invisiblehand

Apparently it will be available in Portland soon ...

https://bikeportland.org/2008/09/26/i...-the-bakfiets/

I-Like-To-Bike

High end, high cost "utility bikes" are already available to anyone who finds utility in designer brand, zoot suity, trendy bicycles: https://www.antbikemike.com/

moore.sean

It appears you can buy one right now and they will arrange to have it assembled at your LBS.

$1099 for the rack version... that's a good price IMO.

Nightshade

I hope the price doesn't mean you don't think it's worth the money. Quality workmanship &
materials cost money. If a person want slave labor China cheap then wal-mart & target have
bikes for the masses who don't know a thing about bike quality.

My Worksman PAV trike cost $1300 delivered ,and is worth every penney, saving me mega bucks
by replacing my vehicles in all that I need to do in the town where I live. Heck, my vehicles
don't even get started unless I have to travel over 20 miles anymore.

wahoonc

I would wonder about placing the load in that location, but hopefully someone has taken that into consideration. One thing I like about the bakfiets is it's versatility in being able to carry a person(s), or fairly large cargo, and being able to keep an eye on things. Yes they are expensive at first glance, but when you consider they may be replacing a second car the price comes more into perspective. They are also well built and should last a lifetime if given reasonable care.

[RANT]People in the US have got to start to learn the value of things and not just prices. There was a quote from Oscar Wilde- "A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing" and unfortunately that pervades today's society. People constantly shop price above everything else. Quite often receiving exactly what they pay for and being unhappy with it in the end, yet learning nothing. I have no problem with putting down my hard earned dollars for a quality product that will do the job. Would I buy a $3500 bakfiets for a run to the store when a $25 thrift shop Schwinn with $50 worth of baskets would do the job? Likely not, but I certainly would not expect one of the $100 bicycle shaped objects available at various big box stores to do the job.[/rant]

Aaron

Nightshade

(Bolding color mine)

This lack of understanding of "value" is a symptom of the sickenss called "consumerism" that
developed greatly in since the 1950's in America.

I-Like-To-Bike

Of course the value (and utility) of style and hyped "elegance" is in the eye of the consumers of boutique brand bikes just like other consumer products; and can be just as powerful and chimerical for those consumers than the so-called value of workmanship on $1300+ utility bikes, or attention to the details of detailing fancy bike lugs on $1300+ utility bikes.

bikinpolitico

It remains to be seen when this bike will really be a value at the price. My guess is that it will have lower quality parts and not be as durable. Still, I think we should welcome this develop as further maturation and diversity of available products for the utility cycling market. We are starting to see brands fit over us which is an encouraging sign.

surfimp

From the article:

For following in the footsteps of such a legendary design like the Dutch bakfiets, Madsen is confident in their bikes, stating on their website that, “We are not the first to place a load on a bicycle but we are the first to do it right.”

Their humility is overwhelming...

I predict that frame is going to have a lot of longitudinal twist-flex under load. We'll see...

Allen

Small rear wheel, smart, get that CG down.
The one thing that does not thrill me about most long tails is the high center of gravity loading.
I bet this one handles better than the BD with a big load, although that bucket may throw things a little off.

moore.sean

I dunno. The center square looks quite stout, like the upper section of the main triangle on those dutch delivery bikes. The rear triangle is of course going to flex less than a comparable 26in triangle and the "second seat tube" (for lack of a better term) seems to make a nice strong triangle to tie the mid square to the main triangle.

I ain't no frame builder but I have been known to strike a bead in anger a time or two.

I'd have to ride it with two of my fattest friends on the back.

I think it looks like a better design for serious load hauling than the mondo (lower CG) and if it's just 1/2 the quality of a Big Dummy with the Xtracycle build out then you have your moneys worth.

moore.sean

Does this forum auto-combine? Hope so. edit: no it doesn't. I'll figure out the multi-quote in the future.

Yes, that small rear wheel is a very good idea. Might not roll over curbs so well but by the time it hits the obstacle you have most of the mass of the vehicle over the curb anyway. 20in wheel = strong, simple, cheap.

IMO, the xtracycle way is to put the heavy stuff down low, the deck is for when you have to or when you have light, bulky things. This new bike probably doesn't care as much how you load your booty.

kuan

No front rack and you can't hang four panniers off the rear?

Mr. Jim

Looks nice, I would like to get one and build it up without the rear bucket. A nice wooden slat rack in the rear would look killer on the back of one of those.

invisiblehand

With regards to workmanship and such, we will have to see. My experience is that Taiwanese bikes/frames are an excellent value; but I don't have any experience with anything from the mainland other than some aluminum folding bikes which were well made but poorly assembled.

Compared to a lot of alternatives, I think that this bike deserves a close look. Particularly if one is considering something like the Big Dummy.

bikinpolitico

So I finally got to ride one of these this weekend, and I liked it quiet a bit. It takes the best qualities of the Xtracycle and Bakfiets and puts them in one design.

More of my review here: https://austinontwowheels.org/2009/02...et-cargo-bike/

StephenH

Interesting review.

I can't imagine two adults sitting in that tub, to be honest!

You mention the rear wheel being a 24"- it looks smaller than that to me, in the earlier links in this thread. Maybe optical illusion.

LesterOfPuppets

But can it carry a keg?

bikinpolitico

Well, there is a difference between what it is capable of and what you'd actually want to do!

The rear wheel size is in fact 20". That was a typo that I've fixed. Thanks.

wahoonc

That is NOT the same bike as was pointed out in the OP. Kegs are no issue on a center load cargo bike nor on most long tails...from what I have seen.

Aaron

LesterOfPuppets

I'd be scared to handle a longtail with keg, unless said keg was empty. I might consider two kegs on a longtail, one on either side of rear wheel...

Kimmitt 

Heh, you just gotta sit on one butt cheek to balance the load . . .