Thoughts on cargo bikes

[Balmorhea]

Recumbents or semi-recumbents are worth considering since the OP specified long distances of around 70 miles.

That's true. If you go fast, it can possibly save energy, and if you go slow, it could make sitting there for hours less objectionable. That assumes an appropriate and well-implemented design. I've come across plenty of slow or uncomfortable recumbents, same as regular bikes.

 

[Warren]

I'm the old fart with the recumbent cargo bike. 70 miles is just a warm-up ride. For the first decade, it hauled me, a 150 pound wife, and 50 pounds of luggage just fine. That was strictly human power that had us pedaling a 22/34...16 gear inch at 90 rpm and 4 mph up mountains.

I wouldn't suggest a DD hub for two up with luggage though. It flys up a 20% grade with me and my luggage. But add another person, and the motor would be getting warm on long climbs.

25,874 miles, as of this afternoon. Loving the cool fall weather. Finally blue jean weather.

 

[transposon]

Recumbants sound very nice. I am nervous about using them in MA city traffic though. Do cars have trouble seeing riders so low to the ground?

 

[ZeroEm]

Have a flag and strobe lights have not had a problem out side of needing big mirrors to see behind me.

 

[Warren]

Recumbants sound very nice. I am nervous about using them in MA city traffic though. Do cars have trouble seeing riders so low to the ground?

My recumbent cargo bike is not low to the ground. Look at that picture again. When I ride along side of folks on uprights, my eyes are higher than theirs. In town I look over sedan roofs.

 

[transposon]

I'm the old fart with the recumbent cargo bike. 70 miles is just a warm-up ride. For the first decade, it hauled me, a 150 pound wife, and 50 pounds of luggage just fine. That was strictly human power that had us pedaling a 22/34...16 gear inch at 90 rpm and 4 mph up mountains.

I wouldn't suggest a DD hub for two up with luggage though. It flys up a 20% grade with me and my luggage. But add another person, and the motor would be getting warm on long climbs.

25,874 miles, as of this afternoon. Loving the cool fall weather. Finally blue jean weather.

Warren,

Your recumbent thread is inspiring!! Thank you for your contribution. Your usage is pretty much how I envisioned my goal. I have also been considering using a leaf battery for a build. Since this is my first build, I am leaning toward the path well traveled, an upright bike. I just know so little about recumbents at this stage in the game.

If you could redo your DD recumbent build, would you use leaf batteries again?

 

[Warren]

If you could redo your DD recumbent build, would you use leaf batteries again?

After three and a half years this pack has gone from 2897 Wh on the first full discharge, to 2288 Wh today. Leaf cells are notorious for degradation.

If money was no object, I'd go with two EM3ev 72 volt, 34 Ah packs in parallel...almost twice the capacity, and 10 pounds lighter.

 

[dogman dan]

Ahh, big motor on the bent. Must have a big brake disc, that fooled me it was a 500w geared motor. Very nice!

Yeah, that size motor does it just fine on any kind of cargo bike. 2000w will do er up the hills, if the motor is big enough to run up them fast, and cool. Otherwise, its mid drive to crawl up hills and keep efficient and cool enough.

For the cargo bikes I've built, the biggest limitation was carrying battery without the weight making the bike wobble. Going down a hill, it can get scary when your bike starts to wobble at 30 mph, because of lots of weight, and not enough sideways stiffness.

This bike carried the most cargo, but it was not stiff enough to cruise over 25 mph.


The next one built more for pulling a bob trailer at 15 mph, or cruising with out the trailer at 35 mph.

Then this one, which was designed to pull that bob trailer, but with a smaller motor, and its top speed was 18 mph. Without the trailer though, it was stable as hell down hills at 35 mph. This bike was built just for stiffness, and to carry 4000 wh of battery.

 

[Warren]

The rear disc is 200 mm. The motor has no problem climbing with my 160 pounds clothed, and luggage...never gets warm. The warmest times are summer riding in hilly Charlottesville. In traffic, wacky the throttle can see 29xx watts, and regening to 19xx watts. Inefficient controller makes more regen heat than juice to battery, but is great for brakes. Still on my first set of Kool Stop pads on the front, and Avid disc pads on the rear.

This bike has a 2" top tube, and is more rigid than any upright single I own. Since replacing my sexy, but flexy, old Aerospoke carbon front wheel (cartridge bearing failure ate the hub) with a zero flex, 36 spoke wheel, I can ride no hands 5 mph slower than before.

Love the last bike in your post.

 

[transposon]

Nice builds dogman dan!

Does that first bike have a smaller rear wheel?

-edit- I looked at your build thread. Looks like ~26". Well done!

I'm thinking of scrapping my dreams of a second person and just focusing on enough carrying capacity for camping stuff and a small telescope.

 

[wturber]

I'm thinking of scrapping my dreams of a second person and just focusing on enough carrying capacity for camping stuff and a small telescope.

There are ways to make a second person optional ... especially if that person isn't particularly large and heavy.

https://www.xtracycle.com/junior-co-pilot-passenger-system/

 

[dogman dan]

FWIW, if you are going to do any welding, do add the pegs to pull a bob type trailer. You could then carry cargo, and that second person could ride on the deck.

Easiest build yet was the Schwinn cruiser. It came with the welded on back deck from the store. I just lengthened it enough to improve the ride and pannier size, and added one more strut to the rear rack.

Good first welding project if you get a welder, is to build your own extracycle attachment copy. They don't sell em anymore, dammit. see the bolt on longtail link below.

The first huge bike did carry the cargo. But in use, it got kind of cumbersome with so much weight on the main bike frame all the time. I definitely preferred the trailer. Trailer is a problem at speed, but loaded down I pretty much ride 15 mph, to make the battery go farther. That last one was built for 15 mph, but it's stiffness make it ride the best down a big hill at 35 mph.

That bike is the one that burned my garage, dammit. I'm thinking about a similar replacement, but my needs have changed now that I retired. I'm thinking 20" fat tire rear hub wheel, on a lengthend beach cruiser. This bike will cruise nice on dirt roads up in the national forest, or sandy roads at the lake.

 

[ZeroEm]

by dogman dan » Oct 26 2019 7:46am
FWIW, if you are going to do any welding, do add the pegs to pull a bob type trailer. You could then carry cargo, and that second person could ride on the deck.

Easiest build yet was the Schwinn cruiser. It came with the welded on back deck from the store. I just lengthened it enough to improve the ride and pannier size, and added one more strut to the rear rack.

Good first welding project if you get a welder, is to build your own extracycle attachment copy. They don't sell em anymore, dammit. see the bolt on longtail link below.

The first huge bike did carry the cargo. But in use, it got kind of cumbersome with so much weight on the main bike frame all the time. I definitely preferred the trailer. Trailer is a problem at speed, but loaded down I pretty much ride 15 mph, to make the battery go farther. That last one was built for 15 mph, but it's stiffness make it ride the best down a big hill at 35 mph.

That bike is the one that burned my garage, dammit. I'm thinking about a similar replacement, but my needs have changed now that I retired. I'm thinking 20" fat tire rear hub wheel, on a lengthend beach cruiser. This bike will cruise nice on dirt roads up in the national forest, or sandy roads at the lake.

Really like all the builds you did and glad to hear you have not given up on more bikes after your mishap.
I would like to mix a recumbent with a long cargo bike, as I need a recumbent to ride.

 

[dogman dan]

I just do better riding upright, otherwise I would ride my bent all the time. My back just needs to have the legs working as shocks.

But a longer bent, that takes your spine away from the back wheel might work. I have toyed with the idea of just lengthening the bent I have.

Or even turn it into a trike. This frame was copied to make Amberwolfs badass trike.

 

[ZeroEm]

That's a nice platform makes me think of BillVon's bike. Like the idea of long rides. Seems that the LWB bikes see the most miles. wturber bike type with a modified seat maybe my next build. Thanks everyone have some great ideas now.

Dogman dan is your bob trailer stock? Looks like a lot of room between tire and front of trailer. I have one and it is close to the tire, thinking of moving my hitch back or making the trailer tong longer.

 

[dogman dan]

The bob trailer is the stock, cheap china copy. Not a real bob trailer. I never punished it on any long tours, just a repeated 10 mile round trip to the grocery. 30 pounds was its load limit, for handling you could stand, and 20 mph is the max speed I would ride with it full.

That last bike carried the trailer better than the cruiser, because of its stiffness. That bike was a great trailer hauler. I used to carry 200 pounds at a time with it, on a homemade two wheel trailer.