History has shown that in this case most people revert to the car, relegating the bicycle as a secondary form of transport.

Cargo bikes are not a new concept, but broaden the opportunities for cycling through their large storage space. They havn’t had a strong tradition in Australia due to their size, weight and our car-centric culture, but practicality has made them common throughout bicycle-dominated cities in Europe.

The Copenhagen brand Larry Vs Harry released the Bullitt, declaring it to be "The worlds lightest, fastest cargo bike" and this popular cargo bike is now available in Australia. At 245cm long and 47cm wide the Bullitt is a far more manageable shape for urban environments than the traditional three wheeled christiania cargo bike, and at 24kg it is significantly lighter than its competitors.

The design is a modern interpretation of the traditional Danish "long john" cargo bike, placing its cargo area low down between the rider and front wheel. Larry Vs Harry have brought the Bullitt into the 21st Century by employing a lightweight and stiff alloy frame, quality modern parts and an ultra chic design.

The test bike was the ‘Clockwork’ model and there are no points for guessing the colour. This model came fitted with a floorboard and side/rear panels, which provides a generous storage space for the optional child seat. The spacious area will cater for a growing child over many years, the safety belt, low seating position and high sides protect the valuable cargo.

The Bullitt’s capacity for transporting inanimate items is also impressive, with the front storage section able to carry 100kg without concern. This provides infinite possibilities, the company co-founder Harry used a long john as his primary transport while working in construction for example. While few Australian tradesmen are likely to trade their ute in for a bicycle, the Bullitt has potential as a functional or ultility vehicle for business. Environmentally focussed businesses in particular have been quick to take notice, but Australian distributor Dutch Cargo Bikes are hoping that individuals will follow suit.

The Bullitt is available with a variety of build kits, with a choice of a seven or eight speed internally geared hub or a nine speed derailleur system. The test bike came fitted with the Shimano Alfine groupset, which included the internal gear hub, hydraulic disk brakes and cranks.

First impressions were that the Bullitt was nicely put together with quality parts, though it was slightly daunting given its length and dramatic geometry contrasts from a conventional bike.

The first ride saw some initial wobbles, but the length and steering soon began to feel natural. Within 5kms the gentrified shopping strips of Melbourne’s inner south were proving no challenge, and it was clear that the Bullitt was drawing more favourable looks than a Sunday morning, lycra-clad road racer can muster.

Although it took only a few minutes to adjust to the handling, the weight and size demanded ongoing care. Uphill starts from traffic lights were the greatest challenge with patience required to get away from standstill cleanly. When unloaded the steering initially felt twitchy, but this feeling passed after the first decent ride and the discovery that keeping some load on the driveline aided stability. The internal gear hub was particularly valuable as it allowed smooth, fast shifts – even if stationary or freewheeling while trying to squeeze into gaps in traffic.

The ride itself was impressive in many ways. Most surprising was that a long, relatively heavy and upright bike could require so little effort to pedal. The Continental puncture-resistant tyres roll fast, while the long wheelbase gave stability and engaging cornering. While not a contender for the commuter cup, it cruises along steadily and the lively handling and effective brakes ensure that even fast downhills never feel out of control. A bunch of team-kitted roadies returning from their morning Beach Road ride were given a surprise as they were overtaken by the Bullitt. Not only did was this immensly satisfying it also confirmed the bike’s performance credentials. It also explains why the Bullit is a favorite amoung European bike messengers who specialise in bulky deliveries.

While the popularity with couriers is not surprising, there is clearly a wider market. As congestion worsens, petrol prices rise and people begin to question their dependence on cars the Bullitt can be a fantastic lifestyle investment.

Pricing varies according to the many options and specification levels, the Sram 7 speed internal gear hub model retails for $3400. The orange ‘Clockwork’ model which I tested starts at $3750, and includes the side panels, floor and child seat optional accessories.

For more information see dutchcargobike.com.au or email info@dutchcargobike.com.au to arrange an appointment to inspect the Bullitt.

Four models are available (9.8, 9.4, 9.2 and 9.0) and the complete details and specifications are available online: www.boardmanbikes.com

Pictured is the top specced 2012 Elite Air/TT 9.8 

Boardman Bikes recently announced international direct-to-customer sales through their partner, the UK online retailer Wiggle. This was reported on BNA and they have responded to a request for details on how they will best support the customer choosing the right frame size as well as for service or warranty issues;

"Wiggle is committed to exceptional levels of service, which is why our customers come back to us time and time again. The same is true when buying a Boardman bike from Wiggle. 360 degree photos of the bike, detailed product descriptions and a knowledgeable customer service team help you to make your purchase decision. From despatch, bikes can arrive with Australian customers in as little as 4 days, thoroughly packaged having been built, tuned and tested at Wiggle. For any warranty issues, Wiggle will work with a local bicycle retailer/service agent to settle any issues domestically without fuss or delay"

Boardman Bikes have opted for a newer approach and have selected the large UK online retailer, Wiggle, as their partner for global sales. Mentioning Wiggle (and the like) will often induce frowns in the Australian cycling industry as the popularity of online shopping and overseas purchases is cause for concern – the exclusive sales deal with Wiggle is a slight change in which the direct retail competition of identical items is eliminated. The game is changing and invites brand competition.

The global sales partnership raises new challenges such as fitting the bike to the customers satisfaction and warranty, though Wiggle have already demonstrated a forward thinking approach in business and time will tell as to how Australian cyclists will adopt this brand and retail channel. Boardman Bikes are not the only brand to select an online sales approach, Neil Pryde retail directly to consumers as well as directly to retailers across the globe.

At BNA, we look forward to reviewing Boardman Bikes in Australian conditions.

Wiggle: www.wiggle.co.uk
Boardman Bikes: www.boardmanbikes.com

Since the invention of the bicycle, people have been trying to move things (other than themselves) around by bike. Front racks, rear racks and panniers are common, as are baskets, seat bags and trailers. Most of the solutions to the haulage problem that we see in Australia are modifications and additions to “normal” bikes and while they work, they work to a limited degree.

The Dutch have had the cargo problem solved for a long time with the ‘bakfiets’; the box bike. As you can see from the photographs, it’s an apt name – it’s a bike with a box on the front. However, what you may not see in the photographs is that it is in fact two bikes: it’s a standard van Andel bakfiets and, with a simple flick of a switch, it’s a bakfiets with an electric motor in the front hub – an e-bakfiets. Both incarnations of the bike have their own characteristics and this review explores their commonalities and differences.

The Bakfiets
The first thing you notice about the bakfiets is just how different it is from the majority of bikes you see on Australian roads. The rear half of the bike looks like a typical “Dutch style” bike or English roadster. It has a step through frame, sprung saddle, swept back handlebars and is painted a classic black. The saddle and handlebars can be adjusted to suit almost any adult rider, the chain is fully encased and the rear wheel has a fender and a skirt guard. The bike comes with front and rear hub dynamo powered lights and you shift gears with a grip shifter on the right hand grip. The bakfiets is designed to be ridden by anyone while wearing normal clothing and shoes; it’s designed for comfortable cycling.

The Van Andel bakfiets and a very happy passenger.

The front of the bakfiets is what turns heads and elicits comment. Where the front wheel would be on a “normal” bike, there is a plywood box with a small wheel at the front (the front wheel is a 20″ wheel, which are often found on BMX style bikes, while the rear is 26″, often found on mountain bikes). The box is about 40 cm deep, is 72 x 45 cm at the base and flares out to 1 m long and 63cm wide at the top, which is only fractionally wider than some mountain bike handlebars. The floor of the box has a non-slip rubber mat and there is a small fold-down seat at the rider’s end with two three-point harnesses to hold two smallish children or one slightly larger one.

The bakfiets is surprisingly easy to ride. I say surprisingly because “How does it handle?” was the question I was most often asked. It’s a fair question; the bakfiets is a big bike, it has a wheelbase of 190 cm and weighs 35kg, but it doesn’t feel like that when you are riding it. The bike uses an 8 speed Nexus hub and provides enough of a gear range that I could haul significant loads up hills and cruise the flats at 25+ km/h. Being heavy, and heavier still when loaded, the bakfiets can build up significant speed going downhill. The front and rear hubs have integrated roller brakes, which most local cyclists (including myself) would not be familar with. These adequately modulate speed and provide reliable stopping power. Obviously, the greater the load and speed, the longer it takes to stop, but I never felt a lack of confidence while braking even with some serious momentum behind me.

The large main centre tube of the bakfiets is low to the ground giving it a low centre of gravity and making it dynamically stable. You would be hard pressed to notice any sort of handling difference between a rolling bakfiets and any other “upright” bike, but the low clearance may pose problems when navigating over sharp speed humps.

At low speeds, particularly when starting from stationary and when carrying a load, the bakfiets was tricky to handle. The rider’s position on the bike doesn’t lend itself to redistributing your weight to compensate for the roll of the bike and I frequently found myself putting my foot down to stabilise the bike while I had another go at getting started. I got better at doing this the more I rode it and I suspect it would have been just a matter of time before I did it without thinking.

Despite the front wheel being very far in front of the rider, the bakfiets has a tight turning circle and there is no hesitation between my moving the handlebar and the front wheel turning. I found the bakfiets dexterous enough to navigate most of the traffic furniture on my routes around Sydney, from pedestrian chicanes in the middle of the road to the ever annoying hoops and bollards found on cycleways. The only obstacles that stopped me would have also blocked a tandem, a bike trailer or even a twin pram – this is not the fault of the bike, rather it’s the fault of the path designers.

When at rest, the bakfiets sits on a four pronged stand that rotates up and locks behind the box while riding. It’s easy to engage and disengage with your foot and while deployed it holds the bakfiets stable enough for kids to climb in and out of the box. If you’re leaving the bike alone, a key operated AXA Defender lock on the rear wheel will keep it safe enough to allow you to go and have a coffee or get the kids from their classroom, but I wouldn’t trust it as a serious theft deterrent.

The e-Bakfiets
When I was told I would be testing a bakfiets I was instantly excited; I had wanted to ride a bakfiets since I first saw them years ago. What I wasn’t expecting was having the chance to ride a pedal assist bike. Pedal assist bikes have motors which only operate while you are pedalling. You need to put in a rotation or two of the cranks before you feel the motor kick in and when you stop pedalling the motor stops working. As the name suggest, these type of motors are meant to assist you pedalling, they don’t turn your bike into an electric motorcycle.

A motor in the front hub to assist your pedalling

The bakfiets had a factory installed 24V, 180W motor capable of turning at 175RPM and assisting at speeds up to 25 km/h. The battery that comes standard with the e-bakfiets is a 24V 10Ah Li-ion battery, but the particular bike I rode had the battery upgraded to a 14 Ah one (which means it will last longer between charges). A complete battery recharge will take about 6 hours.

The battery slides into a slot on the custom rear rack, the motor is operated via a key near the battery (just below the seat), and the motor speed can be controlled via a panel on the handlebars which also shows battery life. You can adjust how much assistance you receive with a simple press of a button.

When you ride the bakfiets in pedal assist mode you can really feel the motor assisting you (though you can barely hear it). One or two pedal rotations is all it takes to get the motor going; there’s no gradual build up, the power is just there. Taking off up hill at traffic lights, for example, once you get the balance right, is ridiculously easy with pedal assist. Hills, both steep and painfully long, are mercifully eased and headwinds are tamed when using pedal assist. This doesn’t mean that the rider isn’t doing any work, they most certainly are, rather it means that you will be able to do more for the same amount of work or at least do what you are doing with less effort.

To market, to market to buy two weeks worth of fruit and veg.

Hauling Cargo
The main selling point of the bakfiets isn’t its utility as a bike or an e-bike, it’s the ability to haul loads. The box on the bakfiets is rated to carry 80 kg and the rear rack is rated to carry 50 kg; this is in addition to the weight of the rider on the bike. During my time with the bakfiets I transported (among other things): children (my two youngest together and my eldest two each on their own) and their school bags; children and a pile of bike parts (such as wheels, fenders and a frame); and two weeks worth of fruit and vegetable shopping from the markets for a family of six hungry vegetarians.

I used the bike with and without the motor, in both modes I had no problems moving up to 65 kg worth of cargo in the box. Apart from finding it a little tricky to get started with a load, the only problem I found while riding loaded was that if the load shifted while in motion it threw the balance off. I learned quickly to make sure the load was secure and the kids learned quickly to sit still while the bike was in motion.

That the bakfiets can move everything I put in it is the main selling point of this bike for me. Most of the cycling I do is utility cycling: I ride to get from place to place. About 85% of the kilometres I travel each year are by bike and when I do drive a car, it is usually full of kids. Most of the solo driving I do is to carry groceries from the fresh food markets or the supermarket. I do this because I simply can’t carry very much on a bike. The bakfiets means I can do more; while I had the bike I was able to completely eliminate all of my solo driving. While moving loads with a bike is possible, moving loads with a bakfiets is practical.

Thumbs up for a well thought out vehicle

Drawbacks
Finding problems with the bakfiets is hard since it is built around a bike paradigm that has evolved out its shortcomings. There are two operational points, however, that need to be thought through when using the bakfiets.

Changing a flat tyre on a bakfiets is more involved than changing a flat tyre on a regular bike. It’s obviously not impossible, but it does require more time and more steps to do it. It also requires some additional instruction since you need to be able to disconnect and reconnect the Nexus hub on the rear or the motorised hub on the front. You also have to deal with the logistics of getting the wheels off of the bike to change the tube – the front wheel is easy since it is slightly elevated when the bike stand is engaged, but the back wheel is a bit more tricky. Re-learning the old skill of patching a tube without removing the wheel would be the best option here.

Of course, like everything else on the bike, the problem of flat tyres has been carefully considered and the bakfiets comes standard with Schwalbe marathon tyres which are probably the most puncture resistant tyres in the world. If you do happen to get a puncture and successfully patch it you can re-inflate the tyres using a mini-pump conveniently located on the rear rack.

The second sticking point with this bike is somewhat related to the first. While the bike has been carefully and sensibly designed to be as “bomb proof” as possible, what happens if the bike becomes un-ridable, for whatever reason? With my road bike, I can take the wheels off and it will fit into the back seat or the boot of even the smallest car – the bakfiets obviously won’t. Transporting the bakfiets would require a car trailer, ute or truck and two people to lift it if it couldn’t be rolled on. While this is unlikely, it was a concern I had; I decided that I could always get a tow truck if I needed to.

The Epic
Being a suburbanite, I have several shopping centres with a 5 km radius of my home; such proximity, even loaded, was no real test of the bakfiets. Several times each year I volunteer as a in-ride mechanic for the big charity bike rides. I usually load up my bike with tools, clothes and food, ride from home to the ride start, work on the ride and then ride home again. I decided to do one of these rides (the Sydney Gear Up Girl ride) with the bakfiets, and because she hadn’t been with me for one of these rides, I took my six year old daughter in the box. Actually, to be exact, I had my daughter, blankets, a pillow, wet weather gear (yes, it rained), changes of clothes, food, and a barbie doll in the box.

With the battery fully charged, we set off at 3:30 in the morning for our little epic. The built in dynamo powered lights on the e-bakfiets were quite adequate for street riding at night, but since we would be on unlit paths I needed to supplement them with something stronger. To give the motor a thorough test I had it on full power for the trip to the start line. While the route was generally flat, there were some sharp hills and bridges but the real struggle was against the very serious rain laden winds coming off the water as we rode around Botany Bay. Having the pedal assist meant a much easier ride than I would have had on my touring bike and it must have also been a smooth one; my daughter fell asleep after 10km and didn’t wake until the start of the charity ride. She lay wrapped in her blankets in the box as securely as if she were at home in bed.

The trip down (approximately 60 km) consumed only 60% of the battery power and I managed to do it at an average speed of just under 25km/h. For the return trip, with better weather and no need to hurry (I was working on the way back home), I rode without the motor. The total distance ridden for the day was just over 120km and I could have easily ridden for another few hours.

This trip really surprised me; I was expecting the bakfiets to be useful as a cargo hauling bike, but I never expected it to be such a good touring bike. I spent around 8 hours in the saddle that day and certainly didn’t feel it immediately after or in the following days. I had an relaxing ride, my daughter enjoyed herself (and the attention she got as the girl in the box bike), and my love affair with this bike deepened.

My Recommendation
Bakfiets are excellent vehicles for families with a few small children, people who want to ride with their pets or those who want to do some comfortable road touring. The box can be customised with extra seats, a weather shield and even a doggy door. The bakfiets is designed to last a lifetime with a minimum of maintenance required; the kids you’re transporting in it today can transport their kids in it in twenty years time.

Along with the domestic applications, there are a range of commercial possibilities; any business that needs small goods delivered over short to medium distances would likely do better with a bakfiets than with a car, ute or truck. Take the box off the front and replace it with a more customised cabinet and you have a great service trade vehicle (I know of a photographer in the states who uses one, for example). Comparatively low initial cost, almost no running costs, no registration, no parking problems, no emissions: no excuses.

Conclusion?
Since I began with a conclusion, I will conclude with a beginning. When I picked up the bakfiets for the review, Maurice, the owner of Glow Worm cycles who distribute the bakfiets in Sydney, expressed his regret at having to lend it to me. He had a pile of boxes that he needed to deliver and he used the bakfiets to run them around the city, he even delivers customers bikes with it. He said he was missing it already. Now that I have ridden one, I know how he felt.

Bakfiets are available in Australia through Dutch Cargo Bikes. The Sydney distributor is Glow Worm Cycles who also specialise in electric bikes and conversions. The bakfiets retails for around $3150, with the e-bakfiets priced at around $5000 depending on the electric conversion kit used. Other bakfiets bike options are available as are a range of acessories.

This article is over; I’m trying to sleep here

The Vuelo 8 weighs in at 6.37kg and features the signature Vuelo Velo curved seat post. This creates the illusion that the seat is further back though the geometry is actually standard for a road bike. The rear wheel however sits in tightly and the shorter wheel base (388mm) creates a more ‘lively’ feel and a bike that eats up hills, corners and sprints.

In addition to the new Shimano Di2 Sprint Shifters which are destined to become a must-have for Di2 riders, the (Calfee Design) Di2 battery is concealed in seat post. This build features SRM cranks, Tune lightweight parts and Mad Fiber wheels that use an innovative construction method (see the video here).

The Shimano Di2 Sprint Shifters are thumb operated and can be mounted anywhere on the bars.

The bike was built in the US and and also assembled by pro tour mechanic Nick Legan (US) and in this configuration costs approximately $17,000 while the frame alone is $4,500.

This release features the striking orange highlights with the Titanium frame however can be configured to buyer preferences.

More pictures and information is available from the website: www.vuelovelo.com. As a boutique bike brand, there is already a five month (plus) wait for the custom made bikes, so get in early and chat to Martin Renwick about your own dream bike.

Photos ? Brad Kaminski

The Zigo Leader is a multi-purpose “transport system” in that it combines a stand alone pram with a stand alone bike that can be coupled to create a wonderfully convenient way to transport children. The Zigo Leader that I trialled (the X2) is capable of carrying two small children or one slightly larger one, up to a combined weight limit of 35 kg. I used it to carry (at various times): cargo; a rambunctious 18 month old boy; and a much spoiled 5 year old daughter (much to the consternation of her older sisters who were too big to ride in it). I rode the Zigo Leader to the shops, to school and along the bike paths near our home over a period of six weeks and gave it a thorough testing. Because the Zigo Leader is marketed as three products in one, I have reviewed each incarnation of it separately in order to provide complete coverage.

The Zigo Child Pod
The Zigo Child Pod, as a pram, ranks along side other high end pram brands that the cycling parent may be familiar with, such as Chariot. The pram can be used “as is” in four wheel mode, in three wheeled “jogger” mode and also in bike trailer mode, both with the addition of appropriate attachments.

The standard pram configuration is smooth to operate and is well constructed with plenty of room inside for one or two small children. There are five point safety harnesses, internal pockets on each side for toys or bottles, and a large pocket on the rear for holding everything else. The pram has a number of tie down covers as part of the “environmental control system” which allows to you cover the interior with a mesh or with a light plastic screen. If conditions worsen there is a custom full plastic cover available that is sure to keep junior dry, though that doesn’t help mum or dad at all.

Controlling the pram is easy with a comfortable height adjustable bar at the rear which has a lockable hand brake in the center that can be used to engage the sturdy drum brakes on the rear wheels. The pram is available in available in red, blue or green and in models to carry one child or two children sitting side by side.

While I’m not an expert on the ins and outs of prams, we have used a few over the course of four children and the Zigo served our every need perfectly. The only problem I had with the pram was its size. It was difficult to navigate doorways and narrowly spaced bollards on pathways. As noted before, I was using the X2 model designed to carry two children and I suspect I would have the same problems using any pram designed to carry two kids side by side. Getting the Zigo into the back of the car was also a little difficult. While it does fold down to some extent, it takes up a considerable amount of space and requires a station wagon or 4WD to transport. Again, if I were reviewing a standard twin pram I would likely be making the same comment.

The Zigo Child Pod functions wonderfully by itself, but it is designed to be used in combination with the Zigo bike. The pram design must be making some sort of impact in the baby market, however, since the Zigo people will shortly be releasing the pram as a non-bike-attachable stand-alone called the Mango.

The Zigo Bike
The bike component of the Zigo package reminds me of the classic small wheeled bikes of the 70s, such as the Raleigh Twenty. The aluminium U-frame is distinctive with an enormously long head tube (which couples with the pram part of the Zigo), sprung and padded saddle, swept back handlebars and 20 inch wheels. The bike is well outfitted with quality brand name components and a Nexus 7-speed internal hub (a 3 speed hub option is available, but is less practical for Australian conditions).

The bike is designed to suit a wide variety of people; it can be ridden by someone of my height (191 cm), by my wife (168 cm) and my 9 year old daughter (153 cm). The brake levers can be adjusted for even very small hands and the handlebar height can be changed by rearranging the headset spacers. The drive system is partially enclosed with a chain guard and gear selection is done via a twist grip with the right hand.

I rode the bike on several commutes (22km quite hilly round trips) and initially I didn’t enjoy it much. The seat was too springy, the swept back bars made my shoulders ache and the pedals were too small. I rode with two front panniers on the rear rack (full sized panniers simply won’t fit) and managed to kick them off more than a dozen times during my trip. I also couldn’t generate anywhere near my normal commuting speeds, only hitting the mid 20s in the best gear with some rapid, unsustainable spinning. On the positive side, the gearing allowed me to easily handle even very steep hills and the relatively long wheel base made for great handling at low speeds.

I don’t want to be unfair to the bike, however, because it grew on me. Firstly, I zip-tied a shopping basket to the rear rack and it instantly solved my cargo problems. Secondly, I set aside my machismo, sat upright and rode the bike at a nice steady pace. My initial annoyance diminished and I began to enjoy the experience. If I was going to have a bike like this, just for myself, I would change the handlebars to something less swept,  change the saddle to something less springy and change to peddles with a bigger platform. If I was just riding it as a bike, and never as an part of the “pram-bike”, I would also change the chain ring, the rear cog or both to get a little bit of extra speed. Basically, I would customise the bike to be comfortable for me and change the parts that I would consider changing on any bike that I bought.

While not wonderful over mid-range commuting distances, the Zigo as a “one bike suits most” vehicle is perfect for short distance travel. I found it quite comfortable for trips of 5 km or so and given that my kid’s school, a train station, two ferry terminals and five shopping centers are within 5km of my house, this is as far as I would need to go for my non-work needs. Knowing that my wife and daughter could ride it as well has made me seriously think about adding a bike like this to the family stable.

The Zigo Leader
When you look at the bike part of the Zigo, you’ll notice a very long head tube with a knob on the top of it as well as a bulky square clamp on the down tube. Likewise, if you look at the pram from behind you’ll see a silver tube attached to the frame of the pram and extending to the axle. It’s with these parts that the magic of the system happens.

The first step is to remove the front wheel of the bike by detaching the cantilever brake cable and releasing the quick release skewer. The front wheel can be stored in a pouch beneath the pram. The head tube of the bike goes over the tube on rear of the pram while the fork dropouts connect to a steering rod attached to the pram’s axle. You connect the clamp from the bike around the frame of the pram, tighten the knob on top of the head tube, retract and secure the front wheels of the pram and you’ve got the Zigo Leader. According to the Zigo website, this can be done in 30 seconds. I found it took a little longer than that and if I didn’t get the ordering correct the whole thing became quite difficult to juggle. This interface is the one place where the engineering doesn’t meet my expectations, but the results of the minor hassle are more than worth it.

When combined the two rear pram wheels and the rear bike wheel create a long and sturdy tricycle. The pram is as easy to use in this configuration as it is in stand alone mode, and the bike is even simpler to operate – this may seem counter intuitive to most cyclists but think about it: the bike isn’t going to fall over. That is the key to this machine.

Because the Zigo Leader is such an unfamiliar concept to most Australians, it is better understood by comparing it to two other common child transport solutions – the rear rack mounted seat and the trailer. I have and use both of these and prefer the Zigo to either of them by a long way.

When I use a rack mounted seat I find that it’s much harder to get on and off of a normal diamond frame bike, that there is very little freedom of movement for the child, that the high load I’m carrying makes riding tricky and that it’s hard to get the child in and out of the seat while balancing the bike. The Zigo Leader has none of these problems: the step through frame makes getting on and off the bike easy; the load is low, in front of you and balanced between two wheels; the pram like enclosure gives the child the ability to play with toys, eat, drink and so on; and because it’s a tricycle, you don’t need to lean it up against anything to stop it falling over while inserting or extracting your cargo. You can stop the bike, talk to your child, hand them something and resume your journey without your feet ever touching the ground.

While I find the bike trailer to be the best of the conventional solutions, the main drawbacks for me are the drag I feel when pulling the trailer (particularly up hill) and not being able to easily see the trailer behind me, both for navigation around obstacles and to watch the kids. Going up hills on the Zigo Leader is a dream – the bike is like a tug boat, designed to push heavy things. Because you’re riding a tricycle you don’t need worry about losing your balance and you can put all of your energy into moving the load. Because of the low gearing you don’t need a lot of effort, if you’re willing to sacrifice speed of course. Being able to see your child while riding is also wonderful. I found I could talk to my son, hear him call out when he saw things he wanted to stop and have a look at and I could also make sure he wasn’t throwing things out of the pram (one of his favourite tricks).

While I believe the Zigo Leader is the best of the child transport solutions I have tried, riding it has its own unique quirks. Turning when fully loaded takes some getting used to – it’s a trike, not a bike, and the balance is completely different. In addition, with the front wheels on either side of the pram, the turning circle is very large, but ninety degree turns are quite easy achieved. Turning any sharper than this is tricky, but because you can jump on and off the bike so easily you can get off, lift the bike at the seat, pivot it about the front wheels, point it in the direction you want to go and set off again quite quickly. Going up and down driveways can also be a bit worrying if you don’t hit them head on. It should go without saying that it is best to do any sort of cornering at low speed.

Conclusions
Typically I wouldn’t recommend a product to anyone unless I would purchase it myself. In my current situation, with only one very young child left in our horde, I won’t be buying one – but it was a very close decision (if only I had a dollar for every time someone stared at the Zigo Leader, made a comment or asked me a question about it). If I had access to the Zigo Leader when our family started, or even just a few years ago, then I’m quite sure this would be our second “car”.

The style and practical functionality of the Zigo Leader is hard to describe; modern cycling has become divorced from utility and most of us no longer have a frame of reference to work within. I suspect this is why I am not seeing hundreds of bikes like this everyday. The Zigo Leader is perfect for families with one or two small children who don’t have to travel far for their daily needs. For short trips to the store, day care or coffee shop there is really no reason not to have a vehicle like this.

The Zigo is available in Australia through Zigo Australia.

The shop was not a BMC dealer though had graciously held the bike for a few days on its journey to us. The tongue-in-cheek comment poignantly illustrated the brand-loyalty held by many riders. It also showed how brand-loyalty is leveraged by bike shops who can only stock a few different names for practicality reasons.

So whether it be elastomer inserts, ultra-thin or S-bend seat-stays, nano-technology and in BMC’s case – a little cross-member that joins seat-stay to top-tube, there’s no shortage of features for brand loyalists to capitalise on. All are designed to provide performance improvements or simply differentiate the product. But how much is performance and how much is just puff?

Well, get comfortable because today we’re going to cut through the propaganda and find out together what BMC and their Road Racer SL01 are  all about.

BMC – Who are they?
BMC is a Swiss company, yet strangely their heritage seems to be under-emphasized. At their disposal is that wonderful catchphrase: “Swiss Precision” invoking images of finely crafted utility knives and shiny and expensive watches that know the difference between 10 and 11 microseconds past one. Yet it feels like they’ve undercapitalised on this birthright.

In fact, on their website it’s hidden away between cringe-worthy expressions like “Think outside the box, and you won’t get boxed in” and “BMC is for Lovers – For people who love it when things work”

Despite these face-puckering phrases, it’s a wonderful thing when a product speaks louder than its marketing hype, and the BMC actually does. At the risk of doing their job for them – forget the old clich?d lines, Swiss precision and quality are really what BMC bikes are all about.

What is the Road Racer SL01?
The SL01 is one of BMC’s mid-range bikes which has evolved this year into a full-carbon frame (from an eclectic aluminium and carbon mix last year). It comes with a Shimano Ultegra groupset (in Australia) and it rides on a beautiful set of R1700 DT Swiss rims.

It retails for about $5,000 so it sits among some pretty high-class bikes. You might ask then, what is a “mid-range” bike doing with this kind of a price tag? Well, basically it feels like a wolf in sheep’s clothing – offering top-level performance in a less flamboyant package.

Standard practice in the world of bike-selling is to up-spec the visible things (like shifters and rear derailleurs) and to down-spec the less obvious things (like cassettes and handlebars and front derailleurs). The SL01 is the polar opposite of this practice.

How so? It’s a bit like SRAM Force. Before RED came out, every magazine compared it to Dura-Ace (and favourably too!). Now, when it gets reviewed, people compare to Ultegra and what’s changed? Nothing. The SL01 is not really a mid-range bike; it’s a high end bike that just happens to have a few bigger brothers.

Throwing a Leg Over
For a good looking bike, we were very surprised at the number of people who didn’t like it. To us, the small rear triangle, the brace from the seat-tube to top-tube and the tube shapes make it look tight and fast – though perhaps not to traditionalists. And unlike most bikes, the carbon that’s visible is not just a cosmetic layer. It’s very industrial – raw but not rough. It all comes together really nicely.

BMC are rather cagey on certain aspects of the SL01. Some manufacturers tout the name of their carbon or how much stiffer it is in percentage terms, or lighter or whatever. Indeed, the distributor was unable to give us any solid information or numbers at all. Why?

Certainly not for intellectual property reasons – none of the information that impulsive consumers desire would be that interesting to competitors. Two possible reasons are that (1) BMC doesn’t see it as being that important or else (2) the numbers just aren’t that impressive. Let’s illustrate?

Look at the Cervelo R3 and RS – two beautiful bikes, one significantly cheaper than the other, both offering professional-grade performance. Which one costs more to build? Likely neither. Similarly, there’s no reason for BMC to deliberately under-engineer their SL01 just because they sell it for less. Maybe (and we’re only hypothesizing here) releasing test-bench data might take the shine off the more expensive models?

The “Complete Package”
Most of this bike’s advantages don’t appear on paper, or at least, they’re not obvious. As cyclists, we can get into a habit of going straight for questions like: What’s the Groupset? What’s the frame made of? How much does it weigh? But the advantages here are all about the package as a whole.

The unique “AngleLock” seatpost clamping mechanism is simple and elegant. For the end user, it’s a lock/unlock switch. Underneath, it’s a relatively intricate design to make the user experience simpler (we broke it by playing with something we weren’t supposed to). The BMC theory is that since the clamping point is lower, the saddle sits on an effectively longer post, which in turn should dissipate more road vibration.

The sloping top tube and small rear triangle should have a similar effect and mean less material required (weight savings) and a stiffer structure between cranks and wheels.

Laterally Stiff, Yet Vertically Clich?d
In this regard, you’d probably want to know whether these theories transfer to real world experiences. In our experience, yes it does. You might even be disappointed to hear that we believe it is extremely stiff under power and yet amazingly smooth over rough roads – after all, you could have asked the sales rep for such an analysis.

But there’s nothing more we can say than that it was truly impressive; even when callously flogged down crumbling old roads, across gouged-out concrete bridges and into countless potholes. It seems like the faster we went, the smoother it was. Although that sounds like a horribly trite expression, the SL01 really did maintain a constant, reliable nature over varying surfaces and speeds.

Likewise the power transfer was equal to some of the best bikes we’ve ridden. In fact, we were able to eke out a little extra speed while sprinting compared to the Giant TCR Advanced 0. This doesn’t so much prove it is faster, only that it’s close enough to be one of the smallest variables affecting performance. Once you get to this quality level (read: price) the differences between bikes becomes very small.

On that note, although the geometry tables for BMC’s racing bikes (from the SL01 up) are very different for each model, the key measurements (things like the wheelbase and the relative position of handlebars, cranks and saddle) are actually very similar. It’s therefore not surprising that it performs as you would expect from a top-of-the-line model.

The bottom line is the SL01 will likely be on par in terms of performance (stiffness, weight and comfort) no matter what you’re comparing it to, including BMC’s own higher-end bikes. An ambitious statement? Certainly, but we believe the SL01 will stand up admirably to anyone trying to prove otherwise.

The Components
SCOR is BMC’s in-house components brand and our BMC Representative said they’re made by one of the world’s biggest manufacturers. We can’t complain about them, they performed fine and evidently are light enough to bring the whole package in at 7.7kg. The saddle is similar in shape to the Fi’zi:k Arione and as such provides a comfortable, wide platform.

The wheels that come standard on this bike are really impressive. Being an area many manufacturers elect to save money on, the DT Swiss R1700 wheels are of unusually high quality. They are quite light and stayed true despite the pounding they received. We really can’t say enough about these wheels here, unlike most things marketing departments pounce on, strong, light wheels will make a difference to your performance and these are genuine racing wheels. And notably, they are not a cheap upgrade if you opted for a less expensive, lower specced bike.

The Ultegra groupset doesn’t warrant much analysis – you get Dura-Ace performance for less money and the weight difference of a few energy gels. We know what Ultegra is all about. It’s an ethos that fits with the overall theme of the SL01.

One item worth noting though is the compact crankset and 11-28 cassette. This provides a range of climbing gears that are actually useful and much more appropriate for the average rider. It never ceases to amaze us how many riders believe they ought to use the same gearing as the professionals who quite literally put out more power with one leg than many of us can with two!

The Verdict
To say the SL01 is a lovely bike would be an understatement. It’s finely engineered and beautiful to ride. But it’s expensive; you can get a lot of bike for $5,000. On the other hand, you could easily spend twice as much and have a bike has an Italian name on it but isn’t a better bicycle.

It’s definitely race-ready right out of the box which is a major advantage over cheaper bikes that have cut corners. It’s not a Rolex, nor a Casio. It’s somewhere in the middle, like the Swatch watch of bikes. Look to the SL01 if you appreciate the “little things”.

BMC bikes are available in Australia through Echelon Sports and you will find dealers throughout Australia.

James Reid has developed as a business (Reid Cycles) that offers a cheap solution for the budget conscious; don’t expect to find any flash designs or wicked paint jobs as this isn’t what Reid had in mind when putting together the brand. Reid is keeping it simple, and I was surprised to hear that his clients are coming from a mix of different backgrounds; they’re not just the budget conscious riders. They’re riders who are doing Around the Bay for the first time, new cyclists competing in the BRW series for the first time and international visitors to Melbourne who are here for more than a few weeks.

The owner and developer, James Reid started as an online business. Reid sends bikes all over the country, for the Melbourne based business things are starting to take off, so much so that the prospect of new designs and carbon fibre roadies are beginning to infiltrate his business. The quality and price have been a hot topic in online discussion about Reid Cycles, so how good is cheap?

Bicycles Network Australia decided to find out more about Reid Cycles and exactly what James had to offer in his products. I was sent on a fact finding mission to discover if Reid’s bikes were worth the minimal outlay.

The Bike
I decided on the midrange blue and white Aquila, once home, I put the Aquila (Alloy Frame) straight onto the work stand for a good look; apart from the front wheel being slightly untrue and the rear brake needing centring, the Aquila was ready to go; with a few minor adjustments to the seat height I was ready to go.

The Ride
I spent more than eighteen hours aboard the Aquila over the course of sixteen rides. I was impressed with the handling, the bike is happy to change direction quickly without wanting to fight me or throw me too far off line on rough corners, the stiff frame and alloy fork meant good acceleration, though this meant a fair bit of road noise came through. You can certainly feel the bumps in the road. Everything worked well together, the front friction and rear SIS thumb shifters have improved greatly since my last meeting with them, clicking up and down without hesitation or odd noises.

Braking was average at best, not scary but it paid to think and look ahead. Off pavement is not really recommended on the 23mm tyres fitted, but for the short sections you have to ride when linking paths here and there, keeping the speed down and choosing a good line will keep you flowing. I only suffered one flat with the supplied Kenda Koncept 700×23 tyres, but I can’t blame them, most if not all 23mm tyres would have pinch flatted in that new pothole I discovered the hard way. The rear wheel laughed at it and spun true for the rest of my time aboard.

Components
The TIG welded 6061 aluminium alloy frame and fork looked the goods with neat and even beads at all joints, only slightly let down by a few rough spots in the paint that were only noticeable under close scrutiny. The wheels are fairly heavy, Rainbow rims laced to 36 hole Quando loose ball hubs with generic 2.00mm black spokes. They stood up well for the test, finishing up as tight and true as they started, despite my best efforts to loosen off spokes with a bit of gutter jumping and pothole crashing. The components were a mixed bag, consisting of AO50 and 2300 mechs and Tourney thumb shifters with the Prowheel 42/52 crankset and 11-28 7 speed Shimano cassette; overall the components worked well together. I experienced a few missed shifts and the only time it got at all noisy was in heavy rain, which is to be expected from any bike. I thought the unbranded dual pivot brakes were a bit flexy to be honest with average modulation but acceptable stopping power.

The rest of the components, consisting of Zoom stem and seatpost, Vader branded saddle and no name handle bar all did the job designed with no complaints from any part of my body until it found the grips. The grips were too thin, too hard and too slippery for my liking, spend a few extra dollars on something that will make your ride easier and a little more pleasant. 

Reid Cycles Aquila Specifications

Warranty
The warranty isn’t the same for all of the models Reid Cycles has on offer. The warranty for the Aquila is 12 months on parts and frame, naturally crash damage or misuse of the product isn’t covered. I would suggest discussing the warranty with Reid Cycles before purchasing; ensure that you have the same understanding as them when deciding to finalise the purchase.

Overall Impressions
I was impressed with the Aquila as a low budget package, as were many of the people I spoke to after commenting on my “new bike” plus there was unanimous approval for the looks.

The Reid Aquila would be a good choice for someone looking for a decent bike at a competitive price; it ticks all the boxes for a budget flatbar road bike at $390. If I decided to purchase one myself I would use it as a rain bike, the standard stock parts aren’t going to last forever so I would suggest replacing the stock parts with entry level Shimano parts (Sora) when the time is right.

If you’re a budget conscious rider then a Reid bicycle may be right for you. The brand is growing and you can find Reid Cycles in North Melbourne to have a closer look at the bikes or on the web: www.reidcycles.com.au

Review by Shaun Thompson
Co-Author Rowena Scott

29ers have been on the fringe of the mountain bike scene for a few years, now they are almost mainstream – all of the big MTB brands have 29ers in their 2011 range. These big wheeled bikes have been the subject of vigorous discussion recently on the BNA Cycling Forums. Between steel, aluminium, titanium and carbon fibre, the Frame Material Wars seem to have had a temporary ceasefire, though no armistice has yet been signed. And belt drive is still so new that most people look at me blankly and ask “What did you just say?”

So when the chance to review the Spot Rocker came, I was excited. It was going to answer a lot of questions. Would steel actually be real? Would the 29″ wheels just roll over anything in sight? Would the belt drive go the distance, or would my legs win? Would singlespeed rule over gears?

The Bike
It’s immediately obvious the Spot Rocker is not your run of the mill mountain bike. Firstly, the bulky frame tubes we are all so accustomed to seeing are missing. In their place are relatively slender tubes reminiscent of the days of old when steel ruled the roost for frame construction.

Secondly, the wheels: they’re huge. The proportions made the Large frame size I rode look like a Small. Next to our 26″ dual-suspension bikes and my 700x23c commuter, and it was enormous. My teenage son dubbed it “The Horse”.

The usual crowd of chainrings on the front and the forest of sprocket teeth up the back are? missing. No derailleurs either. In fact there isn’t even a chain.

In the place of the usual whirligig of gears is a simple Gates Carbon Drive toothed belt. No sharp-toothed cogs, rather ‘sprockets’ that seemed to be half air, these gaps grab the ‘teeth’ in the belt itself. The belt drive was probably the most controversial component on the bike, a couple of fellow riders speculated about higher friction levels and a skipping drive train under load. Trail testing would soon tell the truth on those claims.

Belt drives pose special challenges to frame builders: it is not possible to break and rejoin belts like we are accustomed to do with a chain. The Polyuerathane and Nylon compounds of the belt cover carbon fibre bands that run the length of the belt. The Spot overcomes the difficulty of a non-breaking belt with a neat and strong bolt-together joint at the junction of seat and chain stays, on the drive side. Removing the rear wheel to change a tyre is also much simpler than on chain-driven single speeds with rear-facing dropouts. The Spot has vertical dropouts that integrated with the belt tensioning system and the disc brake calliper mounts.

A benefit of this arrangement is that regular external bearing cranks can be used. On the test bike Shimano LX were fitted.

On the Truvativ Noir Low-Rise carbon handlebars were a pair of Avid Elixir brakes and a lockout lever for the fork. A very nice Rockshox Reba 29er dual air fork performs the front suspension duties providing 100mm of plush travel. The handlebar fitted for the test was a light and stiff Truvativ Noir low-rise carbon unit, mated with Spot’s excellent infinitely height-adjustable stem. Grips are blue foam ESI Chunky Silicone and a FSA SLK carbon seatpost and white Selle Italia SL saddle looked after the back end.

The Ride
On the first time out on this bike the immediate sensation was of being perched up high, instead of being “in” the bike and part of it. The combination of 3″ larger front wheel, riser stem and riser bar felt a little awkward. While this upright position was great for descending I found it unsettling when the track got twisty, and it affected my confidence negotiating fast direction changes and selecting the line through slow tricky technical trail sections.

The first attempt at the rocky roll-down near the Manly Dam Hydraulics Lab resulted in getting way off line and what must have been an amusing-looking over-the-bars clipstack.

Flipping the stem dropped the bar down and the bike immediately felt more balanced. A flat cross-country bar would have improved handling even more.

Despite the Crossmark tyres being a poor match for the wet and greasy conditions, the Spot Rocker performed well in the corners, the longer tyre contact patch that the larger wheel generates providing more grip than I expected.

This extra grip was particularly noticeable on the climbs. As the gradient steepens, you no longer have the option of sitting and spinning. With a singlespeeder you must stand up out of the saddle and grind. Normally this translates to instant wheelspin over loose rocks and dusty hardpack. Though with the Spot Rocker it just seemed to catch traction again, after spitting out the occasional rock, and keep going. Locking-out the fork with the handlebar lever became second nature whenever the track tilted upwards, and I found myself flying past guys on geared bikes as I sought to maintain momentum and a sustainable cadence. The big wheels just flowed over the bumps.

Of course this soon cames to an end about a third of the way up Manly Dam’s Heartbreak Hill. It doesn’t matter how strong you are, with a singlespeeder you will eventually have to walk some trail sections. The guys on geared bikes spun their way past, but were eventually beaten themselves by the last water bar. I caught them again a kilometre or so later at the start of the medium climb up to 19th Hole. By the time I reached the turnoff they were no longer in sight behind me, though the heart rate let me know maintaining cadence had its price.

It did feel odd at first that my thumbs had nothing to do, and I kept trying to push down on the brake levers to change gears more than a few times until I remembered that I had to spin a bit faster on the downhills and harden up going uphill.

Climbing out of the saddle with the fork locked just seemed really natural, and when necessary lofting the front wheel up onto the top of tree roots and rock step-ups happened without needing to think.

Even in very wet conditions, the belt drive worked really well. When tightened to the tension indicated on the supplied tension gauge, there were no problems whatsoever. One of the test rides was particularly wet and muddy (you will notice this on the photos). Anything caught by the belt was simply squeezed like vegemite through the holes between the cog teeth, and spat out. It spins up to speed really well, and the feather weight of the belt more than makes up for the extra rotating mass of the bigger wheels. As to extra rolling friction, I didn’t notice any.

The belt drive does require attention to tensioning. Neglecting it won’t send you over the bars or result in lost belt teeth, but the tendency of the belt to “ping” if not quite tight enough was a little disconcerting until I learned what it meant. With the supplied gauge and two Allen keys, setting tension is at most an easy two minute job before the start of the ride.

The 39/24T gear ratio was excellent for most of the trail, but it does work your legs hard on the climbs. The high demand it places on your cardio system takes some time to adapt to, and forces a change in your riding style. You soon learn to stay off the brakes and focus on maintaining momentum – which is what we should be doing anyway if we want to go fast.

The Spot hub and freewheel had a quick takeup which came in handy when ratcheting over technical trail sections.

The combination of steel frame, big wheels and carbon seat post I loved. It really took the sting out of the trail bumps, and it just ate up the rock garden section of the Wakehurst Parkway singletrack as I reeled in a couple of guys in dual-suspension 26ers.

The Rockshox Reba Dual Air fork was smooth with great small-bump compliance. The thumb-operated lockout was convenient, removing the need to take a hand off the bars and feel around for a lever on the fork crown. The fork however is somewhat flexy, the combination of big wheels, flexy stanchions and 9mm quick release axle had a noticeable impact on steering accuracy through the rough stuff. A 15mm or 20mm through-axle fork would go a long way to addressing this and making the most of the responsive geometry.

The Verdict: One Ring to Rule Them All?
I really enjoyed myself on this bike. Far from being a retro eighties throwback thing, I can see that steel frames have a firm place in the current market and I found the ride qualities very attractive. So attractive in fact that – fitted with a 27 or 30-speed transmission – I can see myself getting one for enduro racing.

The 29 inch wheels offered a noticeable improvement in the rolling resistance. This was most obvious when the trail got choppy. The Spot Rocker just seemed to flow over the bumps, and climbing and cornering traction was outstanding.

The belt drive does require a little attention to accurately set the tension. On the plus side is the much lower rotating mass (no gears), an excellent tolerance to  mud, and a silent ride. Plus, you’ll never have to lube your drivetrain again, just hose it off. It makes for the perfect wet weather bike.

Does one gear rule them all? I’m not sure about that yet. With time I reckon I could get to enjoy it. The intensity would certainly push my fitness to a new level – although on my late forties legs that might take a little while. It’s a very different style of riding to what most are used to and I can see why it has such a strong following.

What I am sure of is that if singlespeed is your thing, the Spot Rocker is a great ride.

The Highlights
- Low rolling resistance in the rough
- Very comfortable ride

The Lowlights
- Needs flat bars
- Stiffer fork needed

Spot Bikes are available in Australia from Black Mountain Sports www.blackmountainsports.com.au. The Spot Rocker frame alone retails for $1695 and the bike as tested retails for $3995. A Trail-build version is available for $2995.

They also carry Carver Bikes and together with the Spot Bikes, you will find a comprehensive range of 29ers, 650B (27,5″) and Belt Drive MTBs.

The Taga, as was demonstrated to us at Ausbike, it has five different positions; 3 in stroller and two in tricycle mode – basic bike and stroller mode, rain cover bike and stroller mode, bags bike and stroller mode allowing you to carry a picnic with you, side second child seat bike mode and stroller mode.

The Taga can also be converted to fit a child’s car seat all of which can be converted in 30 seconds to any of the five modes.

The Taga is made out of 6061 aluminum, with a Shimano Nexus 3 speed internal gear hub and it rolls on 16″ wheels fitted with disc brakes and a Nexus roller brake. To secure your child in the Taoga there is a 5 point safety harness to strap them in.

Other extras available for your Taga include a second child seat much like a double pram. A wooden shopping basket to carry your groceries. A removable seat with quick release for when it’s a tricycle and a set of sleds for the snow season.

Although it’s sold as a fold up child transporter, which you can put in the back of your car, at 20-29kgs that’s not really a option for daily transport by a parent.

All of this comes at a cost though, at $2295 for the chassis and child seat without any optional extras.

During the quick trial we had, it was stable, stopped well and relatively easily to convert – although we aren’t sold on the sled idea in Australia!

The Taga is distributed in Australia by Instyle Ventures. For more information visit www.tagabikes.com