come pretty much set up to ride just off the showroom floor (there really aren't many options other than rain-covers and seat cushions for the box - locks, lights, fenders, etc, are all standard) without having to add any accessories to the bike/bill, and most everything about it is set up to be weather hardy (theoretically built to live outside year round in wet/damp conditions with very little maintenance) and ready to ride with very little up-keep. Another consideration is that, well, we're just not very patient people and we could pretty much have a Bakfiets tomorrow where as Metrofiets and HPM both list three month lead times on their websites.

So, yeah - Bakfiets is at the top right now followed closely by the CETMA bike.