Cargo bikes: what they're for and how to use them

First and foremost, to comfortably transport children. But also for home deliveries. And to reduce the number of vans in the city.

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FRIDA BIKE MILAN

From Northern Europe to Italy. Cargo bikes are becoming increasingly popular in our regions, thanks in part to incentives offered by some regions, such as Emilia-Romagna, where they are considered a valid alternative to motorized transport. In 2023, cargo bike sales in Italy, both for family use and for deliveries in urban centers, doubled, with over 3 purchased.

CARGO BIKE

Cargo bikes, complete with luggage racks, for "neighborhood delivery" are currently only available in Milan. Within a three-kilometer radius, they will handle home deliveries, reducing pollution, smog, emissions, and traffic. And in Milan, cargo bikes have also been very successful for their most common purpose: transporting mothers and children together.

CARGO BIKE FOR CHILDREN

Cycling has always been one of Antonella's greatest passions, and since she was little in Milan, she has always traveled on two wheels. When she became mum of two beautiful children, however, he started having so much difficulty that he feared he would have to stop pedaling. Antonella Pesenti, a 35-year-old Milanese with a past on the catwalk, She “imported” into her city an instrument that first allowed her to continue to give free rein to her passion and then even became her job. Antonella, in fact, made Milan aware of the cargo bike, that is, the bicycles so widespread in Northern Europe that allow cyclists to carry their children Thanks to a cargo box located at the front. The realization, the young mother explains, came after a vacation in Copenhagen, where she discovered that getting around the city by bike with her children in complete safety is possible thanks to cargo bikes, a two-wheeler that will change her life.

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FRIDA BIKE MILAN

Once back in Milan, Antonella began looking for dealers to buy one, but no one was able to accommodate her. So she got her husband involved, who managed to track down a small dealer. Her first outings were quite awkward. No one rode such a "special" bike. However, some mothers began stopping her in the street, asking her to try it out, and some were even convinced to buy one. Antonella begins to understand that this novelty can turn into a job. Thus inaugurates Frida Bike, a laboratory in a historic courtyard of Milan: the only one not to have been damaged by the bombings of the Second World War, so much so that every year the residents celebrate the Feast of the Madonna which is thought to have protected those walls. The work of the former model, now thirty-five, consists of adapting basic cargo bike models to meet customer needs. A business that, at first, struggled to take off but is now a reality in Milan, where hundreds of thousands of bicycles are in circulation. Bike-sharing services are booming, and sustainable mobility is more than just a nice phrase. Meanwhile, cargo bikes have grown exponentially. From when it was just Antonella who rode that unusual bicycle, now many mothers have ridden cargo bikes around Milan.

TO KNOW MORE: Bike sharing, how it works in every city. 10 golden rules for choosing the right service.

HOW A CARGO BIKE WORKS

This type of bicycle, Antonella assures, is suitable for both mothers and children Pope, and can also be very useful for carrying a dog or cat. But above all, faithful to the spirit that inspired the idea, Cargo bikes are always evolving to meet the practical needs of urban mobility by combining a passion for cycling with the joy of riding with your children.

OTHER USES OF CARGO BIKES

But let's see in detail what they are all other uses of cargo bikesThese bikes with cargo boxes have become so popular because they're suitable for a variety of activities. Besides transporting children, they can be adapted to a variety of needs.

  • Wheelchair. It can prove to be an excellent solution for the Parents who have a child with mobility difficulties. The cargo bed also offers the possibility of loading a wheelchair, without any special interventions.
  • Animals. Cargo bikes are particularly popular with owners who want to move from one part of the city to another with their four-legged friend. A convenience, especially in the colder months.
  • Deliveries. For the transport of pizzas and hot meals, the cargo bike is ideal. It allows for 100% eco-friendly home delivery and significant savings, especially for small businesses.
  • Bike shop. For more creative sellers, this bicycle can be turned into a "showcase." It can be used as a display stand, using the box as a display stand, as it's equipped with shelves.

(The cover image is taken from the Facebook page of FridaBike)

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