The past three days have been WONDERFUL! 50-70 degree weather and a good portion of sun to go with it. N has been sick lately and I was afraid our outings would be cut short, but I figure the warm moist weather would be good for him so we went out anyways (making sure not to touch or cough on other kids).
One of our outings consisted of riding our bikes around Raytown. The ride was great.
The ride did bring to light somethings, like how out of bicycle shape Jessy and I are, or that I might need another way of riding around with N, or that I wish there was a safer way to ride around our great city or that I need a new way of carrying my stuff...my basket broke :(. But I definitely would like to repeat riding around Raytown on a bike (especially if I'm going to get back in bike shape) I just need to address these things...sometime or another.
I've been researching Boxcycles (the American version of the
Bakfiets) but I can't find one for less than $2,000!!! There is an alternative that that involves outfitting a normal bike with a TON of storage
and a carrier called a Kangaroo Carrier, shown here:
This option would be fine except what if Steve and I make N#2? Then what happens to riding to the store or library? O, CargoBikes please make yourselves cheaper for the masses! How are the willing green mothers (who tirelessly wash poopy diapers) going to get around town without you?!
Well, for now I have to take my own advice before I spend one more penny...I need to show that I WILL in fact be riding this year. Pray for more great weather so more riding can happen. :)
I've been there. The first tip is not to fall for any of the cheap chinese clones.
ReplyDeleteSee - http://measured-response.com/bakfiets/?p=8
They have lots of different names. Join the workcycles group on facebook and ask there if you aren't sure.
Next tip is to set up a google search for bakfiets (set to english language). Every so often, someone will advertise a bakfiets and underprice it. You'll need to act quick. We got our second bakfiets this way, and made a profit when we sold it 3 years later.
My third tip would be to trust in the secondhand market. It's not so painful buying them if you know you'll get your money back when you sell it on. In the UK, pretty much any well maintained bakffiets will sell for £1000 even if the bike is old, and more if it's cosmetically good. The bits to check are the gears, dynohub (if it has one) and the steering assembly (for obvious damage). There rest is standard stuff.
We had a Weeride before we got a bakfiets. Borrow a bakfiets and go for some adventures if you can.