Achi news desk-
Cycling can get you far, but add cargo to the mix, and anything is possible, says Vélo Québec.
The advocacy group for cycling started a campaign this week to promote the use of cargo bikes.
“Not only do they slightly improve the pollution aspects of transportation, but they completely replace the car option for transportation,” said Magali Babron, spokeswoman for Valu Quebec.
The campaign includes a series of videos profiling families who have made the transition.
“We are able to show how cargo bikes can be an excellent solution for everyday transportation needs, including in the winter,” said Bebroner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWWMw1iXs6g
Lamar Timmins, owner of Allo Vélo, a bike shop specializing in cargo bikes and tricycles, said families aren’t the only ones looking to trade in their vehicles.
“So a lot of companies are now looking at cargo bikes as a new solution or an alternative to their fleet,” he said.
Some companies, such as FedEx, have added electronic cargo bikes to their fleets.
“They already have a fleet of 40 two-wheeled cargo bikes,” Timmins said, adding that the number is growing. “We help them with the big two-liter, three-wheeled cargo bikes. I hope it extends over the entire country and we see them like everywhere, roughly like what we see in Europe.”
While cargo bikes seem to be taking hold in the city, for Montreal cargo bike user Mathieu Murphy-Perron, they’re much more than a trend.
“I did my whole move on a cargo bike and that’s really when I fell in love with it,” he said.
The 2021 move required over 70 trips. Three years later, Murphy-Perron said there’s not much he can’t transport with his cargo bike.
“It can bring you your groceries, can bring your kids to hockey practice. It can do a lot if you want to not have the daily headaches of traffic and parking and all the fees associated with owning a car,” he said.
With a little tweaking, the bike is also baby-proof, he said.
“I just had a baby, so very soon, the baby will be on the cargo bike. We have an attachment that we’re going to put on the cargo bike that adds extra racks so that if there are potholes, they don’t get hit,” he said.
Vélo Québec’s campaign will run throughout the month of June. The organization offers advice on using and buying cargo bikes on its website.
