Bakfiets/cargo-bike?

[Baka]

I'm interested in getting a bakfiets or cargo-bike, primarily for carrying my infant son, but also for carrying shopping and other stuff. Some googling has found this:

Electric Dutch Bakfiets Cargo Bike

but I haven't been able to find any other off-the-shelf solutions. Has anybody used the above e-bakfiets and can tell me what it's like? It'll be ridden in hilly Sydney Australia amidst the traffic, and will be a primary mode of transport.

Thanks!

 

[Straylight]

I know nothting about this machine, but good luck to you! Sadly it'd be a rare person indeed who'd consider this here in the UK. I use an ebike as my primary transport, and have had no cause to regret it .

 

[flecc]

Our VeloVision magazine has carried reports from the few who do use the Bakfiets in the UK, and I can remember one owner who used his in a hilly area for carrying his children. I remember wondering how he coped with the hills with all that weight, but he seemed happy about it in the brief article.

VeloVision have also had reports on many using other makes of Dutch cargo bikes and our UK made Burrows 8-freight.
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[andyh2]

I'm still waiting for the bakfiets maker to produce a Panasonic motored version.

Might be worth considering a hub motor for a 26/27" wheel in the front 20" wheel to maximise hillclimbing ability. It would be at the expense of cruising speed, but hills is where it's most needed.

 

[flecc]

Either would be good Andy, but the lack of hills in the Netherlands doesn't give much impetus for such development. Maybe now that the Dutch are buying lots more conventional e-bikes, specialists like Bakfiets will consider it.
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[Old Timer]

Where`s the other wheels A bit like a wheel barrow, can that be stable?

 

[andyh2]

Actually they're very easy to get used to. After a quick go round the block I was confident enough to load up daughter and niece. They loved it . So did I, but I wouldn't want to attempt any hills without e-assist!

 

[Alex728]

Although it looks good for leisure runs, unfortunately if I had kids (I don't, and indeed this is one reason I don't want any!) I'd end up driving them around for school runs or travelling in any risky/congested area, unless there was some really good infrastructure.

I simply do not have the faith in human nature that other motorists would drive safely around my children, even though they can see their vulnerabilty in this machine, and can wholly understand any parent who felt the same.

A shame really as its a good concept and obviously works in other nations but such is life.