Cargo trikes have never been particularly stylish or pleasing to the eye, but the UK’s Boxer Cycles is looking to add some excitement and artistic flair to this niche market. Inspired by the era of Flash Gordon and Jules Verne, Boxer Cycles seeks to achieve a 1930’s aircraft aesthetic with their line of cargo trikes. The company’s Lead Designer Jeremy Davies seems to be making an impact, as the Boxer Rocket is scheduled to appear at the London Design Museum this fall.
Boxer has three models of trikes: The Rocket and Shuttle trikes have removable seats for moving cargo or passengers (mainly kids). Their Cargo model is intended for hauling non-sentient goods and has no passenger seats, but features a clever quick-release cargo box instead.
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The Rocket is a rolling art piece that features two removable, reclining bench seats and a lockable storage locker in the nose cone. The aluminum trike is driven by a 3 speed Sturmey-Archer hub and an 8-speed derailleur, providing a wide range of 24 gears. The Rocket rolls on Schwalbe Marathon Plus Kevlar reinforced tires mounted to heavy-duty rims with 3mm walls. Braking is handled by two Magura Big Twin hydraulic brakes at the front wheels, and a cable operated rear disc brake.
The Rocket comes wired up with a headlight that features both high and low beams, turn signals, a rear tail/brake light, and a horn. An instrument cluster on the handlebars houses all the electronic’s controls, and a 12 volt on-board battery provides the power. The Rocket retails for $5220 USD.
The Shuttle is a more affordable iteration of the Rocket. It accomplishes the same things but with a lot less flash, for a lot less cash. It shares the same 24 speed drivetrain, Magura hydraulic brakes and rim/tire combo, but has a much more basic wooden cargo carrier on its aluminum frame. The Shuttle also features a lockable storage box and a pull-out front bumper which can be adapted to fit a child’s bike carrier or stroller. The Shuttle sells for $2120.
The Cargo model again shares the same rims, tires, drivetrain and brake set up, and the same girder-style frame as the Rocket. The cargo box itself features a nifty quick-release on/off system. In commercial applications this makes switching different cargo containers or custom vending displays fast and easy. The container also has a roller shutter door that locks your load safely inside. Buck up $3045 and you’ve got a new career as a bike courier.
If you’ve got heavy cargo or a long way to go, electric versions of Boxer’s trikes are also available to take a load off for you. The ‘E’ versions of the Rocket, Shuttle and Cargo add a 36 volt, 11.4Ah, 250 watt electric motor drive system with an LCD display and speedometer, plus a USB port for charging mobile devices. Adding a motor will set you back around $1000 extra.
