Let’s talk about Box, baby!

[dasgeh]

@kyleg 63073 wrote:

We received our Workcycles Cargobike Long (Bakfiets) back in May and finally got the go-ahead to take our 10-week old out for a ride last week. We’ve been out three times now and he even took a nap on the last, longest ride. I’d love to hear how other parents have installed infant carseats in their baks. We’re using the Workcycles mounting block (essentially a wooden platform bolted through the floor) with a cushion pad on top and the carseat LATCH base strapped on top of it all. It holds the carseat securely, but I’d still like to minimize the vibration a little more. (Of course, the imminent re-paving of the 15th Street Cycletrack ought to help immensely).[ATTACH=CONFIG]3627[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3632[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3633[/ATTACH]

CONGRATULATIONS! Isn’t it fun?

Our baby is a bit older — almost 10 months now, about 7.5 when we got our bakfiets (the bakfiets.nl from Rolling Orange – yes, we sprang for e-assist). We strapped the base of our Graco carseat into the box of the bakfiets by using a strap threaded through the two holes in the bottom front of the box. The seat just snaps in and out. We haven’t had issues with vibration, but if we did, we’d just put a blanket under the carseat base and maybe let some air out of the tires.

You should come out to Kidical Mass Arlington (though I understand that’s a tall ask). Next ride is Sunday, September 15th. I’m reconning the route tonight!

[DismalScientist]

This looks like an excellent potential use of a “recycled” inner tube.

[Meganomics]

There’s a dad in DC who bikes around with his son on a CETMA. He loves the bike; however, he’s found the company– and in particular the owner/designer– hard to work with.

His review of the CETMA cargo bike is here: http://arideaday.blogspot.com/2011/12/cetma-cargo-bike-review.html

[btj]

@Meganomics 63321 wrote:

There’s a dad in DC who bikes around with his son on a CETMA. He loves the bike; however, he’s found the company– and in particular the owner/designer– hard to work with.

His review of the CETMA cargo bike is here: http://arideaday.blogspot.com/2011/12/cetma-cargo-bike-review.html

This reminded me of a Facebook group where the owner of CETMA (Lane Kagay) posts sometimes. The group started out focusing on a crowd-sourced documentary (originally titled Revolutions Per Second, but now titled Less Car More Go: http://www.lizcanning.com/Liz_Canning_Creative/Cargo_Bike_Documentary.html). There is still talk and updates about the film there but it has kind of turned into a general cargo bike group as well.

http://facebook.com/groups/143992445698518

The group is a great resource for getting in touch with owners of all kinds of cargo bikes. It’s also great just for the photos of all the various setups that people post.

[jinomas]

@Meganomics 63321 wrote:

There’s a dad in DC who bikes around with his son on a CETMA. He loves the bike; however, he’s found the company– and in particular the owner/designer– hard to work with.

His review of the CETMA cargo bike is here: http://arideaday.blogspot.com/2011/12/cetma-cargo-bike-review.html

Thanks. This is exactly what I was looking for: someone with both experience and thoughts on a CETMA. He even uses in exactly the same way I intend to: hauling around one kid (and cargo).

It seems CETMA has since addressed some of the complaints mentioned in his review. He hired a guy to help him keep track of his orders, at his shop, and develop new accessories. Also his concerns about a rear rack and a canopy have been addressed. And the Green Commuter is a CETMA dealer, so I wouldn’t be pioneering it like the brave soul who wrote the blog.
Unfortunately this local DC CETMA-owner has not updated his blog in some time. I wonder what his impressions of his bike are now that he has ridden it for two years.

One thing my new Bullitt-owning friend pointed out is that the Bullitt’s frame has a much more rigid design than the CETMA at the point where rear half of the frame connects to the deck that holds the box. But he conceded that he would probably need a truck to haul his bike around as it doesn’t come apart for easy transport like the CETMA. He also has a garage (full of bikes apparently) for easy storage. Interestingly he built his cargo box to be wider than the frame of his Bullitt to accommodate two children and cargo and he added a rack. I found that a few multi-child parents ultimately rejected the Bullitt due to its small box platform. My friend effectively solved that with a few trips to Home Depot.

[Tim Kelley]

@jinomas 63440 wrote:

I found that a few multi-child parents ultimately rejected the Bullitt due to its small box platform. My friend effectively solved that with a few trips to Home Depot.

If I was going cargo bike, this is what I would do.

[dasgeh]

@jinomas 63440 wrote:

I found that a few multi-child parents ultimately rejected the Bullitt due to its small box platform. My friend effectively solved that with a few trips to Home Depot.

We rejected it for that, and because we just prefer the ride, stability and safety record of the bakfiets.

[Meganomics]

@jinomas 63440 wrote:

Unfortunately this local DC CETMA-owner has not updated his blog in some time. I wonder what his impressions of his bike are now that he has ridden it for two years.

I see him occasionally. I haven’t talked to him about his long-term impressions in detail, but he still uses it and still likes it. He’s exhibited at the ABC’s of Family Biking in the past and agreed to serve as a resource for local parents, so I’m happy to DM you his e-mail address if you’d like to do some follow-up.

[jinomas]

@Meganomics 63662 wrote:

I see him occasionally. I haven’t talked to him about his long-term impressions in detail, but he still uses it and still likes it. He’s exhibited at the ABC’s of Family Biking in the past and agreed to serve as a resource for local parents, so I’m happy to DM you his e-mail address if you’d like to do some follow-up.

That would be cool.

[Author]

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