BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The number of women cycling is supposed to be a good indicator of how cycle-friendly a city is. Another indication is the number of cargobikes, especially those carrying children. On both counts, London is doing rather well. The new Giant-owned store at St. Paul’s in London has a large and dedicated women’s section and Roman Magula has opened London Green Cycles, specialising in cargobikes.
London Green Cycles is in Camden, in what was formerly a florist. A service road at the rear of the shop can be used as a quick test track and, for longer test rides, Regent’s park is just two streets away.
Magula was formerly of cult London shop Velorution, when it was run by Andrea Casalotti. He was with Velorution for almost ten years. Velorution imported Christiania cargobikes from Denmark. Casalotti believes there are up to 800 cargobikes in London, across all brands.
London Green Cycles has been trading out of a kitchen in south London for a year; the new premises will allow Magula to attract certain cargobike brands which may have been wary of the kitchen approach. Currently the shop stocks bikes from Christiania, Douze, Bakfiets and Bicicapace, with Cycles Maximus coming on board soon.
“Cargo bikes represent a shift into whole new areas that were previously dominated by vans," said Magula.
Store manager Chandra Southall said: "Cargobikes can cut through congested traffic and a growing number of companies see the business sense of using cargobikes, for speed as well as for marketing."
Stock and spares for the new shop were carried across London by a fleet of cargobikes, as shown by this photograph.
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Pic shows Roman Magula pulling a pint of Kernel table ale via a beer bike (Kernel is a three year old microbrewery which, of course, has a cargobike). Behind, on a Christiania, is Chandra Southall .
