With the widespread adoption of cargo bikes for last-mile logistics, transport standards are evolving. The real challenge for professionals is now reconciling increased delivery volumes with optimal protection for equipment, in order to combine logistical performance and reliability in the field.
However, for transport companies, artisans or manufacturers of cargo bikes, the choice of the box or the carrier attached to the bike is a real dilemma. The equation relies on a constant trade-off between volume, durability, safety and weight. Mathieu Eymin, manager of the company Velab (specialist in the sale and rental of professional cargo bikes since 2019) agreed to share his field expertise on this crucial issue.
1. Traditional cargo bike carriers face the realities of the street: a major challenge
Whether made of plywood, plastic or aluminum sheet, the traditional market crates are quickly facing the harsh realities of intensive urban use. In use, three major and universal constraints emerge:
- Excessive weight:
It is the number one enemy of bicycles. A too heavy case reduces the battery’s range, tires the delivery person or craftsman, and can even prematurely wear out the components of the cargo bike.
- The noise nuisances:
In urban areas, crossing paved streets with a rigid or metallic structure quickly turns into an acoustic nightmare. The box resonates and vibrates continuously (a real «resonance box»), harming driving comfort.
- Fragility (due to excess rigidity):
Due to continuous vibrations, potholes and descents on the sidewalk, a structure that is too rigid does not absorb the shocks. The shock waves cause the material to work, tire the fasteners and eventually cause the welds to crack or even break the casing.
To break with these limitations, Velab chose in 2021 to upgrade its fleet by collaborating with Bag PRO.
2. Lightness, flexibility and durability: the Bag PRO technological solution
By equipping about a hundred of its cargo bikes (bi-porteurs, tri-porteurs and trailers) with the boxes Urban Trail and Smart City Box (S.C.B.) With the Bag PRO, Velab has optimized the technical reliability and durability of its fleet in circulation.
As an engineer by training, Mathieu Eymin was immediately attracted by the relevance of the Bag PRO design:
«I’m quite drawn to the simplicity of it, almost like a folding origami, and at the same time extremely sturdy. The great compromise between lightness and flexibility is a great advantage. The enemy of the bike is weight, and Bag PRO has worked in that direction. »
Thanks to the use of technical and semi-rigid plastic materials, the Bag PRO container and box solution resolves the three dead angles of conventional containers and boxes:
- A featherweight for an optimized useful volume.
- Very low noise on the road, the plastic material naturally absorbs vibrations and rolling noises.
- Durable robustness: Unlike metal, which bends or breaks, the structural flexibility of the box allows it to absorb daily shocks and regain its shape without self-destructing.
At Bag PRO, the Products team intensively tests all solutions before they are launched to ensure maximum strength and durability. For example, the Smart City Box used by Velab underwent several tests during its development. Among them were 15,000 15cm drops (from the sidewalk) and 2 hours of continuous vibration (rolling over cobblestones).
3. Sustainability and profitability: an investment calculated for fleets
For a fleet manager, an independent craftsman or a manufacturer of cargo bikes, the choice of container is a direct financial leverage.
Beyond a competitive initial purchase price, the Bag PRO enclosures boast excellent resistance in an intensive urban environment. For professionals, this translates into real savings: Less mechanical damage means less maintenance costs and better availability of the bikes on the field. The investment is therefore quickly repaid by the long-term reliability.
In addition to this robustness, Bag PRO has made reparability a key focus of its CSR approach. Rather than offering disposable solutions, we design products whose components and wear parts are replaceable. In the case of cargo bike cases, these include the panels. In the event of a serious accident, this approach allows professionals to carry out repairs locally themselves, thereby avoiding the complete replacement of the equipment. By extending the lifespan of products through this facilitated maintenance, Bag PRO is committed to a logic of material austerity while ensuring companies optimal and sustainable fleet management.
Conclusion: «When you buy a Bag PRO solution, you buy serenity»
For Mathieu Eymin, the conclusion after five years of reflection is unequivocal: betting on a design that is pure and almost “low-tech”, but ultra-robust and featuring a highly reliable manual closure proves to be much more strategic than succumbing to the siren song of fragile onboard technologies.
It is the assurance of durable equipment that safeguards the goods and enhances the image of the professionals in the final mile.
A big thank you to Mathieu Eymin, for his testimony and this collaboration.
