What happened?

Apart from working end developing E-Mobility.pt as a reliable brand for electric bicycles, cargo- and commuter bikes in Portugal, we used our bikes a lot for pleasure (see illustration on the left-hand side) and for demonstration purposes.

We organized several presentations and let people try the difference of well-engineered bicycle solutions for daily use.

The Cargobix.com product range:

We tested the first Yuba Mundo bicycle that came to Portugal via USED-HQ from Germany. (We decided to have an own retail brand apart from being distributor for other brands - no brand development, no B2B, just selling a good product)

A first client was found immediately, (convinced by me – driving his family around..) others had already an eye on that multi-purpose bike from the US. Recently we delivered two bikes in the city area of Porto – we just banded them on the back of the Yuba.. Great cinema!

Like this, the Yuba Mundo – in it´s new version 3.0 – fits fine into our product range of sophisticated cargo bikes, that we already brought to this market. It was a quite logic decision to complete our bandwidth in that direction. It is affordable, has a reasonable weight and an enormous max. load. (up to 300 kg)

After the Gazelle Cabby - a more lightweight and stylish alternative to the old-fashioned and heavy “bakfiets” from Holland – we brought the Bullitt from Denmark, the fastest cargo bike in t he world – Tokyo CMWC championship winner 2009 – a frame made of aluminium and a steering and brakesystem – that – apart from winning races  serves for hauls of more than 200 kg.

To line up with standard dimension cargo bikes for daily use, we introduced the Heavy-Duty range from Gazelle and the stylish UrbanCargo from Bionicon.  Finally for people who are looking for a three-wheel solution, we have the Winther Kangaroo in the industrial version, a trike with the best and smoothest steering system available on the market. Made out of lightweight and durable aluminum as well, designed by the famous Bullitt designers. For us, a cargo bike should carry a load – but not it´s own weight, therefore (and for other reasons) we considered the brands above mentioned.

The Transformer arrived!

A mobile music unit with a set of 2 high-end amplifiers  to be used as a PA on bicycles – yes! That was a dream and will be a tool for our events in 2011.

2 x 600 W in a Kenwood active system, 12 V supply, powered by high-capacity batteries and mounted on our E-Bullitt with the famous BionX HT-Engine is a unique reference for this kind of equipment in combination with a cargo bike. The Bullitt carries 250 Kg and it is still “rideable” in an acceptable way. We had not yet the time to promote this fantastic toy in the way it deserves, but you may count with a “bang” in 2011! ..for sure…

Some impressions are already on Facebook…

E-Mobility in Portugal…

..will be one of the hottest issues in 2011 – as it already is in the rest of Europe ! Means: 20% increase effect on the bike market in Germany and other countries. What product brought this effect before? The re-creation of the wheel..

Therefore we decided to go for the distribution of the German market leader in that product area – the company Kalkhoff (Derby-Cycle Group) a company with a more than 90 year-old experience in bicycle manufacturing situated in Cloppenburg/Germany.

E-Bikes “Made in Germany”, based on three propulsion concepts:

The Panasonic center engine, the Panasonic front engine and finally the BionX rear engine in specially adapted bicycles, each designed for it´s purpose.

..and finally:

EUROBIKE 2011!

I am already on the departure, therefore this post will be continued on Saturday when the fair is over..!

1. We finished our UrbanMobility Exhibition in the center of Porto. We received a lot of guests, we did show (hopefully) to some of them, that “UrbanMobility” is more than just a slogan. And last but not least we sold some bicycles. I know it is an ugly, business orientated world, but someone has to face it. Or in the words of our good friend Bruce W.: “It’s a dirty job but someone’s gotta do it!”

2. We built up “The Transformer” Bullitt. The most outstanding music machine – made by KlaraGeist – that ever rolled on that part of the western hemisphere. This is not only a “superlative” – it is the truth, but please convince yourself. A 1.200 W stereo high-end mobile unit, that serves to entertain an area of a small football ground or up to 5.000 people. It is part of our mediabix.com advertising concept, that integrates bicycle based advertisement and spontaneous event sessions. As well mobile DJ´s or beach bars could be interested in such a tool. But independent from all this – it is just “cooooooooooooooooool” or in the words of a Portuguese bicycle magazine editor: “This is very beyond of everything I saw on a bicycle so far…” We leave these words without a comment..

3. We established our first retail bicycle brand, the Yuba Mundo. Why did we do this? Didn´t we have enough work with implementation of our own brands that we distribute? Yes we have a lot of work, but regarding that product there was no denying, we had to agree we with Dan + Bob from USED GmbH about the delivery of 3 test bikes. Meanwhile the first is sold and we realized that we were not wrong, when deciding to enlarge our range. The Yuba is an affordable way of using a transport bicycle in a not yet developed city area. It is stable, well designed and manufactured and it is a long tail cargo bike, a range that we so far didn´t recognized as a serious alternative. But we changed our mind and we must confess: Long tail bicycle transport is an option, even when you do not have the perfect structure regarding bicycle lanes etc. as f. ex in Copenhagen or Amsterdam.. and on top of all for a very interesting price. So here we ride our Yuba!

4. What else happened?

The world lost some great voices and characters, in the persons of Ronnie James Dio and Dennis Hopper. Both died of fu…ing cancer and too early for their families , their fans and their work. Let us remember Dennis and Ronnie with some samples of the greatest stuff that they left.

5. What´s new in bicycle biz?

A new city bike brand came up. Sports Nut went “nuts” and launched a new brand with interesting stuff, the CremeCycles. We were in touch with them already but now we will have a closer view on them, when we visit EuroBike in Friedrichshafen in September. Another great bicycle brand from Germany was seen on the horizon, Kalkhoff is entering business in Portugal seriously. We will come back to this after the summer.

6. Final news.

An American city prohibited bicycle circulation. What? Yes! Please read the whole story here.

Any questions so far? No! Nothing – concerning America – surprises me after that environment disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. A nation of professional liars,  gamblers and stupid managers and ahead of all a president who is not able to fight for his targets, that brought him into the position that he actually has. What remains, are the words of our good friend  Colville Andersen: Gas pumps are so last century!

Fortunately in Portugal we are not (yet) in the situation of this bike messenger from Berlin, who must use his Bullitt Cargo Bike under the worst circumstances.  Anyway – back to the topic: Since this year we have three Danish bike brands represented in Portugal: After the Bullitt Cargobikes – made by Larryvsharry – were introduced by E-Mobility.pt our  collogues ofCenas a Pedalfrom Lisbon made a hugh effort to order a Christiana – Truck – sorry – a three-wheeler from independent bike builders Christiana/Copenhagen.

BTW: Talking of “Christiana-bikes”…, These days I got caught by an international topic origin from NY Times, published for ex. on Copenhagenize.com and in local newspapers:

Christiana bike stolen, with 3 sleeping children in it:

A bicycle thief in Copenhagen got rather more than he bargained for when he stole a Christiania transport bike in the Danish capital when he subsequently found three children sleeping in the cargo box.

The children’s father had left them asleep while he popped into a shop in the city’s Nørrebro district, and according to the Copenhagen Post, as soon as the thief discovered his haul, he asked the eldest child, age seven, where they lived, and promptly delivered them to a neighbour.

The latter contacted the police, who arrested a 39-year-old man shortly afterwards, with duty officer Mads Firlings of Copenhagen Police saying, “he actually acted very responsibly once he discovered the children.”

So far to this serious but in a certain way funny episode. Perhaps it could had happened because of the non-transparent tent, that was fixed over the Christiana cargo compartment?

Or maybe it is just a symbol for the urgent need of cargo tricycles in European cities?!

To come to an end and clear up the secret around “Wint(h)er time:

At my visit in Copenhagen in December, I decided finally to step into that market too and it was just a small step from the Bullitt bikes (designed by the famous Danish designer Lars Malmborg) to the WINTHER bikes (as well designed by the famous Danish designer Lars Malmborg

We will offer three different models:

• The sophisticated Kangaroo three-wheeler that could carry 2 or 4 (!) children in the front compartment

• The new and innovative Wallaroo two-wheeler (based on the Bullitt cargobike) in a ladie´s frame version and 18 cm longer than the classic Bullitt

• An industrial cargo solution for professionals - A Real work-cycle, that will last and drive as easy as a two-wheeler cargo bike..

So.. stay tuned, I´ll be back soon!

And don´t forget: Always use a transparent cover to protect your children from the rain! (and from being stolen by hazard..

[Show as slideshow]

We started in October 2008 collecting information about urban mobility solutions, that are available in Portugal. This lead us to the conclusion, that a lot of work could be done and a lot of products – already available in the rest of Europe – could be interesting for that market to indicate solutions and practical hints. As we realized soon, there is a very active and courageous community in Portugal already working on the subject. There is a big movement in the society that comes along with individual transport, alternative vehicles and traffic solutions. But unfortunately no one out of Portugal noticed this so far.

We have many Blogs, we have a lot of idealistic bike dealers, activities and – last not least – we have a revolutionary bike rental and mobility concept for students! But this is maybe known in some parts of Spain and for sure to some individualists in the rest of Europe. But generally these facts were not so well known as they should be!

 So we decided to use this blog in the beginning as a collecting tool for links, sites, activities that are already known and practiced in Portugal. To tell the rest of the world of bicycle blogs what goes on in this country. Therefore the blog appears mainly in English. To let people from abroad be part of what is going on in Portuguese bike-scene. And to initiate – vice-verse – a interchange of information about bike culture and products.  Of course: PRODUCTS! Means, bikes, accessories, tools, services and so on..
Gotcha! Commercial targets! Yes! But not only for the things that we sell on www.cargobix.com. As well for everyone who feels free to present something really new or innovative or his own company. Take it as a platform and let us see, how it works!

Independent from this we are always looking for guest editors, who are interested in publishing Portuguese content as a additional feature for the future! Subscribe yourself as an author or send us a mail with your suggestion!

So far this Blog will link to other famous bike blogs in the world – I think, I already mentioned some oft them..

BTW: recently there was a famous bike race, that the World MUST have noticed! It took place in Copenhagen, a harbour city with not ANY curve in it! Would it be a real challenge to invite Marc from http://www.amsterdamize.com and Colvile Andersen from http://www.copenhagenize.com to shoot this out again in Porto or Lisbon?

Cities with a landscape to fall in love and some decent curves:

I will get them!

So far, take a look at this:

BTW: I know.. we are a little bit delayed with our shedule, but promised:
This was the third (and last announcement).. now content is following..