ShuttleBug, handmade in Portland
Discovery Channel’s Treehugger has named the ShuttleBug the best of the top 5 kid/cargo bikes.
Joe Bike searched the world over for an accessible, lightweight but strong, easy-to-ride family bike that any mom or dad could use to easily carry kids and groceries, in both security and comfort, in any kind of whether and over Portland’s hills. We couldn’t find the bike we could imagine, so we designed and built our own dream machine right here in Portland.
After putting the prototype ShuttleBug (shown above) through its paces, we find we’ve produced perhaps the best family/utility bike in the world, with these best-in-class features:
–a very light (under 55 lbs. total), nimble, stable, surprisingly quick and easy ride
–frame geometry designed with hills in mind, unlike the case with Dutch and Danish versions
–a safely secured yet easily removable steel cabin covered with tough water-resistant fabric, including soft but firm adjustable-height fabric seating and five-point safety harnesses that provide lateral as well as front-to-back restraints
–reflective piping stitched to the cabin for extra visibility at night
–pockets inside and outside the cabin for storing the children’s and the pilot’s things, from water bottles to clothes, books, and cell phones.
– The drivetrain is grease-free, nearly maintenance-free, long-lasting and rustproof, and features the silky smooth, precise combination of the Gates carbon belt and Shimano’s best internal hub, the Alfine, all calibrated to conquer Portland’s hills with aplomb. Weatherproof stopping power is provided by Avid BB7 disc brakes.
– The quick-release mounts unique to this bike let you remove the cabin in seconds, without tools or getting down on your hands and knees. So you can go from kid-carrying to serious cargo hauling in seconds, using the optional double-decker rack system that takes advantage of the same mounts.
–Finally, the Joe Bike Kids+Cargo attachment works the same way, but can haul up to three older kids and groceries, and even another adult and child. This means the ShuttleBug offers more than a decade of useful life as a people and cargo hauler.
We’ve also designed a rain canopy that keeps both the cabin and the pilot’s hands warm and dry, with no barrier between children and their mom or dad.
–The Alfine 8-speed hub will be giving way to the 11-speed in fall 2010. Nuvinci’s new n360, Rohloff, Nexus Redband, and derailleur systems are also available.
–Quick-release seatpost clamp so that riders of different heights can easily adjust the seat height in seconds
–Frame and cabin construction of 80% American, 20% German aircraft-grade chromoly steel, which is superior to the material used in almost all other bikes of its kind. We know exactly where the steel came from and exactly what’s in it.
–Despite its very light weight, the frame can carry up to 300 lbs. of cargo in addition to the pilot. The steel/fabric cabin can easily carry 150 lbs.
Production models will have several improvements over the prototype shown above, including a stronger kickstand, head tube, and fork; an eccentric bottom bracket; a tighter turning radius along with improved maneuverability for parking, both handmade and off-the-shelf rear-rack options, and a mounting bracket for a rear-wheel lock.
The customer has a choice of powdercoating in any color desired, along with color choices for the cabin fabric and canopy. Dyno-hub lighting, rear-wheel locks, custom-made racks, and a wide range of other accessories are available.
A sleek 6-lb. hardshell fiberglass/carbon fiber canopy (think two-kid sidecar, only not on the side), designed and built by Portland’s Ruckus Components, will be available soon.
These bikes were designed and built completely by Joe Bike staff at our fabrication facility in Southeast Portland. Our staff bring together design, framebuilding, and production experience from Co-Motion, Bike Friday, Civilian Cycles, BOB Trailers, and other manufacturers. All our handmade frames come with a 10-year warranty. The cabin and canopy have a 2-year warranty.
Customers who choose the Alfine 8 speed may upgrade to Alfine 11-speed at a 40% discount for this change within the first year of ownership. Likewise, customers who choose chain drive can upgrade to Gates belt drive at any time, with a 10% discount.
There are now three levels of ShuttleBug, with an economy version (equipped similarly to most other bikes in its class, but with the same frame) starting around $3,750. Please click on the button below for more details on pricing.
If you’re looking for Kirk & Allicia’s wedding registry ShuttleBug page, please click here.
