You were walking down the street one day and a curious sight passes you by: a mom, riding a bike that looks like a wheelbarrow in the front, with kids riding in it! Your eyes bug out a little bit and you yell, “Cool bike!” She smiles and shouts back, “Thanks! It’s a Dutch cargo bike or bakfiets!”. You’re feeling inspired and carry on your way, planning to check it out more when you get home.
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Dutch cargo bikes
Where is it from?
Some will argue that it originates from Denmark, and they’re correct, but lots of people refer to this wheelbarrow-like contraption as a Dutch-style cargo bike and that’s how you ended up here, reading this page, so let’s run with it. The concept has been around for almost a century [1].
However, this style of bike is generally referred to as a bakfiets, which is Dutch and translates to ‘box bike’. When I think of a Dutch cargo bike, I think of a front-loading bakfiets.
How does it work?
In essence, this is a bicycle, but the front end has been stretched out to accommodate a platform or box — usually a box if kids are involved. The front wheel is almost always smaller; some times the rear one is, too. On a regular bike, the handlebars connect directly to the front wheel via the steering column in order to steer it; on a Dutch cargo bike, there is a bar connected to the bottom of the steering column and the front wheel: this is called linkage steering. And yes, it’s different at first, but you get used to it. Best to keep your eyes on where you want to go and you’ll get the hang of it fairly quickly!
What are they used for?
Originally designed for carrying cargo around cities, they are still used as such but are often used to carry live cargo now, i.e. kids! And they excel at this task.
They are not the only way to carry kids on a bike and they might not be the best option for you, depending on where you live, but for many young families, they work exceptionally well for younger kids, including babies, and usually work well for 1-3 kids, sometimes 4, depending on the brand/model.
Benefits of a Dutch cargo bike
Load and go
No trailer to hook up. Just hop in and ride, as easy as the car. Super stable double kick stands make it safe to load up kids, too.
Kids in front
It is so much easier to communicate (and supervise) with your kids in front of you, the rider. On a longtail (where the kids sit on an elongated rear rack) sound can be muffled and it’s next to impossible to hear kids riding in a trailer. With front-loading box bikes, you can check on sleeping babies or toddlers, see what your kids are seeing (and marvel at sights spotted together), and help mitigate any sibling spats, if necessary.
Challenges of a Dutch cargo bike
Cost
These bikes are not cheap, especially the electric assist models (which are highly recommended if you live anywhere remotely hilly, or even if you don’t). But they are much less expensive than a car, a cost many families absorb without question, often twice. For families, these Dutch bike child carriers are the ideal car replacement. Many families can operate with one or no cars if they own a cargo bike like this. This type of cargo bike can replace many short car trips, like school runs. Over half of all car trips in North America are 3 miles or under [2], a distance that is easily accomplished with an e-cargo bike.
Size
These bikes can be long and are wider, like a double trailer. This can seem unwieldy at first but their turning radius is surprisingly tight. Width may be a problem on your route if you have barriers to get through on a towpath, for example.
The real issue for many is storage. A garage is ideal but not always an option. We used a large shed for years. Others simply lock and store them outside with a robust set-up and sometimes a cape or cover of sorts to protect it from the elements.
These bikes (like many cargo bikes) are heavy, too. Something to consider if you have to maneuver it into a special storage space.
Intimidating
The style of steering that Dutch cargo bikes have — linkage steering — intimidates some people. And, others have a hard time imagining balancing heavy and wiggly loads on two wheels alone.
Linkage steering can be learned. It depends on the bike, some are more twitchy than others, but most people will pick it up within a ride and become quite proficient within a week or two. Within a month, they’ll be able to go back and forth between this type of cargo bike and a regular bike with ease. It’s just like riding a bike!
As for balancing heavy, wiggly loads on two wheels versus three, you’ll know what works best for you once you try. Read more about two-wheeled bakfietsen and three-wheeled trikes to help you decide: both types of box bikes are great for carrying kids. Just don’t rule out the two-wheeled Longjohn style cargo bike without trying it! The low centre of gravity makes it surprisingly easy to balance a load. Plus, most parents start out with lighter loads, i.e. when their first child is young, and build up to bigger and more wiggly loads. And, if you ever do tip the bike over, the bottom of the box hits the ground first and the bike is unable to tip past about 45 degrees. That said, if you are regularly carrying 3-4+ kids, a trike is likely your best bet.
Cargo bikes found in The Netherlands
There are several other types of cargo bikes that can be found in The Netherlands:
- Butcher bikes (smaller front wheel with a heavy duty front rack)
- Trikes (three-wheeled box bikes)
- Four-wheeled delivery bikes (eg. DHL)
- Sturdy multi-kid carrying bikes (eg. Workcycles’ Fr8)
And so on. Some are better for transporting kids than others.
Longtails are more common in North America, but they are becoming increasingly popular in Europe, especially since they are often easier to store due to their smaller size.
What is available?
Check out this thorough post on Dutch cargo bikes, also known as front-loading bakfietsen, Longjohn cargo bikes, or just box bikes, including a table of models available:
Sources
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_bicycle#cite_ref-7
[2] National Household Travel Survey, 2010 https://www.bikeleague.org/content/national-household-travel-survey-short-trips-analysis
