Things I like: the Kona Africabike

interesting bike, although I can't help feeling that the Ute has a bit more capability as a load carrier.

true enough, but it is more than twice as costly. and you don't get a basket thrown in

we're hoping to get the UTE in for testing too, so watch this space. in the meantime i'm glad to report that the africabike made it up the hill just fine. slowly, but without undue fuss. certainly i was a lot less tired than when i attempt it on a singlespeed or a fixed...

it would interesting to find out how many of them have actually gone to Africa?

Dave, we should have a race, TT the Africa Bike and Ute up your commute hill with a combination of luggage.

Perhaps build the Worlds heaviest bike?

i made a nice rear seat out of some 9mm ply over the weekend, daisy (4) loves riding around on the back

42lb eh? The same weight as the Flying Pigeon (http://bikeportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/pigeonbig.jpg) which I so singularly failed to find and ride in China. I wonder if the Africabike is as adept at pig carrying ... that's the reason for the double crossbar

coaster brakes - ha! vienna citybikes have them and I went flying over the handlebars trying to mount a kerb

Hey Dave, my girlfriend wants to know what the front basket looks like? I think I may have persuaded her to get one of these rather than a Pashley Princess.

The front basket is a square wire affair. you can fold it all up flat and it's spring loaded, so when you undo the catch it flings itself into basket shape in amusing fashion. Just another reason to like it

A Pashley Princess is a beauty to behold though, I really wanted to get Mrs. DaSy one just so I could justify a Roadster Sovereign to go with it.

She eventually decided against it, much to my dismay!

So, what you're saying is "heavy bikes can go up hills too"?

Seeing as the Velorbis Scrap Deluxe is a positively trim 38 lbs, I reckon I'll be flying up the climbs if/when I get hold of one.

Of course, that does make me rather shallow and fashion-conscious as the Africabike is less than half the price of the Velorbis

yup, i'm a heavy bike convert. and yup, you're a fashion victim. just think of the good you'd do if you bought an africabike instead. for every two they sell, they donate one to HIV/AIDS projects in africa...

anyway, the velorbis is only 17.9kg. that ain't heavy...

just so long as they don't air drop them in… an Africabike on the head has got to hurt

Yep, the 2-for-1 scheme is another reason to feel the weight (ha!) of expectation. I would feel really guilty spending more money on a bike that would help Africa infinitely less...