Economical, Urban Cargo Bike

About

Brief Overview: The Donky project began with a conversation in 2006. Bicycle use in London was growing rapidly, but many of the bikes on the street seemed unsuitable for urban use. Typically cheap ‘mountain bikes’ with too many gears and no way of carrying anything. So the requirement was for an affordable, practical town bike. Thinking about the load-carrying designs from the Netherlands, plus the strength and simplicity of BMX components, a design started to take shape. The requirements were: Real-world load carrying ability: We would rather ride locally than drive a car. We need to move stuff everyday: groceries, plus all we need to carry for work and play. Ride-ability: Great handling and steering, even at low speeds through traffic and when loaded with cargo. The key is transferring the weight down through the frame without ‘hanging’ loads on the handlebars. Accessible price: If they can make cheap mountain bikes then could we make a utility bike at an affordable price? Not disposable: A strong frame and durable, low-maintenance components that can be repaired or replaced anywhere in the world. A bike for life, not landfill. Compact: A bike that can live easily in a Tokyo apartment or the hallway of a London flat. Simple: Easy to build, ride and maintain.   The bike developed as prototypes were built and tested. 20″ wheels were selected to keep the footprint compact. The square-section beam carries the entire load and offers a versatile platform for front and rear attachments. The frame geometry and gearing gives a relaxed, efficient ride. The first 100 bikes were shipped in 2012 and launched with a wave of enthusiasm around the blogs in the design world. This didn't translate into volume sales although we shipped bikes to individual customers throughout UK, Europe, Scandinavia and US. We continued to refine the design and specification with feedback from the early users. We identified that some of the most popular cargo items to transport on bikes are children. We had always intended the rack system to be modular and adaptable for different uses. A new rack was developed to be compatible with existing commonly available child seats and could be modified for other uses A small batch of the new racks was manufactured in the UK and tested very successfully. Now Donky could carry two children or combinations of child/cargo. Following rave reviews for the new design, the intention was for these racks to be supplied as standard on the next batch of bikes. We see a huge potential for Donky as a family transporter with all the advantages of the compact and manoeuvrable design.   Commercial 'Fleet' Market: Donky has supplied bikes to several businesses for local deliveries, for example London-based Poncho 8 Burrito Company. This is seen as another major growth area which Donky is well placed to serve as operators switch from cars and motorbikes to pedal-powered deliveries. Food delivery companies are aggressively expanding into and throughout Europe, and Donky bikes has a proven track record.