Yeah, I didn't think in terms of it paying for itself through it's own labor. You're right, that's probably not possible without turning it into some kind of tourist taxi for the bar district or something like that. Which I would not be willing to be bothered with.

I was just thinking that the cost savings of not paying for a car would equal it out after a couple of years. But also, I would imagine that any repairs would be quite expensive, and that parts would be hard to find.

Yes, all-in-all, just throwing a heavy duty bike trailer behind an old touring bike would be far more cost effective.

I was speaking more of if you ride your kid to school or something you cant let the kid go to class soaking wet. I agree about it being good for them to get wet, play in dirt, etc. but if raining it just means planning on a change of clothes or something when you arrive at your destination.

Very interesting (guessing through the French). Who knew Luxembourg was so important!

Your ongoing concern regarding the cost/benefit equation in Bakfiet ownership made me undertake some research. I actually live rather near Clever Cycles in Portland, OR the main source of all the Dutch bicycles in use in the entire city. But that's not where I went, of course. It would appear from some initial sleuthing, that a new Bakfiets can be obtained for around 1200 EUR. I've already done the USD conversion on your behalf: $1338 USD. I don't know... that does not seem to be a stupendous amount of money for the socio-economic demographic that utilize this option. I don't think many of them need a second or even primary automobile but I have to think that a family in a position to keep two cars on the road could EASILY add a bakfiets to the budget without it being an either or situation. Even if I am missing something (like shipping, import duties, etc.) and a Bakfiets is closer to $3000 USD. I think they would still (and do) have many enthusiastic customers. Second hand they probably would be under $2000 USD. But there are other options, to wit: A Guide To Buying A Bakfiets (Part 2) - A Dutch View

Yeah, it's like a mini-Germany (banking, steel and tech exports). However, I don't have any interest in living there. A fair bit of manufacturing happens there.

Might be hard to find those good European prices here in America. For example, the article you linked to mentions a "Babboe City" cargo bike for under €1,000 in Europe, but the Clever Cycles in Portland is selling the base model for $2,750.

buy one, ship it over, piece of cake.

or reship it and pay some taxes ... also it's 20% less than the listed European price as you won't pay VAT if it's exported.

Ahh, smart. I'm still not buying one.

your loss.

I am sure you are missing something by pricing the cheapest stripped down bakfiets as delivered in Europe for Euros. How much does it cost in dollars to buy an equipped bakfiets delivered to a customer in Portland, or anywhere else in the U.S. including tariffs and shipping costs? Note that my opinions are targeted to relative value and practicality for use in the U.S. AFAIK, the bakfiets.nl site only lists one dealer in the U.S. and one in Canada.

I do not doubt that those relative few who do buy a bakfiets are enthusiastic, as are owners of esoteric toys such as Segways and expensive oddball bicycle shaped objects like replica PennyFarthings, Tall Bikes, and even less expensive, but formerly trendy fixies.

On my most recent trip to Amsterdam in 2011 I too saw a few bakfiets in use, but for every such sighting I must have seen thousands of regular bikes with attached child seats in use, many with multiple children on board. The only time I saw a gaggle of bakfiets was parked at a location trying to sell them.

Please provide a quote from any bakfiet-like cargo bike dealer in Europe for the delivered $ price to anywhere in the U.S including tariffs, shipping and importer/distributor fees. It is easy to type a make believe 20% less! bargain easy peasy order, not so easy to find it in reality.

Or perhaps you were suggesting that a U.S. customer fly to Europe and bring it back as a piece of oversized luggage on the return flight. That price should be eye popping indeed.

Any German bike shop will ship to the US in box, with VAT and ask the US-based customer to pay import duties.

To provide an easy example. These guys with a VSF bike out of Germany to the US. €641-19%+€50 worldwide shipping.

ebay link here:

https://www.ebay.de/itm/vsf-fahrradma...Nah6g#shpCntId

Duty to the US runs only 11%.

Import duty & taxes calculation result

Most bike shops will ship Worldwide all one has to do is pick up the telephone.

I do this all of the time with stuff from Japan to Europe but use TENSO as a reshipper (mail box in Tokyo, reships to me in the UK ... I pay not Japanese tax and pay the VAT and import tariff on the stuff I receive.)

I'm heading up to Copenhagen to be an external reviewer on a PhD thesis and could ask the cost of shipping a nihola to the states if you'd like.

Do the Germans ship Dutch or Danish made/brand bakfiets to online U.S. customers in competition with the official U.S. importer, and Dutch and Danish exporters? Without Japanese cutout reshipper schemes and/or gray market products with no manufacturer or dealer warranty?

Yes I would appreciate it if you could price actual U.S. consumer cost to receive a European dealer shipped Dutch or Danish Bakfiet delivered ready to ride in the U.S. and preferably with some sort of usable warranty and service agreement honored in the U.S. Thank you.

Doesn't seem any different than ordering whatever from Wiggle or Ribble in the UK.

I don't want a warranty on anything I buy, I'm paying extra for something that is almost never required.

I started this policy by buying items on holiday. For example, when I was in Japan, I bought a rMBP, a MBA and a few iPads. I didn't pay the 5% VAT in Japan and I didn't need to declare them when I retuned to the EU and I'm not a perm resident.

However, I had the SDD fail on the rMBP, so I was out of pocket the replacement cost, but with the change rate, I was still far ahead.

Ready to ride in the US? What is this, a tiny corner bike shop in a retirement community? Grow up and assemble the bike yourself, or pay a shop to do it and provide service as well ($50 for assembly and $50 for a parts warranty).

You're making a bigger deal out of this than there needs to be.

I agree with your observations, but I can't tell what your point is. Could you please clarify?

I believe what he is saying is that it's a pretty specialized piece of equipment from a commuting perspective and a relatively expensive one that has questionable popularity even in its country of origin. If you have the space and a fair amount of disposable income, maybe it makes sense.

The thing to remember is that unless you have a lot of kids over a reasonable span of time, the useful life (for kid hauling) of something like that is pretty short. And is it worth the investment for those number of years that you'll actually use it before the kids are starting to ride on a tag-along or their own bike?

I don't care what the naysayers are grousing about. I want a Bullitt (in red) with a 500 watt assist. I don't have small kids but I want one anyway. There are two that I see rather often. One just has an open flatbed in place of the basket. On their website they have one set up with triathalon bars... bad@$$. I still think the o.p. (are they even still around?) should price a WeeHoo, but make mine a Bullitt (or bust).

Let me know when you can get a real life quote for an equivalent bakfiet delivered in the U.S for 20% less than the going retail rates in the U.S. All the blather about IPads , chimeric resident status and lack of concern for any kind of warranty for a new item or perhaps even legitimacy of the seller is not worth the electrons involved in posting such stuff.

Do they ship bakfiets or similar cargo bikes to the U.S.? Price?

Tjspiel covered it pretty well. I should add that given the price of garage space or sq footage for real estate or apt rentals in NYC an owner of a bakfiets will be paying an exorbitant price for the privilege of keeping a bike with the footprint of a bakfiets conveniently available for daily or frequent use in transporting the kids to school or any other typical cargo hauling tasks.

Hype about the practicality/value of bakfiets and similar expensive esoteric dedicated cargo hauling bicycles for transporting children in the U.S. is just that - media hype. There are more practical methods but perhaps not as trendy or appealing to New Age parents with cash to spare.

I can only guess what posters must be thinking when recommending a bakfiet as a solution to the problem presented by the mother in the OP.

Much obliged [MENTION=397406]snow_echo_NY[/MENTION]. I read through some of your other threads as well and appreciate all the insight into biking in this goofy city.

Ha, true enuf. Thanks for the tips.

Thanks! Feeling pretty good after all this great feedback.