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Be Green: Build A Cargo Bicycle!

Posted 8 months ago|8 comments|1,003 views
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Written by
Chris D
Seattle, WA
Over 80 percent of the United States’ population lives in urban areas – where most people don’t travel over 10 miles in a day. Sure, sure, you have a great car, but with gas prices skyrocketing, you need a second option.

Enter the cargo bicycle – a true child of engineering and art. There are several great do-it-yourself websites for people who are tired of emptying their wallets at the gas pump. With some plans, a few old parts from Craigslist, and some elbow grease, you’ll have a cargo bicycle in no time at all.

What kind of lifestyle do you have? Are you young and full of energy? Maybe you and your significant other (husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend?) could make the cargo bicycle a hobby to work on together. Design a tandem grocery cart bicycle and be the envy of all your friends!

Do you have children and a busy schedule? The stay-at-home dad or mom could make a cargo bicycle with a sidecar, and tote around their little one. Cargo bikes are already popular in Europe, where petrol prices are through the roof. As peak oil approaches, we’re going to see much, much higher gasoline prices – so get ahead of the game now.

So why burn up a gallon of fossil fuel to get to work and back, or to the grocery store? You should build or buy a cargo bicycle and show off your green side.

You can search online for DIY plans or local retailers that will help you get the right kind of cargo bicycle for your lifestyle. I’m not saying you should throw your car away, but I was a bike commuter for a couple of years. It was great – you should have seen my thighs!

So if you’re looking for a creative way to sweat off a few pounds, and you’re interested in being kind to the environment, check out a cargo bicycle. I’ve included some links on the left to get you started. Good luck!


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COMMENTS
8 months ago: Chris:

You're shrewed saying "high gas prices" instead of "global warming". Good idea. Or is it climate change?

There's one small problem with the contraption, on a wet day, junior there will be pummelled with water, mud, etc.
Chris D
Chris D
Seattle, WA
8 months ago: Yeah, climate change isn't really one of my pet issues. Did you read the pork story?
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
8 months ago: Chris,

If you lived in my urban neighborhood sans any kind of bike lanes, I can almost guarantee that you wouldn't be riding a bike around and dodging traffic much less putting your small ones on a passenger seat.
The Cypress Gang
The Cypress Gang
Cypress, TX
8 months ago: 10 miles? Huh? Someone really needs to get out of the house a bit more.
8 months ago: Not to worry, most people don't ride bikes in the rain and the child seat is mounted off to the side so only a big splash from the front wheel can get to him.

It's a great idea to further the use of pedal transport, unfortunately the price of a three wheeler or even a modified two wheeler like the one shown, is beyond resonable. 6 to 9 hundred dollars for a cheaply made three wheeler that weighs a ton just does not interest me. AND they have even cheaper brakes and shifting mechanisms than even cheap two wheelers. I paid less than 300 for my mountain bike (Specialized). It is light weight, has good brakes and a click stop shifter. There is no way that adding another wheel adds 3 to 6 hundred to the manufactureing cost. When the manufacturers get the prices down to affordable, they will sell more to the general public, instead of just to a niche market of industrial users and handicapped.
8 months ago: uh....Chris.
No, I did not read the pork story......yet.
I got busy (and lazy).
If I promise to go look at it as soon as you steer me in the right direction, will you steer me in the right direction?
Please?
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
8 months ago: Great Post!
Eugene is one of the best cities in the country for biking and we have won many awards for that. I rode to work every day except the 2-3 days in the year when it was too icy or snowy.
We have the Center for Appropriate Technology here. They make cargo bikes like the one in the video and also many other types of bikes with big bins. They also make many vehicles for paraplegics that use arm power.
The city has a bicycle courier business that delivers hundreds of pounds of goods by bike.
The Center has classes on how to build your own bike and you can rent tools and room to work there. There are also internships.
Each year there are several human powered vehicle parades with all kinds of outlandish human powered vehicles made by individuals. See: http://www.catoregon.org/
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
8 months ago: Oops just realized CAT is the Center for Appropriate TRANSPORT not technology. However the other organization does exist and is also wonderful.

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