another interesting cargo bike option
May 27th, 2009 | Published in general | 3 Comments
A friend sent me the link to the new Madsen Cycles line of cargo bikes. I’m not just linking them because of their interesting contest that i’d certainly be happy to win…
… but there are a couple of other interesting things about them; the bucket carrier, and the price. They’re selling for under $1300 complete, which is about the price for the just the Surly Big Dummy frame. The setup includes fenders and a SRAM 8-speed drivetrain, but there isn’t much detail on the rest of the parts spec (no wheel info), and the frame is regular hi-ten steel, but it’s hard to argue too much at that price.
They claim that the rear bucket carrier is a more stable and ‘natural’ balance than the bakfiets-style front cargo box. I haven’t ridden a front carrier like that to judge, but there are some benefits to having, for example, the kids in front of you while riding. Still, the bucket seat idea is a pretty good one, and assuming the bucket can come off for more flexible cargo loading, it looks like as good a hauler as any of the extended frame bikes. The smaller rear wheel would make it necessary to carry 2 different tube sizes, which can be a hassle, but it does make for a lower and larger cargo area, which is a good thing. Plus, the smaller rear wheel would be stronger for it too.
The other cost-saving measure is the single frame size, which though they claim it’ll adjust to a 5′-6′6″ rider, could be a deal-breaker for those of us toward the ends of the height bell curve. Claims like that make me dubious, having ridden too-small frames very uncomfortably, and seen too many people stretching to make a too-large frame work. It’s important to have the size in the right ballpark to haul loads safely.
It’s an interesting time in the cargo bike area though, i’d like to give one of these a try.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:30 am (#)
I got the dealer packet from Madsen, but was apprehensive about getting into these because they would take up a lot of space if they didn’t sell. I saw one at a shop in Madison, and it appears to be decently made.
May 28th, 2009 at 11:03 am (#)
I can tell you that a bakfiet is a tricky ride. Perhaps they handle better with a load, but I’ll take my Dummy any day over one.
May 29th, 2009 at 12:08 pm (#)
Ironic that the biggest shops with the most floor space are the least likely to push the long bikes that require lots of floor space.
The Madsen lists a 600lb capacity -vs- the Dummy’s 400lbs, which makes me think that the Madsen would be a heavier bike overall, and maybe less nice to ride empty.
I don’t have any real ride time on any of the cargo bikes, but there are getting to be enough on the market that someone should do a good comparison article. I’m sure each has strengths on loading, bike handling, etc. I’d be happy to take on the project if someone wants to start shipping me bikes.