Local eCargo bike user's experience

What bike/s have you used?  

I ride a Babboe Curve Mountain ecargo bike. It’s one of the larger cargo bikes and is a reverse tricycle, with two wheels at the front and one at the back. The box sits between the front wheels and this makes it incredibly stable and smooth to ride.

The Babboe mountain is designed to cope with hilly areas so it’s perfect for Colchester. I usually expect to get thirty miles or so from a battery charge and can carry up to 100kg.

What do you use the eCargo bike for?  

I am a registered childminder, I use my bike every day to transport the children I care for to and from school or activities. When I’m not working the bike is the equivalent of our family car and is used for shopping trips, to take items to the recycling centre or as part of my volunteer role in the New Town Community Garden.

The bike can carry up to four passengers, because I care for children of all ages, I have baby seats for the very young children and the older children sit on a cushioned bench with a safety harness. The older children enjoy climbing in and out by themselves and the bike has built in steps to enable them to do so.

What benefits do you get from using the eCargo bike?  

I’m not sure where to start, I’ve always loved cycling and now I can do this with the children I care for and pass on that feeling of freedom and delight to them.

I tend to plan my routes away from busy roads so we are often travelling through countryside or along the river. It’s a wonderful experience to be able to chat and sing with the children as we travel. We see plenty of wildlife and interesting things like boats on the river.

The beauty of the bike is that we can stop and look or park up and get out to explore. We often take a picnic with us and in the winter the children are snug and warm under the rain cover. Being a box bike there is plenty of room for all the extras that children need, toys, snacks, school bags and so on.

Have you got any top tips for others who are interested in trying out an eCargo bike?  

There are so many types of ecargo bikes that it can get confusing, I would suggest doing research into the type that suits you and if possible, try different models. But in general, I would highly recommend using an ecargo bike, they are so versatile and easy to use.

How many miles have you clocked up using the eCargo bike?  

I have had an ecargo bike for two years now so I’ve done quite a few miles, I haven’t kept track but I would estimate that I must do about 100 miles each month.

Contact Details:

Kim Barnetson
info@kimskids.co.uk
www.kimskids.co.uk

If you are interested in trying out an eCargo bike for your business or organization, Colchester City Council offers short-term loans of the bikes under the eCargo Bike Library, find further information on Colchester eCargo bike library.