Cargo bikes hit the park this Sunday

As part of Bike Week the first Irish Cargo Bike Championship is to be held this Sunday. It will take place on the mid section of Chesterfield Avenue in the Phoenix Park , we ask organiser Astrid Fitzpatrick what people should expect:

What should should people expect to see?
Viewers can expect to see, and try out all sorts of cargo bikes, so even if they don’t own one themselves it is a good idea to come along. There will be displays of businesses who use cargo bikes for their business, for example, Click a Courier will be there with their Danish Bullit. Little Sport is the Irish importer for Nihola and has been invited along, the Dutch Embassy as well as the Danish Embassy we hope will attend on the day. And obviously The Dutch Bike Shop and Greenaer who are joint organisers of this event together with Dublin Cycling Campaign as well as others using cargo bikes.

There will be a variety of test and trials on cargo bikes, including covering skill of load and child carrying capacity, manoeuvrability, balance, and some short sprints and relay races. We are taking our inspiration from the Danish Svajerløb 2012 – Danish Cargo Bike Championships and the Dutch Bakfietsrace documented here on YouTube.

For the races, will there be different levels or will people with Dutch cargo bikes be expected be expected to go up against the Bullit which is made for speed? (We’re asking this as a slow Bakfiets owner)

We are going to categorise in between 2 and 3 wheelers, but a bakfiets.nl might be in the same category as a Bullit. But it is not all about speed, balance, manoeuvrability and load carrying capacity will all go towards the total score.

How many cargo bikes are you expecting to be at the event?

I am predicting most reputable Dutch and Danish brands will be there, And as far as exhibitors go there should be at least 8-10 plus the public’s own bikes

What type of cargo bikes are signed up so-far?

Bear Bakfiets.nl long, short and trike, Workcycles Bakfiets long, Babboe Big, Babboe City, Babboe Transporter, Johnny Loco, Bullits, Nihola, and Christiania.

Where do people sign up?

They can send a message to our Facebook page, or contact me on astrid@dutchbikeshop.ie We need to know their name, how many people on their team, what make and model of bike.