Why More Parents Are Ditching the Minivan for Cargo Bikes

Jacob Fenston NPR

In cities and suburbs across the U.S., a quiet shift is happening on the morning commute. Parents are trading in their second cars—or skipping the minivan altogether—for cargo bikes. These sturdy, kid-friendly rides are redefining how families move through their day.

The Rise of the Family Cargo Bike
Cargo bikes aren’t new. They’ve been around for over a century and remain popular in places like the Netherlands and Denmark. But in North America, they were nearly forgotten—until recently. Thanks to better bike infrastructure and the rise of electric-assist models, cargo bikes are making a major comeback.

For Lelac Almagor, a mom in Washington, D.C., the switch was life-changing. “I’m a very lazy person,” she jokes. She bought a cargo bike on a whim, expecting to return it. But by day three, she was hooked. Now she rides her three kids to school daily, rain or shine. “It’s such a better start to my day,” she says. “There’s truly not weather I’d rather drive in.”

Six years ago, she was one of the only cargo bike parents at school. Today, the bike racks are overflowing. She even left her teaching job to work for a bike company.

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Jacob Fenston NPR

Built for Real Life
Modern cargo bikes are designed with families in mind. Think padded seats, rain canopies, and—most importantly—electric motors. Philip Koopman, a longtime D.C. bike shop owner, remembers hauling his kids in a trailer without any motor assist. “Most people don’t want to be sweaty when they get to work,” he says. “Electric options make cycling accessible to so many more people.”

At the DC Family Bike Fest, hundreds of parents came to test ride cargo bikes. Patricia Stamper was among them, trying out models with her two kids. “I’m 39, I’m losing weight, I need some help,” she said. “And this is cheaper than bariatric surgery, cheaper than Wegovy.”

While cargo bikes can cost upwards of $2,500, they’re still far less expensive than owning a car when you factor in gas, insurance, parking, and maintenance.

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Jacob Fenston - NPR

Infrastructure Is Catching Up
Protected bike lanes—those separated from car traffic—have expanded dramatically since the first one was installed in Davis, California in 1967. Cities like Minneapolis now boast over 200 miles of bike lanes and trails, earning top marks for bike-friendliness.
“If it’s not safe to ride a bike, it’s going to be hard to get people on bikes,” says Minneapolis resident Laura Mitchell. Her cargo bike transformed her family’s routine so much that she launched the Minneapolis Cargo Bike Library, allowing residents to borrow bikes for errands or trial runs. Demand was so high, she had to cap users early on.
But cargo biking isn’t limited to bike-friendly cities. In Houston—often ranked low for cycling infrastructure—Brian Jackson still pedals his kids to school. He’s often the only cargo bike parent at drop-off, drawing curious stares. “A lot of people are like, ‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’” he says. Still, he finds drivers respectful and sees signs of a “secret strong bike culture” in the city.

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William H. Rau

A New Bicycle Boom
Cargo bikes have deep roots. In the early 20th century, cities buzzed with tradesmen on bikes—knife sharpeners, glaziers, and more. Jody Rosen, author of Two Wheels Good, says the original bicycle boom of the 1890s is echoing today in a 21st-century resurgence, with cargo bikes leading the charge.
For Almagor, the biggest driver of change isn’t infrastructure or tech—it’s visibility. Seeing other parents ride makes it feel normal, doable, even aspirational.

Her favorite cargo bike marketing moment? The school carpool line. “When the car line is wrapping around the block, just gliding past in our little flotilla of cargo bikes… there’s no way, as a parent, not to be like, ‘maybe we should do that.’”

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