Bakfiets: The €10 Solution

A cheaper cargo bike option

A few months back I posted about my love of the Nihola bakfiets, a family tricycle which I thought was my best option for transporting M.  Despite my best efforts I am not able to balance with M on the back of my bike. The bike seat sits up high on my bike and he's nearly one third of my weight, creating an inverted pendulum that I'm not strong enough to counteract.  Most bakfiets are giant, but the Nihola is lovely and sleek.  It's also €2,100.  But, my reasoning was that we don't have a car, and the bakfiets would be our primary family transport.  It would allow us greater mobility and we'd greatly improve our quality of life.

But I hesitated.  As much as I love the Nihola I kept wondering how long the shelf life would be.  We only have one kid, and with any luck M will be riding his own two wheeler by summer.  And the sides are high--did I really want to be lifting a five year old out of a box bike?  So I tested the Bakfiets.nl short.  Given that it's a two wheeled bakfiets I was surprised how easy it was to ride (of course, I rode it empty).  And, M could easily climb in and out himself.  But, it's still no bargain at €1,600.  This only led to more hesitation.

So, last Friday at the playground a bunch of us moms were talking and I learned the Croozer bike trailer, at €300, is a very cost-effective solution to the bakfiets issue.  M and I took a test drive and we both loved it!  When I returned to the playground a friend told me she had one from the States she'd be interested in selling.

The cheapest cargo bike option.  

The next day I went to pick it up but it (American) wouldn't attach to the axel of my (Dutch) bike.  So, my friend put it in her bakfiets (kind of like the one above but longer) and drove it to the bike store.  One thing I love about Dutch bike mechanics is that they are willing to MacGuyver anything.  So, now I have an option for transporting my kid!  Since then we've been to the pool twice and I've taken it for groceries.

I'm not saying I'll never get a bakfiets but I'm definitely giving the trailer the old college try.  The big downside I see right now is that since only use the trailer a couple of times per week I have to lug it down two flights every time I want to use it--then lug it back up when I'm done.  Also, it's not the Dutch way so it's not really the Dutch experience I was looking for.

But on Saturday as I was cycling with the trailer I heard a Dutch dad talking to his kid.  I couldn't understand what he was saying but by his tone I could tell he was pointing out my bike to his toddler, and was very encouraged that he used the word "bakfiets."

Nihola Love

 Today I rode the Nihola Family bike.  I think I'm in love.

Riding with Mairtin has been challenging.  I'm nervous, and nerves and bike riding don't mix in a fall-on-your-ass kind of way.  While the Nihola is a bit wide, and somewhat tough to wheel around urban sidewalks, riding it on roads and paths is a dream and actually strengthened my cycling skills.  It steers easily and shifts smoothly.  The shop was near Vondelpak, so I took the majority of my test ride there.  My biggest challenge riding with Mairtin has been balance--his seat is perched high on my bike and the extra 40 pounds creates something of an inverted pendulum.  Since the Nihola is a trike, balance is simply taken out of the equation.  I didn't realize this until the end of the ride when I was stopped at a light and didn't need to put my feet down.  The downside:  The pricetag.  At about $3,000, it's in the same range as a car.

Between the test ride and my errand to the British General Store (to get the black pudding M requested for his birthday dinner), and the wrong turns I took, I must have cycled about 5 miles today.  What a great way to get around.

Tomorrow is my little boy's 4th birthday. I can't wait to celebrate!

Hip Grandma

Finally, I have a bike.  It's what's known as an Omafeits, or granny bike.  Just a basic three speed like everyone here had in the 50s, although a little more sturdy.  And mine happens to be asparagus green with pink tulips painted on it, which means the maker describes it at a "Hippe Omafeits," or hip granny bike.  It's actually rather hideous, but it was very difficult to find a bike my size.  And it will actually be good to have a distinctive looking bike, even if I don't particularly love how it looks.

My new bike, with Peter's behind it.

After several attempts, I bought my bike at BVD tweeweilers.  Actually, both Peter and I did.  I made several visits to learn about new and used bikes as well as child seats and not only were they knowledgeable, but every person I spoke to was incredibly nice and helpful.  At one point I brought M in and they advised me that my original choice of bike seat, the Bobike, was actually too small and that he would be better in a Yepp, which we can easily switch between our bikes.  My main concern was that I wanted to be able to touch the ground from the seat.  They were happy to MacGiver the bike seat to its lowest possible position, sometimes changing out a seat, but cautioned me to move it up slightly when I'm move comfortable to avoid stress on my knees.  I finally located a small framed bike at their location a few neighborhoods away.

A bakfiets:
the Amsterdam equivalent of the mini van

Riding with a 40 pound kid behind me has been a bit more difficult to get used to than I thought.  It's a lot like learning how to ride a bike for the first time:  I'm wobbly, super wobbly when I try to make a turn, and my wobbliness improves a whole lot when my confidence is up.  I also have someone behind me telling me I'm doing a good job, although it's not my dad but my son.  Every day M and I have some bicycle practice.  Truth be told I was never the most confident cyclist and preferred to stick to roads without traffic and bike trails.  So, I am also practicing alone to get used to cycling with traffic, but with Mairtin I have yet to move on from the sidewalk on my block.  Every day I'm a little better.

The Nihola family bike,
a well-styled take on the traditional bakfiets,
but is it worth the price?

However, I wonder if I'll ever feel comfortable to do the things I want to do, like ride to the zoo or Amsterdam Bos.  My only other choice is a bakfeits, kind of the minivan of the bicycle options.  Having only one kid this seems like overkill, as they are slow, hard to park and way more expensive than a regular bike.  I've noticed a new type of bakfeits in my neighborhood; a super sleek, compact model, the Nihola.  I initially dismissed this option because it costs what we sold our Corolla for last Spring (but wait, maybe that's a sign?).  I have also discussed bike options with some of the moms from M's school and I understand bakfeits have their own riding challenges.  But, I'm going to test ride the Nihola this week.

We will be seeing some other hip grandmas soon.  This weekend we are visiting Peter's family and next week my parents arrive for a visit.