Can I Get a Ride?

After two years of working in Bugaboo infested Brooklyn, you'd think I'd be used to the crazy expensive stroller bit. Those families are pushing Swedish engineered machines that are no doubt, better able to handle rough terrain than my old '81 Chevette, although that's probably not saying much.

But then I get to Germany where these folks most definitely don't play around when it comes to their engineering/carpentry/robots of the future. I am constantly thinking about my dad (of German stock) who has absolutely no tolerance for anything that's not 100% solidly built. You better be able to crack your head open on whatever he builds; otherwise, it's just a shoddy job or in his words, "Mickey Mouse."

So anyway, these past few months, I've noticed a new type of stroller thing on the streets of Berlin. Okay, so it's not actually a stroller at all but it does transport kids. It's this bike/cart thingie that reminds me of those old school ice cream carts of the 1950s where the ice cream man is leisurely peddling down tree lined suburbia behind his fox o'treats. Anyway, every once in a while, I see some poor soul pedaling two or three kids around in one of these things and I am immediately depressed, knowing that such exercise at this point would most certainly throw me into cardiac arrest. But I'm not about to talk about my doughy midsection again.

A while ago, I was browsing through the Exberliner magazine when I saw an actual ad for these dealios which are apparently called transportfahrrad (cargo bikes). The ad goes on to say, "SAVE BERLIN! Get rid of the car and jump onto the ultimate family transport solution for urban living. A cargo bike let you transport all you need, the kids love it (which is more than you can say about car rides) and you save the planet at the same time."

Okay, first of all, this is clearly not for the "ultimate family transport solution" unless mom is sitting on dad's shoulders or vice versa like some intergenerational circus act. Secondly, kids often do love car rides. Or at least it takes them to Sleepyland which they probably love. Okay, maybe it's just the parents who love nap inducing car rides. Whatever. Getting back to the "ultimate family transport solution," why in the world would we want to stimulate these already hyperactive little beings with fresh air and changing scenery, making them all the more alert and chatty?!?

So anyway, underneath the ad's photo of the hip, but ever so responsible dad biking with five (!!!) kids in the cart is a list of different brands of these cargo bikes. You can see the "classic" model made by Christiania Bikes here which was also the cheapest listed at 1850 euros. The top model, the "Porsche equivalent" according to the ad, is made in Denmark by the Nihola Cigar Family (this family doesn't quite sound like the bike riding, healthy type) and it goes for 2650 euros. My fellow Americans, in dollars, this is almost $4000. For $4000, I would save my quads, buy myself another '81 Chevette and throw the kiddos in there.

Regardless, I am my father's daughter and cannot help but respect what looks like a solid piece of engineering. This is most certainly no Mickey Mouse crap.