Being different is hard. Being a female and different is harder. Being different, female with integrity, honesty and a mission is hardest of all. Respect.
@@BikeShopGirl Thought you might be interested in why bikes do not have covers to put over the chain to protect it? Since I tried patenting the idea, I do know it would work, if not for the fact that the gear and chain would last too long!
This is great, and the questions you raise are something I struggle with as a creator as well. My approach has been to avoid formal "reviews" of products and focus on other parts of cycling, but I totally value you, and the other outlets you mentioned, for knowledgeable and independent product opinions.
Arleigh, this was really wonderful. As a media outlet that has "gambled" on niche or alt-cycling since 2006, it's always great to see mainstream bike media "catch on" but then, as you pointed out, it can water down the true "soul" of it all. Thanks for your support of our site when you worked at Tern. It helped us through a very rough patch! Keep at it. Love these honest videos. xo - John
Before making a cargo bike purchase, I had spent a lot of time researching and comparing various brands and models. And I agree with you about content creators who do a "Top 10" list. I looked at them to get the spec's of the bike. When I had narrowed my list to 3 bikes, I have found it was the reviews of a buyer who awkwardly showed off their new bike that helped me decide which bike was the best fit for me in terms of features, costs, accessories, and if the bike will be supported in the long run. Due to costs, I had to sacrifice some features to get the most of what I wanted for the money. And this was my first e-bike purchase so I wanted to do it right the first time. Your videos helped me in making the selection.
This is a problem across all of cycling and has been for years. In the print days, the bikes that got the best review scores were from the companies who bought the most advertising space in the magazines, and now in the digital age, the companies that get the best reviews are the ones who give free bikes and/or pay the most to be featured on various media outlets. It’s become so much worse over recent years with the internet’s constant hunger for new content and brands working hard and throwing so many resources to gain even a few moments of someone’s attention, somewhere, somehow. To stay truly unbiased, authentic and uncompromised as a small content creator is incredibly difficult. You either have to rent, borrow or buy bikes from impartial sources which is often expensive in itself, then you have to invest the time and money into camera equipment, video production & editing, and then when that’s all done, you have to work almost full time to market your content across many platforms, going up against all of the resources and paid-for marketing from brands, as well as ever-changing algorithms. Another problem is that if you have a bad experience with a certain bike or brand that you review and then publish, you become a pariah to the industry and people will go out of their way not to work with you or block you from gaining access to other bikes or gear, so you can never really be truly critical of anything. It’s easy to see why influencers, RUclipsrs and vloggers follow the money and to be totally honest, I assume that anything I see from someone with more than a couple of thousand followers is an advert anyway. I commend anyone who is able to go the distance, stay relatively unbiased with their core values and is then able to somehow make enough money to live from content creation, especially in the cycling world. I hope you can find a way to make it all work, I’ll be following from Berlin!
Thanks for this! I've wondered about this and we definitely fell for a lot of this paid for sponsored content when we made our first cargo bike purchase. Initially the bike was fine, but over time it's just been problem after problem with components and electronics. That said, even with those problems we LOVE how it's changed our perspective on what's bikeable in our city! Please keep doing what you are doing!
Thanks for making this! I grappled with the same issues when I was blogging & came to the same conclusions--I didn't want to advertise, I wanted to be an honest source of info on Family Biking. I have never been that interested in making videos, however, which seems like the way to stay relevant. Glad that you're out here making great, useful content to help people make the shift to cargobiking!
It's really not much different in the camera world. Influencers get early access to cameras, take them around the block to shoot, go over the specs and that's about it. I appreciate Tony & Chelsea who have in the last year upped their camera game, putting major cameras in situations you'd encounter in real life. I'd really like to see something like that with cargo bikes, showing what it's like to go fully loaded with them into an uphill intersection, testing their kickstands in a variety of situations, how long does it take to reconfigure them for different uses or change a flat. Honestly, I'd do it myself on my Bike Stuff PDX channel if I had access to more bikes and assistance from manufacturers if needed.
Thanks for the suggestion, RUclips. Subscribed! 🎉 Thanks for the message, the depth and strength of character, the conviction, the goal, and the humility, Bike Shop Girl. 😌
I so admire your integrity. I never *knew* that most of those "best of" lists were bogus, but I suspected. It felt weird that the smaller brand products I had found worked best for me never showed up on those lists, but big-name brands did. I had to go pretty far down the rabbit hole to find those products, though. I look forward to the day when the less-obsessed are able to find this information easily. And I'm grateful the role you play in getting us there.
Thank you so much for being an impartial, sane voice in the cargo biking community. As a recent buyer (Xtracycle Swoop), my biggest issue with RUclips reviews of cargo bikes was their lack of objective comparisons, which made the reviews seem more like a feature list rather than an insightful piece for buyers. I’ll be tuning in frequently and wish you all the best.
You're really smart, authentic and technically sophisticated. I'm sure your channel will take off fast. Also you have really cute kids. That's not related, but I thought I should say it anyway.
I would totally support a patron if you start one. Your videos and information helped me learn about different cargo bikes and to decide to buy a Tern HSD. Thanks!
Influencer paradigm is pretty awful. RUclips is a tough ecosystem to be an honest broker in, for a living. I hope you find the right formula. You're a fantastic advocate having lived the cargo bike life and with unique mechanic's perspective. I wish advocate was a paid job, because you're great at it. IMO, all cities and towns, counties and states, need bike ambassador programs to move the needle and help drive the already momentous surge we've seen in some communities of e-bike adoption, become durable e-bike for transportation transformation. Maybe a role training the trainers, or helping cities form structures for that type of e-bike program? The best way to be paid for your expertise is to leverage it from those who need it for the benefit of the masses, rather than trying to eat off of individual viewer's contributions. It doesn't mean you give up the megaphone or these videos, but you compliment one with the other, sharing what you're learning about the movement doing that work, and keeping a high profile so that cities are fighting for your services.
I have a Raleigh stride 2 cargo bike. Watched global cycling networks videos about cargo bikes, between the stride 2 vs a car video and trying one out at my local bike shop I was hooked.
Funny thing with that bike is that, if I'm not mistaken, it's a re-badged Batavus bike. It is actually a good thing because Batavus is well established Dutch brand!
3:20 this is exactly how I viewed the gravel bike growth. Some few people pushed it, then companies pushed it, then it caught on everywhere. That’s my unscientific recollection anyway, lol! Good luck on this new endeavour. Subscribed .
I honestly thought that most people realize that almost all of these "Top 10" and "Best of" lists are bought and paid for and don't usually reflect actual testing, much less testing for more than 20-30 minutes, at best.
I love seeing this turn in your content! You've always been a voice for this little niche, but the change in your latest stuff has been clear and it's great to see.
I back this. I like to include my real authentic thoughts when reviewing a product. I’ve gotten feedback that my video was one of the only critical reviews of a certain bike. That’s how it should be. We shouldn’t be leading consumers astray because we’re excited to get product for a video.
Thanks so much for your candid view of the industry! It’s great to have an honest source in a sea of “paid for” reviews! My son and I recently bought e-bikes (mine being a cargo bike) and really enjoy taking them to the local Farmer’s Market. Would love to hear more of your thoughts around service, which has probably been the biggest eye opener after purchasing them.
Thank you for the peek behind the curtain. I’m glad that you decided to not go down the influencer path and that we can trust your opinions and analysis to be objective. ❤
Thank you for telling the truth about how much content has been manipulated by companies and influencers. If you’re stepping out into the forefront of this media space as an authentic voice can I make a couple of requests from you for videos? I’m a RUclips subscriber that watches every video you’ve put out since I found your channel. Would you please put up more content about how to get into this lifestyle for people on a budget? The dominating culture in bike stores and with online influencers involves very expensive products that are out of reach financially for many people and it keeps them from buying a bike and riding regularly. The amount of gear that’s presented in all of the videos makes it feel very unattainable sometimes. It would be nice to see comparison videos of different models in the same video such as a “new launch” and “budget version” side by side to weigh the pros and cons of each one. Thank you for your candor; I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us next.
Senior on a recumbent trike w/ tow behind trailer. My Levittown, PA is highly scalable to biking. Trying for 3+ years to spread the joy. I love cargos! If I rode sitting up, I would own one. Thanks for the insight. Definitely need marketing help here!😊
Thanks for your honesty. I truly think that ebikes and ecargo bikes have the potential to rewire much of the country's car-normative mindset but it will require a whole lot of work from a whole lot of organizations and people to do so. What I've been looking for and haven't found yet is the tip of the spear - some organization that is leading the charge, not only working to spread the word but also walking the corridors of local, state, and federal government, identifying allies, and lobbying for laws and infrastructure to help make this happen. A sort of LAB for ebikes and utility biking in general. Are you aware of any such organization? Appreciate your channel and content!
Arleigh, thank you for your help while you worked for Tern and while you worked for that company, I think you went out of your way to not promote the brand but to promote cycling as a car alternative for families unbiased. I have always appreciated your expertise, insight, and most of all love for cycling as everyday transportation for families. Thank you and continue to inspire me with your posts!
Another +1 for Patreon. Looking forward to the next videos on what the rest of us can do. You helped me decide and navigate to my own recent e-bike purchase and progress toward car-lite life...
Good talk. Please consider advocating and discussing lower priced cargo and/or electric bikes. There has been an influx of UL listed cheaper E bikes, and I am now riding one myself.
@@BikeShopGirl Velotric Discover 2. UL listed, the range has been very good so far, customer Service has been mediocre. I bought it a couple months ago when it was 1800, but now they are up to 2000.
Just earned a new sub. I do want to get a cargo bike eventually, but don't know where to start, so it sounds like you're a great resource. Wife and I (no kids) only have 1 car, she drives and I bike to work. My 2 bikes have front baskets, but I have gotten close to finding the limit on those baskets before. Having a cargo bike would possibly help me do a few more heavy duty grocery trips for cat litter and such without having to wait for the car to get home. : )
How 'bout a box on the back? I find way too many "I need to buy" ideas out there. It's like the guy who HAS to have a Ford F150 for the 2 times each year he hauls 4 X 8 sheets of plywood. The rest of the time it's just him and his lunch box. For the cost of a "cargo bike" how many times could you simply pay for the cat litter to be delivered? I have ZERO cars but both of us have "shopping bikes" with baskets in front and boxes in back. If there's something that can't be hauled with those we get a taxi or in some cases rent a car. We can pay for that a LOT of times before we get anywhere near the cost of a "cargo bike" or worse...an automobile.
I returned to cycling after I bought my current house. There's one way out of my neighborhood, and it leads to a 45mph, shoulderless, double-yellow, two-lane country road that sees a lot of motor vehicle traffic. On a road bike, I'm up for that because I can go fast and reach safer roads within a mile, but getting to places where employing a cargo bike makes sense would mean staying on that same unfriendly road much longer. There are indications that this road is about to undergo improvements, but that means construction, a worse situation than the current one. For purely safety reasons, I'm using a car for trips I'd rather accomplish on a cargo bike.
It's so sad that so much of the really valuable parts of the internet are hidden in the nooks and crannies hidden away by disguised advertising and paid placement. I respect your path. Cargo bikes and family bike caravans are over-running our local school drop off!
Brilliant. North America needs alternative to personal cars desperately. My small BC city has had an explosion of e-bikes, especially from direct to consumer brands. The local bike shops don’t really want to deal with these potential new customers, let alone help grow a safer future for everyone…
I know your niche is cargo bikes, but North America needs more exposure to adaptive bikes which are also large and need much of the same infrastructure that make it easier to move around with a cargo bike. If you have the capacity, as the mother of 2 adult daughters (nondrivers) using adaptive e-trikes to commute to their jobs and manager of a Cycling Without Age chapter in Maryland, I'd love to see stories about the many ways people could bike more and worry less if we had access to the "right" types of bikes. Thanks!
Thanks for speaking out on these lists. I ignore them unless I know the authors have put in real, prolonged time testing the product. They're pretty easy to spot when the bullet points on the makers site match exactly with the person posting.
Great outlook on the progression of bikes on our roads. Here in northern Colorado (foco) I see more cargo bikes and it's impressive. I do my part by demonstrating proper lane changes in the "green lines" at most major intersections here. Gotta keep those cyclists safe. One-less-car!
I watch stuff like GCN with a very critical eye knowing they blnow have to make payroll. So when they "recommend" specific brand, I go to independent review sites and compare to what I have today. Many times it's not worth the loss of time and hassle of learning new. Glad there are people who really want to remain independent. It takes "guts" no matter who you are.
As a fellow maven (not in the cycling sphere) who has bought 2 new e-bikes this week and is looking for solid impartial commentary regarding the mandatory accessories like helmets and lights, you have caught my attention. Your rational reasoned opinions are gold to me and rarer than rocking horse shit in post truth world of, what is in it for me. I bet that you just being you in your community has done more for sales of products that you rate than some self interested reviewer. I feel that companies need to hear from people that have relied on your experience in their purchasing decisions. Capitalising on impartial advise is tough but I wish you well.
For German Speakers we are lucky to have Tilmann from the Radelbande. www.youtube.com/@Radelbande/featured he has a List on his one with every bike tested and prooven with a Video.
Thanks for the enlightenment on this. While your video attracted me due to the bike-related topic (I am a bike commuter), I am guessing this is not just happening regarding bikes. I am an avid backpacker and I see the same "top X" lists for backpacking gear and I see all these lists look eerily similar and sometimes virtually identical. I cannot help but be really skeptical that these lists are real and objective and NOT influenced by money and influenced by those big/mega brands. I am guessing the big brands can afford to pay for the increased promotions and such so that they are on the top lists. I am a skeptic all around and you are validating my skepticism.
I dove into getting an ebike as my new special hyper focus interest a couple of months ago. It became pretty clear to me that it was all advertising. One channel has a comparison in between 3 folding ebikes, and somehow they are all equally winners. The part that is leaving a very bad taste in my mouth is the inclusion of kids. If every influencer is using kids to show off a specific bike, I can assume it's a requirement for the contract. Kids shouldn't be roped into pushing product and enabling influencer child content left such a bad impression of the brand for me.
The kid thing is interesting to hear. I include my kids in some footage, mainly because I ride with them all the time and to show off features. Is this not a good thing?
@@BikeShopGirl Honestly, I would ignore that comment about kids. There's always someone who is going to object to any sort of Parenting In Public, whether it's in person or in a video. The goalpost is always moving.
Thank you for the information. Because you helped us previously, I'd love you to identify cargo bikes that support special needs children or adults. The Urban Arrow you provided for us is great for our daughter, who is now 36 and loves going on bike rides. This is another community niche that can successfully utilize cargo bikes.
Completely agree with you. The bike industry is actually in crisis because people in management of the bike factories fell for the marketing or people trying to catch investors. All of the fairy tales were and are beyond imagination. I was critical about this on LinkedIn and actually got threatened to get sued. Keep up the god work and hope to run into you somewhere around the industry :)
Do Patreon, I would prefer to get content I want there rather than hang about on RUclips. Being honest is hard, being believable is also hard. You are doing both, so you should be very proud of that.
@@BikeShopGirl Just a few bucks per month or something right now. That's all that I can really afford. When I'm rich, I'll be able to be much more generous and really help out the content creators that I like. But not yet.
Your points are fair and mostly accurate as someone still in the machine that is bike media. However, (and this is genuine), if all the content creators and reviewers are doing their content for compensation (either direct payment or affiliate links), how is your approach different as you just said you hope to support yourself through affiliate links? I'm sure you have the focus and goal to be more honest but isn't it the same thing from the outside looking in?
Expensive and high-quality (1600+ Euro) ebikes are good only for a small group of people, e.g. those who cycling almost regularly 15 km in one direction. But even with this scenario you will cycle only 200 x 30 = 6.000 km, probably only 4.000 km (due to weather, you are tired, planned maintenance etc). My mother-in-law bought an expensive ebike, after 1 year she cycled only 600 km. Maintenance is expensive. Now I observe that more and more people are selling ebikes. Bought for 2000 Euro, bike is a bit broken, and now they try to sell for 200 Euro.
This was kinda frustrating. I still don't get why bike brands, especially ones that are non-sport-focussed, are looking to traditional bike media as a means to grow their audience with those who might want to bike for transportation, work, or non-competitive fun. Also (maybe this is a niche gripe) as one person it's SO HARD to film video of the school run. Throw in being a parent and having a job and where is the time to edit a video? That takes hours. And I'm saying this as someone who has happily been making bike content for 12 years. Considering how much work it is, it makes sense to me that influencers want/need to get paid to do the work that has real value to a bike brand. Are we really asking for content creators to prop up the bike industry with unpaid labor?
What I see in reviews is that there are not a lot of negative things they sa about them. "the seat is too soft, the brakes could be a little beefer," stuff like that. lNot that the welds are bad, the shifters don't work, the shipper forgot to include some bolts, the manufacturer doesn't have a web site or telephone number or anything to contact them for missing parts. Stuff that should be brought up in any review, good or bad. if they want jot be honest. But this seems to be lthe way of any review, "The better we say it is, the more money we make"
A very promising avenue that you’ve chosen to explore. Yet, I am hesitant about wanting to encourage more people to try cycling. Don’t like the Dutch model of riding a bike with bikes seemingly everywhere. When surrounded by bikes there’s little difference between that and being surrounded by cars. I ride to get away from car crowding-to go as slow or fast as I want without someone honking or otherwise being bothered by me. Cycling with a very limited number of cyclists around-the way it is now-allows for the precious gift of self autonomy, which is something we’d lose with hundreds of two wheelers everywhere. Besides cycling is a unique experience. Not for everyone. Cyclists are different in a good way. It’s a way to express our individuality. Please don’t try to take that away from us by trying to put everyone on a bike. I’m for cycling increases when people find out about it organically via word of mouth or simply want to do it to be different and get some exercise and save money. Let’s leave well enough alone. Ease up on the corporate intervention in promoting cycling. Let them make their money elsewhere. And let cycling be a natural thing.
"When surrounded by bikes there’s little difference between that and being surrounded by cars" You mean except for the noise, fumes, congestion and risk of death? Think about other people much?
I try to promote biking by providing videos of the routes I ride. If I can do it with one hand while holding a gimbal on an inexpensive urban hybrid. Anyone can.
It's a joke to read any review and take more than the most minimal information, and that's reading between the lines. I've known of "reviews" where the individual(s) had the bike for two hours (one to photograph and one to ride) and commented on the usability of the bike for touring (don't ask me how I know). One reviewer on RUclips "tested" 100 bikes/scooters last year. Ho, ho, ho!
Being different is hard. Being a female and different is harder. Being different, female with integrity, honesty and a mission is hardest of all. Respect.
Thank you!
I have three daughters. I know
😂😂😂
You could be male female or ‘other’, being different is what’s hard
@@BikeShopGirl Thought you might be interested in why bikes do not have covers to put over the chain to protect it?
Since I tried patenting the idea, I do know it would work, if not for the fact that the gear and chain would last too long!
This is great, and the questions you raise are something I struggle with as a creator as well. My approach has been to avoid formal "reviews" of products and focus on other parts of cycling, but I totally value you, and the other outlets you mentioned, for knowledgeable and independent product opinions.
Arleigh, this was really wonderful. As a media outlet that has "gambled" on niche or alt-cycling since 2006, it's always great to see mainstream bike media "catch on" but then, as you pointed out, it can water down the true "soul" of it all. Thanks for your support of our site when you worked at Tern. It helped us through a very rough patch! Keep at it. Love these honest videos. xo - John
Thank you!!!
Before making a cargo bike purchase, I had spent a lot of time researching and comparing various brands and models. And I agree with you about content creators who do a "Top 10" list. I looked at them to get the spec's of the bike. When I had narrowed my list to 3 bikes, I have found it was the reviews of a buyer who awkwardly showed off their new bike that helped me decide which bike was the best fit for me in terms of features, costs, accessories, and if the bike will be supported in the long run. Due to costs, I had to sacrifice some features to get the most of what I wanted for the money. And this was my first e-bike purchase so I wanted to do it right the first time. Your videos helped me in making the selection.
This is a problem across all of cycling and has been for years. In the print days, the bikes that got the best review scores were from the companies who bought the most advertising space in the magazines, and now in the digital age, the companies that get the best reviews are the ones who give free bikes and/or pay the most to be featured on various media outlets. It’s become so much worse over recent years with the internet’s constant hunger for new content and brands working hard and throwing so many resources to gain even a few moments of someone’s attention, somewhere, somehow.
To stay truly unbiased, authentic and uncompromised as a small content creator is incredibly difficult. You either have to rent, borrow or buy bikes from impartial sources which is often expensive in itself, then you have to invest the time and money into camera equipment, video production & editing, and then when that’s all done, you have to work almost full time to market your content across many platforms, going up against all of the resources and paid-for marketing from brands, as well as ever-changing algorithms.
Another problem is that if you have a bad experience with a certain bike or brand that you review and then publish, you become a pariah to the industry and people will go out of their way not to work with you or block you from gaining access to other bikes or gear, so you can never really be truly critical of anything.
It’s easy to see why influencers, RUclipsrs and vloggers follow the money and to be totally honest, I assume that anything I see from someone with more than a couple of thousand followers is an advert anyway. I commend anyone who is able to go the distance, stay relatively unbiased with their core values and is then able to somehow make enough money to live from content creation, especially in the cycling world. I hope you can find a way to make it all work, I’ll be following from Berlin!
You go, Arleigh!
Thank you!
Go girl! You and the rest got to stay on the move. Sustainable mobility is the broader term I follow online.
Thank you!
Thankful for your perspective! I’ve used a ton of your videos both for my initial research and post purchase!
That's great to hear. What did you end up with?!
Thanks for this! I've wondered about this and we definitely fell for a lot of this paid for sponsored content when we made our first cargo bike purchase. Initially the bike was fine, but over time it's just been problem after problem with components and electronics. That said, even with those problems we LOVE how it's changed our perspective on what's bikeable in our city! Please keep doing what you are doing!
That's great feedback. (What bike did you end up with?!)
Thanks for making this! I grappled with the same issues when I was blogging & came to the same conclusions--I didn't want to advertise, I wanted to be an honest source of info on Family Biking. I have never been that interested in making videos, however, which seems like the way to stay relevant. Glad that you're out here making great, useful content to help people make the shift to cargobiking!
Thank you!!!
It's really not much different in the camera world. Influencers get early access to cameras, take them around the block to shoot, go over the specs and that's about it. I appreciate Tony & Chelsea who have in the last year upped their camera game, putting major cameras in situations you'd encounter in real life. I'd really like to see something like that with cargo bikes, showing what it's like to go fully loaded with them into an uphill intersection, testing their kickstands in a variety of situations, how long does it take to reconfigure them for different uses or change a flat.
Honestly, I'd do it myself on my Bike Stuff PDX channel if I had access to more bikes and assistance from manufacturers if needed.
The camera world is so much worse, TBH.
@@BikeShopGirl how so?
Thanks for the suggestion, RUclips. Subscribed! 🎉
Thanks for the message, the depth and strength of character, the conviction, the goal, and the humility, Bike Shop Girl. 😌
Awesome! Thank you!
Good for you. I 100% noticed this and this is why I followed your channel. Looking forward to new content. :)
Awesome! Thank you!
I so admire your integrity. I never *knew* that most of those "best of" lists were bogus, but I suspected. It felt weird that the smaller brand products I had found worked best for me never showed up on those lists, but big-name brands did. I had to go pretty far down the rabbit hole to find those products, though. I look forward to the day when the less-obsessed are able to find this information easily. And I'm grateful the role you play in getting us there.
Hey Kendra! Thanks so much for being such a long time "online friend" and supporter.
Thank you so much for being an impartial, sane voice in the cargo biking community. As a recent buyer (Xtracycle Swoop), my biggest issue with RUclips reviews of cargo bikes was their lack of objective comparisons, which made the reviews seem more like a feature list rather than an insightful piece for buyers.
I’ll be tuning in frequently and wish you all the best.
I don't have a problem with this. I depend only on reliable sources, like Bike Shop Girl!
You're really smart, authentic and technically sophisticated. I'm sure your channel will take off fast. Also you have really cute kids. That's not related, but I thought I should say it anyway.
Thank you!
I would totally support a patron if you start one. Your videos and information helped me learn about different cargo bikes and to decide to buy a Tern HSD. Thanks!
Awesome, thank you!
Influencer paradigm is pretty awful. RUclips is a tough ecosystem to be an honest broker in, for a living. I hope you find the right formula. You're a fantastic advocate having lived the cargo bike life and with unique mechanic's perspective. I wish advocate was a paid job, because you're great at it. IMO, all cities and towns, counties and states, need bike ambassador programs to move the needle and help drive the already momentous surge we've seen in some communities of e-bike adoption, become durable e-bike for transportation transformation. Maybe a role training the trainers, or helping cities form structures for that type of e-bike program? The best way to be paid for your expertise is to leverage it from those who need it for the benefit of the masses, rather than trying to eat off of individual viewer's contributions. It doesn't mean you give up the megaphone or these videos, but you compliment one with the other, sharing what you're learning about the movement doing that work, and keeping a high profile so that cities are fighting for your services.
Thank you!!
I have a Raleigh stride 2 cargo bike. Watched global cycling networks videos about cargo bikes, between the stride 2 vs a car video and trying one out at my local bike shop I was hooked.
Awesome!
Funny thing with that bike is that, if I'm not mistaken, it's a re-badged Batavus bike. It is actually a good thing because Batavus is well established Dutch brand!
Looking forward to you having a Patreon link so we can continue enjoying your high quality, unbiased cargo bike content. Thanks!
Much appreciated!!
I need to retake my Substack. Your video will help me pick up my writing board again!
3:20 this is exactly how I viewed the gravel bike growth. Some few people pushed it, then companies pushed it, then it caught on everywhere. That’s my unscientific recollection anyway, lol!
Good luck on this new endeavour. Subscribed .
I honestly thought that most people realize that almost all of these "Top 10" and "Best of" lists are bought and paid for and don't usually reflect actual testing, much less testing for more than 20-30 minutes, at best.
I love seeing this turn in your content! You've always been a voice for this little niche, but the change in your latest stuff has been clear and it's great to see.
I back this. I like to include my real authentic thoughts when reviewing a product. I’ve gotten feedback that my video was one of the only critical reviews of a certain bike. That’s how it should be. We shouldn’t be leading consumers astray because we’re excited to get product for a video.
Thanks, Trent! It is great to see your work grow!
Thanks so much for your candid view of the industry! It’s great to have an honest source in a sea of “paid for” reviews! My son and I recently bought e-bikes (mine being a cargo bike) and really enjoy taking them to the local Farmer’s Market. Would love to hear more of your thoughts around service, which has probably been the biggest eye opener after purchasing them.
Thank you for the peek behind the curtain. I’m glad that you decided to not go down the influencer path and that we can trust your opinions and analysis to be objective. ❤
Thank you!
Thank you for telling the truth about how much content has been manipulated by companies and influencers. If you’re stepping out into the forefront of this media space as an authentic voice can I make a couple of requests from you for videos? I’m a RUclips subscriber that watches every video you’ve put out since I found your channel. Would you please put up more content about how to get into this lifestyle for people on a budget? The dominating culture in bike stores and with online influencers involves very expensive products that are out of reach financially for many people and it keeps them from buying a bike and riding regularly. The amount of gear that’s presented in all of the videos makes it feel very unattainable sometimes. It would be nice to see comparison videos of different models in the same video such as a “new launch” and “budget version” side by side to weigh the pros and cons of each one. Thank you for your candor; I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us next.
I’ve appreciated and trust your opinion since you had a shop in Denver. Thanks!
Thank you!!!!
Senior on a recumbent trike w/ tow behind trailer. My Levittown, PA is highly scalable to biking. Trying for 3+ years to spread the joy.
I love cargos! If I rode sitting up, I would own one. Thanks for the insight. Definitely need marketing help here!😊
More honesty, please!
Thanks for your honesty. I truly think that ebikes and ecargo bikes have the potential to rewire much of the country's car-normative mindset but it will require a whole lot of work from a whole lot of organizations and people to do so.
What I've been looking for and haven't found yet is the tip of the spear - some organization that is leading the charge, not only working to spread the word but also walking the corridors of local, state, and federal government, identifying allies, and lobbying for laws and infrastructure to help make this happen. A sort of LAB for ebikes and utility biking in general. Are you aware of any such organization?
Appreciate your channel and content!
Arleigh, thank you for your help while you worked for Tern and while you worked for that company, I think you went out of your way to not promote the brand but to promote cycling as a car alternative for families unbiased. I have always appreciated your expertise, insight, and most of all love for cycling as everyday transportation for families. Thank you and continue to inspire me with your posts!
Another +1 for Patreon. Looking forward to the next videos on what the rest of us can do. You helped me decide and navigate to my own recent e-bike purchase and progress toward car-lite life...
Awesome, thank you!
Spot on. I'm trying to do grocery runs by bike, or take a bus. I keep the car for emergencies, but these days we use it once a week, if that.
Cheers
Great work living the #LeaveTheCarAtHome
Best of luck! I’m on board.
Good talk. Please consider advocating and discussing lower priced cargo and/or electric bikes. There has been an influx of UL listed cheaper E bikes, and I am now riding one myself.
I have some in for review! What are you riding?!
@@BikeShopGirl Velotric Discover 2. UL listed, the range has been very good so far, customer Service has been mediocre. I bought it a couple months ago when it was 1800, but now they are up to 2000.
Spot on! I don’t like feeling like I’m hawking things - I just want to see more people on bikes!
Just earned a new sub. I do want to get a cargo bike eventually, but don't know where to start, so it sounds like you're a great resource. Wife and I (no kids) only have 1 car, she drives and I bike to work. My 2 bikes have front baskets, but I have gotten close to finding the limit on those baskets before. Having a cargo bike would possibly help me do a few more heavy duty grocery trips for cat litter and such without having to wait for the car to get home. : )
How 'bout a box on the back? I find way too many "I need to buy" ideas out there. It's like the guy who HAS to have a Ford F150 for the 2 times each year he hauls 4 X 8 sheets of plywood. The rest of the time it's just him and his lunch box. For the cost of a "cargo bike" how many times could you simply pay for the cat litter to be delivered?
I have ZERO cars but both of us have "shopping bikes" with baskets in front and boxes in back. If there's something that can't be hauled with those we get a taxi or in some cases rent a car. We can pay for that a LOT of times before we get anywhere near the cost of a "cargo bike" or worse...an automobile.
I returned to cycling after I bought my current house. There's one way out of my neighborhood, and it leads to a 45mph, shoulderless, double-yellow, two-lane country road that sees a lot of motor vehicle traffic. On a road bike, I'm up for that because I can go fast and reach safer roads within a mile, but getting to places where employing a cargo bike makes sense would mean staying on that same unfriendly road much longer. There are indications that this road is about to undergo improvements, but that means construction, a worse situation than the current one. For purely safety reasons, I'm using a car for trips I'd rather accomplish on a cargo bike.
Such a big risk of you to ensure we are properly informed, thank you! Truly much appreciated Arleigh!
thank you!
It's so sad that so much of the really valuable parts of the internet are hidden in the nooks and crannies hidden away by disguised advertising and paid placement. I respect your path. Cargo bikes and family bike caravans are over-running our local school drop off!
We appreciate it 😊
I appreciate you, Shaun!
Thanks for your honesty! The bike-influencers here on RUclips are not really helping getting new people on bikes, so I appreciate what you do! Thanks.
Brilliant. North America needs alternative to personal cars desperately. My small BC city has had an explosion of
e-bikes, especially from direct to consumer brands. The local bike shops don’t really want to deal with these potential new customers, let alone help grow a safer future for everyone…
Like your attitude! I've enjoyed your other videos. I'm in Los Angeles-a place that should have streets only for bikes! We'll get there eventually.
I know your niche is cargo bikes, but North America needs more exposure to adaptive bikes which are also large and need much of the same infrastructure that make it easier to move around with a cargo bike. If you have the capacity, as the mother of 2 adult daughters (nondrivers) using adaptive e-trikes to commute to their jobs and manager of a Cycling Without Age chapter in Maryland, I'd love to see stories about the many ways people could bike more and worry less if we had access to the "right" types of bikes. Thanks!
Thanks for the great comment. There are a few shops that specialize in these that I would love to visit.
Thanks for speaking out on these lists. I ignore them unless I know the authors have put in real, prolonged time testing the product. They're pretty easy to spot when the bullet points on the makers site match exactly with the person posting.
This is, frankly, only the second of your videos I've watched and I like you and trust you. Next stop...Subscribing. ;-)
Thanks for this insight, glad you’re doing what you do. Let me know how I can buy a CargoBikeLife sticker 😊
Great outlook on the progression of bikes on our roads. Here in northern Colorado (foco) I see more cargo bikes and it's impressive. I do my part by demonstrating proper lane changes in the "green lines" at most major intersections here. Gotta keep those cyclists safe. One-less-car!
Good decision. There are plenty of influencers out there. We need more honest people. Thank you.
Well done!
I’m digging the message as well as your forthrightness. Also, I’m digging that our names are pronounced the same.😄 Subscribed!
I watch stuff like GCN with a very critical eye knowing they blnow have to make payroll. So when they "recommend" specific brand, I go to independent review sites and compare to what I have today. Many times it's not worth the loss of time and hassle of learning new. Glad there are people who really want to remain independent. It takes "guts" no matter who you are.
Counting on you, Bike Shop Girl.
Oh wow, thank you!
As a fellow maven (not in the cycling sphere) who has bought 2 new e-bikes this week and is looking for solid impartial commentary regarding the mandatory accessories like helmets and lights, you have caught my attention.
Your rational reasoned opinions are gold to me and rarer than rocking horse shit in post truth world of, what is in it for me.
I bet that you just being you in your community has done more for sales of products that you rate than some self interested reviewer.
I feel that companies need to hear from people that have relied on your experience in their purchasing decisions.
Capitalising on impartial advise is tough but I wish you well.
For German Speakers we are lucky to have Tilmann from the Radelbande. www.youtube.com/@Radelbande/featured he has a List on his one with every bike tested and prooven with a Video.
Change is hard. So much of the available liquid assets are used to support legacy that the investment in the future suffers. Baby steps.
I had always suspected those “top N lists” of bicycles weren’t real. Thanks for giving us a peek behind the curtain.
count me in!
Thank you!
Loving your vids! Hang in there, Arleigh!
Thanks so much for the comment. Great to hear from you.
Thanks for the enlightenment on this. While your video attracted me due to the bike-related topic (I am a bike commuter), I am guessing this is not just happening regarding bikes. I am an avid backpacker and I see the same "top X" lists for backpacking gear and I see all these lists look eerily similar and sometimes virtually identical. I cannot help but be really skeptical that these lists are real and objective and NOT influenced by money and influenced by those big/mega brands. I am guessing the big brands can afford to pay for the increased promotions and such so that they are on the top lists. I am a skeptic all around and you are validating my skepticism.
Some are valid and trustworthy
great job!
your chosen path is very hard and uphill , i wish you success in your path
I dove into getting an ebike as my new special hyper focus interest a couple of months ago.
It became pretty clear to me that it was all advertising. One channel has a comparison in between 3 folding ebikes, and somehow they are all equally winners.
The part that is leaving a very bad taste in my mouth is the inclusion of kids. If every influencer is using kids to show off a specific bike, I can assume it's a requirement for the contract.
Kids shouldn't be roped into pushing product and enabling influencer child content left such a bad impression of the brand for me.
The kid thing is interesting to hear. I include my kids in some footage, mainly because I ride with them all the time and to show off features. Is this not a good thing?
@@BikeShopGirl Honestly, I would ignore that comment about kids. There's always someone who is going to object to any sort of Parenting In Public, whether it's in person or in a video. The goalpost is always moving.
Thank you for the information. Because you helped us previously, I'd love you to identify cargo bikes that support special needs children or adults. The Urban Arrow you provided for us is great for our daughter, who is now 36 and loves going on bike rides. This is another community niche that can successfully utilize cargo bikes.
Completely agree with you. The bike industry is actually in crisis because people in management of the bike factories fell for the marketing or people trying to catch investors. All of the fairy tales were and are beyond imagination.
I was critical about this on LinkedIn and actually got threatened to get sued. Keep up the god work and hope to run into you somewhere around the industry :)
Hi Bike Shop Girl. I’m in.
I’m excited for more videos from you! Consider me subscribed!
Do Patreon, I would prefer to get content I want there rather than hang about on RUclips.
Being honest is hard, being believable is also hard.
You are doing both, so you should be very proud of that.
Well said. You rock.
Thank you.
I would be interested in the patreon if you end up deciding to do that
Thank you!
What price per month would feel good to you?
@@BikeShopGirl Just a few bucks per month or something right now. That's all that I can really afford. When I'm rich, I'll be able to be much more generous and really help out the content creators that I like. But not yet.
Your points are fair and mostly accurate as someone still in the machine that is bike media. However, (and this is genuine), if all the content creators and reviewers are doing their content for compensation (either direct payment or affiliate links), how is your approach different as you just said you hope to support yourself through affiliate links? I'm sure you have the focus and goal to be more honest but isn't it the same thing from the outside looking in?
Expensive and high-quality (1600+ Euro) ebikes are good only for a small group of people, e.g. those who cycling almost regularly 15 km in one direction. But even with this scenario you will cycle only 200 x 30 = 6.000 km, probably only 4.000 km (due to weather, you are tired, planned maintenance etc). My mother-in-law bought an expensive ebike, after 1 year she cycled only 600 km. Maintenance is expensive. Now I observe that more and more people are selling ebikes. Bought for 2000 Euro, bike is a bit broken, and now they try to sell for 200 Euro.
Algorithm win! Your content was pushed to me and I’ve been enjoying it. It’s been a refreshing change
Excellent 👍👍👍
I think a general rule is that 'Best of...' articles are indeed NOT reviews. They are, as you say, bought.
This was kinda frustrating. I still don't get why bike brands, especially ones that are non-sport-focussed, are looking to traditional bike media as a means to grow their audience with those who might want to bike for transportation, work, or non-competitive fun.
Also (maybe this is a niche gripe) as one person it's SO HARD to film video of the school run. Throw in being a parent and having a job and where is the time to edit a video? That takes hours. And I'm saying this as someone who has happily been making bike content for 12 years. Considering how much work it is, it makes sense to me that influencers want/need to get paid to do the work that has real value to a bike brand. Are we really asking for content creators to prop up the bike industry with unpaid labor?
Do awards next. They're more egregious than top tens.FWIWs, I've never done even a top 5.
Can you tell us the profit-margin on a $4,000 carbon fiber road bike?
Depends on the bike, direct to consumer, dealer, etc.
Go get em🎉
What I see in reviews is that there are not a lot of negative things they sa about them. "the seat is too soft, the brakes could be a little beefer," stuff like that. lNot that the welds are bad, the shifters don't work, the shipper forgot to include some bolts, the manufacturer doesn't have a web site or telephone number or anything to contact them for missing parts. Stuff that should be brought up in any review, good or bad. if they want jot be honest. But this seems to be lthe way of any review, "The better we say it is, the more money we make"
A very promising avenue that you’ve chosen to explore. Yet, I am hesitant about wanting to encourage more people to try cycling. Don’t like the Dutch model of riding a bike with bikes seemingly everywhere. When surrounded by bikes there’s little difference between that and being surrounded by cars. I ride to get away from car crowding-to go as slow or fast as I want without someone honking or otherwise being bothered by me. Cycling with a very limited number of cyclists around-the way it is now-allows for the precious gift of self autonomy, which is something we’d lose with hundreds of two wheelers everywhere. Besides cycling is a unique experience. Not for everyone. Cyclists are different in a good way. It’s a way to express our individuality. Please don’t try to take that away from us by trying to put everyone on a bike. I’m for cycling increases when people find out about it organically via word of mouth or simply want to do it to be different and get some exercise and save money. Let’s leave well enough alone. Ease up on the corporate intervention in promoting cycling. Let them make their money elsewhere. And let cycling be a natural thing.
"When surrounded by bikes there’s little difference between that and being surrounded by cars"
You mean except for the noise, fumes, congestion and risk of death? Think about other people much?
I would be a supporter on patreon if you opened that up.
Thank you!!!
#preach😍
You don't have to read a lot of "top 10" articles to realize everything you say is true.
I try to promote biking by providing videos of the routes I ride. If I can do it with one hand while holding a gimbal on an inexpensive urban hybrid. Anyone can.
Europeans ruined the cargo bike for Americans. 250w 36v with luggage is a scam. Pay big money for crap. Just another scam.
It's a joke to read any review and take more than the most minimal information, and that's reading between the lines. I've known of "reviews" where the individual(s) had the bike for two hours (one to photograph and one to ride) and commented on the usability of the bike for touring (don't ask me how I know). One reviewer on RUclips "tested" 100 bikes/scooters last year. Ho, ho, ho!
+1 on patreon. Please no subst*ck!
Thank you! What price per month feels right?
@@BikeShopGirl i can afford $CAN 10 / month which is free for Americans :-)
Seriously I think about $8 USD / month is what I can afford but not sure what makes sense for other folks and for you.