The Pickup of Bicycles: Retro-Look Lightweight Cargo Bike

It takes a lot for us to call a three-wheeled pedal-powered vehicle “sexy,” but that’s exactly the word that comes to mind when looking at the LOCAL bike from Fuseproject. The urban tricycle was inspired by the Oregon Manifest Constructor Design Challenge, a competition that seeks to re-imagine the future of sustainable urban transportation.

The LOCAL brings back the breathless fun feeling of riding everywhere on a bike. It has a huge cargo area in the front between the two large wheels and a long, sturdy body that can even carry your surfboard to the beach. It’s not the typical intimidating cargo bike that feels like it might overpower inexperienced cyclists; it’s a more friendly type of workhorse bike.

The retro color scheme, sweet little headlight and manageable weight all contribute to an overall feeling of whimsy. But according to Fuseproject, this trike is like a pedal-powered version of a pickup truck. It does everything you need it to without being too overwhelming or too specialized.

Besides being really, really conspicuous, the LOCAL looks like it might be difficult to maneuver in tight spots. And if there’s one thing that will annoy you while cycling in an urban area, it is being unable to maneuver just how you want to. Still, we love the look of the LOCAL and the idea of a lightweight cargo bike that would let us run errands without firing up the car.

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See more in Bikes & Cycles or under Transportation. November, 2011.