Cargo-Bike selfmade

Hello Folks,
I just wanted to introduce my new cargo-bike that I made myself.
I used Steel for the frame because easy to weld and cheap, the next will be a Alloy frame because the next bike should have a centermotor bafang-max-drive or shengyi cmt03 because nobody produce a welding ready interface for steel-frame anymore.
The ground-platform is 70x45cm
I outfitted the bike with double-disk-brake in the front 2X203mm which give´s a good speedreduction even with 200kg load
I also made the cable steering myself because I don´t like a simple long tube to the front and in my opinion the feedback is better as a one sided tube

I made the bike because I was annoyed of the prices for the frame-kits, most cargo frame-kit´s cost 1400-1800euro which far to much in my eyes. I payed in total maybe 150euro for the frame-material and material for the cable steering comes another <100euro
Motor is a shengyi DGW22 and Display is a key-Display KD718 and controller comes from Lishui of course ;-)

Outfitted with 10-speed Shimano Xt components 20" front and 26" rear wheel with Schwalbe 2,15 tire-size front and rear
Hub-motor is enough for the typical cargobike-terrain because usually nobody use cargobike with 200kg load in mountain-area I guess but with the following Alloybikeframe (I mentioned above) and centermotor you could drive 10% uphill I guess or maybe more depends on your fitness

I made the plattform completely removeable because I want keep it to convert it into a tandem with seat and pedal for a passenger like my wife or my daughter, just in case somebody ask why I did not weld the holder for the platform to the frame
 

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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Hello Folks,
I just wanted to introduce my new cargo-bike that I made myself.
Congratulations Frank, very neat and smart job.

A pity that transport pushes up the cost of such bikes, since I'm sure it would be well received in the European cargo bike markets like Denmark and The Netherlands.
.
 
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Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
lovely job, well done!
 
A pity that transport pushes up the cost of such bikes
Yes you´re right,
price´s for cargo-bike are to high because a cargobike is not much different from a normal bike. The frame is sure a bit more expensive and a bit more work to do and because of the size has a higher handle-fee and a bit higher price because of smaller series but if we count a normal quality bike-frame with 150euro consumer-price then should be the price for a cargobike quality frame-set incl the cable-steering-set and painting not be above 700 consumer-price in my eyes which is less than the half of today´s price´s. Half price would give a kick to the market. I could offer such price for potential customer but I have a nice job at Lishui-Nanjing-Controller so no need for that on my side.....
 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,991
8,173
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West Sx RH
:cool:Good work there Frank.
Twin front discs nice.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,785
The European Union
Very nice!

I live in a mountainous region bye the way ;)
 

Chainring

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 24, 2013
328
158
Well done that man. As you say, cargo bikes in the main are too expensive, which is why the Argo bike came about. That is listed at about 900 US dollars, but I think they have sold out. There is a certain cargo bike listed at £4000 retail. If you study it, and work out the cost of components, it does seem very high. It does not give much encouragement to people to start using them. Keep up the good work.
 

JuicyBike

Trade Member
Jan 26, 2009
1,671
527
Derbyshire
Nice job Frank!
Are you chasing the La Poste market ? - they're always looking at new suppliers...
Actually I like yellow.
Enjoy the cargo!
KR
 

Chainring

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 24, 2013
328
158
Hello Folks,
I just wanted to introduce my new cargo-bike that I made myself.
I used Steel for the frame because easy to weld and cheap, the next will be a Alloy frame because the next bike should have a centermotor bafang-max-drive or shengyi cmt03 because nobody produce a welding ready interface for steel-frame anymore.
The ground-platform is 70x45cm
I outfitted the bike with double-disk-brake in the front 2X203mm which give´s a good speedreduction even with 200kg load
I also made the cable steering myself because I don´t like a simple long tube to the front and in my opinion the feedback is better as a one sided tube

I made the bike because I was annoyed of the prices for the frame-kits, most cargo frame-kit´s cost 1400-1800euro which far to much in my eyes. I payed in total maybe 150euro for the frame-material and material for the cable steering comes another <100euro
Motor is a shengyi DGW22 and Display is a key-Display KD718 and controller comes from Lishui of course ;-)

Outfitted with 10-speed Shimano Xt components 20" front and 26" rear wheel with Schwalbe 2,15 tire-size front and rear
Hub-motor is enough for the typical cargobike-terrain because usually nobody use cargobike with 200kg load in mountain-area I guess but with the following Alloybikeframe (I mentioned above) and centermotor you could drive 10% uphill I guess or maybe more depends on your fitness

I made the plattform completely removeable because I want keep it to convert it into a tandem with seat and pedal for a passenger like my wife or my daughter, just in case somebody ask why I did not weld the holder for the platform to the frame
This one has just appeared, at a bargain 6000 US dollars!
https://electricbikereport.com/yuba-electric-supermarche-cargo-bike-review-part-1-pictures-specs/
That is without the bamboo box, and I note it has cable steering Frank, like yours. The people who produce the Argo also feel that things are getting too expensive. I think they have a point.
 
6000dollar for a bike? if the car industry find out they will directly come to the conclusion "ok, guys , if people are willing to pay for a little bicycle 6000 dollar then 50.000 dollar for our new tiny four seat 45hp poor family car without any luxury should be fair and reasonable!":D

btw, the yuba supermarche is a nice cargobike, it drove best in compare to many other cargobike´s I´ve tested

I´m not really a fan of converting normal bike into cargobike but it has it´s charme and on the end I like when people find there personal solution to use a bike insteat of the car. Here are some website for converting normal bike into cargobike:

http://trego-trolley.com/home
https://www.addbike.fr/en/home/
https://argobikes.com/products/argocargokit
 
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jeff St.Clair

Pedelecer
Sep 5, 2018
53
20
70
Crete
Nice job ..it looks very well made ...how thick is the steel tube you used for the frame ...did you have it secured in a jig when you welded it up , to prevent distortion ? ....
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,991
8,173
60
West Sx RH
Slight resurrection of this thread and sadly 2 years on and no one provides a suitable low C of G frame whether front cargo or rear cargo to the market for self builds.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
10,048
2,966
Slight resurrection of this thread and sadly 2 years on and no one provides a suitable low C of G frame whether front cargo or rear cargo to the market for self builds.
What about this? Looks pricey though:

 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
10,048
2,966
Slight resurrection of this thread and sadly 2 years on and no one provides a suitable low C of G frame whether front cargo or rear cargo to the market for self builds.
Modify a tandem?

 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,991
8,173
60
West Sx RH
What about this? Looks pricey though:

Exactly as frank point out in the OP, price and a rip off.
Cargo on the front is not very good one wants the weight behind esp for taller bulky stuff, those things are ok for kids and pets.
 

I893469365902345609348566

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 20, 2021
533
128
Exactly as frank point out in the OP, price and a rip off.
Cargo on the front is not very good one wants the weight behind esp for taller bulky stuff, those things are ok for kids and pets.
So you want to build a sort of roofless two wheeled bike van? That sounds very useful. I can't see any frames like that available anywhere.

This guy said it took him a very long time to cut the right shapes with a dremel, for welding: