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..!

[A small step into history]

In 1996 Bionicon founders Andi Fesl, Stefan Albrecht and Daniel Kohl bought their first full-suspension bike and only half a year later they started to think seriously about how to optimise their daily ride, as they were not satisfied with the uphill performance.

The rising front wheel on uphill sections and a hurting neck drove them insane. Lots of brainstorming, doubts over existing products and inspiration from nature showed the path towards suspension travel and geometry adjustment as a way to optimise the daily ride, apart from simply reducing weight.

Step by step theories were developed, the first basic model was created in 1998 and many versions followed. In 1999 the development was shifted to a pneumatic link system.

It was more logical to adjust the front and the rear of the chassis simultaneously as animals do. More then 20 different versions were created in their little work shop in Bavaria.

On May 1st 2000 this technology was presented for the first time to the world of Mountainbiking at the Lake Garda Bike Festival. This was the point of no return and they found themselves in the centre of attention with envious onlookers from within the bike industry.

Winning the ISPO DuPont Brand New Award 2000 for the most innovative sports product gavetons of PR and drove them to bring this system into the market.

In April 2002 this pioneering product was finally available for everybody and the company was created… [Source: www.bionicon.com]

Meanwhile Bionicon has an approx. turnover of 2 million Euros a year, 20 employees in Germany and another 10 abroad. The strategy diversifys for other areas as well. The frame adaption patents are used by renowned bicycle producers all over the world, the company invests in high quality bicycle wear and started recently to support MTB- Tourism projects…

Join a small tour through Bionicon headquarter:

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Special thanks to Marco Toniolo, who authorized me to use his perfect pictures from an earlier visit a year ago. But they were so much better than my poor “drive-by-shootings” that it would be an offence to anyone’s eyes to use them in this article…

Alternatives? Do it with BAMBOO !

Anyway:

In April 2010 the brand new Bionicon TESLA will come to Portugal!

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..

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Toni Aematteis (Italian) e Sabine Knoll (German) started with 2 bicycles and three dogs in Italy to pedal through Europe.

They started on 22 of August 2008 in Ostuni (BR) and are are now in Portugal (near Aveiro).

This is what “Journal de Notícias” wrote today:

Pedalada para salvar animais

And this is their Blog to follow:

http://www.tonisabine.blogspot.com/

They are now on their way to Porto. I will try to contact and meet them somewhere on the way. This seems to be a real adventure. A stolen bike. A lot of help from strangers. Lack of money. Discovering the roads. The need of taking care of the animals during the journey.. and so on!

But so far they are having a lot of feedback, as well from Portuguese TV and other media. This helps not only the animals. This makes people think about a bicycle as a serious vehicle. So it will help our idea as well alittle bit! we should support them in any way when we meet them! How will join mee to look out for them?