In 2008, Copenhagen’s Bullitt was one of just two companies mass-producing cargo bikes, though “mass-producing” might be a stretch. The other was Babboe from the Netherlands. Both were betting on the democratization of the cargo bike—a concept that had been around for nearly a century but never (yet) produced at scale. The two companies couldn’t have been more different. Bullitt introduced a 45lb lightweight bike used by families and bike messengers worldwide. Babboe, on the other hand, launched a 145lb family-focused model that, in retrospect, was too cheap, and too heavy to handle. In the end, the Bullitt triumphed, asserting themselves as the lightest, strongest cargo bike on the market, while the Babboe cracked under its own weight. To the Danes, it was no surprise—they invented the two-wheeled cargo bike and, after waiting in the wings (cue the Bullitt Bluebird analogy!), had the last word.
Blue Streak
Waiting in the wings? Absolutely. This week, Bullitt pays tribute to their Bluebird colour—an homage to mid-century Tour de France champion Francesco Moser and the boats and automobiles that set England’s Bluebird Speed Record. (Bullitt, in a moment of pique also tried to establish their own cargo bike speed record). But there’s more. Something uncanny, something unplanned, yet perhaps pointing to a hidden design. The universe, perhaps? For, in a twist of fate, Hans and Lars of Bullitt were pleased to discover that Francesco Moser himself owned a Bullitt. And just as the anniversary of England’s Bluebird Speed Record arrived, Bullitt was invited to unveil a tribute cargo bike.
Bluebird ’71
The original Bullitt Bluebird, known as the Bluebird 71, does not carry any deep historical nuances with Bullitt. Well, not in their press release anyways. According to them, 1971 was just a year with killer films and music. But what if there’s more lurking in the wings? A Clockwork Orange dropped in 1971, and it’s the inspiration for one of Bullitt’s most iconic colors. Truth is, 1971 wasn’t just about pop culture—it was a turning point for city cycling. In the Netherlands, the Stop de Kindermoord movement ignited the revolution that would build the world’s most advanced cycling infrastructure. Meanwhile, Copenhagen, long dominated by cars, started making its first investments in bike lanes. Across the globe in Davis, California, the first bike lanes were paved, laying the groundwork for a future of two-wheeled freedom in a land that had barely begun to catch on. 1971 may have been the year when the wheels of the cycling revolution began to turn.
Birds Eye View
But what if there’s even more lurking in the wings? More than even Bullitt ever anticipated? Consider this:
The Bullitt Bluebird isn’t even native to Europe. It’s a migratory bird – exclusive to North America – especially found in Ontario, Quebec, and the mountain provinces of Canada. The very places where the Bullitt cargo bike now takes flight. Was there a migration waiting in the wings all along? After all, the first Bullitts landed in Toronto, home to the squawkiest, most punk-rock of all bluebirds—our mohawked blue jay. A prelude to a legacy that was waiting to take flight? Well, maybe our heads are in the sky.
Unclipped Wings
In any case, a Bullitt makes you fly. It cuts through gridlock, lifting you between work, home, and play. In a city where walking’s too far and driving’s too close, a Bullitt connects the dots with a seat for kids or a trunk for groceries. It’s a bike for deliveries and a bike for families. You can soar above traffic like an SUV or zip through it like a sports car. And it’s light—just 45lb for non-electric, 55lb for electric—50% lighter than most of its competition. While the new challengers arrive and falter, Bullitt has kept improving since 2008, laying the foundation for the toughest cargo bike out there. Proven by DHL, FedEx, and too many families to count, a Bullitt may fly, but it continues to lay the groundwork for what a two-wheeled cargo bike is.
Soaring into the Blue
Speaking of flight, people in marketing like to talk about “blue sky” ideas—open-ended, innovative, and free from the weight of competition. In the 1980s Copenhagen, the Bullitt bike itself was pure blue sky thinking. Sometimes its good to have your head in the sky! Founders Hans and Lars were holed up in a squat in the city’s gritty Nørrebro quarter, calling their creative space “B106 Space Design.” Copenhagen was near bankruptcy, unemployment hit 20%, and cars ruled, choking the streets with gridlock while suburbs sprawled unchecked. Yet, from these squats and the car-free island of Freetown Christiania (established, as things would have it, in 1971), a counterculture was born—one that took to two wheels, protested the city’s reliance on cars, and paved the first bike lanes of what would become the world’s leading cycling city.
Blue Sky Thinking
The Bullitt Bluebird emerged from this rebellious spirit, born and bred alongside Copenhagen’s groundbreaking bike infrastructure. If the Bullitt is the world’s best cargo bike, it’s because of that blue sky thinking. Fast-forward to today, and North America is finally catching up. Emerging bike cultures are racing to match a growing infrastructure, but Bullitt continues to soar above them all. It’s the archetype of future urban mobility, improving wherever it migrates, rewriting the rules of how we transport outselves through our cities. And, it makes your life fun. That’s probably the most important thing.
The Sky’s the Limit!
In conclusion, sometimes we create things that adumbrate all sorts of unintended consequences – threads tangled like a bird’s nest. Only later does this invisble history get written. Right now, every person riding a cargo bike in North America is writing that history. Thanks to Bullitt, the cargo bike has migrated into a global phenomenon. Perhaps it was waiting in the wings of that early Bluebird design, or maybe it was born from the rebellious counterculture of B106 Space Design. Whatever the case, it migrated and continues to evolve—a symbol of the future, yet a reminder that sometimes the universe is in motion long before we realize it. Take flight!
