Cargo bike as a service

A cargo bike (cargo bike, transport bike, bakfiets) is a muscle-powered vehicle adapted to transport people or goods. Cargo bikes are most common in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, but they can be found more and more often on the streets of Polish cities, where they serve, among others, as an ecological alternative to delivery trucks.

The first transport bicycles appeared in the 1930s. They were commonly used to transport parcels and food products. Cargo bikes delivering various products were an everyday sight on the streets of pre-war Warsaw. Over time, this means of transport was replaced by cars and only the beginning of the 21st century brought a renaissance of cargo bikes. It is estimated that today there are around 40,000 of these vehicles in Copenhagen alone.

A cargo bike is easy to recognize by the characteristic box that is located at the front or rear of the vehicle. The width of the box, according to the regulations, cannot exceed 90 cm, but it is enough to carry a load of several dozen kilograms or two people. The length of a transport bike usually does not exceed 250 cm. Due to the construction, cargo bikes are divided into:

trikes, i.e. models of transport bicycles equipped with a box placed at the front of the vehicle on two wheels. This type of cargo bike can carry a load of 100 to even 200 kilograms.
long-johns, in which the box is located between the front and rear wheels. This is the type of cargo bike most often chosen by courier companies due to their speed and maneuverability. This cargo bike model allows you to carry a load weighing up to 100 kilograms.
long-tails with an extended rear triangle of the frame, which allows the installation of special panniers or a capacious trunk. This type of cargo bike has the relatively smallest capacity.

The real revolution in the world of cargo bikes was the spread of electric pedal-assist motors, which resulted in the emergence of the fourth group, i.e. electric cargo bikes. The engine powered by a lithium-ion battery makes transporting heavy loads much easier, which has resulted in increased interest in this ecological method of transport. Currently, cargo bikes powered by an electric drive are used, among others, by DHL and the IKEA store chain.

A cargo bike will work in any situation where it is necessary to quickly transport products or people over a short distance. The advantages of transporting goods by cargo bike are the same as in the case of a regular bike – close to zero carbon dioxide emissions, the ability to avoid traffic jams, use reverse lanes and enter an area closed to car traffic. However, a transport bike allows you to carry a much larger load of up to 200 kilograms.

Cargo bikes are increasingly used by courier companies that benefit from fast delivery times in a congested city. A cargo bike powered by an electric motor can easily move up to 25 km/h, which makes it a strong competition for cars standing in long traffic jams. An additional advantage of a cargo bike is that you do not have to look for a parking space, which is always time-consuming in the case of a large delivery van.

Cargo bikes are particularly good for delivering products to places inaccessible to cars, such as historic old towns or promenades excluded from the traffic of combustion vehicles. Such places are usually full of service premises that require daily deliveries. Equipping a courier with a cargo bike relieves him of the need to cover long distances with parcels placed on an uncomfortable two-wheeled trolley.

Cargo bikes are still among the most expensive types of bike. The cheaper models oscillate around PLN 8,000, while the more expensive, better equipped model will cost about PLN 15,000. By far the most expensive are electric models equipped with a motor that facilitates the transport of heavy loads. No wonder that more and more people decide to rent a cargo bike.

The cost of renting a cargo bike depends on the vehicle model we are interested in. The price is affected by the equipment of the crate (additional straps for securing the goods, a bench or child seat, protective foil protecting the contents from getting wet) and the entire cargo bike.

An additional factor affecting the price of renting a cargo bike is the material from which the frame is made. On the market there are heavier cargo bikes made of steel or lighter ones made of aluminum. The lighter the bike, the higher the cost of renting a vehicle.

Electric cargo bikes are more expensive to rent than their classic counterparts. No wonder – installing a motor and battery in a bicycle, especially elegantly integrated into the bicycle frame, can cost a fortune. Bicycles powered by a motor built into the axle of the rear wheel will be cheaper than those whose power source is hidden in the bottom bracket. The price of an electric cargo bike will also be affected by the battery capacity – the rental cost will increase with the battery capacity.

The rental cost is also shaped by the duration of the contract and external factors, such as the way the bike is stored or the type of work performed with it. We will pay more for a bike rented for a few days than for a long-term contract in which we commit ourselves to regular payments for the rented equipment for several months. A bike stored under a roof and used to transport light goods is less exposed to mechanical damage and overloading, therefore renting a cargo bike to take children to school will cost less than a transport bike used all day to deliver heavy packages.

Cargo bikes have recently gained more and more attention, mainly due to their use by large companies, such as DHL, the IKEA store chain or investments of the Transport Board, which recently opened a publicly available cargo bike rental for Warsaw residents. Does this ecological means of transport really have a chance to replace classic vans?

The advantages of cargo bikes speak in their favor – cargo bikes deliver shipments 60% faster, while emitting 90% less pollution and noise.* An additional advantage of these eco-friendly vehicles is the lack of parking fees and the possibility of entering city centers, which are becoming more and more popular. completely closed to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.

It is worth noting, however, that not all goods can be delivered by cargo bike. According to the European Cyclists’ Federation (EFC), cargo bikes are best suited for transporting packages with a total weight not exceeding 200 kilograms over a distance of no more than 7 kilometers. It should be remembered that vans often carry loads of much greater weight and move not only in city centers, but also between provinces.

Taking these variables into account, EFC estimates that around 50% of deliveries currently made in cities using vans can be replaced by cargo bikes. Looking at the air pollution data, you can see that it is definitely worth investing in this method of transport – last-minute deliveries are responsible for 30% (!) of global CO2 emissions, and the galloping growth of the e-commerce industry means that parcels to be delivered will be only more.

Choosing a cargo bike is not only about ecology – courier companies can save specific amounts by deciding to replace delivery vans with ecological two-wheelers. A cargo bike does not require refueling or registration, and its inspection and servicing are incomparably cheaper than in the case of a car (especially a heavily used delivery van). The company also does not incur parking costs, and you can save another zloty by choosing to rent a cargo bike instead of buying it.

Greater environmental awareness, rising fuel prices, a fixed number of parking spaces and increasingly frequent restrictions on the entry of cars into city centers, combined with the growing amount of online shopping, leave no illusions – the number of bicycles delivering parcels will gradually increase to meet the demand for ecological and fast method of transportation.