How to get a cargo bike in Canada

Builders Canada | Importers & Retail | Cargo bikes in US | Background

There must be times when you'd like to take a big load of groceries on your bike. Or you've thought of taking your kids around by bike but a trailer doesn't look safe enough. A cargo bike is a versatile tool for this. I've collected information on how to get a cargo bike in Canada. For more info, read the wikipedia article on cargo bikes.

Builders

Canada - Ontario & Quebec

• True North Cycles and Wike Trailers - have teamed up and started making long john cargo bikes. Since every machine is custom-made by True North and combined with Wike's trailer-building skills you will get a functional, sturdy bike. There are high custom fees on imported bikes from Europe or the US, so buying in Canada may be a great alternative if you can wait for Hugh to finish the bike. The price will be starting at $2500.
• Manuel Cappel - builds beautiful cargo bikes and trailers in his Toronto Island workshop. Manuel uses used bikes but new components to create strong bikes that can carry heavy loads. The bikes are cheaper than newer bikes with a price of about $2000 for a built bike (powdercoating extra). Give Manuel a call at 416.203.7717 to arrange a visit to his shop to discuss requirements. It takes him about a month and a half to build.
• Paul Laursen of Invodane - builds long john and trike cargo bikes (images: long john with double kid seats, large work trike. He uses aluminum frames with all new components in the cargo bikes. The City of Toronto Bicycle Promotions uses two of the bikes and have worked well for them. He sells them starting at $2500. Email Invodane or call (416-443-8049) for more information.
• Intercycle, of Au Coin du Pédaleur, Quebec, makes a variety of utilitarian trikes, heavy "cycle trucks" and pedi-cabs. The quality looks like these cycles are made for industrial or tourist use, and not for faster on-road use - they still have an important role even if they aren't made with the lightest cromoly, etc.
• Conifer Cycle makes bike trailers and cargo trikes in Peterborough.
• Build your own. Tom's cargo bikes has plans for building your own long john.

Importers and Retail - Ontario

• Curbside Cycle - Imports the Danish Nihola tricycle and is now carrying Bakfiets cargobikes.
• Urbane Cyclist - Update: Urbane seems to no longer import the Bakfiets. They do have the XtraCycle and trailers from Wike.
• Bikes on Wheels and Cycle Solutions (Parliament St) carry the Birota, a cargo bike that comes in long john or two wheels in front varieties. The bikes are inexpensive and this may be reflected in the build quality. I'm particularly concerned about the connector in the frame normally seen on low-end folding bikes. BoW claims the Birota is made by Norco but all I can find is a Dutch website showing the Birota bikes.

Importers and Retail - British Columbia

• Rain City Bicycles in Vancouver imports the Workcycles bakfiets/cargobike. The Bakfiets is remarkable for its family-friendly box with child seats and plastic covers. The bike starts at $2750 CDN. (Thanks to Henry Cutler of WorkCycles with this info.)
• Vancouver Long Bikes imports the Yuba Mundo, created specifically for developing countries but also useful for Canada.
• Moran Pedal Powersports is the Eastern Canada distributor for Yuba Mundo. They have 18 and 21 speed Yuba Cargo/Utility bikes. Contact Rod Moran, 519-648-2389.
• The Bicycle Family of Vancouver is importing the Long Haul, Tri-Haul from CAT in Oregon in addition to making Vancouver-specific customizations (to the gearing and box) and building/customizing trailers. They say they will be fabricating cargo bike frames in Vancouver soon.
• The Transportation Alternative of Vancouver imports the Bullitt (Danish-built, sleak, aluminum long-john) and Yuba Mundo.

Importers and Retail - Alberta

• Bike Bike is a Calgary bike shop that carries Joe-Bike, Yuba, XtraCycle, Batavus, Nihola, and Workcycles as well as other urban-friendly bikes.

Contact Herb through IBikeTO.ca with any questions or information. Most of the information is Toronto-centric, but I'd be happy to add information from all parts of Canada.

Builders and Retail - United States

• Center for Appropriate Transportation - They make some cool bikes, including a Long Haul cargo bike that's been imported and used by the Community Bicycle Network in Toronto. They can build them with a box (starting at $2600 USD) or with a cage. They also make a tricycle recumbent cargo bike called the Tri-Hauler.
  Update: CAT is now offering Long John building classes. Check their website for more info.
• Metrofiets - is now making cargo bikes out of Portland, Oregon. They currently focus on the long john cargo bike. It looks pretty stylish and has a nice wooden box similar to the Bakfiets (starting at $3700 USD).
• Joe Bike - Joe Bike of Portland, Oregon, sells some imported cargo bikes plus make their own "Joe Bike" which is a short "box bike" / long john cargo bike. The frame is made in China and assembled in the US (starting at $2500 USD).
• CETMA Cargo, out of Eugene, Oregon, is a one man shop making versatile and very sturdy cargo bikes / long johns. The basic setup includes a large "no-skid" platform and the user can put any kind of box or contraption on top. Price: $1850 USD + shipping (around $300 in USA). Shipping takes about 4-8 weeks.
• US Importers of Workcycles - There are number of stores selling cargo bikes from Workcycles of The Netherlands. Most of them carry the long john cargo bike, though Workcycles also makes a variety of tricycles with two wheels in the front. Some of these stores include Clever Cycles in Portland, OR; Dutch Bike Chicago, Dutch Bike Seattle, Varsity Bike and Transit in Minneapolis, MN. The long john variety ranges from $2750 to $3000 USD.
• Icycle Tricycles sells new and used tricycles out of Portland, Oregon.

Background to the cargo bike

A cargo bike is a bicycle that has been especially built to carry larger amounts of cargo such as groceries, bricks, even children. The cargo bike that has become the most popular is called a "long john", first appearing in the 1920s in Denmark and The Netherlands. It can carry a lot of weight and can be quite easy to drive once you get used the feel.

There are now a number of different types of cargo bikes including the Yuba Mundo, Xtracycle, Christiania Bikes, Kangaroo and so on.

Read up more on the Dutch CargoBike on this article in Velo Vision Magazine where the author, Jonathan Ward, explains why he chose the CargoBike. Bakfiets and Henry Workcycle are the best known Dutch cargo bike makers.

If anybody comes across an interesting new cargo bike company, let me know. For instance, I'd be interested to find out when the UK company, Cycles Maximus comes to North America in a big way. They've got some interesting, hardcore cargo trikes with electric assist. They sell a Lynch PowerDrive e-assist that supposedly can get 250kg up steep hills. If true, then it may be a winner for heavy loads, though it appears it may only work with trikes.

Look at the Cargo bike gallery for ideas of what's possible.