The Yuba is rolling out in the UK and Ghana this week, and the US and the antipodes next month. The Yuba’s an integrated longbike style cargo bike, promising lateral stiffness and lots of capacity (220 kg total load). Built in horizontal racks for hauling the stuff that won’t fit in a pannier or two. Nice touches: chain guard, choice of kickstands, bikes in Africa.
As much as I love the idea of more cargo bikes here in the land of giant SUVs, I love the reality of cargo bikes in the developing world even more. It’s great to see a manufacturer actually shipping to Africa in their initial foray into the markets. Good for you, Yuba!
Utility bikes are the pickup trucks of the cycling world. Made to carry big loads that would normally require a car, they are popular abroad and are now catching on here. Imported from the Netherlands, the Bakfiets brand is like a pedal-powered minivan for soccer moms. Shoulder harnesses secure up to three kids, eight gears provide torque for hills, and a chain guard, fenders and mud flaps keep riders clean ($3,023; dutchbikes.us/cargo). Xtracycle helped inspire the cargo-bike movement in the United States with its FreeRadical extender kit ($399; xtracycle.com), which converts your old mountain bike into a workhorse. The Ute (short for utility) is a 16-speed commuter with an oversize rack that holds four saddlebags for groceries ($799; konaworld .com). Surfers and kayakers can strap their boards and boats to the Mundo’s extended rear rack (built to carry 450 pounds) or pedal their friends to the beach. ($799 for six speeds; yubaride .com). Most utility bikes feature an extended wheel base. Not the Tran Sport LX, which is essentially a mountain bike outfitted with burly racks front and back. It holds less cargo but is ideal for trips to the hardware store ($650; giantbicycles .com). Chores were never so much fun.
The build of the V3 is quite easy and would take a bike person with medium bike mechanic skills 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Whereas the previous model has a rear rack that bolted to the main frame, the V3’s rack is totally welded – making the build much faster and the bike sturdier.
Buildup is: