I had a chance to visit the Montreal bike shop Allo Velo recently, on a cold, rainy March day, on Rue Shannon in the rebuilt Griffintown neighbourhood. I got a chance to chat with owner Lamar Timmins and employee, Justin, and take a look around. (Disclosure: Allo Velo is a sponsor of this website. I traveled to Montreal on my own dime, or rather on the dime of my employer.)
3000 litres of cargo capacity
Lamar and Justin showed off their giant baby, the Fulpra cargo trike, that can carry up to 3000 litres of cargo with its sturdy frame, motocross wheels, hydraulic brakes, and a big electric motor with lots of torque. They've partnered with FedEx to pilot two Fulpra trikes as part of a new electric-assisted, last-mile fleet. See the video of the trikes getting their decals. A surprising detail about the Fulpra, Justin informed me, is that the front can tilt, which makes it much easier to lean into turns. If you've ever rode a traditional trike, you'll know what it's like to turn awkwardly and slowly. It appears that Fulpra has avoided this. If you've got a need and a couple tens of thousands, I'd recommend contacting Lamar for a test ride.
If the pilot goes well, they hope to expand the fleet. Justin mentioned that they're also talking to other delivery companies, such as Canada Post, about creating e-cargo fleets there too.
The other cargo bikes
Meanwhile, business is steady for the rest of their cargo bikes, most of which are marketed to families with young kids. Such as the belt-drive, aluminum-framed Carqon box bike. (Cargo bikes have been much steadier than regular bikes which have seen big swings in popularity and availability during and after the Pandemic. Most bike shops still do more turnover with regular bikes.) The Carqon has some features which I had on my cargo bike for our hilly town: a 500 watt Bosch CX Cargo e-motor; a door to make it easier for kids to enter and exit; hydraulic disk brakes (mine only has it on the front). Like all box bikes, it has a low center of gravity which makes it more stable. And you can get a cover, which I've found quite useful on ours. I didn't test ride the Carqon but it looks pretty comfortable to ride. I don't think it's just because I'm used to riding box bikes.
I noticed a Creme long tail had just sold. Looks like a good choice - the bike looks like it has lots of features, which I consider necessary on most cargo bikes: integrated lights, locks, front and rear rack, fenders, handles for the kids on the back. An e-motor, and hydraulic brakes as well. I'm not a fan of the single-sided kickstand, though it tends to be common on North American long tails. A double-sided kickstand is so much easier to park and for kids to climb up and down. It's likely possible to swap that out. This particular setup is for older kids who can hold themselves up. On could also install child seats on it for toddlers. Though, unlike a box bike, it would likely not work with an infant seat, such as the Maxi-Cosi. All that considered, one can't go wrong with this bike and it's a great option for those who don't have the room for a box bike.
Vancouver expansion
During the Pandemic, Lamar found an opportunity to open up a sister Vancouver shop. The shop, managed by a former VanMoof employee (he left before the recent VanMoof bankruptcy), has been running smoothly. The bike shop is just east of downtown on Nanaimo Street. So if ordering online isn't enough, and if you're much closer to either bike shop than I am, then go have a look. You won't regret investing in a quality cargo bike.
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