Carrying Copenhagen: the wonders of the cargo bike

We've posted plenty in the past about how the Southland could be a lot more bike friendly and perhaps there are lessons to be learned from places that have embraced bikes -- such as Copenhagen. The following is a guest post from Mikael Colville-Andersen, who publishes two bike-related blogs, Copenhagenize and  Copenhagen Cycle Chic:

The transportation of goods and children through an urban landscape is a universal need. In Copenhagen many our of citizens choose the self-propelled transport option and cycle to work, school and on errands.

On any given day you'll see people moving things about on their bikes. A ladder, a newly-purchased bean bag for the living room, heavy bags of groceries dangling from the handlebars. It's what we do.

In Copenhagen, however, we have our own version of the SUV. We call it 'ladcyklen' or 'the cargo bike'. Often there are goods too large or cumbersome for convenient bicycle transport and if you have a child or two or three, they have places to go and things to do and you are the one who has to get them there.

In Denmark the three-wheeled cargo bike is the vehicle of choice for moving things about and the cargo bike market here continues to enjoy steady growth. A cargo bike is a generic term for any bicycle that is designed to carry 'stuff,' whether it has two wheels or three.

The necessity for cargo bikes is as old as bike culture itself. Since the early part of the last century, cargo bikes have moved things around the city. A little sub-cultural group formed rather quickly in cities, namely 'svejerne'. They muscled their heavily-laden cargo bikes through the streets and were known for their rowdy tone and for whistling at girls. Half a century before the modern bike messengers.

My Dad was a messenger boy during World War II, fetching fruit and vegetables from the market and transporting them back to the green grocer's where he worked. The two most widespread bikes were the Long John and the Short John - or Chimney Sweep bike. Both designs are almost a century old.

Since then, the Danes have expanded their fleet of cargo bikes and there are currently a dozen or so different brands competing for a market share and Denmark has rightfully become the Cargo Bike Capital of the world.

It was in the early 1970's that the first cargo bike of the modern era was developed. It is called the Christiania Bike and named after an abandoned military area which became Europe's largest anarchist town. Large, chunky and functional, with a big box placed in front of the cyclist, the Christiania bike quickly became a generic name for cargo bikes in Denmark.

Inevitably, other brands started to pop up and today the list is long and it includes; Nihola, Sorte Jernhest [Black Iron Horse], Bellabike, Triobike, Esimex, Larry vs. Harry, Long John, Short John and Kangaroo Bike.

At any daycare in the city you'll see parents dropping off and picking up their kids in cargo bikes, with the cargo bays equipped with small benches to sit on. There's room for groceries, too. Deejays and musicians use cargo bikes for transporting gear, kindergartens have them for taking kids on outings and companies use them for moving goods about.

Amazingly, only about 40 percent of Copenhageners own cars, even though this is the capital city of one of the richest countries in the world. Sure, vehicles are taxed heavily but the reason is simply because we have the infrastructure in place for bicycles and we have a rather good public transport system. Even 50 percent of the citizens of Berlin do not own a vehicle, for the same reasons. Fifty eight percent of Copenhageners, when polled, say that they ride their bike because it is easy and fast. Only one percent say they do in order to help the environment. Basically, we're not environmentalists. We're just people who need to get around the city, like anywhere else.

I often say that we don't have cyclists in Copenhagen. We only have Copenhageners who get around by bike. We have a cyclists' union, sure, but I don't anyone who is a member. Nor do I know anyone who wears woolen socks in sandals, which seems to be a prerequisite for membership. The vast majority of us merely ride our bikes because we can and because we get there quicker if we do.

The continued growth of our cargo bike culture has contributed to the improvement of our bicycle infrastructure. On average a separated bike lane – by that I mean separated from the sidewalk by a curb and from the traffic by another curb – measures 7.2 feet wide. The city of Copenhagen is increasing the average width to 8.2 feet. For reasons of increasing safety and to accommodate the bicycle traffic, but also because cargo bikes are so popular. And wide.

Cargo bikes may be our version of the SUV but they are an aesthetic addition to the flow of bicycles. They glide along at a slower pace and can sometimes be difficult to pass but it's always lovely to see kids sitting in the box reading a book or munching on an apple or even having a nap. So many families in Copenhagen invest in a cargo bike when they have kids, in lieu of a car. The kids learn to ride bikes, sure, but the cargo bikes are practical for many reasons. Even many families who own a car have a cargo bike instead of a second car.

When I write 'invest' in a cargo bike it's because they can be pricey compared to regular bikes. The average price for a sturdy carry-all three-wheeler is about $3,000. Most of them, however, will keep a high percentage of their value and even second-hand models with 10 years on the bike lanes are much sought after.

Cargo bikes may now be the domain of the family but new variations are constantly popping up in the city. A mobile coffee bar, a newspaper rack, fresh fruit, bike messengers, ice cream freezers, you name it. Anything you need to sell or transport can be done on a custom-designed cargo bike.

Bike trailers are still seen on occasion but the cargo bike beats the trailer for so many good reasons. Heavier loads, kids seated up front where you can talk to them, more stability while cycling. But the trailer still serves the people. IKEA of Denmark found out that 20 percent of their customers arrived at their suburban big box stores by bike or public transport. They have now provided free Velorbis bikes and trailers for their carless customers who need to get home with purchases. Just leave a deposit, ride home with your stuff and return the bike. Cheaper than a taxi and easier than the bus or the train. This idea is now spreading to IKEAs in other European countries.

The import of cargo bikes to America is also experiencing an period of growth as the bicycle continues its march back into the public consciousness. It's mostly an East Coast/West Coast thing at the moment in North America. With more than a century on the road, the Danish cargo bike shows no sign of stopping and we're only too happy to share a good idea.

--Mikael Colville-Andersen 

photos: Copenhagenize.com

Comments

[Mikael]

The comment about how "lack of helmets in Copenhagen is a big problem" is completely flawed. Denmark, and Copenhagen, are the world's safest places to cycle. Cyclists who are killed are always hit by cars or trucks - and no helmet is designed to help your head in these situations. Fear mongering serves only to reduce the number of cyclists. I prefer science and facts. http://cykelhjelm.org

[Jessica]

I have a bakfiet in San Francisco and it is wonderful. I obviously avoid the big hills, but I can carry my daughter, dog and many bags of groceries. We take it out every day and it is much easier than the bus or a car (which we don't have, but can borrow). It's also a lot of fun to ride with my daughter and talk about all we see.

[Robert]

I am so sick of hearing that all kins of things are "East Cosat/West Coast" things when it is just not true. I have seen these bikes in Chicago for years. I think that the media just ignores the middle part of the country and pushes a pigeonhole stereotype and everybody just buys into it with out any research!

[Freth]

I've seem where in the hispanic dense areas of Los Angeles ... Mountain bikes have the front wheel removed and a cage framework is welded to the fork and handle bars to create a cargo container lined with plywood ... this is used to transport and sell goods within the neighborhoods. Look around ... there ARE cargo bikes in L.A. ... not as nice as those in the pictures from Copenhagen, but extremely functional ...

[Dave Grossnickle]

I work for City Harvest, a food rescue program in New York City that collects excess food for delivery to community food programs that serve hungry New Yorkers. Higher fuel costs caused us take a second look at relying only on a fleet of trucks to rescue food. Cargo bikes have been an excellent solution for us.

We identified a number of food businesses regularly making small donations in Manhattan where we could make pickups by bike, and we put a small fleet of cargo bikes on the road this summer. Each of our three cargo bikes has an insulated bin holding up to 500 pounds of food that keeps the food we rescue cold.

I recommend that any organization or businesses facing similar challenges consider employing cargo bikes. You can find out more information about the bikes we’re using on City Harvest’s web site:
http://www.cityharvest.org/home.aspx?catid=0&pg=104

[Joe in MD]

My wife bought a Christiania bike from a Danish colleague of hers last year. We believe that we have one of less than three that reside between Georgia and New England. She refers to it as a Bakfiet, the Dutch term for a cargo bike. She uses it mostly for taking kids around the neighborhood, and brings it out at Bike to Work day and other such events. As mentioned above, it is tough to ride both up hills, but even more so riding down, as you have to take the curves quite slowly. It's great and quite easy, even fun to ride in flat areas though.

[Oscar]

there is an unaccounted for segment of bicycle riders here in Los Angeles, Day Laborers...many of them immigrants...there was a great article titled "Invisible Riders" written by Dan Koeppel you can find it here:

http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-3-12-13639-1-P,00.html

The point in relation to this article is that these same immigrants here in Los Angeles are pioneering the cargo bike. The street vendors that sell corn or tamales often come by on cargo bike. A great deal of them have fabricated their own version of the cargo bike, by fusing a bicycle with a shopping cart.

One guy that sells fruit on a corner I've seen with a bike towing a rolling cooler...I think cargo bikes would be a great addition to our city. I would definitely use one.

[gwadzilla]

sadly...
this machine is very heavy and only works well in flatter sections of the world

it would be unlikely for a mother of two to go to and from the grocery store in San Francisco on a cargo bike

Washington DC is a tad less hill
maybe not suitable for this sort of cargo machine
but as mentioned in a previous comment there is the emergence of the Xtra Cycle

this cargo option is growing in popularity in this area

great comic where the cargo bike enters a woman's world and changes her life
http://www.yehudamoon.com
she is a sub plot of the main focus

and CSX mocks this notion
not knowing its potential

http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=cargo+bikes

and of course
my bicycle blog from Washington DC
http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com

-gwadzilla out

[David Christiansen]

Marcotico:

The lack of helmets is actually a big problem in Copenhagen. Many people die from head injuries who could have been saved by helmets. While it's definitely safer to bike in Copenhagen than in New York, it's no playground. I've been seeing more and more helmets lately, though, so things are improving.

I agree on the cheezy bike clothing, btw.

[Marcotico]

On a separate note, I love seeing pictures of cyclists in Northern Europe, because they are always nicely dressed in casual clothes, and are never wearing helmets. Not because they are reckless, but because they are not in fear for their lives!!!

[Marcotico]

There are three US based companies that have embraced the idea of cargo bikes of the two wheeled variety. In LA with its lack of bicycle lanes these may be better options.

http://store.xtracycle.com/_e/dept/01/Xtracycle_Complete_Bikes.htm

http://www.konaworld.com/09_ute_en.cfm

http://www.surlybikes.com/bigdummy.html

[Brian]

Thanks for posting this great article.

[Gary Kavanagh]

I'm delighted to see Copenhagen utility bicycles being given a Los Angeles readership. We're a long way off from having anything resembling their culture of cycling here, but we can dream. I have been seeing more bikes on the streets the past few months, and the number of bikes parked at my work has nearly doubled since we adopted a parking cash out and the rise of gas prices.