Even if your business uses cargo bikes for multiple purposes, you shouldn't have to buy complete stand-alone bikes for each of those tasks. That's the thinking behind the Cyclauto, which features a modular semi-trailer-truck-like design.
Made by a French mobility company of the same name, the Cyclauto consists of two connected sections – a drive unit in front, and a trailer in the rear. The drive unit incorporates the saddle, the front wheel, and a steering wheel equipped with front and rear brake levers. There's also a headlight and a gear-shift knob.
The crankset is built directly into the front wheel hub, engaging the wheel via a hub-integrated three-speed gearbox.
This means there's no chain, belt, or even a shaft-drive drivetrain. And no, there's also no motor.
The trailer connects to the drive unit via a pivot point located below the saddle and above the front wheel. This stacked design is claimed to offer a very tight turning radius and a shortened wheelbase, for better maneuverability and easier parking.
Importantly, the two sections can be user-disconnected from one another, allowing a single drive unit to be swapped on and off of multiple trailers as needed. Possible trailer types include lidded cargo boxes, open-top passenger/cargo boxes, rickshaw-type seats, food/coffee carts, and even tiny camping trailers.
The ability to separate the sections also allows for easier transportation of the disassembled vehicle in a truck or van. To that end, the trailer's tubular aluminum frame is made of two overlapping sections, which can be slid together to make it shorter as needed.
The Cyclauto first caught our attention when it was displayed at the Spezi specialty bike show in Germany late last month. We're still waiting to hear back about pricing, availability and specs.
Source: Cyclauto