Elephant bike - shopping capacity

[Dwn]

I’m pretty cautious about overloading. Back when the children were small we had seats on the back of our bikes. My wife, who didn’t cycle much anyway, lost her balance going round a corner with the youngest on the back. Luckily for our daughter a parked car stopped the fall. Less luckily, we had to pay for repairs to the car door! A few days after that I bought a trailer for the kids and we abandoned the child seats.

 

[Juliansou]

Bit late to this party but a big shout out for the Elephant bike from me. I’ve added a box to the rear (front is my dog carrier!). With a cargo net you can get loads of stuff in - any more & I don’t have the legs for it! Hope you enjoy - great cause too!

 

[Juliansou]

Sorry - forgot to mention, a small strip of foam glued to the rear of the tray where it meets the frame eliminates any rattle. Used to drive me nuts too!

 

[Dwn]

Bit late to this party but a big shout out for the Elephant bike from me. I’ve added a box to the rear (front is my dog carrier!). With a cargo net you can get loads of stuff in - any more & I don’t have the legs for it! Hope you enjoy - great cause too! View attachment 575238

I’m intrigued by the idea of a box on the rear carrier rather than panniers - it certainly looks good. How does it affect handling when loaded up?
Also tempted by the idea of adding some temporary padding to my new Basil crate at the front and using it as a dog carrier. We have a very small Bichon, and it might suit her for the occasional excursion.

 

[Juliansou]

I must admit the box was bought purely based on aesthetics! however, I prefer it to panniers - simpler to use (just Chuck it in basically) but I would definitely go for a cargo net. I’ve not noticed any compromise on the handling - I think these bikes were built to take a load! I seem to remember on the website some pictures of the ‘African twin’ bike so loaded up you couldn’t see the rider! I think my legs will give up long before the bike does!
I have a mini dachshund & she loves going out on the bike. As you can see, I’ve added just some basic wire mesh for security & I have a lead attached to the box - just in case she makes a run for a random squirrel!

 

[Oldhippy]

Champagne boxes are just the right size for fitting the rack.

 

[HMS_Dave]

I missed this one. I have a bike of the elephant and it has carried well over 20 stone and it didn't care. I would feel confident with pretty much anything on it...

 

[palinurus]

I must admit the box was bought purely based on aesthetics! however, I prefer it to panniers - simpler to use (just Chuck it in basically) but I would definitely go for a cargo net. I’ve not noticed any compromise on the handling - I think these bikes were built to take a load!

I've found mine handles fine even when quite overloaded as long as there's something heavy in the front carrier. Sling something heavy on the rear carrier and a load of toilet roll in the front and it feels a bit weird at first. I like how easy it is to get started too- a little scoot, step through the frame and go.

 

[Dwn]

New crate and old panniers now cable tied to the racks. I’ve added some ROK straps rather than a net, and it seems to work well fo my needs.

Looking forward to first big shopping trip (not a sentence I ever thought I’d type).

 

[Oldhippy]

That looks fabulous.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

It looks ace. I think I need to find someone around Manchester with one that I can test ride as I really think I want one of these.

 

[Dwn]

It looks ace. I think I need to find someone around Manchester with one that I can test ride as I really think I want one of these.

They are surprisingly smooth to cycle - although hills are harder work. I used Strava to check my speed on the way back from the shops today and 16mph was easy on the flat (I am not a speedy cyclist). I’d definitely recommend if someone was looking for a cheap (and small) version of a cargo bike.

 

[Dwn]

This is a bit off topic, but I wondered what people did about locking up their elephant bike? I’ve been using an Abus folding lock that I normally carry on my road bike, but the frame shape makes that a little awkward. I do have Kryptonite chain and U locks, but that weights a ton and I only really use them to chain the bikes together in the shed.

I won’t be l leaving the bike in a high crime area when shopping, so wondered if a cable lock would be sufficient for my purposes

 

[palinurus]

This is a bit off topic, but I wondered what people did about locking up their elephant bike? I’ve been using an Abus folding lock that I normally carry on my road bike, but the frame shape makes that a little awkward. I do have Kryptonite chain and U locks, but that weights a ton and I only really use them to chain the bikes together in the shed.

I won’t be l leaving the bike in a high crime area when shopping, so wondered if a cable lock would be sufficient for my purposes

I have an Abus U-lock. Plenty of locking points, no real need for a separate cable or chain as the wheels aren't quick-release.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I’ve ordered one of these, and plan to cable tie it to the front carrier.

I generally manage to find these sort of crates by having a scout round any local high street after the shops have shut and all their unwanted packaging detritus has been left outside for the bin man to collect. You have to take what you can get though, it won't always be optimal.