Renée Gregory
Tim Staton shows off his demo fleet of bikes from WorkCycles, Bullitt and Xtracycle.
There are bicycles made especially for road racing, for mountain biking, for commuting and for long-distance touring. The geometry of the frames fits the purpose of the bike.
But when bicyclists want to haul things, they often go DIY: attaching a child trailer like a Burley to their regular bike, or sticking a milk crate on top of a back rack. Tim Staton, owner and mechanic for the Cargo Bike Shop in Madison, knows there’s a better way.
Cargo bikes are popular in Asia and Europe, says Staton, where they’re often a primary form of transportation. Their elongated frames can make them look a bit strange, like a contraption out of a Dr. Seuss book. But they’re made specifically for hauling, with a frame geometry and mechanical upgrades that enable riders to load up with “tons of weight,” says Staton, yet not feel the heaviness while pedaling.
Staton is customizing this Bullitt bike for 4 & 20 Bakery, with a local white oak box made by Baraboo Woodworks.
Staton, who formerly worked in marketing at Trek, Schwinn and Saris, says he found his first cargo bike when looking to improve the time he spent on a bike with his young daughter. In the standard child carrier, he says, “she was always smashed into my back, and we couldn’t communicate while on rides.” Staton found a bike made especially for transporting children from a company called WorkCycles.
Staton currently operates the Cargo Bike Shop, which he started in the fall of 2014 out of his garage in Maple Bluff. He maintains a demo fleet of the bikes he sells and customizes from three companies: WorkCycles, Bullitt and Xtracycle. Customers can take any of them for test rides. “I want people to get out and experience the different styles,” says Staton. “Everyone will gravitate toward a particular one.” Which style he recommends will depend on each rider’s purpose, what kind of terrain he or she needs to negotiate, and various factors of height, weight and physical ability. Some models have pedal assists, a small electric motor that riders can use to help them through difficult hills or just to maintain an even speed. “Everything I sell is a proportional pedal assist,” says Staton, “which measures your input and adds to it, according to the assist level you’ve chosen.”
There are cargo bikes that can accommodate seats for as many as four children. They can handle everyday groceries, or all your camping equipment. They can tote objects as cumbersome as Christmas trees. They range in price from $2,000 to $8,000 for a deluxe model.
Staton has customized more than 20 cargo bikes for customers since opening his shop. He’ll also modify any bike with assists to make it more commuter- or cargo-friendly.
And, he’s currently in lease negotiations for a public storefront. “I hope we can be open in March or April, depending on how things roll,” Staton says. In the meantime, see thecargobikeshop.com for more information or call Staton at 608-358-7112.
