Build Quality: 5/5

Function: 4/5

Style: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Availability: Bodhi is a new brand based out of Ft. Worth with bikes make in China. The e-bike is currently available at a retail price of $2500 in a Step Through and Sport version from Alien Scooter.

Editor Disclosure Note: At the time the Bodhi test bicycles were provided for review, Bodhi Bikes was a site sponsor of Austin on Two Wheels.

Overview

Electric bikes have been touted as the killer app to get those who are not already cyclists or physically fit out of their cars and on to bikes. Unfortunately, most of the e-bike products to date have not lived up to the ease and reliability of regular bikes. Most are standard low budget mountain bikes or hybrids with motor hub and rack mounted battery. They look ugly and clunky, something more like parts thrown together from Radio Shack than a thought out complete product.

This may look like a graphic design on the down tube, but the black box is actually the battery.

The Bodhi Electric Bikes are part of a second generation of e-bikes that aim to create a product built from the ground up to be an electric bike. The Bodhi’s frame is designed to be an e-bike and includes quality components and accessories to make their bike a legitimate car replacement. Those that have a hilly commute or professionals who need to ride to work in business attire will appreciate the Bodhi.

Build Quality and Function

The Bodhi was designed to be an electric bike from the start, and it shows. The slickest feature of the bike is the battery placement. It is encased in the down tube and from a distance just looks like a graphic on the frame. A key turns the battery on and off for power savings and locks it out so it does not go missing while you are parked. The bike’s motor, which the Bodhi team designed themselves correction: which the Bodhi team selected for its smoothness, low running noise, and power, is built into a beefy looking front hub and is completely enclosed for low maintenance. For the rear hub, Bodhi opted for the large gear range and smooth continuous gear shifting of the NuVinci 360 internal hub. Incidentally, the large hub of the front motor and the NuVinci rear are almost the same size providing a nice symmetry and downplaying the largess of these hubs.

Close up of the battery and the down tube dock for the battery. A key activates the battery or locks out the unit so it cannot be removed.

As I will mention later, this bike has real potential as a car replacement, and it is here where Bodhi did a good job of spec’ing the bike to the task. Fenders and lights are standard, with the extremely bright front light running off the bike’s battery. While it does not come with racks standard, there are braze-ons for rack attachments. The one big short coming is the lack of a full or partial chain guard, instead opting for a guard built into the chain ring. This is unfortunate since the oversized, squarish seat tube will probably not allow you to add a chain guard mount there and a bottom bracket mounted chain guard will likely interfere with the pedaling sensors for the motor. In my experience, the chain ring mounted guards are sufficient for general recreational use, but if you are wearing business attire or just don’t want your pants to get grease on them, pant clips or rolling your pants are going to be your options.

The continuous gear NuVinci hub made by Austin based Fallbrook Technologies is standard equipment.

On a more minor note, the Bodhi designers opted for forward facing rear dropouts with no hub/chain tensioner. This was probably done as an economy measure, but this sort of set up with an internal hub or single speed is a pet peeve of mine. This hub install makes it very difficult for proper chain tension to be set and can more easily cause problems for the bike’s owner after changing a flat. In this instance, chain tension is hand set by pulling back on the wheel, and unless the rear hub bolts are tightened down very hard, the pull of the chain drive can force the hub out of alignment and cause the wheel to rub and possibly the axle to pop out of the drop out on one side. At minimum, the inclusion of a chain tensioner bolt would address this issue and switching to rear facing drop outs would be even better.

The Bodhi drive train includes sensors on the bottom bracket that turn the motor on when you begin pedaling and off when you stop pedaling or brake.

The two model designs, Step Through and Sport, are distinct models with more differences than the frame style and paint color. Step Through will fit more people with the ability to drop the seat lower and adjust the handlebars more. The Step Through comes equipped with a more adjustable quill stem and swept back North Road style roadster handlebar. The result is a more upright seating position common on most city bikes. Meanwhile the Sport reflects its more sporty nature with a threadless headset stem without any spacers and a mountain bike handlebars yielding a little more forward leaning, fitness position. This is important to know when you are selecting the right model for you. I personally hate the ergonomics of mountain bike handle bars, enjoy an upright seated position, and like the easy on and off of a step through.

Other differences are more cosmetic with the Step Through getting more natural look with bamboo fenders and brown leather colored saddle and grips. The Sport keeps everything a silver and black mix with matching silver plastic fenders and black saddle and grips. While I like the look of wooden and bamboo fenders, their ability to channel water down and away from the sides is inferior to concave metal and plastic fenders so the Sport has that advantage on utility. Both bikes use reasonably good components and have a nice unified look about them so you do not need to feel embarrassed by the look when meeting friends.

Ride Quality

The small touch pad controller allows you to easily shift between power levels. The throttle trigger below and to the left allows you to add power on demand.

On the flats, I found each level corresponded to a speed range as I pedaled lightly. Level 2 gave me a range of 11-12 MPH, Level 3 yields 13-14 MPH, Level 4 yields 14-16 MPH, and Level 5 yields 17-19 MPH (Level 1 is throttle only.) For safety and in order to avoid motor burnout, the motor cuts off on Levels 2-5 any time you stop pedaling or brake.

As a bike without using the motor, the Bodhi is a bear to ride. Not only do you feel the extra weight of the motor and battery, the drag of the motor hub is quite noticeable as you pedal. You can take comfort in knowing if the battery runs down that you will not be stranded, but do not expect the ride to be a joy without the pedal assist. This is unfortunate, if unavoidable, as it means you will mostly want to ride with the system on, rather than just using it when you need that extra bit of power.

The display tells you your speed, distance, wattage used, battery drain, and motor power level.

If you have an especially long, hilly commute, the Bodhi may not be for you. I spent most of my time in the Level 2 and 3 auto mode (economy and standard modes.) While I could have gone faster at the higher levels, I ride Dutch bikes a lot so the 12-15 MPH range felt comfortable and right for urban cycling. I found these two levels were also sufficient for a slow but easy climb up gradual to moderate hills, however for a short stinger hill we have (about 10% grade) the level 5 was struggling even in the easiest setting on the NuVinci hub. During my testing, I had ridden about 15 miles in mixed flat and moderately hilly terrain when the battery indicated it was near empty. For most urban riders who are looking at one way rides in the 3-5 mile range, this will be totally sufficient, but if you are commuting across town, you will need to re-charge at work if you do not want to risk losing the pedal assist.

Summary

When it comes to quality and style, the Bodhi is a huge leap forward from first generation e-bikes. While $2500 for a bike is nothing to sneeze at, it is a bargain compared to the average $10,000/year cost of owning an automobile. The Bodhi would be a great match for commuters who want to get to work sweat free. It gives you the easy free parking, bike lane and trail access, and transit take along options of a regular bike with the ability to travel without getting wiped out. In addition, those who are not already cyclists or are not very physically fit and looking to find a less expensive urban transport than a car would do well with the Bodhi.

The person for whom this bicycle will probably not appeal is the current cyclists. If you are happy cycling, prefer the simplicity of a regular bike, or enjoy the physical feeling and fitness benefits of pedaling, look elsewhere. The auto engage feature is seductive, providing you with a far superior experience and speed to just pedaling alone on this particular bike. If given the option, you will engage it whenever possible. For some, that is ideal, but others may miss the feel of a bike built to pedal enjoyably under your own power.

UPDATE: I received a message from BoxCycles that the lighting issue I mentioned in this review is being addressed in the next shipment to the U.S. Look for better mounting options and possibly a dynamo.

My experience: BoxCycles arranged for me to borrow a model of the Christiania Cargo Bike from AustinBikes for a long weekend of testing including child transport and grocery shopping.

Build Quality: 5/5

Function: 4/5

Style: 5/5

Overall: 4.5/5

Availability: AustinBikes (1213-A West 5th Street) is the exclusive Texas dealer for the Christiania cargo bike at a retail price of $2700. Currently, the model in black with rain cover is available, however pre-orders for a May shipment are being taken now for those who want a different color or component build.

Overview

The Danish-made Christiania Cargo Bike offers families and those wanting to replace their car a practical, well built option for transport by bicycle. Its largest in class cargo box provides a lot of carrying capacity, though this size means you will need a dedicated space to park the Christiania. While the three wheel platform takes some getting used to for the experienced cyclist, it provides an extremely stable platform for loading cargo and for those who might not feel confident cycling a load on a two wheeled cargo bike.

This box is huge!

Note about terminology: For this article, I will make comparisons of the three wheeled Christiania box bike with the two wheeled, Long John-style box bikes like the Gazelle Cabby or WorkCycle Bakfiets. The Dutch term bakfiets, or box bike, is an accurate description of both styles of bikes but for sake of brevity when I use the term bakfiets it will refer to the two wheeled, Long John version.

Build Quality and Function

The Christiania box cargo bike is a high quality bike designed to take a beating and be left in the elements. The power coat frame and lacquered box communicates that this is a bike meant to be used and abused.

The best feature of the bike is the cargo box which is larger than any other box bike on the US market. I was able to fit an entire week’s worth of groceries including milk and sodas plus my 4 year old child without a problem. The size of the box could also be a drawback. The double wheels and box take up a lot of room when parked, and the box does not fold down like the Cabby and other soft shell bakfiets. This means you will need more space then a normal bike for parking and storage. It also means riding up on a sidewalk is less feasible. On the other hand as I’ve found with other cargo bikes, the bike’s size gives you more respect on the road so maybe the sidewalk becomes less necessary.

Week's worth of groceries & a child. No problem!

The box includes a bench with seat belts for two children. The bench also opens up for storage and includes a lockable lid so you can leave valuables, another unique and useful feature among cargo bikes. The removable rain cover uses tent style poles for structure and allows the sides to be removed if you wish to use it just as a sun guard. There are also nice small features like a step up plate on the rear drive side of the box to make getting in easier for kids.

Other standard features reflect the utilitarian nature of the bike: fenders, a rear wheel frame lock, bell, and chain guard. My only major gripe with the bike’s design is the lack of built in lighting that is standard on bakfiets. Due to the trike design, a dynamo wheel is not possible, but I could not find a decent place to put a forward light on the bike. The handlebars would be blocked by sitting children or the rain cover, and there are precious little other places to put a light on it. I question why a bike so obviously designed for daily transportation is not equipped for riding after dark. There are a few other minor stylistic changes I’d like to see like a rear rack, a frame lock that allows a plug-in chain like the AXA Defender, and fully encased chain drive, but the lighting issue was the only reason the bike did not get a perfect score for function.

Very nice gear range on 7 speed internal hub. Full chain guard, rear rack, & lock upgrade would make this perfect.

Ride Quality

The Christiania is a box bike on a three wheel platform, but unlike the trike designs in the U.S., it has two wheels on the front and a single wheel on the back. The frame pivots from the front box to the driver’s compartment for turning, yielding a bicycle that is much more maneuverable than the one wheel front, two wheels back design. For an experienced cyclists, this design takes some getting used to as you have to break old habits that keep a two wheeled bike upright and turning. This means no need for putting your foot down at stops, but it also means no leaning into turns. The pivoting front box is pushed different directions to turn, but if you fall into the old habit of micro adjustments on the front wheel at slow speed, it can make your driving erratic. Particularly disconcerting is riding the Christiania on our high camber roads. You feel yourself wanting to lean to right the bike, but of course, you can’t. Zenning out is key, and after a half day of riding, it seemed very natural to me.

7 speed shifter & bell on shopping cart style handlebars

The gearing on the Christiania is in my opinion the best specing of the entire bike. They have not made the mistake of gearing as if we live in the flat, flat Netherlands or Copenhagen. While it comes with a 7 Speed Shimano Nexus internal hub, the designers have paired the chain ring and rear cog to yield a very forgiving lowest gear, the best in all the cargo bikes I’ve ridden. This means I was able to take all the hills in my neighborhood and along South Congress even though the bike weighs over 70 pounds. This gearing is also appreciated when getting the bike going as pushing off with your foot like you do on most bikes is tricky on the Christiania. Being able to start pedaling from a stop is a nice option.

Lots of reflectors but unfortunately no lights

The braking system on the Christiania is a combination coaster brake and disk brakes on the front two wheels. I was very thankful for the disk brakes as the coaster was certainly not sufficient for going down hills loaded with children and groceries. (As a side note, this is why I avoid bikes that only have a coaster brake. If your chain pops off on a down hill, you have no brakes. The results can be catastrophic!)

The front pivot make the Christiania much more maneuverable then conventional trikes, but it is still bulky. I find two wheel bakfiets to be more nimble on this front. I also found the steering on the bike to be pretty squirly when you got above 15 MPH. Due to the double wheels and weight distribution, small steering adjustments at these higher speeds can get out of hand quickly so you have to be more focused when running faster. This is something I’ve not found to be an issue with bakfiets. Having said that, you really will not be riding this bike much above 12 mph unless you are going downhill. Finally, you can tip the bike if you try to turn at high speed. I noticed one of the front wheels lifting off the ground on tight, fast turns when unloaded. The Christiania is built for slow pedaling and carrying lots of stuff, not racing.

Summary

My kids loved riding in the Christiania.

If the lack of a lighting system is addressed, the Christiania box cargo bike makes a great option for carrying children or packages and purchase by bike. There is a reason box bikes are considered the SUV of the cycling world. They are just so useful that you may have to question why you bother to own a car at all. The Christiania gives you the most carrying capacity of box bikes on the US market. They are a welcome addition to available bakfiets and deserve a test ride when you are considering a cargo bike.

Editor Note: BoxCycles is an site sponsor of Austin on Two Wheels.

My experience:

Build Quality: 3.5/5

Function: 4.5/5

Style: 2/5

Overall: 4/5

Availability: Yuba is actively looking for an Austin dealer but for now you must order online at the Yuba site. A stripped down 6 speed version is available at $850 in green or orange and a nicely equipped 21 speed at $1100 in blue, orange or black. One size fits most. Like the Xtracycle, Yuba also sells other accessories including bags and child seats through their online store.

Summary:

Along with the Xtracycle and Kona Ute, the Yuba Mundo offers riders a full on cargo bike with a long tail as a legitimate automobile replacement for carrying kids, groceries and just about anything else you can stand to pedal. While the finish and build quality is a little rough around the edges, the Mundo gives you a well functioning cargo bike and a best in class hauling capacity at an astonishing $850 entry level for the bare bones 6 speed version and $1100 for a very nicely equipped 21 speed version.

Build quality and Style

Yuba sent me an orange (they call it Carrot) 21 speed bike with several accessories including pannier bags and a child seat. It arrived dealer ready which meant I had to do final brake and shifter installation as well as install of the wheels, seat, and handlebars. The Mundo also has a large side runner tube for a foot and bag rest that was separate and hand no installation instructions. Keep this in mind if you order online. If you are not confident of your ability to do a final build up, you’ll need to budget a little bit more and pay your local bike shop to get it ready for you.

The frame itself is extremely beefy but had sloppy, industrial welds at the joint. These do appear plenty strong, and  for the price point of this bike you are not getting master framebuilder elegance. There were some other rough edges in the bike including a fork that was out of alignment but not enough to be an issue. Also, the wheels were quite out of true and the many bolt bosses on the frame has to be re-tapped. Again, these are issues your local bike shop can address, but a sign of the lack of attention to detail that you are going to get with something mass produced at this price. The standard Mundo comes equipped with V-brakes but also has dropouts that allow disc brakes. The rear dropouts are vertical and designed with an external derailleur system in mind.

The actual equipment spec’ing of this bike is quite good. Unlike the Madsen, Yuba had the rider in mind, and swept back bars and a saddle designed for an upright seated position provides a very comfortable natural position. They’ve been paying attention to good utility bike rider geometry. The brakes and shifter groups are nothing to write home about but of a good quality for the utility purpose. The pedals are huge Victor VP-565 pedals with a nice grippy platform, my favorite component on the bike. While I’m a fan of the double footed kickstand (available as an add on), Yuba has provided the best single foot kickstand I’ve used to date. It is very larger and long providing a sturdy, stable resting point. Finally, little things like full on fenders and a bell showed the designers were thinking of the real world use of transportation cycling when pulling this together.

The only glaring omission on accessories were lights. I know it is popular to let the consumer choose lights as a way to keep the price point down, but this is a serious transportation bike and should come with the ability to ride after dark out of the box.

The overall style of the bike tends toward the industrial mountain bike look. This is not my cup of tea, but the orange paint job looks really good, and I got lots of compliments on how good the bike and it’s matching bags looked.

Function and ride

The Yuba Mundo will no doubt draw lots of comparisons to the Xtracycle. There is good reason. Yuba founder Benjamin Sarrazin was one of the people that developed the Xtracycle but wanted a bike the had more hauling potential than the Xtracycle Free Radical conversion kit. The Mundo succeeds on this front with a massive best in class 440 pound carrying limit and the 48 spoke rear wheel to back that up. I found the uniform frame to be extremely stable and not at all flexy under load.

Hauling my kids was a breeze and at one point I carried both my children and my wife on the back. The rack frame is a good 6 inches longer than the Xtracycle facilitating this. The foot runner provided an ease step up for them and the low center of gravity designed into the Mundo meant I had none of the potential twitchiness I sometimes get when kids shift around on the back of my Xtracycle Free Radical. Yuba did send me a child seat, but it was not compatible with the bags they sent. I chose to keep the utility of the bags and communicate to my 3 and 5 year old to be sure to hold on. If you do plan to use the child seat, keep this in mind and use more standardized pannier behind the seat.

The bags are the best accessory for the Mundo (an add on at $69 per bag). Unlike the Xtracycle, they have a cover and are waterproof. They are also absolutely enormous easily carrying three bags of groceries on each side. Also included with the bags are a shoulder strap so you can carry the bags off the bike if you don’t want to leave them behind. There are lots of tie off spots all over the frame so you can strap all kinds of things on the bike with twine or a bungie cord. The only down side to Yuba bags are that the extra width they create combined with the bike’s longer rear length make turning and maneuvering the bike in tight quarters a little more of a challenge. This bike has a real presence which is great on the road but may need some consideration if you don’t have a lot of space for storage when not in use.

As I said earlier, the rider geometry is a nice upright seating position with swept back handlebars providing longer ride comfort. I rode with my son for about an hour and a half at one point without any discomfort or issue. The frame is a semi-step through and designed to be one size fits all. This should be fine for all but the shortest riders. My wife who is 5’6″ still had plenty of room to lower the seat and handlebars when she test rode the bike.

Probably the biggest drawback to the Mundo as with most cargo bikes is the overall weight. It is definitely heavier than an Xtracycle, and I would highly recommend the 21 speed version for its gear range if you live in anywhere but the flattest city. (The inclusion of fenders, nicer shifter group, and rack deck in the 21 speed version make it a better value anyway.) The Yuba site indicates that this bike is e-bike ready whatever that means, but I do believe an electric bike conversion would make this an ideal car replacement. It does not appear to be compatible with the Stoke Monkey but should be able to handle hub based electric systems.

UPDATE: A Second Opinion

My wife also test rode the Yuba Mundo and had these comments:

Elliott’s wife here. I enjoyed test-riding this bike, too. I want to second what he said about the bike feeling nice and stable even as the child behind you suddenly moves around. I do have a complaint about the bags; the buckles are very low, almost underneath the lower railing. They’re black buckles against a black bag, and very hard to see, so you end up down on your knees or bent all the way over the back of the bag groping around for the buckles. And you have to buckle them every time; otherwise the straps drag on the ground. Hopefully the company will do a slight redesign on these bags and move the buckle up to an easier-to-reach location.

Summary

Picking up where the Xtracycle left off, the Yuba Mundo provide a lot of carrying capacity at a low price and reasonable quality. It is by far the least expensive entry into cargo bikes as a complete bike and does not skimp in its ability to do the job. Only the Xtracycle Free Radical conversion of an existing bike gets you into cargo biking for less at around $500. It’s unified frame provides a superior ride and hauling capacity to conversions, and I’d recommend moving up to the 21 speed as a better value for equipment. If you are willing to overlook a few non-critical rough edges, you can have a great replacement for the family sedan for a 20th of the cost.

The Azor relaxes after a ride to Garrison Park last summer

Back in August, we purchased an Azor Secret Service handmade Dutch bicycle from the Seattle Dutch Bike Company. We’ve written several reviews of the bike and its accoutrements since we got it, and have ridden the bike quite a bit to events and as a general commuting and car-replacement bike.

The Azor is a great bike, but it’s time for us to move on and get another long-term test bike here at Austin On Two Wheels. I think we have exhausted this particular model as a writing subject. We’re pretty sure that a maximum of nine months is probably all that’s needed for our long-term tests.

First, we want to announce that the Azor is now for sale (or trade, perhaps) at a significant discount to provide the funds for our next test bike. We paid nearly $2,000 for the bicycle and shipping originally, but would be willing to sell it to one of our readers for much less.

Second, we want some input on what our next long-term test bicycle should be. A touring bike like the Trek Portland? A cyclocross bike like a Surly Cross-check geared up for commuting use? Maybe a lower-cost commuting model like the Gary Fisher Simple City? What about something completely different?

Send us an email or post in the comments and let us know. We will take your input into strong consideration.

by Paul Andrews

You’re thinking about taking the plunge and ditching the car. But you wonder: How will I shop for groceries? What about the toddlers? And what if I need a sack of fertilizer from the garden shop?

Jamie Nichols is Metrofiets' torch man

You’re frustrated, because the car you own spends most of its life span nearly empty. It’s just you in the thing. But every so often, you need it to haul something.
If that occasional function is all that’s holding you back from ditching the car — or just riding your bike more — then you and Metrofiets need to have a conversation.

It’s a family vehicle. It’s a cargo vehicle. It’s a package delivery service. It’s a small business on wheels.

“With switchable platforms, you can turn our bike into just about anything you need it to do,” says Phillip Ross, a former research librarian in Portland OR who started Metrofiets with sidekick and ace welder Jamie Nichols in 2007.
Based in Portland, Metrofiets builds cargo bikes. Not the kind you’re used to seeing, which tend to be standard bikes modified to haul stuff — like Xtracycle. Metrofiets falls into the category of “box bike,” a package meant to haul stuff, as with Madsen and Bakfiets (the Holland “box bike”).

The impetus behind cargo bikes is the surging popularity of city cycling and street biking. As city dwellers look for alternatives to expensive, hard-to-park and fuel-guzzling automobiles, cargo bikes are stepping, er, wheeling, into the gap.
Metrofiets (the name plays off “city” and a Dutch term for “bike”) are custom-built from the ground floor up. You tell the guys what you want, they work with you, and what comes out 4 to 6 months later is a thing of beauty as strong as an ox.
At the Seattle International Bike Expo this past weekend, Metrofiets was showing off two of its creations. One held a flat platform containing a chess board, a butane mini-stove, and a stack of tangerines. There was plenty of room left over for, say, a pizza and laptop computer.

You can make coffee, play chess, and there's room for a pizza and your laptop

The floor model had a big carton with a lockable bench containing storage underneath its seat. The bench held twin seat belts for the kiddies.
The cargo carriers are built to order out of solid wood. They’re completely modular and can be switched out by flipping wing-nut retainers beneath them. Metrofiets bikes are rated to handle 250 pounds, which means I could sit in one with three 20-lb. bags of my favorite backyard bird seed and have capacity for my bichon frise as well. (Dogs naturally love riding in box bikes.)

Components are top drawer. Chris King headsets for steer mechanisms. Shimano Alfine hydraulic disc brakes and internal 8-speed hub (shifting is roughly 38-20, fine for most in-city riding. You can get a 14-speed Rohloff, or a standard derailleur setup as well.). Brooks saddle. Wheels are 24-inch, tires 2.35 inches wide (models can be fitted with a 26-inch rear wheel too).

The seat bench stores plenty of gear beneath and has belts for the kids to buckle up

Custom doesn’t come cheap, of course. Framesets, which take 60 hours or more to build, start at $2,600. At the Seattle show, the display models were $4,800. Nor does a cargo bike come light: Weight varies from 68 to 74 pounds, which sounds lumbering but runs 20 to 30 pounds lighter than a comparable Dutch bike.
Now you’re wondering: Who is gonna buy something like this?
So far Metrofiets has sold half a dozen bikes, mostly for personal or family use. Four more are on order, and the company is talking to a variety of small businesses who need portability. Espresso-stand operators. Pizza delivery folk. Farmer’s market vendors.

“The switchable platforms make possible our business model,” said Ross, who spent two and a half years doing research and engineering on the bike. Ross was motivated in part by frustrations over existing box bikes. “The geometry was wrong, so we had to change it. We did some different things with steer linkage as well.”

Metrofiets falls into the category of “long john” because the rider sits behind an elongated front end, as opposed to putting the cargo behind the rider. Ross prefers the front positioning for stability and climbing. Another nice feature is the step-through capability, which helps the rider keep a heavy load balanced while mounting to start pedaling. Otherwise keeping the cargo steady would be a trick while swinging a leg over a top tube.

Ross, who hasn’t owned a car for 5 years and uses his ride to transport his 3-year-old daughter, is proudest of the bike for most part falling well below the 100-mile rule. “Everything is local,” he said. “Chris King headsets are made in Portland. The tubing is bent here. We have our own guy for welding, and Coat in Portland does the paint job.”

The detail work on Metrofiets is impressive. All frames are hand-finished after welding to resemble fillet-brazing; joints are smooth and seamless. There’s a U-lock ring for locking the front wheel to the frame (this is not a bike someone is going to pick up and walk off with). Jamie will even braze a rear rack to the frame. That thing is solid.

Integrated bike rack for stability and strength

How does it ride? “It’s like riding a tandem without having to fight another rider for control,” said Ross. The large-volume tires cushion the ride, and the long wheel base (8 to 9 feet, tire-to-tire) smoothes things out as well.

With the focus on “relocalization” due to peak oil, sustainability practices and concerns over climate disruption, people will find themselves able to live within close range of all their life needs, from their work to their friends’ places to the grocery store. That’s what grabs the imagination most about Metrofiets. It’s a vehicle whose time and place have come.

Long John: http://bikehugger.com/2008/12/cargo-bikes-and-stone-tablets-pt3.html

Transformative Trike: http://www.7gen.com/website/recumbent-bicycles/24248-innovate-or-die-transformation-trike

A lifelong cyclist, Paul Andrews is a Seattle-based online journalist who runs BikeIntelligencer.com.

Mark, Freya, and Courtney stand beside their bicycle mini-van, the Madsen Bucket

A few months ago, one of my neighbors spotted me taking my kids to school on our bicycle mini-van, a Trek 7200 with an Xtracycle Free Radical conversion kit and my own home made handlebars for secure child transport. Courtney e-mailed me to let me know she liked our setup and to let me know she had ordered a Madsen cargo bike. She invited me to come by and try it out once it was in to compare it to my Xtracycle. I said “yes” as I’m always in for trying out different cargo bikes.

Well, I got busy and honestly forgot to followup. Luckily, I saw Courtney riding her Madsen last week with her kiddo in the back (unfortunately from the seat of my car!) and contacted her about getting a closer look. This Saturday, I loaded up Miles & Clara in the Xtracycle, cold weather be damned, and headed over to see it.

Courtney purchased the baby blue Madison Bucket, which is a long tail cargo bike with a large 40 gallon plastic bucket over the back wheel and rack. The bucket includes seating for two adults facing each other or four children with a hauling capacity of 600 pounds. The Bucket version retails for $1299, is also available in black or cream color, and can be purchased through a dealer or from Madsen directly. It only comes in one frame size, but with a sloping, step-through top tube and a long seat post, the Salt Lake City builder claims the bike can be ridden by cyclist from 5′ to 6’6″ in height. There is also a version that comes without the bucket (just a long rack) for $1099.

I liked  the overall design and build of the bike right away. The powder coat paint looked good and the inclusion of fenders, chain guard, and double footed kickstand were a welcome sight in a utility bike. (These seem like no brainers, but you’d be surprised what large bike manufactures leave out of their supposed transportation bikes.) The design is like a reverse Bakfeits, with the cargo container stretching behind instead of in front of the driver. The front wheel is 26″ while the back is a smaller 20″ to accommodate the cargo container. The overall frame had a wheel base that was several inches longer than my Xtracycle. I took it for a quick spin empty and was immediately impressed with how stable its handling was from the first pedal stroke. The combination of smaller wheels, thick tires, a long wheel base, and evenly distributed weight made the ride quiet pleasurable.

Three kids and room for a fourth.

Knowing that cargo bike can handle differently loaded (the Bakfiets are much improved with carrying cargo), I decided to jump in all the way and loaded up both my kids and Courtney’s daughter, Freya, for a longer ride around the neighborhood. The Madsen Bucket did not disappoint. It remained stable from slow to quicker speeds, and I felt little instability when the children shifted around. The lower center of gravity of passengers plus its more secure seating make this a better design for hauling people and kids especially than the Xtracycle.

While I liked the bike overall, there were some glaring component missteps that mar an otherwise elegant design. First off like virtually all U.S. bike builders, there is an unexplained aversion to swept back handlebars. Somehow we’ve forgotten how ergonomically comfortable these bars are, instead going for the ubiquitous mountain bike bar. Anyone who rides an upright position will long for these better handlebars. And speaking of upright positions, the saddle is a complete mismatch for the riding style. They have put a hard, thinnish performance saddle on this bike. I like firm saddles, but I could barely stand this thing after 5 minutes.

The omission of a wider saddle appropriate to upright riding is a mystery. Courtney complained to the bike shop about this, and they said the bike company puts on cheap stuff like this to save money knowing most people will upgrade to what they like. Give me a break. I know for a fact that there are super economy swept back bars and wide saddles out there. It doesn’t have to be Nitto and Brooks.

My final gripe comes with the gearing options. 8 speed is OK for regular utility bikes and is generally your best choice if you are going internal gearing (unless less you want a $1200, 14 speed Rolfoff hub), but the Madsen is not equipped with an internal hub. The choice of external gearing for a cargo bike is wise as the Nexus hubs aren’t up to hauling 600 pounds. If you are going to go external, why not give yourself more range. I only did one minor hill with the kids, but I could see how I could run out of gears really fast on something steeper or longer. If you live somewhere very flat, this will not be an issue, but anywhere else, a gearing change would probably be appropriate.

Seating for two adults or four kids with seat belts.

Courtney has lived in Amsterdam and wanted to make a stab at going car-free with this purchase. She communicated a disappointment that there has not been as much change in her transportation choices as she expected. The weight and limited gearing of the bike make it a real bear on hills so she has limited its use to around the neighborhood and to the grocery store which are flat runs.

For a company that seems to be marketing primarily to mothers, I’d say these component choices are pretty important. Women are in general much more sensitive to smaller saddles and are going to be less likely to be able to muscle up hills. I don’t think it is acceptable to expect this market, which it not likely to be the cycling enthusiast market, to have to upgrade parts out of the box. Putting a little more thought into how people actually use the bike would greatly improve this product.

Two Bike Mini-vans, side by side. Xtracycle and Madsen.

These gripes aside, I think this is a really great design in a cargo bike. It combines all of the best features of the Xtracycle and Bakfiet into one bike. While I still like the zippier, more performance oriented feel and lower entry cost of my Xtracycle Free Racial, I would seriously consider the Madsen Bucket for bicycle mini-van if I had it to do over again.

1. Delivery Notes and First Impressions
2. Quick Update

In the few months I have had it so far, I have traveled roughly 1200 miles now on my Azor Secret Service bicycle. I’m past due for an update, and I do have a few things to report.

Service, Please

Let’s start with the most important part, and the reason for the title of this post: service! And by service, I really mean “things I should know how to fix but don’t, because I’m not much of a bicycle mechanic, so I take it into a shop instead.” Of course, there are a lot of bike owners, like me, and perhaps even more so in this category, which bills itself as a bicycle for everyday commuting, wearing regular clothes, being a main form of transportation, and so forth. Anyway, I have had to take my bike in three times since I bought it.

Feeling “tired”

My first service incident occurred when I was riding back from Tour De Fat with my wife, and got a flat on my rear tire, somehow. Not bad, really, to have been biking in this town and not get a flat every week, I would say. We have enough glass and construction debris on the sides of the roads to give every cyclist in town a flat every single day. Now, I don’t, as I said, have much in the way of bicycle mechanic skill, so I wasn’t about to try something like patching the tire in place, as some would recommend, when you have an internal hub. Now, it was our great fortune that by the time the flat tire had gotten so low that I actually noticed, I was no further than 100 yards from great local bike shop Tsunami Cycles on South Congress! Amazing luck. Not only was I able to get my flat fixed in a very timely fashion, but I also got a great dinner out of the deal, and I also got the chain tension adjusted, because i figured it was time (and hill climbing had suddenly begun to get a big harder).

What the hell is that noise?

Only a couple of weeks later, I was biking to work and started notice that, every once in a while, I would hear a horrifying clunking sound, a sound you really don’t want to hear on any mechanical object - the sound of metal scraping on metal. I stopped, looked very carefully at everything, and didn’t see anything at all that would be the cause, so I went on to work. I’m not sure why parking my bike for eight hours would have made any difference, but as I started to head home, the noise became even louder, and I could feel it with each pedal stroke. This made me… nervous. Elliott and I looked over the bike again, and still couldn’t determine what the noise was from. Very frustrating. I decided to leave the bike and take it in for service first thing in the morning. It’s a good thing our building houses security and is well lit. Otherwise, I’m sure that would have been a bad idea. The next day, when I brought my bike in to Tsunami again, I found out what the noise was, and it was quite surprising – It was the brakes! Apparently, the force of roller brakes can eventually make things loosen up a bit in there, and then the cooling fin starts to slide against the frame a bit and, well there you go. Whew. At least it was nothing all that serious, the noise notwithstanding.

There is the culprit...

Calm down, you’re all tense

Things were rolling along just fine for several weeks, and then the last item I mentioned two sections above started happening again, except this time a bit differently. I began having a little more trouble than usual climbing hills, which I ignored for a few days and tried to pass off as just fatigue on my part. A week or so after that, more symptoms began to develop. Most noticeably, third gear just stopped working. Now this was a big deal! I generally am in third, fourth, or fifth gear on any flat surface, depending on my energy level, and it’s hard to get through the gears when you have to skip one. Additionally, fourth wasn’t working too well either. Fifth was still all right, but having to go between second and fifth wasn’t too fun. The day shifting got bad enough that I finally decided to take action was fortuitous, as I was already headed to Eastside Pedal Pushers to take photos for the review that Elliott wrote of their shop. Naturally, I gave them the Azor to work on as well, and walked back to the office. These guys were also quite fast, and had my bike done by the end of the day – and yes, it was the chain tension again. I’m not sure how often chain tension should actually be adjusted, but it does seem to be needed somewhat frequently on this bicycle, and I’m almost tempted to learn how to adjust it myself! Shocking.

All’s well that ends well?

So that’s it! One flat tire, two chain tension adjustments, and a brake adjustment. Not really anything serious, so far. It’s a well made bicycle. As I left Eastside Pedal Pushers that day a few weeks ago, I joked with them that this bike just might outlive me. Pretty good investment, especially compared to that other form of transportation.

My Azor Secret Service takes a break in the shade of trees at Garrison Park in South Austin

It’s been a bit over two weeks since I started riding my Azor Secret Service dutch bicycle, and I wanted to just provide a quick update on how things have been, the good and the bad.

Overall, things have been going great. The only problems I have had are with seat position and angle, for the most part. All of the mechanical parts on the bike have been just fine, thus far.

Seat position, height and angle: honestly, this has been hard to figure out. I think I have adjusted the seat angle almost every other day so far, because none of them have felt quite right. It would be great if there were some diagrams or instruction pages online for this. The correct seat posture is really unlike any other bike I have ever been on. I’ve also been wondering exactly how long the break-in process for a Brooks B67 is…wow! Months? Years?

The Azor has had to share space with my wife's Trek in our garage

Other than the seat issue, the Azor Secret Service has been remarkably comfortable for my commutes to work, and for errands after work and on weekends.

Let’s get one thing straight, though – this IS a bicycle for people who aren’t necessarily interested in going too fast, especially uphill. The heaviest thing on the bike is ME, of course, but still, anytime I’m going uphill, it’s a huge momentum killer. Now, if I lose 40 pounds, this could change!

Kickstand: Man, that double kickstand is heavy duty. It’s actually so sturdy that so far the best way to get it to go back up is to lift the bike for a moment, and push it with your leg. A few times I have rolled the bike forward to get the kickstand started, but I’m afraid of doing this too often because it may cause the rubber ends of the kickstand to wear too fast.

Shimano Dynamo Front Hub

The front headlight could be brighter. For winter, I am definitely going to be adding a front flasher or secondary light. Either that, or consider replacing the front light with an LED light instead of a halogen. My rear lights are fine, I think, now that I have the DToplight in place of the rear reflector.

That’s it for now, more in a few weeks as things progress!

Yes, I like Steve Martin in The Jerk, am now somebody. My Xtracycle FreeRadical kit arrived yesterday evening and I immediately went to work converting my old Trek 7200 hybrid into a true S.U.B, Sports Utility Bicycle.

Xtrcycle FreeRadical kit installed and ready to ride

It took me about two hours to fully install the kit while keeping my children from running off with some small key piece. I found the build quality to be good and with a few minor issues, the instructions easy to follow.

Giving Nicole a ride

No sooner had I finished putting the FreeRadical kit together than I went over to Marcus’ house to give him and his wife a ride on the back. This was great fun, and I also was able to haul back a baby gate Marcus had borrowed ealier in the week with ease. This morning I loaded up the back with a bunch of stuff to take to work and felt my road bike at home in favor of my Xtracycle.

I’ve been impressed with the ride quality in my initial ventures with the FreeRadical. I found the handling to be quiet zipping, in fact feeling zippier than my hybrid before the conversion. This may have to do with the inertial built up once you get going, however handling in turns at high speed is great. It is not a speed demon like my Bianchi road bike, but it is definitely more fun to ride than a regular bike with a trailer.

All in all I’ve been very impressed and am enjoying the freedom of carrying much more on my bike with ease. I plan on making some additions to the FreeRadical in the coming days to allow my children to ride safely on the back and doing a more complete review in the next week.

Stay tuned.