Mike from Littlecircles bike blog will be importing Bakfiets! These are arguably the most functional form of bicycle on the planet. I think all utility bikes are great, every thing from the milk carton on the back of a 3 speed, to Surley's new big dummy, extra-cycle of course and these Bakfiets.
I think that these Bakfiets are in a category of their own. These are truly designed to, and have been very successful at replacing the car. Any bike with a 275 payload capacity is 100% utility. That's right, up to 200lbs on the front and 75 on the back.
If I lived in an urban area, where most everything I need is close by, I would probably have one of these already. Fact of the matter is I live 26 miles from the nearest grocery store. I think pedalling two kids and groceries 26 miles (Canada is also know to get a bit cool in the winter) would be a bit of a pipe dream. I think that if I were to buy a bike like this and live where I currently do, it would simply be for the novelty of it. Who knows, maybe I'll end up living somewhere in a downtown core, or at least somewhere that not in the middle of the prairies. Where I just moved from would have been perfect for Bakfiets bikes. Everything I needed was within 4 miles of my house. I could realistically never drive anywhere, with the exception of winter. And that only because of my 1 and 3 year old boys. I rode to work almost everyday last winter, even when the temps went down to -32C. I would think that the long wheel base of these would only make it more stable when plowing through a few inches of fresh snow.
The more I look at these bikes, the more excited I get about them. How cool are they? Check out more pictures here. I can't help but think these are on my list of some of the greatest bikes going. While I don't own one, I do think that this is a bike that I will own at some point in my life. Like I said before, if for nothing else, just the novelty of it. Maybe I'll wait until I hit my midlife crisis. My buddies will pick up new sports cars, and I'll buy a Bakfiets bike on a whim.
Next question: how long do I have to wait before I can make the mid-life crisis argument work? Dang I hate waiting.
3 comments:
The bakfiets are great kid and cargo haulers, and I agree that they are a car replacement. As a father-to-be, that's what it is for me!
However, keep in mind the base weight is sixty pounds, and they are sold with eight internal gears. In the US where the hills are taller and the distances are longer, it's not hard to feel the weight or wish for a lower gear.
The xtracycle concept has as many gears as the bike you attach it to, and I believe only adds 6 to 8 lbs of base weight to the bike.
Now, I haven't ridden an Xtracycle, but it strikes me as a great all-around cargo bike, while the bakfiets excels at hauling kids when traveling "around town" distances.
Midlife Crisis: You only get to use it once, so use it wisely.
If I didn't live in a small apartment with small elevators I'd be riding an Xtracycle. As it is my Surly LHT barely fits into the elevator!
Post a Comment