Family & Cargo

Our Guide to Family Cycling

It’s not so long ago that the only option for carrying children on a bike was a child seat on the rear rack. There is now a huge variety of specialised family cycles and trailers for cycling with children, making the school run more fun and opening up exciting options for leisure rides. Becoming increasingly visible on our streets is the new generation of practical, versatile and very attractive box cycles for carrying children or cargo.

Multi-Purpose Box Bikes

Dutch-style bakfietsen, with two wheels or three, are ideal multi-purpose family vehicles: you can carry just children (on fold-down seats), or children plus shopping, or the kind of weekly shop which matches what you can get into the boot of a family car. Their stylish front boxes come in various sizes for different family needs. In fact, so versatile are these cycles that they can, for some households, replace the family car for almost all local journeys. Box cycles can be life-changing.

Types of Cargo Cycle

There’s huge variety: two-wheelers, with smaller boxes, where steering is indirect via a rod to the front wheel. There are three-wheeled versions with bigger boxes of various sizes. On some three-wheelers the whole box turns as you steer, and some are arranged so that the box stays still and only the wheels turn.

Box cycles stay steady while you get your children and cargo on board. On the tricycle versions you only need apply the parking brake. To steady the two-wheel versions you release a very wide and reassuring twin-sided drop-down stand.

Accessories & Adaptations

Manufacturers have thought of virtually everything. Expect child-carrying box trikes to come with harnesses and an easy-fit windowed rain cover. There are also specific child seats for little ones who cannot sit on the bench.

Two items which might be worth extra investment are factory-fitted electric pedal-assist, and the fitting of a ground anchor if you need to park your cargo cycle securely at home. You can then put a lock through frame and anchor, and cover the whole cycle with a close-fitting manufacturer’s rain tent.

Cycling with Cargo

Box bikes and trikes can carry all kinds of loads, human or otherwise. They can be just right for bringing home the shopping. Other versions can have a wide range of box sizes. These are not designed to carry children and are often used for commercial purposes, such as for professional delivery riders. A combination of lighter weight, high-end equipment and lockable boxes makes them very special, but also more expensive! They usually also come with electric-assist. But if you just want a no-frills box cycle for your allotment visits we can supply that too, possibly as refurbished. If your needs are even more basic, we sell cargo trailers!

Promotional Cycles

We can undertake commissions for customised promocycles, which can go where motor vehicles can’t, and have astonishing impact in pedestrian zones or at public events. Here’s one we did for ourselves: the box holds all the goods, the counter folds up and down, and the parasol and banner poles simply strap to the top for transportation. Maximum impact for minimal price!

Options and Choices

You may spot your perfect family and cargo cycle easily, but there are clearly many possible variations, combinations and customisations. This is why, as a responsible social enterprise, we prefer to have a conversation with you first, to understand your exact needs and help you avoid mistakes.

If you would like to give box cycles a try to make sure that your children will like it, we usually have several for you to try out. Our experts can also tell you about any alternatives amongst our refurbished cycles.

It’s worth getting in touch!

Refurbished Options

We have built up expertise and supply chains which allow us to offer a wide range of refurbished cycles. Most of these are pre-loved models of top brands which we bring in from Holland and elsewhere. Our refurbished cycles are not always the latest model, but we buy quality, so even older cycles will look smart and all perform brilliantly. Refurbished cycles offer great value if you have a limited budget.

What Our Customers Say

"What an amazing organisation! I was blown away by the variety of bikes & kit available. You and your colleagues couldn’t have been more welcoming."

Hannah

Contact Us

If you would like us to contact you about any of our cycles or services, please click Get In Touch below, fill out the contact form and we will get back to you. If you are interested in receiving quarterly updates on what we are up to, please click Subscribe below and sign up to our mailing list.