Thursday 9 December 2010

Second Hand Madsen Cargo Bike for Sale

We have decided that 3 Cargo bikes is just two too many and are selling our Madsen Cargo Bike.

It's the 2010 model. It comes with the 2 seat bench and 2 seatbelts. It's done less than 200 miles, so is pretty much as new. It's had the new stand feet and bolts fitted. We've made the following upgrades:

Pedals replaced with Pedalite pedals containing LEDs driven by pedal movement.
Tyres replaced with Marathon Plus
Saddle replaced with Brooks B67
Added Twin Reelight RL500s at the front and Reelight RL500 with 2 magnet sets at the back (plus the extra RL500 we nicked the magnets from included)
Basil detachable shopping basket

You are welcome to take the OEM pedals, saddle and tyres. Additionally, it will come with a spare set of brake cables, gear cables and disc pads, a spare headtube badge, and a little Madsen branded mint box that came with the bike.

Additionally, we've fitted a Christiania 3-window hood. This was done by fabricating mounting points and using bakfiets.nl fittings. This solves the problem of waiting for Madsen's vapourware hood to materialise. If I do say so myself, we've done a brilliant job.


If you want to see more pics of the Madsen in use, the Madsen Cycles flickr pool is nice.

Including delivery, it cost us £1600. I am asking for £1100 including the hood (Cost £150 - been out in the rain once).

Alternatively, we'd accept £1000 without the hood, and £875 if you don't want the lights, led pedals, brooks saddle, or basil basket. I'd put the standard pedals, tyres and saddle back on. The bike is located in Cambridge.

Tuesday 18 May 2010

The Mummy Bike


My Mummy bike got an upgrade this weekend. I now have the buggy carrier and the bobike on the front with wind shield. It's all in preparation for our cycling holiday later in the year. Eli is still too small for the bobike but I love how they match and can't wait until he is a bit bigger and I can try it out!

Friday 23 April 2010

Geocaching


We took the kids for a bit of treasure hunting at the weekend. The sun was out, we are completely car free and needed some thing close to home and cheap to do with the kids....introducing Geocaching. We plonked the kids in the Madsen, rode as far as we could before the path got too bumpy, parked up and set off on foot. We had a great time searching for treasure, we managed two boxes and quite a long walk before little legs got tired and we headed home. Going completely car free might not be so bad after all.

Sunday 14 March 2010

Biking with babies


Eli is 4 months old now, much younger than Seth was when I first started cycling with him. Seth was 9 months old when I first took him out on my bike, he was a sturdy, crawling, cruising, solid little man and he went out on a wee ride fixed to my mountain bike. It was another year and a bit before he experienced the luxury of a cargo bike. The blog has been slow for a month because I have to admit to being a little nervous about taking a very little baby out on a bike. I wish I wasn't, I don't think I'd feel nervous about taking Eli out in the old Croozer, despite the fact that trailers flip, I probably wouldn't feel nervous about taking him out on my old 995, despite having come off in the past but for some reason I've had a mental block over the Madsen. After a lot of thought here are the reasons why I think I've been a bit nervous about taking Eli on the Madsen.

1. My first impressions of the Madsen is that it is a bit twitchy and whilst this was easily fixed with new tyres first impressions count.
2. We home made our baby seat as at the moment the Madsen is not set up for carrying babies or young toddlers. Despite the fact that our baby seat fits and is great, Eli's head is below the top of the bucket and he is strapped in a harness which is then strapped in the bucket very securely, there is still that nagging voice in my head telling me I'm no engineer and should leave these things to the experts.
3. Riding with kids generally can be a nervous experience, especially in the snow and ice we have had this winter. However, Totcycles article on Is family Cycling Safe? is worth a read if this is a major concern.
4. Finally, I'd been a bit cocky and not taken time to get to know the Madsen or have a ride without the kids in. Easy to do with the Madsen as unlike a Bakfiets it rides just like a bike.

So, this weekend I took the bike to a local spot and rode about a bit, leaning the bike, squeezing through small spaces, going as slowly as possible and then as quickly and just getting to know the bike. I'm pleased to say I had fun, and the bike lives up to expectations. I even got Eli in for a ride too.

Monday 8 February 2010

Accessorise!

Accessorise! Madsen is wearing Basket by Basil... I hope @mas... on Twitpic

Since we got it, we've added a Christiania 3 window hood, Pedalite LED pedals, a Selle Royal saddle, Schawlbe Marathon Plus tyres, Reelight batteryless lights, a bell, and now a Basil shopping basket.

Trackstanding a cargobike



@DrMekon (my husband) messing around on the Madsen. He says it's very easy to do, but then he's spent too many years messing about on bikes.

Out with the old


The old OEM tyres came off the Madsen this weekend and a pair of spanking new Marathon+ went on. They look great and have really improved the handling and ride of the Madsen.

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