Photo: Jay Willett / WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Whether it be picking up a friend at the bar who can't drive home, or an extra pile of groceries that won't fit on a standard bike, cargo bikes can be a solution.
CargoB is the first of its kind to offer cargo bike rentals to riders in Jamaica Plan, Cambridge, and Somerville, with plans to open a station at the Seaport in the near future. WBZ NewsRadio's Jay Willett spoke to one of the co-founders, Dorothy Fennell, about the launch and tried out the bike himself.
The electric bikes from Urban Arrow are nine feet in length and can take up to 300 pounds of weight. Unique to the rental service, the cargo bikes let users decide how much they want the e-bike to assist their ride, ranging from "Eco" (the least) to "Turbo" (the most).
Photo: Jay Willett / WBZ NewsRadio
The bikes also come with a lock strap that can wrap around posts or racks outside local stores.
Fennell is a transportation planner and longtime bike rider around the city. Her husband used to work in the bike industry so the family had cargo bikes before they were around in a standard bike shop.
"There wasn't a reliable market for them in the U.S., so you really had to work hard to get them. We were having them direct shipped and adding batteries after the fact," Fennell said.
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But now, Fennell, her co-founder Zack DeClerck, and the CargoB team see a sky-high demand for the bikes, for everyday shopping, commutes, and recreation.
"If it fits in the front bucket, you can CargoB it. When it comes down to picking up the car keys or picking up your phone and navigating to the app, it will be more convenient for you to go ahead and reserve a bike on CargoB," Fennell said.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.
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