Dictionary

bakfiets en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈbækˌfits/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈbɑk-/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈbækfiːtsən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈbækˌfitsən/ (General-American)
• /ˈbækfiːts/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch bakfiets, from bak (“container such as a box, crate, tray, or tub”) + fiets (“bicycle”). Bak is derived from French bac (“vat; ferry”), possibly from Vulgar Latin *baccu (“container”), from Latin bacar (“type of wine glass”), possibly from Ancient Greek βῖκος (bîkos, “amphora”), possibly from Egyptian bꜣkt (“oil flask”). The etymology of fiets is uncertain; it is possibly derived from regional (southern Limburg) French vietse (“to run quickly”), possibly ultimately from vite (“(informal or obsolete) fast, quick”) (see further at that word). The plural form bakfietsen is borrowed from Dutch bakfietsen.

Meanings

1. A bicycle or tricycle with a long wheelbase between the front wheel and handlebars holding a large box, originally used solely to transport goods but now also commonly for carrying young children.
   • Imported bakfietsen have some major advantages: Huge cargo capacity (you can easily carry a reclining adult, or two or more children plus a week of groceries in the box). 2015, Raleigh Briggs, Robyn Jasko, Elly Blue, The Urban Homesteader, Microcosm Publishing, →ISBN, page 94:
   • Still commonly used and manufactured today, the bakfiets typically consists of a frame with a longer wheelbase and a large cargo container positioned either between the wheels or over the front wheel. 2013, Alex Newson, “The cargo bike”, in Fifty Bicycles That Changed the World, Octopus, →ISBN:
   • Utility bikes are the pickup trucks of the cycling world. […] Imported from the Netherlands, the Bakfiets brand is like a pedal-powered minivan for soccer moms. 2007 November 5, Paul Tolme, “A Minivan With Real Pedal Power”, in Newsweek, page 65:
   • Despite a rise of car ownership in the early twentieth century, the bakfiets maintained its role in urban delivery, and soon proved useful for transporting children as well—that is, until the arrival of motorized trucks, vans, and buses, and a corresponding increase in the size of goods being transported. 2018, Melissa Bruntlett, Chris Bruntlett, Building the Cycling City, Island Press, →ISBN, page 110:

Forms

Synonyms

cargo bike · carrier cycle · cycletruck · freight bicycle · box bike · freight tricycle

Translations (14)

eo ŝarĝbiciklo (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · da ladcykel (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · fr triporteur (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · pl rower transportowy (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · de Lastenfahrrad (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · pl rower cargo (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · pl bakfiets (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · nl bakfiets (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · pl rower towarowy (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · sv lådcykel (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · fi laatikkopyörä (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · de Transportrad (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · de Lastenrad (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children) · da christianiacykel (bicycle or tricycle with a large box, originally used to transport goods but now more commonly for carrying young children)