Last summer, I left Tern Bicycles feeling deeply drawn to create something agnostic to grow the cargo bike movement. It was the same feeling I had in 2018 to build a cargo bike-focused bike shop, but this time, I wanted it to be available to all.
I initially launched with a website that felt like everything we were comfortable with in 2024 - reviews, comparisons, and a “magazine” vibe. A few months into it, I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to build, so I took a step back and started interviewing current and potential cargo bike users.
Enter CargoBikeLife.com v2.0
Our mission is built around three core goals, and we’d love for you to be a part of it:
Empower and Expand the Cargo Bike Movement
We aim to foster growth through education and a strong sense of community.Break Down Barriers
Say goodbye to the silos and hidden filters of social media and Facebook groups. Here, we promote open, transparent discussions.Be the Ultimate Cargo Bike Resource
We strive to become the go-to community for anyone curious about or passionate about cargo bikes.
Ways for You to Get Started:
Introduce yourself in the general intro section, but also one of the regional sections
Share your stories, questions, and anything you have learned!
Personal Goals:
I like to "build in public," so hopefully, everyone here is bought into the platform. I want to make this a lasting project and business, so I have a few goals for the first 90 days of launching this.
This site will officially launch in early January, and I want to achieve 100+ active users in 90 days. (This was achieved within 10 days of launch!)
Launch and grow Instagram to 500 followers with 5%+ engagement.
Launch YT and publish 12 videos and gain 300+ subscribers.
We quietly launched at the end of 2024 as Meta was making questionable choices, and bike shops were needing more customer activation as ever. We have 15 bikes queued up for review to get all the popular cargo bikes in North America covered before the warm weather hits. We are also working on product guides to answer the most FAQs about models and accessories.
Along with the typical outdoor bike and sports tech coverage on this Substack, I hope to bring you behind the scenes of building Cargo Bike Life. Some of this BTS will be behind a paid subscription because honestly paid subscribers here are helping launch Cargo Bike Life!
More than ever we all need to be part of a healthy community right now, and I’m looking forward to growing the cargo bike life community with you!
-Arleigh