Bakfiets

[virajmaster]

Hi All,

My wife and I are very interested in the bakfiets cargobike. Before plunking down the serious chunk of money it requires to buy one of these bikes ($3000 approx), we'd love to see one up close.

We live in the Atlanta area (Decatur, GA), but would be willing and able to travel somewhere in the Southeast to try out one of these bikes.

We thought we could go to the Dutch Bike Company in St. Augustine, but it has moved away, alas.

So, if anyone is willing to let us test-ride your bike, we'd be thankful!

For those who are interested, the following websites are helpful
www.bakfiets.nl/eng/
bakfietscargo.blogspot.com/

Margaret and Viraj

[jaxgtr]

I'm going to move into Utility and then leave redirect in the Southeast Sub Forum.

[RonH]

Welcome to BF. There are lots of Atlanta and Decatur area folks here, including me. :)
Why not introduce yourself in the Atlanta/Decatur thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=234331)?
Why do you want that particular bike? Why not get a kiddie trailer or trail-a-bike that can be attached to a regular bike?

[virajmaster]

A very good point(s). Perhaps we were just swayed by advertising! Thus we wanted to test-ride one. - viraj

[StephenH]

I think they're cool, too, but I'm more into the $300 bikes than the $3,000 bikes. Anyway, don't be afraid to get one even if a trailer makes more sense- just having a cool ride is neat. That's why people buy convertibles.

One thing to watch for is hills. Riding my cargo trike around, it's low geared but an extra hundred pounds or so can just pull you to a stop on a moderate hill. So if it's pancake flat, you're in good shape. There's a reason these are Dutch bikes and not Colorado bikes.

[EricJ]

I frequently have this Amsterdam web cam on when I'm picking lint out of my navel.

http://www.eyelogue.com/donniecam.html

I have seen thousands of bikes on there, including a pedicab last night. You can pull that camera up at 3am Amsterdam time and see dozens of bikes going all directions. I have never seen a bakfiets on the web cam. Not one. One web cam pointing at a city center intersection isn't science, but I wonder how popular they really are in the Netherlands.

Eric

[StephenH]

That's probably a "No Bakfiets" street, like we have "No Trucks" on some streets. :)

[tfahrner]

... I wonder how popular they really are in the Netherlands.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh_Mi7Qaivs

2 or 3 are parked on each block of most amsterdam neighborhoods.

[wahoonc]

I frequently have this Amsterdam web cam on when I'm picking lint out of my navel.

http://www.eyelogue.com/donniecam.html

I have seen thousands of bikes on there, including a pedicab last night. You can pull that camera up at 3am Amsterdam time and see dozens of bikes going all directions. I have never seen a bakfiets on the web cam. Not one. One web cam pointing at a city center intersection isn't science, but I wonder how popular they really are in the Netherlands.

Eric

I have seen a couple go through on the camera...but I have been watching it off and on for over a year:o It may just be an area where the people with kids just aren't going through. I seldom see any people with kids on their bikes in the cam.

Aaron:)

[EricJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh_Mi7Qaivs

2 or 3 are parked on each block of most amsterdam neighborhoods.

Geez, that's a lot of bakfiets. OK, the Amsterdam Centrum web cam is obviously not representative. Still fun to watch, though.

Eric

[GGDub]

I'd love to hear some feedback if you do test ride one. I have a little one on the way and have been seriously considering a Bakfiets. Chariot trailers (or other brands) are obviously cheaper, but they get wicked dirty if you ride with them year round, as one of my former coworkers can attest to. Plus, the Bakfiets can carry more than just your child.