Larry vs Harry make stylish, relatively lightweight, modern reinterpretations of the Long John style of Danish cargo bike, where the load sits on a low platform in front of the rider. Think Old World Northern European cargo bikes mashed up with North American car/pimp culture, with a generous helping of messenger attitude and alu-high-zoot build. The lovechild of Steve McQueen, Cleopatra Jones, and an 1800s greengrocer. They have enormous curb appeal, are certainly the "sexiest" cargo bikes out there (if you like splashy, racy bikes). But how might they work as an everyday family cargobike? And am I cool enough to ride this bike? Based on the photo above, it appears that my kids have the look down.

We took a Bullitt for an extended demo this weekend in Portland, courtesy of Splendid Cycles (value: $25, which is their typical 24-hr rental fee). Travelogue and shop info here (they do ship, and to date have sold more outside of Portland than in). In terms of review comparisons, our regular family ride is a MADSEN cargo bike with "bucket seating" in the rear, and our first family cargo bike love was the bakfiets.nl Dutch family cargo bike, which we've rented on many occasions. Here's what we thought ...

Design and Build Features

In a word, splendid.

• The paint schemes are incomparably delicious. More drool here.
• The components are higher-end than I've previously ridden. Shimano Alfine 8-speed internal hub seemed even smoother than my Nexus 8, and still tolerates shifting under mild-moderate pedal pressure. Or choose an external 27-gear drivetrain.
• The Alfine hydraulic disc brakes were easily the finest brakes I've ever experienced on a cargo bike. And unlike many, I actually appreciate the hub brakes on bakfiets/Dutch bikes. But these were powerful, very easy to modulate, and absolutely confidence-inspiring.
• A unique and fantastic feature that I would love to see on other bikes is a quick-release stem height adjuster that quickly moves the handlebars up and down, for aggressive vs more upright riding styles, different height riders, and bigger kids (the bakfiets bars tend to clock older (4-5yo) kids in the helmet).
• The tires were a Schwalbe hybrid I hadn't seen before with smoother tread centrally and more aggressive grip laterally. They worked fine, and I wonder if they might be helpful cornering in the rain.
• The centerstand deploys easily and releases very cleanly by rocking the bike forward. While it lacks Val's handlebar release lever, at least there's no fiddling with feet or fingers to work the latch, as on some bakfietsen. That said, the bakfiets.nl stand is a 4-point stand that is unbeatable when it comes to letting big kids romp in and out of your parked bike. With the Bullitt, I'd keep a eye on wilder kids, or think about a rear brake lever cinch. But overall, stable enough, I think.
• The wheelsets seem moderately burly, not in indestructible Workcycles territory though.
• As for the cargo options, the stock bike ($3100) will need an additional aluminum honeycomb with nonskid platform from LvH ($230), or a box of some kind (see options here). Me, I'd probably build my own. The Bullitt child option, while sleek as all getout (and priced accordingly at $550 for side panels, folding seat with belt, and raincover, on top of the $230 deck plate), isn't really wide enough for my 2 kids. 
• But the frame has a number of features that lend itself to cargo hacking (4 postholes, plentiful bolting options). Given how much fun the MADSEN has been to "upgrade" (DIY infant seat, Gelato Bike, etc), I would enjoy designing a reasonably lightweight but wider box with locking bench seat and rain cover. Splendid has a "Mr. Mom box" that's more in the direction I'd go. But I'd be tempted to try using the honeycomb deck with textured aluminum sidepanels that flare out. And then there's the Boat Bike option - how rad is this?
• I would vote for rear rack braze-on's though. The dropouts are drilled for a rack, but unless LvH come out with a rear rack of their own we'd need to kludge one on. The bakfiets rack, by contrast, comes standard and is rated for major weight, which opens up a lot of rear cargo ability.

The Ride ...

Has a learning curve of a few blocks, and then is delovely. Having spent some time on bakfietsen, child-up-front tandems, and other bikes that use similar steering mechanisms, I thought I could just jump on a Bullitt and go at this winter's family bike demo. Err, not so much. But I take it all back! It does feel twitchier than similar bikes at first, especially unloaded. But after a few blocks, and certainly after a few hours of riding around with kids, it was juuuuuust right.

The bike is lighter than other versions of this style, which translates to zippier acceleration and noticably better hill-climbing. The frame is stiff enough to stand and mash up a hill, and the riding position (while adjustable) is generally more sporty than Dutch sit-up-and-ride bikes (the latest bakfiets.nl incarnation, if anything, seems to have an even slacker foot-down position). While I got my family cycling start on such upright bikes, lately I've been enjoying a slightly more sporty riding position, especially where non-flat rides are concerned. As for speed, this bike tends to slay the field in Danish cargo bike races, where it does enjoy a home-town advantage. With a lightweight platform or box this would be plenty speedy as an everyday commuter with special cargo powers.

The frame, however, is not a step-through. The top tube lends stiffness to the frame, and is low enough to easily get over, but it does limit the rider size to 5'3ish and up. Which is a bummer, as Kim is 5'1". Then again, she prefers the way the MADSEN feels to cargo forward bikes like the bakfiets anyway.

Family-Style

As much as I love our MADSEN, I do really like having the kids up front, as it's the social aspect of cycling a la familia that has me hooked. Conversations and parenting are easier. However ... this is not a big box. In the MADSEN, I can seat kids kitty-corner if they're starting to play the helmet head-butt game. In a bakfiets.nl long, the box is long enough to put one up front, and there's more shoulder room on the bench seat. In the Bullitt as we rode it (kids on a cushion, no belts), there were some turf wars. And then Luc wanted to move around and Drew tried to "tie him down", for safety.

Kids plus cargo is cramped in the standard box, but it naps well.

So with my kids, it felt overall tolerable and safe enough for quiet streets at low speeds. But for carrying any cargo plus my two kids at higher speeds around town, I'd want a bigger box, restraints of some kind, and the option to put one behind me in child seat purgatory. I tried to make Drew ride behind the handlebars in the "penalty box" (there are handy footrests there), but she had crochal interference with the top tube. These are all doable adaptations for a motivated and handy parent. But the MADSEN and bakfiets.nl come that way stock, and have more room for cargo. I'd want a rear rack with sizeable panniers on the Bullitt if I was everyday cycling with 2 kids.

In the event of rainy climate, there is the LvH raincover/spray skirt, which is sleek and seemingly sidecar-inspired; I'd need some moto-goggles for the kids with that one. But I might prefer a bakfiets style canopy, with more of a cozy, warm, flashlight under the blankets feel. Splendid Cycles says Mike Cobb (of Yuba Mundo bag-designing fame) is on the case - exxxcellent.

For more than 2 kids, there's no question that a bakfiets or MADSEN would be preferable. They have more room for kids and their inevitable cargo, and again, come standard with multiple-kid design features. I especially like the lip on the bakfiets box that lets kids leap in on their own. Because they will try, and it's better that they don't bend your chainguard or ding their perineum in the process. Speaking of which, my box will have a rounded or foam-protected edge, and that front headset would have a tennis ball or similar cushion.

So which family cargo bike reigns supreme (remembering that I haven't even included xtracycles, Mundo's, or others in today's comparisons)? I love all three of these bikes; they all have tradeoffs. Price, inexpensive vs performance vs durable component choices, hill-climbing ability, extra kids and cargo versatility, riding positions, curb appeal ... and first impressions can be deceiving. If you have the opportunity to travel to a bike-friendly burg like Portland with extended demo opportunities, do it. Or make friends with that guy in your town with one of these. Or post questions below. But carefully consider your own family's needs and environs, current and future. It seems for us that the "ideal" family bike changes every year, so think versatility, or resale value at least.

Box Bikes vs Box Store Bikes

On the way back to our abandoned car, after returning the Bullitt, we got caught in a rain shower. Drew hopped off the Brompton's main tube and dove into our trailer, staying warm and dry. So there I was, easily transporting 2 kids and bags in safety and comfort using nothing more than a $300 trailer. Yet all the while, visions of my dream Bullitt Box danced in my head. Is there something clinically wrong with me? What do I have against trailers? Why even consider a $3,000 family cargo bike when a beater bike with trailer or xtracycle upgrade will get the same job done? Aren't bikes just humdrum "appliances" in evolved cycle cultures? So says the owner of this bike:

So This Century, By Mikael Colville-AndersenThat's a pretty sexy vacuum cleaner you're fetishizing there, Mikael (see Lovely Bicycle for a rebuttal). But I love the message in this poster. And while $3-4,000 cargo bikes are not going to save the world or take the US market by storm (big box bikes? try big box stores ...), they are captivating, cool, thrilling, and fun in ways that bike trailers are not, for driver or passenger. And arguably cooler than most cars. A Bullitt in a movie would run right over the Hollywood "bikes are for losers" trope. And in your neighborhood, bikes like these can mutate people's notions of transport in important ways. It was a bakfiets sighting that sent me on my giddy family biking journey, after all, and the way more affordable MADSEN is also a head-turner and assumption-tweaker.

So yes, I want a Bullitt. And no, it doesn't make practical or financial sense for us (we have multiply redundant ways to transport stuff by bike). Is it too soon to have a midlife crisis?

So we went to Portland, impromptu style. Which meant driving, as the Amtrak pricing and schedule wasn't looking so hot. Plus, there was that last time ... The drive down was well-timed for naps, and we stopped by a river to run around and get muddy. And there might have been a "Happy" meal. I'm not proud. Overall, with stops and traffic, it took about the same time as the train.

We planned (if you can call day-of requests to borrow a house "planning") to stay at our PDX friends' house, as they were traveling too, but the people with the key were out of town, yadda yadda. Enter Hotwire, and a cheap hotel room near the Convention Center (the Crown Plaza often has killer rates on hotwire). Drew was giddy about her own bed, TV, and pool, and became very conflicted about whether it was OK to turn back the sheets on her bed. And after a prolonged second- and third-wind bedtime, I fell asleep lulled by the sounds of my two kids breathing - a sweet and novel feeling.

I brought the Brompton and trailer, but forgot the front ITchair for Drew, so she elected to surf the main tube in front of me, which worked well on quiet side-streets. Also forgot the bike map, but the thing about Portland is that if you ride a few blocks you'll intersect a bike boulevard (AKA "neighborhood greenway" AKA "what is wrong with SDOT that they don't realize that these are relatively cheap and win-win for cars and bikes") or other bike facility, and their bike route signage is reliable enough to steer you right.

On our way to Laurelhurst Park (great playground for 1 and 3yos), we stopped off at Splendid Cycles. They opened in May, and focus exclusively on cargo bikes, serving as a showroom for local Metrofiets and Ahearne Cycle Trucks, as well as the Larry vs. Harry Bullitt and Kona Ute. Luc was asleep in the trailer, and the shop's owner Joel welcomed us inside with sleeping son, and let us stash the napmobile in the back.

Having worked as the buyer at Portland's Bike Gallery, and brought in the first MADSEN's and Bullitt's, Joel knows bikes, and is passionate about cargo bikes. And was relaxed, tolerant, and just plain sweet with my kids, as was his wife Barb, who drew tigers on the sidewalk with Drew the next day. Big warm and fuzzy thank you, Spendid Cycles. Portland - your cup runneth over with family-friendly bike shops.

Tried a Portland-built artisanal (that's a bit redundant; even the kettle korn karts are bike-powered by popcorn artisans in this town) unique dual 24" Metrofiets with Drew, and quite liked the handling. These are some seriously fine-looking, well-built bikes. Joel described the ride as more "Old World" than the Bullitt or MADSEN, and it does indeed ride much like the European bakfietsen (cargo bikes) that inspired it. But it did feel sprightlier somehow, not sure if it was the weight, larger front wheel, or just how dapper it was.

Ogled the new Ahearne Cycle Trucks too. Heard that an xtracycle longtail-standard version of the cycle truck is in the works. Hells yeah. Balanced extra freight. 

And then decided to give the Bullitt another try. I rode one unloaded around the block at the Family Bike Expo this winter and had an embarrassing amount of trouble with the wobbles (like the dynamic bike blogging duo of Dottie and Miss Sarah this week). Worried that it was too "sporty" of a bike for me. But our neighbor Daniel and his righteous blue Bullitt at the recent Tour de Fat and Fiets of Parenthood convinced me to try again.

And we loved it. Lurved it. Review to follow, for those who need their bike lust not to be touching their travelogue on the plate.

In fact, we borrowed it for the weekend! We hit up Laurelhurst Park for play & picnic. Met up with Travis and his sweet, engaging trio of rapscallions at the Alberta Street Fair. Drew was a bit crushed out, although you wouldn't have known it from all the frowning. Kael singing the theme song from Phineas & Ferb (her new show from the hotel) sealed it. Luc caressed the chain of an especially fine xtracycle parked next to a cool Dutch kids' bike. Note the crochet on-street bike parking cozy. Yeah, rub it in, Portland. We couldn't even find a business on Capitol freaking Hill (our epicenter of smug cycling) to accept an on-street bike corral (I'm looking at you, Caffe Vita).

Dinner at Burgerville (of bicycles in the drive-through controversy and fame), the easiest bedtime EVER, and up again for pool, superhero antics at the North Park Blocks, scrumptious baked goods at Pearl Bakery (mmm, tastes ... artisany), and then picnic and free-ranging it at the Sunday Market. Here's Luc hydrating himself in the fountains - who needs a Camelbak? I'm pretty sure that water was portaged from pristine artesian wells by NAHBS bicycles in leather-coddled mason jars. Right?

We (well, I) wanted to demo a ShuttleBug and Clever Cycles' latest import, Christiania trikes. But instead we just mosied back to the car and drove home to an unrecognizably decluttered home. THANK YOU miss Kim and Catherine (our beloved interventionist)! MWAH!!! The effect on our kids was instantaneous. They discovered and engaged in toys and books that had been lost in the thrift-shopped plethora of it all. For some of what inspired us, read the Simplicity Parenting book, and blogs like Rowdy Kittens. It's like a Glade Plug-In full of Ritalin, but without the weight loss and insomnia.

And please, don't get me wrong. We're not exactly trying to live in a hard drive with only a Moleskine notebook for shelter or whatever else the latest NYT style section definition of minimalism is. And I do acknowledge the fact that consumer-culture-conditioned lust for shiny pretty bike objets is part of what motivates me, and trips like these. Or that my stable of bikes could hardly be described as "minimal," even after a Craigslist selling binge. But we had ourselves a grand adventure in Portland on a pretty tight budget, the first time I didn't come home from Portland with a new bike bauble. We'll see how long that lasts. Damn that Bullitt was nice. 

The past two weeks have been all about the bike fun. Last weekend we traveled to Portland for Fiets of Parenthood PDX, which was a HUGE success. Big big thanks to Sarah Gilbert, Clever Cycles, Urbanmamas, and the local crew who put it on. It's been well-written up at Clever Cycles, and at CarFreeDays. Check it out, and don't miss Todd's curated image gallery - this was one of the sweetest collections of family bikes ever assembled. Kudos to Anne and her daughter for winning in style! We are very excitedly planning the Seattle event for this August.

Brompton Bike FunOur Sunday in Portland was lovely as well. Luc decided to grace us with his presence at 5:30am, so we headed out on bikes from 7am until we left after dinner. We visited 6 playgrounds, rode across 4 bridges, joined the Teddy Bear Ride (thanks!), loitered at Clever Cycles, played in a fountain park at the Pearl with our friend Sheri, and finished at a brewpub with 4 free-ranging kids disturbing the peace. Portland is such an effortless city to tour by bike ... I hardly bother to look at a bike map, since bike routes are so well-signed, and bike boulevards (in the SE, at least) are everywhere. I think this might have been the weekend that sold my wife Kim on going by bike.

And this weekend Anne & Tim of CarFreeDays talked me into joining them on the 2nd Annual Nine-to-Five All-night Solstice Bike Scavenger Hunt, organized by Ryan Schuetze and the GoMeansGo crew. I did have my doubts - am I too old for all-night bike events? Do I still have my residency-era all-nighter skillz? Can four parents roll with hipsters on fixies?

Answers: Apparently not, yes (if on a bike), and hell yes. In fact, er, we won. Aided by my sister-in-law and her family's treasure trove of scavenger hunt items (bridal veil, bike store employee badge, sporks, etc), their random tipsy neighbors up the street (god bless their paella-offering hearts, but we politely declined the savory seafood), Tim & Anne's neighbors who came up with two issues of Boy's Life magazine, Dan's long-suffering wife, various bartenders, the bouncer at re-bar, the 3am drunk-in-the-street guy that told Tim he was planning to "f*** his face" (thus inspiring our unofficial team name), and most of all to Ryan and Melissa with bakfiets-transported coffee and snacks through the night, and honest-to-god delicious hot breakfast at 5am.

Boys LifeTim and I shared a special moment at re-bar, which seemed to be the only place in town with an all-night photo booth. Double-points for topless pix? Double-done. But perhaps more embarassing was me giving a big "right-on-my-bikey-bruthas" smile to these other sweaty, fit shirtless dudes coming out of the bar, assuming they were co-scavengers. Which they were, in a way, just not on bikes, and probably not for old copies of Boys Life.

But despite a pretty righteous collection of scavenger hunt items, our winning recipe came down to this: 2 xtracycles + brompton with touring bag + MTB + (96 cans of discount tuna x 2 points each) = victory. While there were many sweet rides to be seen that night, it's a little hard to carry that many cans-for-charity in a messenger bag. Drunk with cargo-carrying capacity, I ended up carrying bricks and cans for most of the night, while Anne lugged a cinderblock on her xtra for about 4 hours. Next year we might strategerize that a bit better. At least we waited until 4:30am to hit up the Safeway for several cases of tuna, which Tim lugged to the finish.

We worried a bit about a beatdown by hip-holster U-lock for exploiting the intentionally-left-open can loophole, but the other teams were lovely, and the whole night was more about shared enjoyment than posturing or competition. It's surreal and surprisingly invigorating to race through near-deserted streets at 3am, and the two meetups were a nice chance to rest and recharge with the other riders, many of whom we'd run across in odd parts of the city. Anne and I kept nudging each other and whispering "we're in an AlleyCat" whenever some fixed-gear freestyle would break out. I threatened to slay some folding-bike freestyle moves. But didn't. It's OK though. Ryan the organizer said we could tell our kids we were in a "full on scavenger-cat".

Thanks to the GoMeansGo crew for making it so fun and so inclusive. They are the future of Seattle bike fun. Here's to working together on a Pedalpalooza-esque week of bike events later this summer or next year, at least.

Old Folks Reprazent / Dads vs Grads / Love my white pants

Calling all bike families! Totcycle and friends, CarFreeDays, and, with any luck, the Wallyhood crew will be heading south this weekend to represent the Emerald City in the upcoming Fiets of Parenthood, Portland edition. Read all about it on the Mamabikeorama site, and Clever Cycles.

In the "we should have such problems" category, the Fiets of Parenthood is in close conflict with the Cirque du Cycling Family Bike Parade, the Family Cycle Picnic, the Girly Bike Ride, Stumptown Joustdown, and the "Sunny Nekkid Ride I". Since the totcycle family regularly parades around on girly bikes in various states of inappropriate dress/undress with picnic in one hand and a stick in the other, I'm hoping to heal the divisions within the Portland biking community by combining all of the above rides in one.

And I'm pretty sure we can incorporate the Pretty Panty ride (a point of pride for my daughter), Donuts Curb Hunger, Brompton Tea Ride, and Gayest Day of the Year Ride (Kim's always been active in Pride, and I ride in chaps). But we can't yet represent the "No Babies Ride", AKA the Vasectomy Ride, even if "myths will be debunked!". 

For those of you in Seattle that can't make it, fear not, we'll be hosting our own Fiets of Parenthood in August. For further away bike families, or those that live in towns where bike ride conflicts are of the more mundane bike vs car variety, please send us a photo or video clip of your own fiets of family cycling. We'll have an International Fiets of Parenthood photo/video showdown this summer that embraces all of our far-flung tribe. Tricks, dressage, cycle chic, mood shots, or celebration welcome. Just getting the kids out the door and onto the bike is feat enough for me, so worry not, the bar is set quite low. Details and prizes TBA. Inspiration:

Lazer Infant Helmet

Fitting helmets on infants or smaller-headed toddlers is very hard to do with commonly available helmets. Sure, the models most mainstream shops stock have an adjustable fit dial in the back, but the helmets themselves are quite large on my 1yo son, and protrude enough in the back that trailer riding becomes an exercise in frustration, with the helmet getting pushed down onto his face.

Enter the Lazer infant helmet ($25), via Longleaf Bicycles. It fits heads as small as 46cm, doesn't look horrible, and was easy to adjust. Luc and I liked it, and were so sad that it got lost in the great Amtrak cargo bike debacle of 2010. Now he's stuck with some pink Strawberry Shortcake sister hand-me-down.

Bern Helmets

Bern helmets are the Totcycle family favorite. Mom, dad, and daughter are currently sporting lovely Bern helmets with built-in fabric visors. Poor visor-less & emasculated son. A new helmet would probably be cheaper than all that therapy he'll need.

Bern helmets are sleek, light, comfortable, have excellent coverage, and are refreshingly lacking in extraneous vents for vents sake. Why look like a roadie if you don't have to? They come in summer and winter versions (warm earflaps), many have removable visors, and the colors & shapes are appealing. Drew LOVES her pink Bern helmet, and likes that she has the same helmet as mom and dad. And that Luc doesn't.

Giro Helmets

Giro helmets are the ones you're most likely to find at your Local Bike Shop. They're cute, and work well for toddlers and preschoolers. Here one is looking a bit big on Luc. The adjustable fit dial is handy, but please note that it only connects by velcro to the "money" part of the helmet, so it will not hold the helmet in place in any sort of "why we wear helmets" scenario. Make sure the straps are properly adjusted (see below, not my beret-style photo to the left).

Nutcase Helmets

These multisport helmets from our bikey neighbors to the south win on graphic appeal, and have a more durable shell, for older kids that like to skateboard or throw their helmets around. They are heavier and look a bit bulbous, IMHO. But if they fit your kid's head, and the durability/weight tradeoff makes sense, or they love the graphics, go nutty with these.

Helmet Tips

I'm going to bypass any helmet debate here and just assume that if you're putting a helmet on your child then you're doing so wanting it to be effective, rather than to satisfy the letter of the local law. If so, please please please snug up those straps! There are SO many kids out there with dangling helmet straps. That leaves the helmet next-to-useless in a crash, where it will slip off the part of the body you're hoping to protect, and possibly harmful, if the helmet were to catch on something and get pulled behind your child's head.

• Before adjusting the straps, make sure the helmet fits - ideally you should be able to adjust the snugness so it doesn't fall off with straps unbuckled.
• Next, get the angle right - the front of the helmet should be low on the forehead, not jauntily at the hairline or down in their eyes. Your child should see the brim of the helmet when he/she looks up with their eyes.
• The straps should be even, and each make a "V" with the bottoms just below their ears.
• Finally, and this is the hard part, snug up the straps so that only 1-2 fingers can fit, and so that your child can feel the straps tighten when opening their mouth fully. 
• That last part is hard for kids with sensory issues, who are resistant to helmets in general, who are used to loose straps, or who have been pinched in the past. Oh, the guilt I have about the times I've pinched Drew buckling her helmet. She won't let me forget it. Be very cautious when buckling, have them look up and close their mouth, and use your own finger as a "pinchguard". Then gradually snug up the straps a bit more with each ride.
• Need a quick 1-2-3 helmet fit test? Just remember the eyes, ears, and mouth part.
• When it's cold out, the models with ear flaps are great, but you can also use a hoodie top or thin wool cap to keep little heads and ears warm. Bulky hats and hoods interfere with helmet fit, though.
• In the category of "safety advice based on ultra-rare occurences", the safety people would like me to warn you that bike helmets are not for general play, especially on playground equipment, where a handful of children have snagged their helmet dropping through narrow spaces.
• Starting young, letting your child help pick the helmet, modeling helmet wearing yourself, and being consistent about their usage may reduce helmet battles. In your house, that is, not online.

What helmets have worked for you and yours? Any tips on getting them on kids, fitting them, and avoiding the dreaded "pinch"?