Zigo at Five Boro Bike Tour

It is almost time again for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, to be held this year on Sunday May 6. You can hit all five boros of New York with 32,000 other riders. The Tour starts just north of Battery Park,  and runs up thhrough Manhattan, through Central Park, a brief dip into the Bronx and then down to the Queensboro Bridge. Following a ride over the Pulaski bridge passing through Brooklyn, riders enjoy an incredible view from the Verrazano bridge, finally ending the tour in Staten Island with a festival. This year, get yourself a carrier bike, Zigo, bakfiets, or bike trailer, and bring the kids. It’s a great day, and if it gets too much, you can exit the tour at many convenient points.

[On one not so positive note, this year's tour is preceded by Bike Expo NY, which is also where all rider packets must be picked up. Vests and packets will not be mailed. Although it is claimed that this move to in-person pickup is to reduce registration scalpers and packet scammers, it is (more than) likely that is is also an effort to boost attendance at the Bike Expo. Surely, in today's sophisticated electronic age, there are other security measures that could be taken other than requiring 32,000 riders to show up in person to get their vests and packets. This is very inconvenient for most riders, and especially for those coming from out-of-town. In the future, it is hoped that the Tour comes up with a better way to do this.]

Cheap Zigo Knockoff From Dandy (Czech)

Today a company called Dandy Bicycles in the Czech republic sent out an email to bike shops offering for sale their “Dandy Joy”. On quick examination this is clearly a cheap knock-off of the Zigo Leader Carrier Bike. From the shape of the windows, to the characteristic shape of the reflective stripe, this screams CHEAP KNOCK-OFF.

Zigo confirmed that this is a Zigo knock-off. The story is lurid and details all that is wrong in the world.  According to Zigo, in October 2010, Zigo’s distributor in the Czech Republic noticed a Zigo-knockoff at the Brno bike show and brought it to the Company’s attention. Examination of photos revealed that this was not a copy of the Zigo Leader but was ACTUALLY a Zigo Leader that had been modified for display at the show. Dandy was at that point calling it IGo and not even bothering to be ashamed of the fact that they were stealing Zigo’s product.  When confronted, at first Dandy denied that they had stolen anything, but eventually, Ivo Danacik, owner of Dandy, admitted to having gotten a Zigo Leader and plastic parts from a former Zigo distributor in Poland.

Dandy IGO KnockOff as Shown in 2010

Mr. Danacik wrote to Zigo “Once again sorry for the inconvenience. He contacted us a new customer in Poland.
This customer gave us plastic components. Complete wheel, chassis and custom upper part of the fabric in our production. We are manufacturers of bicycle brands DANDY trying to find new trends. DANDY Our brand is very popular and well known, particularly in central Europe. Not want to violate the licensing law! We are very pleased to cooperate with your company. Surely we can find common commercial and manufacturing interests.”

Clearly the “common interest” turned out to be Dandy knocking-off Zigo.

Zigo confirms that Dandy called to the factories that produce Zigo asking for plastic parts.

To be sure, the Dandy Joy is not exactly Zigo.  It claims to be able to be used with any bike. Examination of the photographs reveals a perilously weak hitch beam region. It is unclear how the front brake coupling is to occur.  At best this is a shameless poor quality knock-off, at worst it is an accident waiting to happen.

This represents all that is wrong in the world of intellectual property piracy. It is one thing to examine a competitor’s product to understand it and better compete.  It is another thing entirely to chop up a competitors product, put some paint and fabric on it, and call it your own, as Dandy did in 2010. Even with their now Czech-manufactured product, they could not be bothered to develop their own look and feel, but rather continue to steal and use Zigo designs.

Once again a case of Buyer Beware. We would not recommend ever buying this product or ever doing business with a company like Dandy.

Mango Kids Bike Trailer Mode

The Zigo Mango Stroller/Jogger/Trailer is shipping for Spring 2012.  This long awaited entry into the U.S. sports stroller market is likely to give the established players, Burley and Chariot, a run for their money. The Zigo Mango price value proposition is hard to beat.

The Zigo Mango X2 Complete is a fully functional stroller, jogger, and kids bike trailer out-of-the-box. There is no need to buy any conversion kits. It includes 8″ front caster wheels, a 16″ jogger wheel kit, and a trailer arm hitch set. It also includes a safety flag andwhat Zigo calls the Simple Environmental Control System, which is a basic mesh screen and drizzle guard. The Zigo Mango comes with 20″ rear wheels, which makes for a luxurious ride, run or stroll, and dual drum brakes.

In stroller mode, the Zigo Mango is a limousine for your child, thanks to the 20″ wheels. It is a spacious side-by-side design for two children, though you need to buy an extra harness for the second one. Unlike most trailers that convert to strollers, the Zigo Mango can be thought of more as a stroller that converts to a trailer. The stroller function is well executed and not an afterthought. If you never used the Mango as anything other than a stroller, it’s still worth buying ( you can buy the  Zigo Mango X2 Stroller separately (as opposed to the Mango x2 Complete) and purchase accessory jogger or trailer kits later as needed.)

Mango in Stroller Mode

To convert from stroller to trailer or jogger, the caster wheels are either positioned to point upright or can be removed entirely to reduce weight. The trailer or jogger kit connects to the front of the Mango.

The Mango jogger has a fixed front wheel, which is what you want for stability and true tracking without veer as you run. The Mango performs well in this regard. Modulating your pace is easy with the dual drum brakes.

As a kids bike trailer, the Mango offers a comfortable and stable ride. The Mango comes with a safety flag and a mesh and plastic cover for use as a trailer (the Simple ECS). It has a built in roll-cage for protection as well as side guards to deflect obstacles.

Mango Jogger Mode

There are a few accessories to consider for the Zigo Mango. The StoragePod adds one cubic foot of storage space to the rear of the Mango. This is great for use in any mode to carry all that baby gear, and is a must-have for longer trips.

The Deluxe Environmental Control System is a nice accessory to have. Although the Simple ECS is functional, it lacks the style and fit of the Deluxe. If you are planning to be an all-weather user then consider adding the Deluxe ECS.

Mango StoragePod

The Zigo Mango is available in Mango Red or Mango Yellow. The astounding thing about this product is the price. IN the United States, the Zigo Mango is offered only direct from Zigo with no dealers or middlemen. It is listed at $599 on the Zigo website, but if you “Add to cart to see better price” it is only $499.  This price point is hard to beat for Zigo style, functionality and quality.

To purchase the Zigo Mango X2 Complete you will need to visit the Zigo website at store.myzigo.com. The Zigo Mango and accessories can be purchased there, along with the flagship Zigo Leader Carrier Bike.

Zigo Carrier Bicycle System

We recently came across this report from Germany, reported on in a Belgium news site, concluding that a cargo bike or carrier bike is the safest way to transport children. I will admit that my dutch is not much good and that Google translate mostly mangled the article, but from what I can figure, the German automobile club ADAC tested a bike seat, a trailer and a carrier bike. The conclusion was that a trailer was safer than a baby bike seat, but that a carrier bike was safest of all.

Each setup was tested by crashing into an obstacle at a rate of 25 kilometers per hour (15.5 mph). In the crash test the trailer remained upright and the dummy passenger unharmed, while the doll in the baby bike seat had damage to the legs.

The examiner concluded that the cargo bike was the safest, citing the low position to the ground, ability to always confirm that the child is connected to the cycle without looking back, and the larger vehicle size discouraging motorists from attempting to pass as compared to a cyclist with a baby seat.

Of course in America, they still have no clue.

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.

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.

• Kona
• Yuba
• Madsen
• Sun Bicycles
• Surly; and
• Xtracycle

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

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.