The Kangaroo Bike

1. 
   2008 June 20

   A Lynch permalink

   Hi there

   I’m currently thinking of getting one of these myself for the school run. My daughter is starting school, she’s 4 and a half, and I can’t leave her sister at home so she has to accompany us on the commute. They don’t really like being on regular bike seats unless it’s flat calm and sunny (this is Ireland so read “never”). Just wondering what ages your boys are and to what age you reckon they could practically be expected to be transportable in the Kangaroo?

   -Sounds like you got a good deal on it too, I can’t find anything except list price machines -Any tips??

   Reply
2. 
   2008 July 13

   Jenny permalink

   Thanks for your prompt response on Kangaroo waterproofing.
   I am defintely keen on purchasing one…..you mentioned that you bought yours from an online ebay trader.

   Can I have their details please? I have found only 2 stockists of the Kangaroo bike in the UK, and these both trade at the full £1800 mark.

   Thanks Jenny

   Reply
3. 
   2008 July 13

   Stonehead permalink

   Don’t forget that we paid for the bike on 1 December 2006, and that materials (particularly metals) and energy prices have risen dramatically since then.

   When we bought the Kangaroo, the retail price was £1,695. The importers, Allan and Shirley-Anne Fowlie, also had varying discounts for the first three bikes to be sold in the UK (first bike had the biggest discount, second had a smaller one etc). We bought one of those bikes via ebay and I received a further rebate by opting for self-assembly.

   You’re not going to be able to buy a Kangaroo today at the same list price as almost two years ago, much less with the launch discount as well.

   The Kangaroo is definitely worth the money, though, and I’d happily buy one today at £1,800 as a substitute for a car. People keep telling me the price is steep, but come on look at what you’re getting and consider how much it costs to run an equivalent-priced car.

   You can easily justify a Kangaroo bike—and a couple of other good quality bikes—when you consider the monthly costs of running a car. Our Land Rover Discovery 300TDi cost £250 a month to run, while the Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec we had a couple of years earlier cost £180 a month. (With fuel prices much higher than in December 2006, those costs would be even higher now).

   The Kangaroo Bike, including insurance and maintenance, costs £25 a month.

   So, you can spend £1,800-2,000 on a used car and pour money into fuel, maintenance, MoT, car tax, insurance, etc. Or put the same capital into a Kangaroo bike (or any other quality cargo bike), spend £20-40 a month on insurance and maintenance, and come out ahead in terms of both cash and environmental impact.

   Based on December 2006 fuel prices, we’re £4,275 ahead. At present fuel prices, we’re probably another £1,000 ahead. To me, that makes spending £1,800 on a cargo bike instead of a car a very good investment indeed.

   Anyway, contact details for the importer are:

   Allan and Shirley-Anne Fowlie
   Kangaroo Bike UK
   64 Kimberley Road
   Cambridge CB4 1HJ
   T: 07952 382 479
   F: 08701 259 024
   E-mail: info@kangaroobike.co.uk

   Reply
4. 
   2008 November 2

   summermeg permalink

   Just found your blog and love the bike, Currently I have a raleigh situp and beg style bike with a huge wicker basket strapped to the rear, a front basket (about to be replaced with something bigger) and my sons front loaded Bobike seat. Now littleun has turned 3 he is getting too big for the bobike seat and I know he will hate being relegated to a realoaded seat.

   I dont’ /can’t drive cars so bikes are becoming more and more important to me for getting around not only in transporting ymself but the asociated paraphenalia of a 3 yr old and allotment.

   I did wince a little at the price but you have inspired me to go and look at tricycles and other utility options for my next bike.

   Reply

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