Cargo bikes are becoming a regular fixture of life here in Alameda, so this is the second in a series of articles about #cargobikelife. BWA caught up (literally) with Alameda resident Emilio Ramos at the ferry in SF to learn about his experience riding a Surly Big Dummy cargo bike, including ferrying medical samples across San Francisco!
Q: How long have you been riding a cargo bike, and what pushed you to get one?
A: Six years. I tried a bunch of other bike options first, like front-loaded seats for one kid, then front and back seats for two kids, but that just became unergonomic. I tried trailers and other solutions, then ultimately just lucked into a cargo bike.
Q: What do you use it for?
A: I drop my kids off at school in Alameda, then race to the ferry to make it to SF. I use it for everything actually, including grocery shopping and commuting within the City. I work at UCSF, so I sometimes travel from one end of the city to the other taking clinical samples back and forth. I tie them on using a bungee cord, and it’s way faster than driving!
Q: This is a traditional, non-electric cargo bike. How does it work for you?
I’m happy keeping it non electric. It’s the ultimate challenge, especially in San Francisco with the big hills. It’s just a personal challenge, and it’s really good for my mental well-being and physical well-being.
Q: Were you a pretty serious cyclist before?
Never. This is my only form of cycling, and I think that’s what makes it fun for me. It would be interesting to explore doing long rides!
Q: Do you feel safe riding around Alameda?
A: Yeah, I think Alameda is very safe.
Q: Anything you want to tell Alamedans about #cargobikelife?
Go biking? I wish I had known about it sooner. I really recommend exploring cargo bikes, especially for people with kids. It could be your first bike, and you’ll definitely grow into it over time.
It’s turned out to be really good for our family – my wife has an identical bike. It’s a car replacement, a gym replacement. And Alameda is very flat and an especially good place to start biking. We have a car but we don’t use it unless we go somewhere outside of Alameda.
