The Dutch cargo bike, or carrier tricycle, is invading New York. Two shops have opened in Manhattan and Brooklyn specialising in Dutch city bikes and the lesser-known cargo bikes.

Brooklyn au pair Sabine Asselbergs from Amsterdam said the cargo bike was indispensible for her work. Many remarks were thrown at her by Americans unfamiliar with this type of vehicle, known as 'bakfiets' in the Netherlands.

"Some thought they were illegal and asked me what on earth I thought I was doing," 28-year-old Sabine said. The cargo bike she used had been imported by the Dutch family which moved to Cobble Hill, Brooklyn about a year ago. Many New Yorkers indignantly criticised Sabine for transporting three children and herself on a bike without wearing a helmet. "And they also commented that it was unsafe because my bike could topple over if I overloaded it."

But people were curious and showed enthusiasm.

Delft blue bicycle
Sabine Asselbergs and her Dutch cargo bike were spotted by the owners of a newly opened bike shop in Cobble Hill called Rolling Orange, referring to the Dutch national colour. The company specialises in Dutch city and cargo bikes. Outside the shop both old-fashioned black Batavus bikes and garishly coloured cargo bikes are on display. The orange-and-delft blue vehicles are made by De Fietsfabriek (The Bicycle Factory).

The owner of Rolling Orange is a Dutchman, Ad Hereijgers, but unlike him the owner of another Dutch bike shop, Julie Hirschfeld, has no connection whatever with the Netherlands. She fell in love with the classical look of Dutch bicycles when she was working as an industrial designer.

"I love them, I like the riding qualities of your city bikes, and as the mother of three and a half-year-old twins I find the cargo bike to be the perfect solution," Ms Hirschfeld said in her new shop, Adeline Adeline in Reade Street, Manhattan. Around the corner in Hudson Street is what looks like a typically Dutch city cameo: a cargo bike covered in a protective tarpaulin, chained to the post of a traffic sign. The illusion is destroyed, however, by the frequent passing of the unmistakeably New York yellow cabs. The carrier cycle is owned by a Dutch family who happen to live over Ms Hirschfeld's shop and were among her first customers.

According to Julie Hirschfeld, "Brooklyn is more practical for cargo bikes than Manhattan, being quieter and more spacious. In Manhattan you're often faced with problems like not being able to get your bike into the elevator, or not being able to ride into the basement with a cargo bike. People don't usually want to stable their expensive bikes outside."

Now's the time
The cargo bike is making its mark in New York. Ad Hereijgers of Rolling Orange says this was the right moment for starting up his business. "New York's Mayor Micheal Bloomberg has promoted the building of reserved lanes for bicycles, so now's the time to market the product which we, the Dutch, are well-known for."

Read more: Dutch bicycles take the world by storm (July 2009)