Hi from SoCal / OC

[ixalopolis]

Hi from Irvine. I’ve been cargo biking for about 5 years. I may be the only person to import a bakfiets *to* the Netherlands. But I brought more back with me so maybe that nets out?

Some photos of my Yuba and Urban Arrow:

 

[Nacho Bikes]

Welcome!


How have you like the Yuba bike? I’ve seen those available locally to me in AZ and may consider one in the future.

 

[ixalopolis]

So, mine is an older Supermarché, and I got it at a time when fewer cargo bikes were available in the U.S. in general. My major comparison point is going to be the Urban Arrow I got in the Netherlands.

My take on it is "good, not great" but for the money I would want "great".

Things I like:

• Geometry and stock groupset are pretty nice. It's more like an American hybrid bike than a Dutch cruising bike.
• It's light (compared to the Urban Arrow e-bike).
• It's sturdy - has required very little maintenance in the time that I've had it.

Dislike:

• Box size & comfort - it was fine when my kids were smaller, but now that they're bigger (6 and 11) it's not comfortable for them. The urban arrow was more comfortable for them in general, too.
• Handling - the steer-by-wire stuff has never felt as solid as having a steering rod. The front wheel tends to wobble on some conditions. I learned to work around it over time.
• The frame - there's some quirky stuff about the frame. It's hard to find panniers that work for it, I needed to get an adapter for the Yepp seat I had been using in the back, there's no café lock (Yuba sold this weird pin lock thing as an alternative).
• Parking - It's a big bike. The Urban Arrow is big too, but - since it has a Gates belt drive - I was able to park it outside in rain-soaked Amsterdam and not worry about it.

All of that stuff is workable but I think if I were to get another bakfiets I'd look elsewhere.