**Prices and Portland availability updated on June 9, 2009

Today I had the pleasure of leading a clinic on family and utility cycling at Sunnyside School Park in Portland. For those that attended, I promised that I would provide a reference list containing prices and links for the various bikes, accessories and other resources that we discussed during the clinic. This post contains said list.

While not at all conclusive, the following list represents family and utility products that you can find readily from dealers in Portland, Oregon. Prices and availability are subject to change, so it’s wise to contact your local bicycle shop (listed here or otherwise) in advance.

Family Transportation

This list represents the most widely recommended family transportation options that are typically available from local bicycle shops and outdoor stores in Portland.

Child seats

Bell ($30 – $65, available from Amazon merchants and Fred Meyer stores)
Bobike ($100 – $220, available at Joe Bike and Clever Cycles)
iBert ($120, available at Clever Cycles)
Topeak ($100 – $150, available at REI and many local bicycle shops)

Trailers

Burley ($375 – $600, available from REI and many local bicycle shops)
Chariot ($350 – $750, available from REI and many local bicycle shops)

Family Tandems

Bike Friday tandem ($1,395 – $1,890, available from Bike Friday and Clever Cycles)
Co-motion Periscope Scout ($3,000, available directly from Co-motion –hand-made in Oregon)
Kidz tandem ($1,949, available from Clever Cycles, or directly from Brown Cycles in Colorado)
Raleigh Companion ($800, available from most all local Raleigh bike dealers)

Family Bikes

Box Bike ($1,600 – $1,900, available from Joe Bike)
The Joe Bike ($2,700, available from Joe Bike –partially hand-made in Oregon)
Bullitt by Harry vs. Larry ($2,800, a select few were available from the Bike Gallery)
CETMA cargo bike ($2,900 fully-built bike; $1,800 frame, available from CETMA –hand-made in Oregon)
Bakfiets ($3,000, available from Clever Cycles; this is the original Dutch design, with frames manufactured in various countries of origin)
Madsen bucket cargo bike ($1,300, available from the Bike Gallery)
Metrofiets box cargo bike ($3,800 for a complete bike; available from Metrofiets –hand-made in Portland)

Utility and Cargo Carrying

As with the previous list, the following list represents the most widely recommended utility biking options that are typically available from local bicycle shops and outdoor stores in Portland. Many of the bikes listed below also work very well for transporting children (e.g., Yuba Mundo, Surly Big Dummy, Xtracycle Radish, etc.) when equipped with the correct accessories –see your local dealer for additional details.

Racks

BASIL racks, baskets and bags ($30 – $100, available from Joe Bike, Clever Cycles and several other local bicycle shops)
CETMA ($120 – $210, available from Joe Bike, Clever Cycles and CETMA –hand-made in Oregon)
Surly Nice Rack ($135 – $150, available from Clever Cycles)
Topeak ($25 – $70, available at REI and many local bicycle shops)

Utility Trailers

Bob Yak ($300 -$400, available from REI and many local bicycle shops)
Burley ($350, available from REI and many local bicycle shops)

Long-Tail Utility Bikes and Conversion Kits

The Joe Bike ($2,700, available from Joe Bike –partially hand-made in Oregon)
Kona Ute ($900, available from the Bike Gallery, Sellwood Cycles and other Kona dealers)
Madsen rack cargo bike ($1,100, available from the Bike Gallery)
Surly Big Dummy ($1,900 to $2,900, or $1,000 for frame, available from Joe Bike, Clever Cycles, Surly and many other local bikes shops)
Xtracycle Free Radical long-tail conversion kit ($264 for a basic kit; $490 with rails, bags, etc., available at Joe Bike, Clever Cycles and many other local bicycle shops)
Xtracycle Radish utility bike ($1,200, available at Bike-n-Hike, Clever Cycles and from Xtracycle)
Yuba Mundo ($650 for the 18-speed –Joe Bike’s sale price as of June 9, 2009– available from Joe Bike, Clever Cycles and Revolver Cycles)

Electric-Assist for Utility Bicycles

EcoSpeed mid-drive ($1,000 add-on for the Yuba Mundo, Kona Ute and Box Bike, available from Joe Bike)
StokeMonkey mid-drive ($1,700 add-on for Xtracycles, Kona Ute, Yuba Mundo, available from Clever Cycles)

Total Cost of Automobile Ownership

According to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, car ownership costs are the second largest household expense in the U.S. In fact, the average household spends almost as much on their cars as they do on food and health care combined for their entire family:

Average Annual Household Expenditures (2004)

• Shelter (home mortgage or rent): 32% (Proportion of Total Expenditure)
• Automobile ownership & operating expenses: 17% (Proportion of Total Expenditure)
• Food: 13% (Proportion of Total Expenditure)
• Health Care: 6% (Proportion of Total Expenditure)

Source: Bike at Work

Edmunds Total Cost of Ownership Calculator

The Web’s prime resource for information on automobiles (new and used) is Edmunds, a trusted source for car-buyers for decades. Fortunately, the Edmunds site also provides a valuable tool for calculating the true total cost of ownership (TCO) for a new car. The Edmunds TCO calculator enables you to select any new model of vehicle.

For example, the TCO for a new, 2009 Toyota Prius –over the span of five years– is $30,604 (at an initial sale price of $21,491). The TCO calculator shows that the Prius will cost more than $6,000 per year in depreciation, taxes and fees, fuel, maintenance, repairs, financing and insurance.

Resources for Portland Cyclists

If you’re new to cycling or simply would like a refresher on the rules of the road and best practices for safe and enjoyable cycling, please check out the great resources available from the Bicycling Transportation Alliance.