3 posts tagged “harry”

The Dutch call it a 'Bakfiets' - literally, a 'Box-Bike'.  The English equivalent tends to be 'CargoBike'.  YES, it's easy to ride.  YES, it can carry a really heavy load.  YES, it has gears (8, broadly spaced ones, so good on all but the steepest hills).  And YES, Vievey LOVES it!

I got onto these online (through a variety of sources) and I've managed to become mates with the importer.  There's a photo exhibition on at Federation Square, all about Dutch Bike Culture, starting this week.  I suggested that if he lends me one, I'll ride it to Fed Square and park it out the front every day.  He was rapt.  (And so am I).

I picked it up this morning from Coburg, and rode it home (on the Upfield Bike Path... as I was a bit wary to ride it in traffic on the first ride).  It was fah-reekin weird for the first 3-5 mins, and then, it's just seemless.  It rides like any other bike.  I think it was more the very 'upright' stance that I had to get used to, more than the fact that you're riding a wheelbarrow.

After I got it home, Genevieve and her little buddy Harry had a quick ride (not a long one, as we didn't have a helmet for Harry, so just up and down the street).  Then, we did a decent trip, to the supermarket.

Genevieve absolutely LOVED it, chatting with me and saying hello to people and looking at things I pointed out "Look... there's a dog".  Certainly very different to having her in the trailer (or even in the car, for that matter).

We loaded it up with quite a LOT of shopping, including 10 bottles of ginger beer, and a big olive oil can.  Heavy load.  If anything, it was even more stable with the load. John, our next door neighbour had a ride too.  After a few minutes, he was loving it also.

I've gotta say, I'm really, REALLY impressed.

There was a bit of business, and pleasure, for the little girl in the park this morning.

The business was handing out brochures to help save the park.  As happened last time, the toughest person melted when they saw her coming.  Her saying "Excuse me man, would you like a flyer?" helped a lot too.  Their expression changed somewhat, once they read it and had a chat with Naomi or me.

The pleasure, was a bit of a play with her best friend Harry.