Welcome to our coverage of cargo bikes. From the first shipment of bakfiets to arrive on U.S. soil, to the latest trends in business and designs, we’ve covered cargo bikes since the beginning. Scroll down to browse our stories. (If you have a cargo bike story idea, please get in touch.)
Portlander Mike Cobb competed at the Seattle Disaster Relief Trials.(Photo by Fred Bretsch – FEMA Region 10) Seattle cargo bike advocates held their first Disaster Relief Trials event over the weekend. The event sprung up thanks to inspiration from Portland’s event of the same name that was held last year. Portlander Mike Cobb traveled north … Read more
A cargo bike mini-mart debuted at Buckman Farmer’s Market yesterday.(Photos: Portland Farmer’s Market) Portland’s love of cargo bikes just took another big step. And I mean big. The folks who run Portland Farmer’s Market debuted their new “Produce Pedaler” cargo bike at the Buckman market yesterday. The bike is an old-fashioned style, extra-large, classic Dutch … Read more
The Mundo longtail cargo bike, sold by Yuba Bicycles, is popular for carrying all types of cargo; especially small children.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Jeremy Neal (L) and Paul Johnson of Blaq Design at their shop on SE 11th and Division.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) You know the local bike industry is healthy when niches are created within niches. That seems to be what’s happening now in Portland’s thriving cargo bike scene. Made up of advocates, builders, retailers, and buyers, … Read more
Participants in a cargo bike building workshop in Texas led by Portland resident Tom LaBonty.(Photos: Tom LaBonty) There are few things I love more than to see bike culture spread. It happens so frequently, I think, because people are passionate about bicycling and they can’t help but share it with others. For southeast Portland resident … Read more
Josh Volk on a delivery, riding across the St. Johns Bridge.(Image from a video by Ryan Creason) Josh Volk runs Slow Hand Farm, a small community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm on Sauvie Island. The soil is great out there and it’s a nice place to grow veggies, but there’s just one problem: It’s about 15 miles … Read more
Screen grab of Woodlawn’s cargo bike disaster response unit.– Watch video below – KGW TV (Portland’s NBC affiliate station) ran a feature segment last night about how cargo bikes will play a role in our disaster response plans. It’s a story we shared back in March, and after superstorm Sandy proved once again that bikes … Read more
The Hydrofiets is an artistic and functional cargo bike.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Another Portland business has realized the awesome role cargo bikes can play in their bottom line (and their brand/reputation). Sparky’s Pizza on Belmont (they have seven other locations) now has a fully decked-out Madsen cargo bike as one of it’s delivery vehicles… And of course Sparky’s is far from the only pizza joint in town … Read more
Chris Sanderson, a general contractor who works by bike, has had a successful first year in business.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) Back in February, I introduced you to Chris Sanderson, a licensed general contractor who runs his entire business from a cargo bike with a trailer attached. In an industry where big trucks are the norm, … Read more
The BikeRV is now rolling the streets of Portland.(Photos: Alexander Main) 26-year-old Portland resident Alexander Main wants to change the world by building tiny houses that can be pulled behind a bicycle. And he just finished his first prototype — which is a good thing because it’s also his home. Main moved here from Germany … Read more
Cargo bike researcher Jane Pearce.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) If more people of modest means had access to an affordable, dependable cargo bike, could they avoid being sucked into “forced car ownership”? Can cargo bikes play a role in rebuilding a city devastated by a major earthquake? Jane Pearce, a PhD student in the Geography department … Read more
Comment of the Week: The public health angle should matter more