A different take on the cargo bike and child carrier, the Scandinavian Sidecar pulls human and inanimate cargo out from the rear of the bicycle and puts it on the side. This gives the bicycle a vintage look and the child a more engaging POV. The composite sidecar can also drop its wheel and go sledding in winter.
Think Scandinavia, and two things that quickly come to mind are cross country skiing and bicycling. The region famously created and exported the former, and cities like Denmark's capital Copenhagen and Malmö in Sweden consistently rank as some of the most bicycle-friendly cities on the planet. It's no surprise then, with those two categories in mind, that the Scandinavian Sidecar designed by parent company Scandinavian Side Bike is deliciously Scandinavian.
Company founders Eva Lindemark and Torben Skov Andersen initially set out to create a bicycle sidecar inspired by classic designs from the early 1900s. During development, they realized the vessel could easily take on the winter job of sledding, so they made it a dual-function, year-round design. They planned to simply use it with the family, but found so much interest around it, they decided to go into business.
The Scandinavian Sidecar features a composite body, made from either carbon fiber or fiberglass. That body's base includes snow runners sized to fit cross country ski tracks. The pulk/sled harness quickly secures to the sidecar body, allowing a parent to pull a child or two (or gear/cargo) on the snow.
For bicycle use, the Sidecar mounts to a single-wheeled frame. A pivot bearing sits between the frame and the bicycle, keeping the sidecar's wheel planted to the ground when the cyclist makes turns. The hardware is designed to take just minutes to attach, making it easy to transform any basic two-wheel commuter into a cargo/child transporter and back again.
The Sidecar is sized for two small children (up to 99 lb/45 kg) and includes an artificial leather folding seat, two seat belts and a polycarbonate windscreen. It measures 47 in (120 cm) in length and weighs between 21.8 lb (9.9 kg, carbon fiber) and 26.2 lb (11.9 kg, fiberglass) with the frame and bicycle mounts. It's designed to work with a variety of standard bike types, from mountain bikes, to cruisers, to city bikes.
The Scandinivian Sidecar seems like a sleek, interesting alternative to other styles of cargo bikes and trailers, but it brings a little sticker shock. The fiberglass base model with bicycle wheel frame and mounting hardware retails for €1,410 (approx. US$1,605). Expect to pony up €1,950 (US$2,220) for the lightweight carbon fiber version. In case you're not sure, those prices don't include the bike. In fact, they don't even include the child seat, which will set you back close to €300 extra for the cushion and two seat belts.
The sled harness is available for €400 euro, and Scandinavian Side Bike offers the composite tubs without bicycle kits starting at €980 euro.
We suppose the price is just another ingredient in the sidecar's Scandinavian charm. The region is a notoriously expensive place to live and visit, so it shouldn't be surprising that a composite bicycle accessory designed and built there is also rather expensive.
According to Scandinavian Side Bike's website, the sidecars are currently only available in Scandinavian countries.
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