Photos by Patrick Field Cargo bikes Cargo of the load. The 8Freight, designed by Mike Mike by designed 8Freight, The load. the of location the is Bullitt, the and 8Freight the between difference obvious most the and bike, freight a with make to choice first The Loading cargo’‘sportsbikes. or like, you if bikes, utility urban modern: retrobut not They’re structures. their of part it’s on; bolted isn’t capacity carrying whose frames aluminium have bikes Both commute. your enjoy still and home, way the on shop weekly a pick-up work, to way your on kids the off Drop loads. awkward heavy, transporting spontaneously of option the with transport, local enjoyable, provide to enough nimble cycle. cargo a beat can’t you load-carrying, regular for But cheap. relatively is and works trailer a Adding impractical. becomes bicycle a which at point a there’s children, transport to want or tools, gardening or materials, building supplies, household bulky move to need you If capacity. carrying limited have but Bicyclesare trainer Cycle Forshorter journeys, they’re a practical alternative to a car for kids or cargo. REVIEWS 62 62 bike test bike These two cargo bikes are light andcargoare twobikeslight These cycle

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/2015DECEMBER/JANUARY ideal for personal transport transport personal for ideal | BIKE TEST BIKE Patrick Field Patrick tests an 8Freight and a Bullitt a 8Freight and an tests behind the rider, and solves the problem problem the solves and rider, the behind load the puts arrangement, steering fork standardhandlebar-and-a for opts He recumbents. building from drivechains Taiwan.mass-producedin but machine same the basically is here, assessed version, current The himself. man the by batches small in manufacturedinitially years, ten for around been has Burrows, the widest point, which helps when judging judging when helps which point, widest the is handlebar The manoeuvrable. deftly It’s wheel. front BMX-size a to head-tube steep a by connected directly is which handlebar, forwardsthe view over conventional fork. the to handlebar the by turned steerer-tube a links beneath rod a and rider the of ahead sits deck cargo the pattern: John’ ‘Long classic a follows It 2008. from dates Harry, vs Larry Copenhagen-based for fromreturningflapping. run the stops and tray load the under down run pulling chain’s triple-length the divertspulley. This nylon a with wheel back to power transmitting of Mike has lots of experience of long long of experience of lots has Mike The rider of an 8Freight has a has 8Freight an of rider The Taiwan, in manufactured also Bullitt, The loads that overhang that loads platform themainluggage (Below) only. Puncture repairs are easy, upgrades lessso

(Above)

The rear rack makes tosecure iteasier oversize

The 8Freight's hubsare supported ononeside

8FREIGHT

BIKE TEST | REVIEWS

P61

BULLITT (ALFINE 8) spaces. You just have to remember to line is a strictly short-term problem. (As with any Also available the bike up when turning into a narrow gap new two-wheeler, it's best to get a feel for or the back wheel will cut the corner. how it behaves when riding along normally In contrast, the Bullitt’s pilot looks at the before trying slow speed manoeuvres.) road ahead over a luggage deck. The less Having the load in sight makes it a bit more conventional relationship with the front wheel secure. It’s easy to monitor how cargo is may take a little longer to get used to but behaving over bumps and round corners. Carrying passengers is more sociable. 1) The Lugger £835+ It’s harder to keep an eye on an 8Freight’s Unpretentious steel ‘Long John’ style load but this potential problem is balanced cargo bike, with front loading. Made in by a more flexible capacity. A large integral UK. Maximum load 60kg. Pictured with optional electric assistance. carrier extends from the top of the load cargobike.co.uk cage over the back wheel, enabling over- size items to be tied on, resting above and behind the luggage tray. On the Bullitt, it’s less convenient to hang stuff over the front wheel, while anything really big can obstruct the rider’s view of the road ahead. The standard 8Freight has a fabric lining hanging inside the luggage cage. A wicker (Above) The Bullitt's front load platform is easy to keep basket, strong box or courier box are 2) Bakfiets Cargo £1700+ an eye on. Steering is via a rod to the fork optional extras. The Bullitt’s basic setting is (Below) The Bullitt's ‘easy up’ stem gives 100mm of instant Classic Dutch cargo bike available in handlebar-height adjustment a flat-bed deck. There's an extensive range short and long versions, with a variety of in-house options, such as folding seats, of boxes and child-carrying options. bakfiets.nl plastic canopies, and lockable boxes.

Components The wheels of the 8Freight are mounted on one side only: the front on a stub axle, the rear on an axle that rotates like a bottom- bracket inside the frame. The hub and wheel are on the left end of this axle, while the freehub and cassette are on the right end, on the opposite side of the frame. Non- rotating elements of the front and rear drum-

CTC.ORG.UK cycle 63 REVIEWS | BIKE TEST

(Above) The 8Freight's stand is powered by a handlebar-actuated gas-strut. There's a parking brake too (Below) The Bullitt's Alfine hub means that gears can be changed while stationary. Very useful

Tech Spec

Dimensions in millimetres 610 and degrees 710

72˚ 620 70 500 510

0 560 n/a n/a 406 80˚ 170 260 50 55 1930

8FREIGHT PRICE: £1895 TRANSMISSION: flat pedals, 42T Sturmey 8FREIGHT WEIGHT: 22kg chainset, 12-28T 8-speed brake hubs are part of the frame, so there’s FRAME & FORK: cassette. Shimano no need for torque arms to brace them. 7000-series Altus rear derailleur, aluminium, single- twist-grip shifter. The cantilevered wheels, characteristic of stay design for 8-speed, 38-90in. Burrows designs, enable punctured tubes custom hubs. to be changed with the wheels in place. BRAKING: Sturmey This encourages the use of lighter, suppler LOAD CAPACITY: Archer 90mm drums. Primary luggage tyres. The design is simple and elegant but platform 680×530 STEERING & limits the choice of components. Perhaps mm. Rear rack. SEATING: backswept the 8Freight’s most daring feature is the Bracket for front handlebar, with basket. Max load: 20mm stem height 8-speed derailleur? A bike that can carry 100kg (plus rider). adjustment (spacers). 100kg, missing the safety-net of a hub-gear’s Unbranded saddle. stationary change, demands that its rider WHEELS: 50-406 Schwalbe Big Apple EXTRAs: chainguard knows what he or she is doing. BULLITT (ALFINE 8) tyres, aluminium front mudguard The Bullitt’s frame takes generic rims, 36×2 spokes, components. The drop-outs bolt on and doorway and can often be wheeled to the custom hubs 8freight.com can be specified for hub gear, derailleur or exact spot their load is required. single-speed options. The standard front Both bikes have double-leg prop-stands Dimensions in millimetres 660 fork means that – unlike the 8Freight – a the width of the tray. The Bullitt’s is deployed and degrees 570 generator hub is an option. The Bullitt frame simply with a foot, locks by gravity, and is 73.5˚ 74 0 64 can also be fitted with an electric assist. released by running the bike forwards; it 505/ 485 670 retracts with a steel spring. The hydraulic 45 1415 400 135 Around town disc brakes don’t allow for a parking brake 559 70˚ Neither bike is wider than a two-wheel so it’s wise to carry a toe-strap in hilly areas. 170 355 47 solo. In moving traffic, there’s no extra delay The 8Freight’s stand goes down 45 1840 caused by their shape. Filtering through automatically, powered by a gas-strut, once BULLITT (ALFINE 8) static, queuing motor-traffic can be slightly released by a lever on the handlebars. more troublesome, due to the extra length. Its cable-operated drums incorporate a PRICE: £2430 Shimano Alfine hub (frameset £1577) On the 8Freight you need to be aware that lockable brake lever, which functions as a TRANSMISSION: flat drivers may read your presence as a solo- parking brake. WEIGHT: 25kg pedals, Alfine 40T bike rider, not noticing the elongated back ch/set, 20T sprocket. FRAME & FORK: Alfine shifter. end. Position yourself accordingly. On the Conclusion 7005/T6 heat treated 8-speed, 27-83in. Bullitt, you have to deal with the problem The 8Freight is cheaper, lighter and handles aluminium frame, of extra length ahead, particularly when better than the Bullitt. Its radical design is chromoly fork. BRAKING: Alfine emerging from entrances and side roads. elegant but limits your options for upgrades hydraulic discs LOAD CAPACITY: In practice, both machines capture the and alterations. The Bullitt is less particular Luggage platform STEERING & attention of other road users due to their but its frame is more versatile, with the 710×466mm. Max SEATING: riser bar, novelty. Their larger presence makes sharing potential to satisfy a wider range of functions load 180kg (inc rider) ‘easy up’ stem, FSA Orbit XL II headsets, space with motor-traffic even safer than not just now but into your unknown future. If WHEELS: Schwalbe chromoly steering when riding a normal bicycle. you have the capital and storage, however, Marathon tyres, rod. 31.6 seatpost, A bicycle obviously can’t match the you’re unlikely to regret buying either. aluminium rims: Bullitt saddle capacity or maximum speed of a van but Patrick Field runs the London School of (front) 47-406, 36×3, Shimano Extras: mudguards access and parking are always easier. Cycling. He bought his first cargo bike, an centrelock disc hub; Both machines will go through a standard SCO Long John, in 1991. (rear) 47-559, 36×2, larryvsharry.co.uk

64 cycle DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/2015