Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

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Electric Bakfiets – The Car of Tomorrow

By on December 20, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

Electric Zigo

Electric Zigo

With the electric bicycle craze taking off globally, the electric Bakfiets may be the next big thing. An electric carrier bike or cargo bike truly makes this category a practical car alternative for the mass market. Without the limiting requirement of sturdy and tireless thigh muscles, a large number of casual cyclists are expected to embrace the carrier bike category. An electric carrier bike or bakfiets opens up the market to those needing to cycle longer distances than their legs will allow and those in hillier regions. Carrier bike market leader Zigo is reported to be developing an electric Zigo for launch next Fall. Several electrified Zigos, modified by dealers or consumers from aftermarket kits, have already been showcased on the Zigo Facebook page.

There are already a number of electric bakfietsen available, or able to be built from aftermarket kits. For example, Sparticle Electric Bikes in the U.K. offers a converted dutch bakfiets, though at a hefty starting price of £3,140 (US$4,116), plus the cost of any accessories. The U.S. sales price of the electric Zigo is expected to be $2,999. Gloworm in Australia offers a converted dutch bakfiets for Australian $4800 (US$4,839). On Bakfietsweb one can find an electric bakfiets listed as low as €849 (US$1,113), featuring a 36V 9ah Li-ion battery. However, this sounds a bit too good to be true. The rest of the specifications of the electrical components and the supplier are not listed.

Regardless of the brand and components, we expect the electric carrier bike/bakfiets/cargo bike market to boom in the next several years.

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Kona Ute Longtail Bike

By on October 29, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

Kona Ute Longtail Bike

The Kona Ute longtail bike is a rugged-looking longtail bike with a nod to mountain bike aesthetics, as might be expected from Kona. The integration of the rack with the bike frame is a nice design touch. Retailing at US$1249 on the Kona website, it is nicely positioned in terms of price/quality, featuring an aluminum frame, many Shimano components, double kick-stand, and disc brakes. Like other longtail cargo bikes, the Kona Ute has an extended rear with a wooden platform for mounting cargo or bags of all sorts. It is not as heavy duty as some other longtail bikes, but quite practical for average city use.

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Longtail Bikes

By on October 23, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

The longtail bike trend seems to be growing in the United States, with new models being introduced each year. Since our post on Xtracycle, we have researched a number of other longtail bikes.  By way of introduction, a longtail bike is designed with a long wheelbase and extra room behind the rider for cargo. The frame, wheels and drive-train need to be sturdily constructed to handle the extra loads.  In the future we will be offering reports on longtail bikes from:

  • Kona
  • Yuba
  • Madsen
  • Sun Bicycles
  • Surly; and
  • Xtracycle
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Danish Model and Actress Gry Bay Spotted on a Zigo

By on October 3, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

Gry Bay on her Zigo

Gry Bay on her Zigo

The woman once voted into spot 32 of the Top 100 Sexiest Girls in the World – by the readers of popular Danish magazine “M!” has been spotted on a Zigo Leader in Denmark.  Gry Bay, best known for her sexy role in “All About Anna”, is now Mom about town…a sexy bike for a sexy Mom.

Gry Bay and Baby with Zigo

Gry Bay and Baby with Zigo

 

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Xtracycle Radish – When You’re Thinking Cargo

By on September 25, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

xtracycle Radish base frame

xtracycle Radish base frame

Xtracycle makes a couple of really nice products for cargo hauling. The xtracylce Radish is dubbed “the complete family bike” on the xtracycle website. The Radish is a complete cargo bike and not a conversion kit. The Radish features a chromoly frame and weighs about 45 lbs. (before adding cargo kits). It features front and rear SD-5 v-brakes, a SRAM X-5 rear derailleur and a SRAM 11-34 cassette. The Radish can be outfitted with a variety of cargo attachments, depending on what you plan to carry. For light hauling, there is the Eco kit. The Classic kit is for heavier goods, while the Trucker, you guessed it, is for even heavier loads. The Family kit includes a PeaPod baby seat and an adapter for child hauling. The base Radish is $900, and the various cargo kits range from $135 for the Eco to $540 for the Family or Trucker kit. The xtracycle Radish, and similar long-tail bikes, are a nice cargo alternative. For transporting kids, we still favor a carrier bike with a forward positioned carrier, but for cargo, the xtracycle radish is a contender.

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Weehoo Recalls Bike Trailers Due to Fall and Crash Hazards

By on September 13, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

Weehoo iGo bike trailer

Weehoo iGo bike trailer

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Weehoo today announced a voluntary recall of the Weehoo iGo Bicycle Pedal Trailer, affecting approximately 2,700 units manufactured between April 2011 and July 2011, following one report of the receiver on the trailer’s seat post hitch cracking while in use. Although no injuries were reported, this failure can cause the trailer to detach, posing fall and crash hazards to the child in the seat. Consumers are advised to stop using the product immediately and to contact Weehoo for the repair kit. Consumers will receive a steel reinforcement sleeve to be installed over the receiver. For additional information, contact Weehoo at (800) 538-6950 anytime, or visit the firm’s website at www.weehoobicycletrailer.com. See the CPSC announcement here: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11323.html.

A “recall” does not usually mean that the product needs to be sent back. Usually the company sends out some sort of repair/fix it kit, as described above. A recall is not all that unusual and affects companies big and small. Products in the bike and child care categories seem to be particularly susceptible to recall. A recall is usually not the end of a product but just a hiccup.  Burley, for example, had a trailer recall in 2010 and is still going strong, and stroller giant Maclaren recalled 1 million strollers in 2011. InStep had a trailer bike recall in 2010, and Norco Products Ltd., maker of Adams Trail-a-Bike, had an 80,000 unit recall in 2005. The Weehoo is a nice niche trailer bike, and with 2,700 units manufactured this Spring, it clearly has an appeal. We are optimistic that Weehoo will bounce back from this setback.

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CarrierBike.com Now Offering Bakfiets, Carrier Bike, Bike Trailer FREE Classifieds

By on September 12, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

CarrierBike.com is now offering FREE listings to buy and sell bakfietsen, carrier bikes, cargo bikes, bike trailers, and well just about anything with wheels. It is important that there be an efficient market to ensure that these vehicles maintain their value when sold second-hand.  If the resale value can be upheld then it makes it easier for people to justify buying new bikes as well.

To list or to browse our FREE listings visit:

http://www.carrierbike.com/buy-and-sell-carrier-bikes-bike-trailers-bakfiets/

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Bolivia holds first National Day of the Pedestrain

By on September 10, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller


Bolivia this week held its first National Day of the Pedestrian.  We’d like to report that the streets were flooded with carrier bikes, but that’s not quite right–there were some bikes, but also runners and people dressed as zebras of course. However, 2 million cars were taken off the streets in 9 cities in an effort to call attention to the environment. It might have been a cynical politically motivated maneuver by Evo Morales, but it still worked. Does the United States now need to take an example from Bolivia on how to make it streets complete?

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Zigo unveils eZigo (electric bakfiets) at Eurobike

By on September 9, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

eZigo Electric Carrier Bike

eZigo Electric Carrier Bike - Cycle Portion

Zigo at Eurobike last week unveiled a prototype of the new eZigo electric carrier bike.  Using the TransX battery, the eZigo was reported to be a pleasure to ride.  The styling is expected to be updated to a more integrated look before a final eZigo is released, possibly as early as mid-2012.  The eZigo, and electric bakfietsen in general, open the carrier bike market to those in hilly regions, those less fit, and those doing long commutes.  This product is expected to be a success in Europe.  Even in the United States, the eBike trend is taking off.  We expect to see many electrified bakfietsen in the future.  What a great, economical way to save on gas and transportation costs. At around $3,000, an eZigo would pay for itself in no time. Note that the picture shown is just the Cycle component of the eZigo Carrier Bike.  It couples to the ChildPod in the same fashion as the Zigo Leader.  So it can be used as a regular electric bike, an electric carrier bike, or a regular stroller, jogger or trailer. Other electrified Zigo Leader units have been reported in Europe (see links below) but the eZigo is the first one produced by Zigo.

Electric Zigo Link 1 | Electric Zigo Link 2

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Mama Bakfiets Race – Could We Do One in New York City?

By on August 7, 2011


Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller

This is a classic clip from May 2008 of the Mama Bakfiets race held in Vondelpark in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.  It looks like great fun and great exposure for the bakfiets culture.  We would like to hear from others with Bakfietsen or shops that sell them who would be interested in organizing a Mama Bakfiets race in Central Park in New York City.

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Zigo Bakfiets Carrier Bike - Converts to Bike and Stroller