Utility Cycling - Frances Smallhaul Cargo Bike

Reconfiguring the classic porteur as a cargo bike:


http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/images/Francesfull.jpg


650b in the back, 20" in the front!

Interesting. I feel a little uneasy about steering by cable though.

Hmm, I think I'll stick with panniers. A trailer for larger loads.

Is this something you've built? A blast from the past? The newest offering from somebody?

Looks interesting. My first thought was toe would clip the back of that bag/box, but i assume that's not the case. Second thought is that it needs a front fender.

That's kind of cool... if a bit bizarre...

Is this something you've built? A blast from the past? The newest offering from somebody?
....

It's from the Winter 2008 edition of Bicycle Quarterly.

http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/currentissue.html

Hmmm. A soft-side bakfiets. With bullhorns. And three cages. Whodathunk?

Found it:
2008 Frances Smallhaul
http://francescycles.com/galleries/cargo/#3123111045
The basket part is tapered at the rear, so that would help on the toe-strike issue. The cable steer actually looks pretty decent- there's some photos of it on the website.

Also saw a reveiw for this bike on that magazine:
2007 Ant Basket Bike
http://antbikemike.wordpress.com/basket-bike/

Put an IHG on the back. The more I see of IHGs, the less I like derailleurs for all but sport applications.

No. Its from the Bicycle Quarterly and I thought to share an interesting picture. Its not my style but others might enjoy looking over this interpretation of a cargo bike.

Hmm. Was this at the '08 NAHMBS show? Or maybe the Oregon Handmade Bike Show? I seem to remember thinking the linkage was interesting.
More designs are always good.
You know how there were all sorts of crazy "safety bike" designs at the turn of the century? (That was when conventional bicycles took off right?) And we look back at them now laughing at their obvious impracticalities. It'll be interesting to do the same thing in another fifty or hundred years.
Can't wait to see what else develops though.

I'd love to give it a try.

Interesting. I feel a little uneasy about steering by cable though.

I doubt that cable steering would be a problem, there's already reliable cable braking and shifting after all.

^^^^
Most all small aircraft are steered through cables and push rods too.

What would happen to the steering if the cable became overextended, though?

What would happen to the steering if the cable became overextended, though?

I presume the steering would develop some play, and you'd put on some new cables/tighten the old ones when you noticed it.