bmthom.gis

Literally any shop that wants to make some money. The only weird thing is the autoshifter. I would be fairly interested if it didn't autoshift and if I didn't already have a 45 pound city tank.

wphamilton

That's what I said also, up-thread a little. With the internal gear and disc brake, there's hardly anything to adjust even. This would be unusually simple to assemble.

Stadjer

They are quite common because utility and commute cycling is very common. Specialist bikes like these are still less than 1% of the utilitarian bikes. I'm not very familiar with Denmark, but I guess they in majority want a general purpose bike, not a specialist one, just like the Dutch. Easy and nice to ride, easy to park, easy to carry groceries and easy to not maintain. And it's only in rare and exceptional circumstances that you'd wish you had a specialist bike, it's nice to be able to carry a big load, but a big front wheel with direct steering is less expensive, less vulnerable and nicer to ride. If you have to carry a new fridge or something you put it on the rear rack and walk next to keep it from falling. It will exceed the specified weight of the rear rack but bikes tend to hold up anyway. So you hardly see any trailers. The Ikea here rents full size 3 wheel cargo bikes for 2 euro's to transport the really big stuff home, but if the box isn't too heavy and they can get an arm around it they will take it on their own everyday bike. Most Europeans shop for groceries a few times a week, the idea that one should buy food for a month at once is probably something that comes with a very carcentric society in a country with large distances, so I don't expect the trailer to sell well here.


Those 2-wheeled cargo bikes are really popular in the big cities. It's allmost all parents with young kids who own them and don't own a car, or just one. In Amsterdam especially space is so scarce you'll have to applie for a parking permit 10 years before it's your turn to recieve one, so it generally is a car substitute for parents. A bike you're allowed to park on the sidewalk, no matter how big it is. The lack of space has always been the case, I don't know if you've seen a typical Amsterdam staircase, but you don't want to carry a carbon 9lb road bike upstairs either, you might get stuck. Outside the centres people often have a small shed, in the cellar of appartmentblocks or there's a row of them between the backyards of a block. But most won't use those for their daily bike because it takes too much time.

Let's see how this Ikea bike holds up there, parked outside in the rain, adults sitting on the racks, other bikes parked against it... I'm quite confident it will hold up reasonably well, otherwise they wouldn't have sold it here to prevent damage to the reputation of Ikea in general. They also have a reputation for smart design to protect, I don't own much Ikea stuff, and what I own I use differently from what it was designed for, but I believe they are smart and they think their designs through very well.

But the Netherlands isn't important, the Dutch don't need an Ikea bike to get cycling. I truly hope the reputation of Ikea in combination with the design will convince people in much more carcentric countries that buying a bike and ride it is not a big thing and doesn't require expertise, commitment and important lifestyle choices. "Just a bike" might turn out to be the unique selling point lots of Americans needed to overcome their fear of buying a bike. Yes, I'm an optimist.

TimothyH

Links were provided.

TimothyH

At 35 lb, I don't see how the Ikea bike itself is any different. Throw in the extra weight of racks and full sized trailer and it is exactly the same thing.

That's my point. Comparing the Ikea bike + trailer to a modular cargo bike and I see more value in the cargo bike, even at twice the price.


-Tim-

CrankyOne

Bicycling for transportation has been popular in Sweden and other northern European countries for decades.

Unlike in the US where recreational bikes dominate, in Sweden city bikes dominate. And just like door locks and bumpers are expected on cars, people buying bikes in Sweden expect a ring lock on the rear wheel, a fairly protected chain, functional dynamo lighting, etc. They are purchasing a bicycle for utility not fun and it must function accordingly. A bicycle that doesn't include what are largely considered standard bits will not be very popular.

I-Like-To-Bike

But not many in typical US cities leave their bikes on the street outside their residence overnight or anywhere else outside for long periods that have public access.

Riding to work is one thing, overnight outside parking on the street and extended (24+hours) outdoor parking in public areas is another, and it is disingenuous to suggest otherwise

Last time I looked, EVERY home garage, shed and backyard area, including in Philadelphia is at street level. The practicality problem for these oversize unwieldy/heavy cargo bikes is hauling them up and down stairs, likely to be necessary in urban walkups/apartments. Even more problems if it has to be done while minding the small children who are supposed to be hauled around town on them.

I-Like-To-Bike

Reread my post.
I posted that the suggested alternative and the IKEA product share the same problem as far as being unwieldy to handle to park and store UNLESS they can be kept in ground level parking and storage or lifted inside a residence by a freight elevator when not in use.

As far as value and preference, many BF posters see value in paying far more than just twice the price for bikes that suit their fancy; that doesn't devalue the less expensive alternatives products for those who prefer them.

I-Like-To-Bike

A grab bag of links were provided, which one applies to the pictured item?

I-Like-To-Bike

Subject of this thread was about the arrival of this product in the U.S.

jefnvk

Interestingly enough, it is not offered on Sweden's site. There goes my Ikea bike tour plans of Stockholm . However, it is on the Danish and Dutch Ikea pages:
SLADDA Fiets - 28 " - IKEA
SLADDA Cykel - 28 " - IKEA

Cannot comment on the popularity in those far more bike centric countries, but it is certainly not just aimed at the NA market.

CrankyOne

I don't think they'd seriously market it anywhere in northern Europe. Even the bikes sold in department stores and convenience stores are fully equipped. They'll likely include it on various websites to get what sales they can, but people there are generally not interested in something that's more toy than functional.

BTW, like your sig.

jefnvk

Thanks!

I certainly have no belief they are trying to make a serious attempt at stealing a share of the bike market, that is for sure, or even lure more serious cyclists to them. I doubt many BF members are rushing out to buy one, or that they are really going to be marketed to folks who don't already shop Ikea. I think they just saw an opening to get their buyers to buy a basic, solid, halfway trendy bike, no different than a place like Costco got my friend and his wife's business when they bought bikes two years back: they saw them when shopping for other things, and the idea stuck in their heads when they were buying later on to go back and get them there.

TheNormanRider

Before this thread started I didn't even know about belt driven bikes. Are belts equal to, or better than, chains? It sounds like there'd be less maintenance involved.

bulldog1935

if belt drive was superior, it would be on every bike in TdF

CrankyOne

There are advantages and disadvantages of belts. They require much higher tension which results in a bit more loss of power than a chain. And while supposedly less maintenance they don't tolerate low tension as well as chains so in practice often need to be adjusted a bit more often. They also require a frame with a breakable rear triangle since the belt itself can't break.

They are lighter and don't require lubrication. Neither of these matter on a typical city bike with a fully enclosed chaincase though.

TheNormanRider

Thank you for the education! I'm very much a n00b still.

Ty0604

Right. It was a joke. And you totally missed it

wphamilton

Belts last longer as well. You are going to lose a watt or two using the belt, seriously that's all, but you'll lose a watt or two or more on the chain also in between cleaning/lubing. In fact, you'd lose more on certain gear combinations with the chain. It's not a factor for a bike that you're not trying for high speeds in the first place.

The disadvantage IMO is needing to have internal gears if you want more than one, and those belts aren't cheap. It seems to me that a single speed utility bike is where belt drives would really come into their own.

Snuts

$7/day Jester

Moe Zhoost

Here's a hint about how challenging assembly may be. Major stuff is already together. The rest does not seem that daunting.

exmechanic89

I agree. IKEA will probably sell quite a few of these to people that otherwise would have never thought about buying or riding a bike. Certainly not a bad thing, imo.

Ironfish653

It's definitely in the 'bicycle as transportation appliance' category. It seems to be designed to be as maintenance free as possible, without ditching the front brake, or airless tires. Open box, attach seat and front wheel, ride away.

One size, one price, one color, means you don't have to invest much in the buying process, compared to the lineup at a typical LBS. This it the bike my non-cyclist wife would buy; she's not opposed to riding, but she has no interest in knowing anything about the bikes in the garage, other than what color they are and why do I need so many of them?

Some nice details on them; I like the headtube-mounted front rack, and the utility trailer seems to be a pretty good value, especially since it uses a universal 'type-A' axle hitch.

2manybikes

That certainly seems to be correct. I was going with the information in post#6 in this thread. Apparently that's all wrong.

I-Like-To-Bike

Just for the sake of discussion and/or enlightenment: IMO, substitute for IKEA the name Walmart, Target or any other lower priced outlet, and increased bike sales ARE considered a bad thing by stereotypical BF bike snobs posters. Presumably because those bikes are not the right kind of value bikes for worthy cyclists.