The recent CMWC Yokohama 2023 was truly an incredible event. I spent my entire twenties and early thirties working as a messenger. I feel ashamed for thinking that the peak of my career was CMWC Tokyo in 2009, and that everything else would just be a slow decline from there. I was able to see with my own eyes the fact that the messenger DNA—a professional culture where work, life, and play are intertwined—has brilliantly taken root in the city and fostered many followers. The crowd was unlike any other bicycle event, and those participants are bringing various new values to cycling, which the world of cycling is greatly benefiting from.
The Evolving Role of Messengers
No matter how exciting the event, it is separate from daily business. The urgent delivery of documents, which was the core of our work, has steadily decreased with the advent of fax and the internet. However, no matter how much the information society advances, physical goods—like meals, products, and raw materials—must always be transported; logistics will never stop. Messenger services also need to evolve to meet the needs of the world.
What is a Cargo Bike Messenger?
This is where delivery services using cargo bikes, which boast high load capacities, are attracting attention. Copenhagen’s "world's fastest" messenger company, By-Expressen—where Emma, who achieved a three-peat in the WTNB (Women and Gender Non-Conforming) category at this year's CMWC, and Yoyo, who took 2nd place in the OPEN (Men and Others) category, both work—is a cargo bike messenger company that also manufactures its own original cargo bikes called Omnium Cargo.
Cargo bikes can carry massive amounts of goods that would normally be transported by car, are fast and environmentally friendly, and help solve various urban traffic problems, so they will likely continue to spread in Japan as well.
"Disaster Prevention" as a Theme: The Cargo Bike Race by BIKELORE
At CMWC, I was responsible for organizing a race using these cargo bikes. Operating a race with over 30 participants hauling loads for a 100-minute time limit started with the difficult task of preparing the cargo itself.
The theme of the cargo was "Disaster Prevention." The race content was designed to simulate the transport of essential supplies during a disaster. It began with the intense memory of the 3.11 Great East Japan Earthquake.
When the earthquake hit, I was working as a messenger in Tokyo. The city center that night was in complete traffic chaos. Trains were stopped and roads were at a standstill. Many people became "stranded commuters," and the sidewalks were packed with people walking for hours to get home, but bicycles could move just as usual, with no problems at all.
I vividly remember the strange feeling of everything being in chaos while I was going about my day as normal. Based on that experience, I consulted with Professor Hara from the University of Tsukuba, who is doing various interesting things with cargo bikes. He told me about the "Disaster Relief Trials" cargo bike race in Portland, and we decided to plan a race simulating logistics during a disaster.
The items to be carried included water, food, clothing, and materials. I devised delivery orders inspired not by the moments immediately after an earthquake, but by a scenario where relief supplies have arrived and need to be transported between evacuation centers. Even while struggling to load heavy boxes of clothing and large pallets used in Yokohama's port district, the sight of cargo bikes speeding off once secured was a scene that symbolized their load capacity and mobility.
Our own Izuru-kun from Daisy Messenger in Nagoya took 2nd place on his familiar Hunter cargo bike, and my longtime friend Shitatchi from Osaka won the race! It was a stellar result.
The Convenience of Cargo Bikes
When roads are cut off by disasters or fuel is scarce, the convenience of highly mobile cargo bikes will surely prove its worth.
That said, it is often difficult for individuals to own one in urban areas due to a lack of storage space. I hope that we can create systems where cargo bikes can be shared, or systems where local governments deploy them for use in emergencies. It would also be great if companies and shops deployed them, which would surely broaden their utility.
Within the new concept of mobility, by having cargo bikes play an active role in urban micro-logistics and last-mile logistics, it should become possible to create safer, more vibrant towns on a human scale.
"Disaster prevention" might sound like a rigid topic, but it seems like it would be fun simply as a cargo bike race. We have held cargo bike races within Bikelore before, and I hope to continue promoting experimentation and the spread of cargo bikes through fun racing events.
Cargo Bikes and Trailers Available at Circles
Beyond just moving things, there are cargo bikes all around Circles that are useful in various situations. Whether you want to use one for daily life, carry children, use it for business, travel, or equip it as facility gear, we can accommodate various needs—from simple setups to full customs. We want to realize various interesting ideas together, so please feel free to contact us first.
