The surge in online shopping, accelerated by COVID-19, has driven up the demand for package deliveries, and that demand continues to rise.

As traditional delivery methods contribute to urban traffic congestion and pollution, cargo bikes - a staple of bike-friendly countries like Denmark and the Netherlands - are becoming a common sight in cities across Europe as a sustainable and efficient alternative to vans.

These larger, typically electric bikes with separate carriers can transport a wide range of loads, from small parcels to larger items, making them ideal for urban deliveries.

In Europe, it is estimated that up to 50 per cent of motorised trips involving the transport of goods in cities could be made by cargo bikes and bicycles, according to a recent study.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 months ago

    I’ve seen them, they’re neat, but are they something you own like a dolly cart or something you rent/borrow when you need it?

    • @ALilOff
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      2 months ago

      Depends where you are for rentals, but most I’ve seen around me people buy em. Prices can range but I’d say the average is around $3-6k for an electric.

  • OddOpinions5
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    2 months ago

    @SteveKLord
    I was born in 1953 and my image of people doing labor like this , based on how we perceived people in low income countries, is of a person whose body was worn out by age 30

    to a large extent progress is humans not having to do heavy manual labor
    sheesh

    • @puppy
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      2 months ago

      Yeah, instead we buy gym memberships and toil away at the gym. Or die of a heart attack by age 45. Progress!

      Sheesh.

    • Justin
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      152 months ago

      The majority of cargo bikes, especially those used for deliveries, are electric and don’t require manual labor.

    • SteveOP
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      112 months ago

      You seem to have missed the point of the article as it in no way was trying to propose more labor for working class people. In many ways it is trying to overcome the oppressive image that you have in your head. To a large extent, these changes are trying to advance human progress by overcoming the crises we find ourselves facing. You were born in 1953? That makes you about 70-71 but your profile says you’re 66 years old. That’s an odd inconsistency.

      • OddOpinions5
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        -92 months ago

        @SteveKLord

        1
        yeah, I lie about my age

        2
        re the 1,000x
        if you read the comments in the thread you posted, several people point out this is just ludicrouis

        so I"m not quite sure what I should have said to you when you post something that is absurd
        seriously, what am I to say ?

        • @[email protected]M
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          92 months ago

          I don’t want to silence this discussion because the “worn out bodies” comment is actually useful to be debunked and discussed

          But pls read the slrpnk.net rules

          There is space to disagree but be more constructive 🤝

        • SteveOP
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          82 months ago

          Sir you are commenting in the wrong thread and the wrong community. Why do that here? I am not a moderator here. I did read all the comments a month ago when the discussion was current and active. You commented here in a combative way and then specifically went to an older post of mine and told me what "should be obvious to " me without any discussion of why or otherwise adding anything constructive. You received several downvotes and were asked to be more constructive. Instead you’ve doubled down here and repeated the insult.

    • teft
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      112 months ago

      Biking is not hard on your body at all. Plenty of people cycle well into their 70s.

      • OddOpinions5
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        -22 months ago

        @teft

        even if this were true, it is true only if you have time rest and rejuvenate, and in particular rest after an injury

        tht option often not available to people working at lower wage jobs

        right ?

        • @[email protected]M
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          72 months ago

          tht option often not available to people working at lower wage jobs

          Cannot fix the need of stronger unions with cargo bikes for sure

          Here in Italy they can have sick days, not an issue usually

      • @[email protected]
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        -112 months ago

        yeah, hard physical work basically rejuvenates you… it is the latest secret of celebrities, they all do that instead of botox and spa…

    • @[email protected]
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      92 months ago

      Cargo bikes are smaller then vans. So you can get closer to the destination, without having to carry the parcel.

    • @[email protected]
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      2 months ago

      Are you suffering from an acute case of brain damage?

      so, we take something that has the same size as a van,

      The footprint of a cargo bike is at most a fourth of your average delivery van

      and is at least 10 times slower

      Cargo bikes are usually e-bikes, giving them a speed of at least 25 km/h. If you’re driving a van at 250 km/h in a city, that’s going to put you behind bars.

      Baffling levels of ignorance.

      • @[email protected]
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        -52 months ago

        The footprint of a cargo bike is at most a fourth of your average delivery van

        yeah, no. the cargo bike needs width of a car lane and its not four times shorter. it will actually add to congestion when every car behind it has to change lane to go around.

        maybe you have some really generous bike lanes somewhere, but they don’t lead to home of every one of your potential customer and, surprise, they also take a space.

        Cargo bikes are usually e-bikes, giving them a speed of at least 25 km/h.

        that’s top speed. top speed of the car is somewhere else. and the average speed for both of them is somewhere else and if you believe that average speed of a bike is going to be in the same category as average speed of the car, then go, fly back to other pigeons and tell them you won.

        cargo bike is not efficient alternative to a car, because it is far slower and has much lower capacity than the car, so you will deliver less cargo in longer time. or same cargo in same time using a LOT MORE bikes.

        that doesn’t mean and i never said they don’t have its use-cases, but claiming it will solve the traffic congestion is wild exaggeration.

        • AwesomeLowlander
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          92 months ago

          If anything, electric bikes and scooters tend to get around FASTER than cars in European city centers

          • @[email protected]
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            -52 months ago

            yes, that may be true in specific circumstances.

            if they can fit in between two cars, waiting on light stop, they can get ahead of them. that maybe true in traffic jam in city center.

            this advantage goes away once:

            1. you are outside of traffic jam hour
            2. you are outside of traffic jam area (out of city center)
            3. you are driving cargo bike that does not allow you to squeeze in between two cars.

            so not really useful for discussion about cargo bikes, is it?

        • Bryce
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          32 months ago

          They definitely do not need the width of a car lane. The basket is usually the width of the handlebars so they fit in regular bike lanes just fine. And they’ll often turn a car lane into two bike lanes

      • @[email protected]
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        -42 months ago

        found that cargo bikes not only deliver faster than vans

        that must have been some seriously specific circumstances.

        • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝
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          102 months ago

          Specific as being in an European city.

          Not enough space for stopped vans everywhere.

            • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝
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              62 months ago

              Indoors, mostly. Garages underground that can either house 20–30 cars or literal thousands of bikes. Cargo bikes can stop on sidewalks since they don’t block foot traffic as much as a whole van would.

    • @[email protected]
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      12 months ago

      Ah, the oil Barrons had an AI bot made to drum up arguments & get data from defenders.

      Still talks like a twat.

    • @[email protected]
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      02 months ago

      this is lame, mod.

      just because you don’t agree with post doesn’t mean it is not useful for discussion. are you so afraid of any kind of opposition?

      • ArxCyberwolf
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        42 months ago

        I disagree with the mod’s decision, but for a different reason. Your ignorance should be on full display for everyone to see.

      • @FabledAepitaph
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        12 months ago

        Yeah, these mods on these forums are out of control tbh