in february of this year, a group of local cycling
cargo co-op
gathers speed by aaron pettigrew
top: aaron and zoey testing out an electricassist cargo trike at renaissance bicycle company on main. photo by miriam stuart. middle: diana testing out a trailer and recumbent combo on the ontario bike route. photo by miriam stuart. bottom: a cargo trailer. photo by ron richings.
BIKE ACCIDENT?
enthusiasts began working on a legacy project to honour the memory of beloved friend and activist Isobel Kiborn. This project, known as the Vancouver Cargo Bike Co-operative, aims to make a variety of cargo bikes and utility trailers available to Vancouver cyclists as a low-cost and car-free option for moving large loads. While the Cargo Bike Co-op isn’t quite “open for business” yet, it’s making great progress. A summer campaign inviting donations of the BC Liberals’ $100 “Climate Action Dividend” helped raise enough money for the group to begin building up a small fleet of pedal-powered cargo vehicles. And to that end, after much research and a few test rides, the Co-op actually made its first purchases last month: two high-capacity trailers designed to carry up to eight large Rubbermaidtype bins each. The trailers, nicknamed Isobel 1 and 2, are the first in what will eventually become a diverse offering of cargo vehicles, including two-wheeled cargo bicycles, stable high-capacity cargo trikes, a wide range of trailers, and even some electricassist arrangements for hauling really big loads. Along with sourcing and test-riding various models of bikes and trailers, the group is also working out some of the organizational issues involved in starting up a bike-sharing cooperative. There are still some open questions about things like how membership will work, how to organize fees, and where to locate lending stations. Answers are beginning to come, though, thanks partly to an online survey (cargobikecoop.org/cargobikes-survey) which helps to get input from the community at large. The Vancouver Cargo Bike Co-op is humming along quite nicely, but there’s still lots to do. If you might like to become a member, or if you’re interested in helping to get the project off the ground, please check out the website (cargobikecoop.org), where you can join the mailing list or find contact details. Donations (bikes, trailers, dollars, skills, whatever!) are greatly appreciated.
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