Originally Posted by Ekdog

As NoOneMad mentioned, a bike and a trailer would do the trick. Of course, if you have the six and a half grand to go in style, why not?

Originally Posted by Rowan

A touring cyclist would carry that sort of load all the time.

You say that you commute by bike 95% of the time, but what are the realistic additional duties you think you need such an expensive freight-style bike for? And what sort of emergency are you talking about?

I spent over a decade without owning a motor vehicle, and used my touring bike as my packhorse, and when that wasn't sufficient, I used a trailer of one sort or another to lug around larger (or should I say) bulkier loads over terrain that, judging from what I have seen of Portland, was steeper... and I didn't use power assist.

On your doorstep is Bike Friday, and they have a design that is intended for heavy-duty use. Look them up and see if that bike meet your needs. I don't have a clue on cost, though.

If you are starting from a base with no driving licence, and you've listed the costs, even with the $6,000 bike, you seem to be leaning towards a more expensive proposition in the motor vehicle.

Originally Posted by cooker

I's a good idea to learn to drive, even if you don't buy a car. That way you can rent a car or a truck on rare occasions. That's humungously cheaper than owning a motor vehicle you only rarely use.

BTW - what bike do you have now?