tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post7540714968740210132..comments2024-03-18T08:41:35.438-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: MSC Truck: a Very Rideable Cargo BikeVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-20369961795522911992012-05-04T07:44:23.594-04:002012-05-04T07:44:23.594-04:00I have trailer rated for 100kg - when with maximum...I have trailer rated for 100kg - when with maximum load behind a Brompton (admittedly not exactly a tractor)it's very unstable, requiring lots of concentration and planning (braking etc). I suspect a cargo bike might be more stable - why not try it with 150kg (perhaps Wolfgang and another passenger) and see how it affects the ride?derfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15596980838764306792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-39195928271290398952011-12-16T19:23:02.609-05:002011-12-16T19:23:02.609-05:00Addressing the Author's question, about advant...Addressing the Author's question, about advantages of Bakfiets: As one whom has ridden bakfiet and long tail designs, I have a bias towards the bakfiet design. I am reading this article because the MSC Truck is the first long tail design I have seen that incorporates front suspension and appears capable of Bakfiet cargo capacity-props. The advantages to the bakfiet design are: <br /><br />1 Conventional chain length (rotating weight is the one area bicycle weight REALLY matters-you will have an easier time spinning the pedals in a low-cargo gear ratio-also less expensive to replace the chain. <br /><br />2 consistent rear wheel traction(empty & full) <br /><br />3 More favorable balance of the steering system. With Bakfiets, the handlebars are always near the overall center of mass. While handling a cargo bike, the handlebars do impart leverage on the rider, as transmitted through the axles, frame, etc. With a Bakfiet design, the leverage is distributed more evenly between center of mass and center of wheelbase, to me this balance affords a more consistent and desirable handling characteristic. <br /><br />4 (personal preference) Visual Obstruction: As a daily cyclist, I find more comfort obstructing my forward field of vision than my rearward field of vision (I'm usually pointing forwards and can anticipate what's ahead. The dangerous moments when I most need visual clarity are those in which I'm looking over my shoulder). Also, there's peace of mind in seeing your cargo load-no matter how precious, and managing it while straddling the bike.evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02893028910810951842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-32309955810631258682011-11-26T10:50:55.525-05:002011-11-26T10:50:55.525-05:00Re. front VS rear load
think about navigating thro...Re. front VS rear load<br />think about navigating through a small gap , it takes forward concentration, now think about it with a wide load....if that load is behind you you will have to turn around at the crucial time to see if the rear will clear, thanks but I find navigating with any type of load much easier if I can keep it up front and in the feild of veiw of my direction of travel...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-79661915621656011462011-11-08T14:32:55.071-05:002011-11-08T14:32:55.071-05:00While I am not opposed to this design, and quite l...While I am not opposed to this design, and quite like the Big Dummys and Yuba there are two things that no-one has mentioned and therefore I feel should be brought up. First and less important, this think is really really long, the rear tire is a full ~26 inches behind the mounting of an xtracycle/longtail, this means that while it may feel more normal in a strait line when you start cornering the rear end is going to cut the corners a lot making it necessarily to take corners really wide and putting you more in the way of traffic. I'm sure that this is something that you would get uses to eventually but it is worth pointing out. Second an more importantly, because the mounting platform is above the drive train it has to be higher than a front loading cargo which means that although it will never restrict you're vision, it will become top heavy much quicker, considering that the deck is at the same level as the axle, look at how low the decks on front loader are. Also to answer an earlier post, the box is on styrofoam because it is too long to fit between the frame pieces; making it more top heavy.Dustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15915215801434026293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-31694828570560995252011-10-19T15:17:19.963-04:002011-10-19T15:17:19.963-04:00ground round,
ok, this design gets points for its...ground round,<br /><br />ok, this design gets points for its (slightly) lower manufacturing costs, resulting in a lower retail price usually, and that this design introduced many people to the "cargo bike world"--the amazing capabilities of our own bodies, a couple of wheels, and some gears, -with the introduction of the free radical kit 12 years ago.josh boisclairhttp://www.mydutchbike.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-55089061186812324482011-10-19T02:16:05.764-04:002011-10-19T02:16:05.764-04:00Vee - I've ridden a Christiania trike, remembe...Vee - I've <a href="http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2011/05/3-wheeled-surprise-christiania-cycles.html" rel="nofollow">ridden a Christiania trike</a>, remember? There is also a Nihola here that I may try. Still have not tried a Sorte Jernhest.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-21981118574191429952011-10-18T18:54:23.868-04:002011-10-18T18:54:23.868-04:00A very cool addition to the cargo bike fleet. I ha...A very cool addition to the cargo bike fleet. I have not been a fan of the Madsen's chain length/routing, and this looks longer still. It does nicely solve the Madsen's weird divider effect and looks torsionally stiffer to boot. Long items that would be extremely challenging on my Bullitt should be a cinch with the flatbed extensions that lead back beside the rear wheel. I'd never switch to it, but WELL DONE!EthanPDXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13343384220058651450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1398951799196514102011-10-18T18:49:22.575-04:002011-10-18T18:49:22.575-04:00you need to ride a trike. the old one will be gone...you need to ride a trike. the old one will be gone soon. the new one is here to stay. I promise to take the key out- you'll never know there is a motor... I'll sit in it for weight too.MamaVeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09519007680870604271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-83944754003828571462011-10-18T09:57:09.963-04:002011-10-18T09:57:09.963-04:00I have no problem with this bike and I am always g...I have no problem with this bike and I am always glad to see new options come out. However, I have had extensive experience on longjohn style cargo bikes and the handling has been good enough that I can let people try them with my own children in the front. This is not because I am reckless with my children.<br />The bullit does not handle the same as most others and took me quite a while to get used to. It is not my favourite.<br />I recommend trying a Babboe, Workcycles Bakfiets or a CETMA if you want to say that you have given longjohn style bikes an honest chance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-32170305724705000432011-10-17T20:11:43.264-04:002011-10-17T20:11:43.264-04:00re: front shock, drivetrain, single tube.
That fr...re: front shock, drivetrain, single tube.<br /><br />That front shock is going to get hard use. A longer tail shifts more of the rider's weight onto the front wheel. I wore mine out (on an xtracycle) in pretty short order (didn't know much about maintaining shocks, that didn't help).<br /><br />Drivetrain, notice there's a support pulley part way back. It is an issue with longtails, but there's plenty of xtracycles and Big Dummy's out there with a long unsupported chain.<br /><br />That's a BIG tube; strength of structural elements tends to increase with the square of the dimension (that is, if you make an i-beam twice as "tall", it is 4x as strong) and the stiffness goes with the cube. And it's only unsupported right at the cargo; there's braces and struts around the rest.dr2chasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16320828055999939449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-29460235134399122112011-10-17T12:07:57.977-04:002011-10-17T12:07:57.977-04:00This is a great addition to the cargo bike scene. ...This is a great addition to the cargo bike scene. This clearly resolves my concern with long tails: the divided cargo area. It makes sense to me that long tails tend to feel more like normal bikes, as the weight on the front wheel is more similar, no matter how much load you are carrying. <br /><br />Bikes were part of the technological cutting edge through the '30s, I suspect that long tails were tried. Long johns were preferred for heavy cargo in those slower & more congested cities. The advantages of a long john cargo bike was the improved handling at heavy loads (50+ kilos), since bikes tend to become floppier in the rear as one adds weight. The center handle bars of the long john provided better control when stopped or walking a large load. With heavy congestion it was easier to operate closer to others when most of the bike is in front.<br /><br />Urban congestion is very different than it was a 100 years ago; the above benefits of the long john are less important today. Thus long tails have rightly become more common in today's cargo scene. In the end a cargo bike is a personal choice for specific situations. More options means more people are likely to find the cargo bike that fits their application. I hope this or a similar bike becomes available in the US, it should do well.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14434254311488859982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-40227559985255157892011-10-17T09:40:34.272-04:002011-10-17T09:40:34.272-04:00Re potential drivetrain problems: The people at he...Re potential drivetrain problems: The people at heavy pedals have very actively been using these as delivery bicycles. I forgot the figure Wolfgang named, but there are thousands of miles on them. No drivetrain problems.<br /><br />And re suspension fork - yes, I am guessing major cobblestones + heavy load is why.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-46544197954101648962011-10-17T09:25:44.886-04:002011-10-17T09:25:44.886-04:00V - No.
I didn't see the figure!V - No.<br />I didn't see the figure!Montrealizehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08689176985812848399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-25845615587868943212011-10-17T06:40:35.433-04:002011-10-17T06:40:35.433-04:00Re front damper and styrofoam: some answer may be ...Re front damper and styrofoam: some answer may be found here:<br />http://james.architectureburger.com/cycle/cargo.html<br />Scroll down to the heading "shimmy". <br />Remember that Vienna still has a lot of cobblestones.Frits Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11399632570565541892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1092776751450161532011-10-17T05:05:41.736-04:002011-10-17T05:05:41.736-04:00http://ronajustine.blogspot.com/2011/07/when-you-s...http://ronajustine.blogspot.com/2011/07/when-you-shop-at-ikea-bring-bakfiets.html<br /><br />We move by bike all the time. You can rent bakfiets for just a few euros, while renting a van for the day is several hundred euros. Our move to a nearby village cost over 200 euros for the van rental for a single 8 hour day, but if I purchase something large from one of the thrift stores I can borrow a bakfiets for 3 euros. It will carry a sofa or refrigerator.<br /><br />I've also seen my husband carry a mattress on his normal Koga Miyata. It was from IKEA and they generally pack them very small and rolled in the first place. When we bought my youngest son a new bunk bed with a desk underneath, we brought it home on 3 bikes and a trailer. Everyone carried a piece!Ronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16096213034605839343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-92100950250984715442011-10-17T04:30:28.270-04:002011-10-17T04:30:28.270-04:00Montrealize - you mean more detailed than the figu...Montrealize - you mean more detailed than the figure in the last paragraph? It would depend on the gearing and extras package.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1247822208536168502011-10-17T00:47:49.599-04:002011-10-17T00:47:49.599-04:00Overall it looks like a very nice cargo bicycle de...Overall it looks like a very nice cargo bicycle design. One thing that puzzles me though is the suspension fork or front shock. I really don't see the need for this feature in any of my non-cargo city bicycles. Why make pedaling a heavy bicycle more effortful by putting a front shock on it? Aren't cushy wide tires enough?Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08892553888930861596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-69569227851753017892011-10-16T23:40:06.625-04:002011-10-16T23:40:06.625-04:00The cargo boxes appear to be resting on a stack of...The cargo boxes appear to be resting on a stack of Styrofoam slabs. Is this because the boxes are too long for the cargo be, need to be mounted higher ... ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-67894214301944384322011-10-16T22:49:42.675-04:002011-10-16T22:49:42.675-04:00Is it me or I cannot find any cost figures for thi...Is it me or I cannot find any cost figures for this bike anywhere in the post?<br />Personnally, I'll only get into cargo bikes when there all become electric. I may be the only one, but I do not find Montreal to be a flat city.Montrealizehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08689176985812848399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73351867646315175932011-10-16T22:41:24.916-04:002011-10-16T22:41:24.916-04:00My biggest concern with this bike is that it appea...My biggest concern with this bike is that it appears the front and rear halves are connected by just a single large tube. I would think this would allow a great deal of flex, even without a load, let alone with 331 pounds stressing the joints at each end of that single tube. I could be completely wrong, but I would think this design would be destined to fail eventually if it's as flexible as it looks.Maxwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02729468903493815686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-64944974453348333382011-10-16T21:34:36.007-04:002011-10-16T21:34:36.007-04:00That is a brilliant design.
Two small questions. W...That is a brilliant design.<br />Two small questions. Why does it have a suspension fork? It seems unnecessary on this bike. The guy who designed this has a good answer I'm sure. Please ask him.<br />A much smaller question: How does the derailleur work against all that chain weight? Feels different? Is it a special with heavier spring?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-37799316419897057112011-10-16T19:01:03.433-04:002011-10-16T19:01:03.433-04:00Thanks for the answers on the trailer vs. Cargo bi...Thanks for the answers on the trailer vs. Cargo bike question. I don't know how much added wheel resistance, wheel-tracking and track width you'd have with a single wheel back there. The Farfarrer trailer I've been looking at actually flips over onto the handlebars when empty (I had to see it!), making it easier to park and maneuver for parking. But you all made a good argument for integrated ride and handling. Thanks much! <br />@V: My apologies if I went off topic. I just wasn't sure whether to look seriously at cargo bikes rather than a trailer for bigger hauls.Phil Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06588332937109449568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-17342684642205983562011-10-16T17:14:56.022-04:002011-10-16T17:14:56.022-04:00Velouria, That explains it! --the Monark has very ...Velouria, That explains it! --the Monark has very sensitive steering which only feels familiar with heavy loads, but unloaded has a very unfamiliar feel compared to "normal" bikes. So if you rode it unloaded, i agree, it is a bike that you need to get used to. The Bullitt actually has terrible steering geometry, and its ergonomics are the same as Lance's time trial road bike (not too great for cargo hauling in the city).josh boisclairhttp://www.mydutchbike.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73958760440368042062011-10-16T17:08:11.279-04:002011-10-16T17:08:11.279-04:00merlin, the Dutch move by bike all the time in the...merlin, the Dutch move by bike all the time in the cities, it's just no big deal to them so of course you'd never hear about it or see it unless there in person. they regularly use the huge Bakfietsen (the original three wheeled ones) to move furniture, appliances and even other Bakfietsen.josh boisclairhttp://www.mydutchbike.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-43853201392382646532011-10-16T16:01:46.058-04:002011-10-16T16:01:46.058-04:00josh, amazing condemnation of a proven design.
yo...josh, amazing condemnation of a proven design.<br /><br />you're way off base.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.com