My daily commute by bike is a 60 mile round trip, so needless to say, I don't do it that often and possibly less often than I should. However, there are shorter car trips I do that I'd like to cut out, shopping being one of them. Feeding a family of four is a multi bag operation and has been a car trip for too long. Today, I got the news that I no longer need to take the car. Enter the Transport+.
If you've read JB's blog you'll know that this is a bike that has split opinion at Trek HQ, and, for a while in the UK, it was uncertain whether we'd be able to run it. We can and we will. It will retail at £2200. I'm having one, that's a given, but I guess the point of this post, like JB's, is to canvas opinion. You are the people we make bikes for, if you don't like something, we find out about it pretty quickly; so what's your take on the Transport+?
I know it's not a bike for everyone and it is in many respects, a very specific bike to purchase, but I see it as an opportunity to make that shopping trip less of a chore and more fun. And the added benefit is that the car will sustain less shopping trolley damage. Oh, and there's the environment and...you know the rest.
Griff
There are definitely cheaper ways to go shopping than buying a Transport+, but that's not the issue. The Transport+ opens up the opportunity to go shopping for a whole bunch of people that don't have thighs of steel or live in a completely flat area. It suits hilly areas really well and it suits older people who want to ride rather than drive but lack the strength to do so. It suits me, who wants to ride but needs to bring back several bags of food and a large bag of kitty litter (not for long I hope!). It's just another alternative to going in the car, that some people will appreciate and others won't. It isn't for everyone.
08/20/2010 at 04:25 PM
Tim Lennon
Honestly? It seems to be an awful lot of money for a bicycle. I could just use my Gary Fisher Wingra - less than £400 - and a Croozer trailer - about £450 - and I'd be able to shop, carry children, and still have £1,000 in my pocket. Oh and still have my bike for daily commuting. Even with the minor changes I've done (new seat, pedals) I'm still massively in the money.
I would guess that a lot more people would need to be cycling in the UK for there to be a market for this type of thing - and I hope that day comes!
08/20/2010 at 04:05 PM
Tim Beadle
I now realise that this is an electric-assist cargo bike. I wasn't familiar with the Ride+ lingo ;)
£2200 seems quite reasonable when you factor this in!
08/20/2010 at 02:08 PM
Griff
Thanks for the comment and food for thought Tim. I should have made it more clear that it's the Ride+ version that's coming so not directly comparable to the two bikes you mention.
However, if all the extras from the Transport+ were added to those bikes it may be a closer thing?
08/20/2010 at 01:50 PM
Tim Beadle
I'm sure that my opinion of an expensive bike and that of the man in the street are wildly different, but even I would balk at £2200 when the Yuba Mundo is £850 and the Kona Ute is £749 or less.
This is more in Workcycles bakfiets price range (which would give greater utility), but it's unclear what the extra money buys you over and above a Mundo or Ute.
08/20/2010 at 01:36 PM