In Alameda they carry everything from kids and dogs to kegs of beer
They are used to transport emergency medicine and water in Ukrainian war zones, for disaster relief drill races in Portland, and to provide the “last journey” for loved ones in coffins in Paris. And along the way, they help reduce humans’ carbon footprint.
In Alameda, they win awards at the 4th of July parade for being creatively decorated.
They are cargo bikes, and I don’t recall seeing them until I moved to Alameda three years ago.
There are many types, but all designs include some sort of cargo area consisting of an open or enclosed box, and a flat platform or a wire basket, usually mounted over one or both wheels or between parallel wheels at either the front or rear of the vehicle. They are built to handle loads larger than those on an ordinary bicycle. They are eco-friendly, cost-effective (when compared to cars), efficient in urban areas, and, if not electric, a great form of exercise.
With its flat streets, low speed limit, lack of hills and priority given to bike lanes, it is not surprising that the Alameda cargo bike community continues to grow. No doubt you’ve seen them, carrying everything from kids and dogs to Christmas trees and kegs of beer.
“Here in Alameda, no trip is too far,” says Andrea Dunlap, who coordinates the annual Cargo Bike Brigade for the parade. It boasts 30 or so members, and is not an official or organized group. She came up with the idea of entering the parade after experiencing the reaction when she would transport her kids around town.
“On a regular day, it just makes people smile as we leave a wake of joy,” she says. Ultimately, she explains, her goal is to send out the message that Alameda is great for these specialized bikes, and that, compared to cars, they can be good for the environment (less dependence on fossil fuels, less emissions), as well as your budget. At this point, she only knows of one business in Alameda that uses cargo bikes—the Cycling Arborist.
Dunlap’s cargo bike adventures started as far back as 2013 in San Francisco. Her best friend was a “chronic inventor” who tinkered with creating and altering cargo bikes, and would give her his “overflows.” After her son was born, she and her husband moved to Alameda—without a car—and purchased another cargo bike on Craigslist. Her most memorable bike transports include her three-month old son, encased in bubble wrap and clipped into a car seat; driving three women to BART (“they were very petite women”); and most recently, three kids and two puppies.
Going global
Cargo bikes are taking off all over the world. Amsterdam-based Tom Parr, co-director of the International Cargo Bike Festival, has documented some of the stories in the first edition of his Carrier magazine. They include how the bikes are serving as an instrument of economic development and social change in Ghana’s urban and rural neighborhoods, how they are being used by a graffiti removal service in London, and how they have been essential to conducting beachside businesses in Rio since the 1930s. The Cargo Cult in Kyiv, Ukraine delivers critical humanitarian aid, using volunteer riders.
“This is the decade in which so much change can happen,” he says. “Let’s really go for it.”
One of the key changes he sees is the shift from “regular” to electric cargo bikes, which he says has grown from 50% in 2017 to 90 percent today. Parr notes that manufacturers are investing in research and development to find ways to reduce or eliminate the use of battery minerals that have significant environmental and social impacts. He sees the sector “absolutely going electric in a big way.”
He and partner Jos Sluijsmans produce the International Cargo Bike Festival, to be held this year October 25-26 in Utrecht, Netherlands, a country whose strong cycling structure and well-developed cycling infrastructure has made it a leader in the movement, along with Denmark. Parr says he’s anticipating thousands of attendees, who participate at no cost, and over 60 exhibitors.
In Europe, businesses such as locksmiths, electricians, and plumbers have traded their vans for bikes. Pedal Me, an electric cargo bike courier in London with a fleet of over 100, provides “an eco-friendly, fast and efficient cargo delivery and taxi service. England’s Dalston Egg Shop, states “We operate just like a milkman, except instead of milk, we make regular deliveries of incredibly fresh, high-quality, free-range eggs to egg lovers all over the city—by bicycle.”
Parr’s organization has closely cooperated with Kyiv, Ukraine’s Cargo Cult since the war began, providing bikes as well as exposure for their cause on all of their social media outlets.
Preparing for the parade
Back home in Alameda, the Cargo Bike Brigade is preparing for this year’s big parade. Their entry’s theme is “Under the Sea,” so you might be seeing a yellow submarine, jellyfish, a large turtle, and maybe even a whale and/or a kraken. Dunlap says that if you’d like to join in, you’re welcome. Although the educational aspect of their parade participation is important, Dunlap discloses that they love playing to the crowd and judges. “We do like winning prizes,” she admits.
Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft also will be in the parade—riding on her electric bike. Her appreciation of the town’s cargo bikes is apparent. “They represent the environmental equivalent of wearing their heart on their sleeves,” she says, adding that she loves that every year she sees more and more of them, which inspires her. She points out that, in an Alameda first, the City Council just approved the concept and design for the next phase of Estuary Park—and it includes parking spaces specifically for cargo bikes.
If you are inspired to explore buying a cargo bike for yourself, Dunlap strongly advises that you test-drive them first, be familiar with the required insurance, and know who services the bikes locally. She welcomes people to request to join what she says is a friendly community through their Google or Facebook groups.
“The more cargo bikes the better. I’m fine if it gets huge,” says Erik Chubb, one of the unofficial co-managers of the Brigade.
C.J. Hirschfield served for 17 years as Executive Director of Children’s Fairyland, where she was charged with the overall operation of the nation’s first storybook theme park. Prior to that, she was an executive in the cable television industry. She now contributes regularly to KQED’s Perspectives series, The Oaklandside, and eatdrinkfilms.com. She holds a degree in Film and Broadcasting from Stanford University. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/C_J_Hirschfield/.
