A cargo bike (also known as a box bike, carrier cycle, freight bicycle, cycletruck, or freight
tricycle
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle.
Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes ...
) is a
human powered vehicle
Human-powered transport is the transport of person(s) and/or goods using human muscle power. Unlike animal-powered transport, human-powered transport has existed since time immemorial in the form of walking, running and swimming. Modern technolo ...
designed and constructed specifically for
transport
Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelin ...
ing loads. Cargo bike designs include a cargo area consisting of an open or enclosed box, a flat platform, or a wire basket, usually mounted over one or both wheels, low behind the front
wheel, or between parallel wheels at either the front or rear of the vehicle. The
frame
A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent.
Frame and FRAME may also refer to:
Physical objects
In building construction
*Framing (con ...
and
drivetrain
A drivetrain (also frequently spelled as drive train or sometimes drive-train) is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components o ...
must be constructed to handle loads larger than those on an ordinary
bicycle.
Image:Modern Cargo Trike In London.jpg, upA modern cargo trike in use in London, featuring electric assist
Image:Bakfietsmoeder.jpeg, Mother with two children in The Hague (Netherlands)
Development
The first cargo bikes were used by
tradesmen
A tradesman, tradeswoman, or tradesperson is a skilled worker that specializes in a particular trade (occupation or field of work). Tradesmen usually have work experience, on-the-job training, and often formal vocational education in contrast ...
to deliver mail, bread and milk amongst other things. Early cargo bikes were heavy-duty standard bicycles, with heavy carriers at front or rear, sometimes with a smaller front wheel to accommodate a large front carrier. During the early part of the 20th century these were commonly used by tradesmen for local deliveries. In the UK this style is still sometimes known as a ''butcher's bike'' or ''delibike'', although the Post Office have by far the largest fleet.
With the domination of the
internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal c ...
in the industrialized countries after World War II, cargo bikes became less popular. In the rest of the world, however, they continued to be manufactured and heavily used. In the 2000s, ecologically minded designers and small-scale manufacturers initiated a revival of the cargo bike manufacturing sector.
Common uses
Cargo bikes are used in a variety of settings:
* Delivery services in dense urban environments
* Transporting children
* Food vending in high foot traffic areas (including specialist ice cream bikes)
* Transporting trade tools, including around large installations such as power stations and
CERN
* Airport cargo handling
*
Recycling
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the p ...
collections
* Warehouse inventory transportation
* Mail delivery (The UK post office operates a fleet of 33,000 bicycles, mainly the
Pashley ''MailStar'')
*Organic Transit boasts that if their ELF is used in place of a car, it could prevent up to six tons of from spewing into the atmosphere each year. "There is nothing more polluting than driving our cars each day"
Considerations
Cargo bikes have a number of advantages over motorized vehicles:
* They do not create
air pollution
Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different typ ...
(e.g. enclosed warehouses and industrial plants)
* They produce fewer
greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and ...
* They are less costly to operate
* They are quiet
* They are not limited by the availability of fuel
* They are less dangerous than other road vehicles and much less deadly for other road users
* They contribute less to traffic jams
Some cargo bike makers and users utilize
power assist motors to complement the power of the cyclist. Power assist can increase the payload and range of cargo bikes, but also increases the cost of the bicycle and requires an on-board battery.
Types
![Cargo bike Copenhagen 20130420 01F (8724864047)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Cargo_bike_Copenhagen_20130420_01F_%288724864047%29.jpg)
In
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
and
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
, cargo bikes are extremely popular. In Amsterdam many residents simply fit large front carriers to sturdy city bicycles. There is also a broad variety of specially made cargo bikes including low-loading two-wheelers with extended wheelbases, bicycles with small front wheels to fit huge front carriers, tadpole-type
three-wheelers with a box between the two front wheels. Other varieties include a platform, basket etc. instead of the box, the loading area between two rear wheels (delta-fashion), small-wheel two-wheelers loading both back and front. An occasional
four-wheeler
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is strad ...
can also be seen, especially within a plant,
warehouse
A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities ...
or the like, where demands on stability and loading capacity are higher than on range.
Many models are now available with an electric assist which can make them more useful for longer distances or for varied terrain, i.e. not flat cities, amongst other reasons, such as feeling more confident riding in car traffic due to faster acceleration from stopping.
Cycle truck
The Cycle truck refers to a type of cargo bike with a smaller front wheel than rear, typically rear and front.
Butcher's bike
Also referred to as a Baker's bike, although this style of cargo bike was popular with a wide variety of trades during the first half of the 20th century, particularly in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Typically, they would have a basket or storage box mounted within a framework which was fixed to the frame (not the forks) of the bike. Often, they would also feature a sign advertising the business concerned, which would be attached within the main triangle of the bicycle frame.
The
Schwinn
The Schwinn Bicycle Company is an American company that develops, manufactures and markets bicycles under the eponymous brand name.
The company was originally founded by Ignaz Schwinn (1860–1948) in Chicago in 1895. It became the dominant manuf ...
Cycle Truck, produced in America between 1939 and 1967, also employed the same basket to frame arrangement.
Boda-boda
A boda-boda (or bodaboda) is a two-wheeled bicycle or motorcycle taxi, originally in
East Africa. Boda Boda is also the name of
Yuba Bicycles compact cargo bike introduced in 2012.
Stroller Bike
A cargo bicycle that converts into a stroller. Three wheels are utilized when the bike is in a stroller configuration, and two wheels are utilized when it is in a bike configuration with the cargo in front of the cyclist. This cargo bike can carry up to 100 lbs (45.4 kg). The stroller bike won the Gold Award at the Eurobike exhibition in 2018 as a special-purpose bike.
Long John bicycle
The Long John Bicycle is a cargo bike with the cargo area in front of the rider and some linkage connecting the steering to the front wheel, "linkage steering". Capacity is usually about . A traditional Long John will have a smaller front wheel and a rear wheel, plus a long platform, basket, or box located low, in front of the handlebars.
The term "bakfiets" (which means "box bike" in Dutch; plural is "bakfietsen") is also used to describe this style of bicycle.
Vintage Long Johns are becoming collectible. The last known manufacturer to still produce the original Long John is
Monark
Monark, also known as Cykelfabriken Monark AB and Monark AB, is a Swedish bicycle, moped and motorcycle manufacturer, established in Varberg, Sweden, in 1908 by the industrialist Birger Svensson. As of 2016, Monark is valued at 11.5 billion kr ...
. The history of Long John Bicycles is traced to Denmark . The Smith & Co. Company (SCO - founded by Ivar Smith and Robert Jacobsen in Odense, Denmark 17 October 1894) was the inventor and the first to build this type of cargo bicycle. The first Long-John was presented to the public at the Wembley World Fair & Exhibition in 1924.
This style of bicycle is useful for carrying cargo, including children, and can function as a car replacement for many families. It is possible to install a carseat in the box to for babies, and when children get older, they are often seated on a small bench and clipped in with a 3- or 5-point harness. Canopies can be affixed to the cargo box for protection from the elements, making a warm and inviting space for children to enjoy the ride.
Off-road Long John bicycle
![Anywhere](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Anywhere.berlin_electric_cargobike_Isortoq.jpg)
The range of Long John style cargobikes extends to off-road applications. Such designs can cover difficult terrain such as sand, mud, and snow, by using
fatbike
A fatbike (also called fat bike, fat tire, fat-tire bike, or snow bike) is an off-road bicycle with oversized tires, typically or larger and rims or wider, designed for low ground pressure to allow riding on soft, unstable terrain, such as sno ...
tires, electric motors, and suitable ground clearance. This brings cargobikes into farms, national parks, 1st-response situations, and immunization programs.
Longtail bicycle
![Surly Big Dummy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Surly_Big_Dummy.jpg)
Longtails have a longer frame
wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
at the rear compared to a standard bicycle. The extended rear facilitates use as a cargo bike or carrying multiple or adult passengers compared with shorter bicycles. They tend to handle more like regular bikes than cargo bikes with linkage steering.
Xtracycle
Xtracycle is the name of a company and the name commonly used for the variety of load-carrying bicycle, a longtail or a longbike, that results from use of the company's products: the FreeRadical kit, complete long-frame bicycles and associated ...
developed the first longtail product, their Free Radical, which attaches to an existing 'donor' bicycle to make it a longtail bike in 1998. The growing popularity of Xtracycle inspired the
Kona Ute, launched for the 2008 season.
Surly were asked by Xtracycle to build a complete Xtracycle-compatible frameset; the result was the 'Big Dummy', first released for the 2008 season. The
chromoly
41xx steel is a family of SAE steel grades, as specified by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Alloying elements include chromium and molybdenum, and as a result these materials are often informally referred to as chromoly steel (common ...
frameset is designed for wheels. Buyers have the choice of frameset alone or complete bicycle. In 2008 Xtracycle documented the ''LongTail'' as an open-source standard. This has helped individuals to build longtail bikes themselves such as the Xtravois.
There is a sub-class of longtail bicycles referred to as midtails. As their name implies, they are not quite as long as a longtail, but can still often carry at least one if not two children. The Yuba BodaBoda is one such bike, as are the Tern GSD and HSD. The Bike Friday Haul-a-Day initially fit in this category, but can arguably carry as many kids as an Xtracycle Edgerunner (longtail). The Kona Ute is a longtail, and the Kona Minute is its midtail counterpart.
Wooden cargo bike
![Chukudu in North Kivu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Chukudu_in_North_Kivu.jpg)
The
chukudu
The chukudu (or chikudu, cbokoudou, tshukudu) is a two-wheeled handmade vehicle used in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is made of wood, and is used for transporting cargo.
The chukudu generally has an angular frame, two small ...
(or chikudu, cbokoudou) is a two-wheeled vehicle similar to a
scooter used in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is made of wood, and used for transporting cargo.
Porteur bicycle
![Kogswell Porteur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Kogswell_Porteur.JPG)
A porteur bicycle has the
rack
Rack or racks may refer to:
Storage and installation
* Amp rack, short for amplifier rack, a piece of furniture in which amplifiers are mounted
* Bicycle rack, a frame for storing bicycles when not in use
* Bustle rack, a type of storage bi ...
on the front, and can carry as much as that way.
Tricycle
Cycle rickshaw
The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of hatchback tricycle designed to carry passengers on a for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, ...
s are used for the short range transport of both people and goods while tricycles with boxes or platforms are used to transport goods. A cargo tricycle with an open or flat platform might be used for low value goods or for trips where the rider is always with the goods. A fabric cover can be added to provide weather protection. Tricycles can also be fitted with a lockable weatherproof box, usually of aluminium construction, for valuable goods and where the rider has to leave the vehicle.
Cargo tricycles can typically carry of cargo and have capacity of or more, which is about half the capacity of a small
panel van
A panel van, also known as a blind van, car-derived van (United Kingdom) or sedan delivery (United States), is a small cargo vehicle with a passenger car chassis, typically with a single front bench seat and no side windows behind the B-pillar. ...
. The weight capacity of tricycles is limited by available human power and the
permitted power of electric assist by law.
Gallery
Image:Old cargo bike.jpg, An old cargo bike in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
, Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
Image:Indonesia bike33.JPG, A loaded cargo trike being pushed in Jakarta, Indonesia
Image:Moving by bike.jpg, Cyclists in Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
, move a household by bike
Image:WorkCycles-Transport-GT-70cm.JPG, Heavy-duty city bike with frame-mounted front carrier known as a "semi-transportfiets" (Dutch for semi-transport bicycle)
Image:WorkCycles-monark-bakers-bike.JPG, Classic Monark
Monark, also known as Cykelfabriken Monark AB and Monark AB, is a Swedish bicycle, moped and motorcycle manufacturer, established in Varberg, Sweden, in 1908 by the industrialist Birger Svensson. As of 2016, Monark is valued at 11.5 billion kr ...
Swedish baker's bike, this one with locking aluminium case on the frame-mounted front carrier
Image:Delibike in Buenos Aires .jpg, Traditional Delibike in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
.
Image:Freight bicycle Amsterdam NETHERLANDS June 2008.jpg, Somewhat heavier bike, steered by linkage. Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
, Netherlands.
Image:WorkCycles-street-cleaning-trike.jpg, Cargo trike specially equipped for street cleaning crews; The side and rear compartments carry pick-up sticks, bag holders and other gear.
Image:9-girls-in-a-bakfiets.JPG, Child transport is now the most popular use of cargo bikes, and numerous special models are offered.
Image:BrazilianCargoBike.JPG, Brazilian cargo bikes are very strong and commonly carry large propane containers, 5x20-gallon water jugs, etc.
File:Cargo tricycle in Stockholm.jpg, Heavy duty cargo trike in Sweden
File:Iceni Cycles Chariot trike with cargo box.jpg, An Iceni Cycles Chariot trike with aluminium box for local delivery work.
File:Bike43_carrying_2_children.jpg, A Bike43 longtail ebike carrying two children
File:Hekou - downtown border crossing - traders - P1380390.JPG, Vietnamese cargo bikes, used to move freight across the Hekou-Lào Cai
Lào Cai () is a city in the Northwest region of Vietnam. It is the capital of Lào Cai Province. The city borders Bảo Thắng District, Bát Xát District, Sa Pa and the city of Hekou Yao Autonomous County, in Yunnan province of southwes ...
border crossing
Selected designers and manufacturers
*
George Bliss
*
Jan Van Der Tuin Jan Vander Tuin is a founder of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement. He is also a cycling activist and bicycle designer, and in 1992 started the Center for Appropriate Transport in Eugene, Oregon.
Vander Tuin learned about co-operati ...
*
Mike Burrows
Mike Burrows (17 April 1943 – 15 August 2022) was a British bicycle designer from Norwich, England.
Burrow is best known for his collaborative work with the design of the track carbon-fibre Lotus 108 time trial bicycle manufactured by Lot ...
, designer of the 8 Freight
*
Pashley Cycles
*
Sohrab Cycles
Sohrab ( ur, ) is a Pakistani bicycle company manufacturing both bicycles and its parts. The company is based in Lahore, Pakistan. , in Pakistan.
*
Worksman Cycles
Worksman Cycles is a family-owned American manufacturer of bicycles and tricycles for industrial, commercial and recreational use. The company was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Ozone Park in the borough of Queens in New York City. Previ ...
*
Xtracycle
Xtracycle is the name of a company and the name commonly used for the variety of load-carrying bicycle, a longtail or a longbike, that results from use of the company's products: the FreeRadical kit, complete long-frame bicycles and associated ...
*
Zigo
Zigo is a brand of carrier bike designed by US companSOMA Cycle, Inc. located in South Orange, New Jersey, South Orange, NJ. The product is convertible into a stroller. The forward-located position of the child carrier is similar to existing pro ...
*
Tern (company)
Tern is a privately held company that designs, manufactures, markets, and sells bicycles for everyday use. The company is based in Taipei, Taiwan and has offices in the US, China, Finland, and the UK. The company's primary products include folding ...
, e.g. GSD and HSD models
*
Kona Bicycle Company
Kona Bikes is a bicycle company based in the Pacific Northwest. The company was founded in 1988 by Dan Gerhard and Jacob Heilbron in Vancouver, BC. Their world headquarters are in Ferndale, Washington, with Canadian distribution offices in Vancou ...
, e.g. Ute and Minute models
*
Accell
Accell Group N.V. is a bicycle company based in Heerenveen, Netherlands. They own the bicycle brands Atala, Babboe, Batavus, Carraro Cicli, Ghost, Haibike, KOGA, Lapierre, Loekie, Nishiki, Raleigh, Sparta, Torker, Tunturi, Van Nicholas, ...
, e.g. Babboe and
Batavus
Batavus BV is a Dutch bicycle manufacturer, owned by the Accell Group European Cycle conglomerate. Batavus Intercycle Corporation was the leading manufacturer of bicycles and mopeds in the Netherlands during the 1970s. During its most productiv ...
companies that make cargo bikes
*
Riese und Müller
Riese & Müller is a bicycle manufacturer in Darmstadt, Germany founded by Markus Riese and Heiko Müller. It designs and makes suspended bicycles. Frames are produced by companies such as Pacific Cycles, Taiwan. All of their bikes are ass ...
, e.g. Load 75 and Load 60
See also
*
Bicycle trailer
A bicycle trailer is a motorless wheeled frame with a hitch system for transporting cargo by bicycle. It can greatly increase a bike's cargo capacity, allowing point-to-point haulage of objects up to 4 cubic yards (3 cubic metres) in vol ...
*
Electric bicycle
*
Human-powered transport
Human-powered transport is the transport of person(s) and/or goods using human muscle power. Unlike animal-powered transport, human-powered transport has existed since time immemorial in the form of walking, running and swimming. Modern techno ...
*
Outline of cycling
:''This article is an outline about the activity of cycling. For an outline about bicycles themselves, see outline of bicycles.''
:The following ''outline'' is provided as an overview of, as well as a topical guide to cycling:
Cycling, a ...
*
Quadracycle (human-powered vehicle)
A quadracycle is a four-wheeled human-powered land vehicle. It is also referred to as a quadricycle, quadcycle, pedal car or four-wheeled bicycle amongst other terms.
Quadracycles have been in use since 1853 and have grown into several famil ...
* electrically powered four-wheel carts used in the Netherlands
References
External links
{{Utility cycling
Appropriate technology
Cycle types
Bike
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bic ...