About the business
Former bike shop owner, Paul, was a lucky recipient of an Omnium electric cargo bike. He received his ecargo bike courtesy of the council’s Carbon Neutral Funded ecargo project in September 2023, and since then has covered nearly 2,230 km in Brighton & Hove and surrounding counties.
Prior to receiving his ecargo bike Paul did some mobile bike maintenance and servicing on a regular nonelectric bike. He found cycling with heavy tools and equipment very tiring and his working days were much longer.
He now has a good split of 60% home visits and 40% in his home workshop. He also uses his ecargo bike to collect parts and components outside of Brighton and finds that since he does some collections himself, he is saving time and money and has reduced his reliance on expensive couriers.
The ecargo bike gives him the ability to go to the work, instead of being reliant on people going to him, compared to when he owned his shop.
“I feel very privileged to have an ecargo bike now. It’s made my life and work much easier and I feel more in control of my time and have more energy for work and my family.”
Outcomes
Paul feels more in touch with his customers since he’s gone mobile and can give a better, more personable service. Being able to visit customers and clients, he feels his servicing is more accessible and inclusive for people with all sorts of bikes regardless of their cycling goals.
He no longer works weekends, and feels he has a much better work/ life balance. He is around his family a lot more to help with school drop off, pick-ups, shopping, and the rest of family life.
“Having the cargo bike has changed the way I work and I’m less stressed and around more to help my wife with the home running. It’s also enabled me to change my perspective of what’s important in life.”
His Omnium V3 cargo bike is incredibly versatile. It has an extending, telescopic front shelf and a carrying capacity of 85kg. This means he can carry all sorts of tools as well as transporting various types of bicycles. He averages around 120km a week on it, and it saves on time and money.
Switching to cargo bikes reduces the environmental and social impact of deliveries and services in our cities. This contributes towards Brighton & Hove City Council’s Carbon Neutral 2030 goal.
If you're considering the switch to cargo bikes, we can help. Through the eCargo Bike Accelerator Project, businesses can get expert, impartial advice about eCargo bikes for free.
Find out more about eCargo bikes or get in touch by sending an email to transport.projects@brighton-hove.gov.uk.