Functional Elegance: The Small Haul by Frances Cycles
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.29.08
The Long John in April’s recent post on Five Cool Cargo Bikes reminded me of the wonderful looking Small Haul. This is an exquisitely detailed, hand-made bike frame that includes a vast cargo-hold right under the handlebars.
Joshua Muir, who crafts them in his workshop in Santa Cruz, Calfornia, describes them as “quick and surprisingly light.” The front basket is rated to carry up to 80lbs (36 kg) as indicated by the above pic of the Labrador. The Frances Cable Steering System is employed to ensure turning is nimble. Should you need to hump 200lbs (90kg) about the place, Joshua can rustle you up the heftier Cycletruck.
Frances Cycles sounds like a very TreeHuggery sort of business: “Bicycles are an argument for localism. I don’t own a car and drive little, riding frames out the painter’s in Watsonville. Most all of the materials I use are sourced within the US, and some in the Bay Area. My framesets are built by hand, one at a time, slowly. Bicycles offer a way to move around in the world without sacrificing the beauty and safety of our neighborhoods or the quality of our air.” :: Frances Cycles.
