Do you cycle for or at least partly for Enviromental reasons ?

[Julia9054]

This is a Bakfiets:

View attachment 446488

And you can carry all manner of things in them:

View attachment 446489

View attachment 446490

So vegetable delivery would be well within their capabilities.

You could even use the Bakfiets as a shop:

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Although from experience I recommend cleaning carefully first to remove any horse poo.

Are they easy to balance fully loaded? My worry would be tipping over! I have seen them as three wheelers which look a bit more stable

 

[mudsticks]

This is a Bakfiets:

View attachment 446488

And you can carry all manner of things in them:

View attachment 446489

View attachment 446490

So vegetable delivery would be well within their capabilities.

You could even use the Bakfiets as a shop:

View attachment 446491

Although from experience I recommend cleaning carefully first to remove any horse poo.

Oh no - and now you have inflamed my lusting for a new thing- more consumerist desires

Beware the unintended consequence etc etc .

Though i reckon i could definitely justify that one as a 'business cost'


I reckon it would be great for the quads hefting one of those, fully loaded, up and down the Devon lanes.

And as you say you don't even have to unload at market .

Another seed of an idea sown - dang and blast this confounded internet thingy

 

[anna_adam]

I am in the middle of both as when I initially started cycling, I used to ride to my university. But now since I'm employed, my cycling pattern is being compromised. Would love to cycle on daily basis, as it's a good exercise for the body along with fitness and health. Have to get back on track, hopefully soon!

 

[mudsticks]

Evidence is that cyclists shop more than motorists (not that many shopkeepers seem to accept that). It's probably because we're not stuck in traffic as much or wasting money fuelling and serving our vehicles.

Yeah but we mostly buy food, and drink, and patronise tea shoppes, fuelling ourselves - and all that is exempt from moral prosecution

 

[Andy in Germany]

Are they easy to balance fully loaded? My worry would be tipping over! I have seen them as three wheelers which look a bit more stable

I know what you mean, but it's dead easy, in fact rather intuitively the faster/heavier it is the more it wants to stay upright: it's like trying to tip a gyroscope.

I only manage to tip it once, about ten years ago, just after buying it: I ran against a low kerbstone with that small front wheel and tipped it over. It has to be said, once it starts to tip it is very hard to stop.

The one I own comes from workcycles in Amsterdam and thy are built like tanks. Mine cost €2000 ten years ago and about a tenth of that since for maintenance.

 

[mjr]

I'm caught in a trap of laziness/sunk cost fallacy.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SlwV7mtsmw

"Well I've just spent £££ for new brakes/gold plated zingding swivel actuator /reciprocating spiffler seal on the old heap, I'd better get some use out of it".

That's doubly silly because not using the car will almost always wear the new gold plated zingding spliffer less than using it.

[...] So I'm currently looking into the alternatives like Zipcar. They don't look like they'll save me much.

They probably won't unless either cars become more efficient (because they can upgrade more quickly than private owners) or the clubs make less profit (possibly by co-ops like CoCars taking over - any profit is returned to the users) but what they are is more predictable. No sudden £400 lump sum required to supply and fit, say, a rear shock.

 

[mudsticks]

Its a question of when do I take the plunge and get rid of the car. With each service some new incomprehensible bit needs replacing, so I say "I'll keep the car for another year now I've sunk the cost of a zingding spiffler into it". The problem arises that next year, while the zingding spiffler is still fine it's the wangle joint flanging seals that needs replacing, and they cost £300 a pop. So I shell out for these and then say "seeing as I've just bought new wangle joint flanging seals for it, I may as well keep it another year ..."

Better the Devil you know maybe??
Once you've replaced all the sprocket wobblers, and left threaded valve compression differentials.. Then you've pretty much got yourself a new car.

Having said that, there's also throwing good money after bad...

In my book once the body work is starting to cost big time, then its fond farewells.

A couple of years back. I was really lucky.
My ancient estate car was going to cost £500 to get thru Mot.. Neither too much, nor too little, to be able to make a decisive call on repairs.

Then, someone spotted me a bargain hatchback for £250 - 10 months mot,

And then unbelievably I sold the engine out of the old one for £180.

With cheaper tax and insurance for a smaller car, which was all I needed, I felt like a proper winner for once..

Just occasionally, things land sunny-side up..