Mark Mumbauer commutes 25 miles round trip each day with his 10 year old son, Gabriel, on an electrified carbon bicycle from their home in Mount Airy to work and school in West Philadelphia. (Click link for video interview.)The bike , their second, is a “Larry vs. Harry” model imported from developers Lars Malmborg and Hans Fogh in Copenhagen. “It’s our daily commuter, our Septa bus, our second car and our everything.” Through August of this year, they had ridden it every day except when conditions had been icy. Otherwise, for rainy or inclement weather, they put a cover on it. They had begun commuting on their first electric bike from Kensington where Mumbauer had lived for twenty years. Their new bike, which cost about $6000 has many features like an electric assist which helps up the big hills, Mumbauer says. “It works great as long as your battery doesn’t die.” It weighs about 40 pounds, has an all-aluminum frame, Shimano XT components like a mountain bike does and electronic shifting. It also features a ball joint, articulated steering, and dual disc breaks, front and rear. It can carry up to 250 to 300 pounds. Mumbauer relaters that UPS is using these models in Seattle. Drivers park their trucks nearby and load them up with packages to deliver downtown.
The Larry versus Harry Bullit is available from Firth and Wilson Transport Cylcles in Fishtown, Philadelphia. Kaspers Cargos in Maryland, Mumbauer says, sells these bikes to families with children with special needs at about cost
What does his son, Gabriel, like about the bike? The stickers. And sitting in the front over sitting in the back which he he had to do when he was in kindergarten; the view is much better. He even takes his violin along to school and sandwiches it between his legs and the frame.