June 7, 2023 - (Ottawa, ON) In mid-May, Ottawa’s first e-cargo bike rental company, Let’s Go Cargo, was launched by Dave Robertson and his partner, amidst a bit of fanfare. The initiative took about a year of planning said Robertson, as more and more cargo bikes started to appear on Ottawa streets as part of the cycling boom resulting from the pandemic. Ottawa has a strong cycling community and “the timing was right” according to Robertson.

The emergence of Let’s Go Cargo follows the launch of Happy Fiets Canada in Toronto back in 2021, the first e-cargo bike rental business that we know of in North America – now Ottawa can boast as well. We caught up with Robertson for an inside look at how Let’s Go Cargo came together, the cycling scene in Ottawa, and the young company’s plans for the future.

Please tell us about your cycling background.
LGC: Like most people cycling was part of my life at an early age but in the community that I grew up in it was used for more than just recreation, and as I got older it stayed with me as a mode of transportation. Mountain biking was big then as well and we spent a lot of time exploring forests, but cycling was always about getting around, and as an adult it plays an important role for transportation, independence and freedom. Later, when I moved to Ottawa I joined Bike Ottawa to learn about routes in the city and beyond, and hook up with people.

What was the motivation to start Lets Go Cargo?
LGC: It kind of started following an injury to my knee that led to an operation. While I was recovering a friend lent me an e-bike to get to work etc. and things just evolved from there as I suddenly became even more aware of the power of cycling. Cargo bikes had become popular in Ottawa, and the potential of e-cargo bikes was energizing, but there were hurdles such as costs etc. We reached out to the folks at Happy Fiets Canada in Toronto, who had launched their cargo-bike rental business in 2021. Following a meeting with the owner, Robin Richardson, we decided to plan a similar business for Ottawa and spent the next year planning it out and putting things into place. There were highs and lows along the way but we figured out a system that worked for us.

Did the pandemic and the bike boom make things easier or tougher to get things started?
LGC: The pandemic led to a cycling boom everywhere including Ottawa but the city already had a strong recreational cycling culture with our many local bike pathways. This helped to create even more interest in cycling and now you see lots of folks using bikes for transportation including a surge in cargo bikes for parents wanting to transport their kids by bike, grocery shopping, pets etc. With all of this positive momentum, the timing seemed just right to offer this unique and practical cycling service to the community.

How are folks in Ottawa reacting to this new exciting cycling option?
LGC: People are eager to try them out and learn more about them… we’ve heard from a mix of people saying things like “it’s about time” to “great idea can’t wait to try one out.” They’re also a great way for visitors to see the city with their kids instead of being stuck in a car.

Tell us about Ottawa and the cycling scene there re: bike lanes etc. – has it been improving…?
LGC: There’s a solid backbone network for cycling including the National Capital Commission pathways and this has fostered a strong cycling community for recreation which is now spilling over into more commuters and people using bikes as transportation. But the city is slower than we’d like at implementing infrastructure.

Any interesting or funny stories you’d like to share from some of your customers?
LGC: Our very first customers were a couple that wanted to tour around the city. A couple of our e-cargo bikes can support adults and we weren’t expecting that application would happen so fast – we loved it.

Did the cargo bike boom in Europe play a role in some of your ideas/plans?
LGC: It’s exciting and inspiring to see the great potential for cargo bikes in Europe and elsewhere, and we’re stoked to see how many people here have been eager as well to embrace them to cart around dogs or kids… we’re eager to see where it can go.

What are your plans for the future…?
LGC: We’re keeping it small for now, but we’re hoping to see it expand and will likely be looking for funding sources down the road to see how we might grow in different sectors.

Anything you’d like to add?
LGC: We just hope to see more people using cargo bikes here and everywhere as they’re so practical and useful, especially in urban settings, whether for personal or commercial use.

Thanks for your time and all the best.
LGC: Thanks as well.

For more information visit Let’s Go Cargo here.