Urban Transport

Nimble cargo scooter hauls gear through "Urban" spaces

Nimble cargo scooter hauls gear through "Urban" spaces
Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
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The Nimble Urban's flat rack allows you to strap gear directly or add a basket or carrier
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The Nimble Urban's flat rack allows you to strap gear directly or add a basket or carrier
The Nimble Urban scooter can be used to get groceries at the local shop, carry a backpack to school or myriad other daily tasks
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The Nimble Urban scooter can be used to get groceries at the local shop, carry a backpack to school or myriad other daily tasks
Nimble is working to raise money for Urban production on Indiegogo
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Nimble is working to raise money for Urban production on Indiegogo
Nimble Scooters presents the versatile, folding Urban
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Nimble Scooters presents the versatile, folding Urban
The included bungee cord helps you secure cargo and carriers to the Urban
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The included bungee cord helps you secure cargo and carriers to the Urban
The Urban can be outfitted with a bicycle rack, making it easy to add panniers and other bicycle accessories
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The Urban can be outfitted with a bicycle rack, making it easy to add panniers and other bicycle accessories
The Urban includes a kickstand
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The Urban includes a kickstand
The Nimble Urban with bicycle rack
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The Nimble Urban with bicycle rack
The Urban is designed for short trips of 1 or 2 miles
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The Urban is designed for short trips of 1 or 2 miles
Use the Urban to run errands and cut travel time around the neighborhood
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Use the Urban to run errands and cut travel time around the neighborhood
Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
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Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
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Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
The Urban is a sleeker, more versatile cargo scooter than Nimble's original Classic
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The Urban is a sleeker, more versatile cargo scooter than Nimble's original Classic
After receiving feedback from Classic users, Nimble designed the lighter, more compact Urban
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After receiving feedback from Classic users, Nimble designed the lighter, more compact Urban
Strap a cooler to the Urban and head to the game
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Strap a cooler to the Urban and head to the game
Hauling bottles to the local recycler on the Urban scooter
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Hauling bottles to the local recycler on the Urban scooter
Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
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Nimble Scooters presents the all-new Urban
The Urban folds for easier transport and storage
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The Urban folds for easier transport and storage
The Urban scooter features a steel frame
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The Urban scooter features a steel frame
On the streets with the new Urban scooter
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On the streets with the new Urban scooter
The Urban can carry boxes, crates, bags and more
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The Urban can carry boxes, crates, bags and more
The Urban becomes a pet transporter
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The Urban becomes a pet transporter
The Urban becomes a pet transporter
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The Urban becomes a pet transporter
Kick your way down to the local farmer's market and stock up
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Kick your way down to the local farmer's market and stock up
Nimble Urban cargo scooter
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Nimble Urban cargo scooter
The Urban is a simple way to haul more than 50 lb
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The Urban is a simple way to haul more than 50 lb
Nimble Classic cargo scooter
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Nimble Classic cargo scooter
The basic Urban includes a custom flat rack
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The basic Urban includes a custom flat rack
View gallery - 28 images

We've seen plenty of cargo bikes, a few electric cargo scooters and a number of luggage-hauling kick scooters, but general cargo kick scooters? Not so many. In fact, if you scour the internet for such a vessel, your search will likely be dominated by one company: California's Nimble Scooters, which is now launching the new "Urban" cargo scooter, a design that's smoother, lighter and more versatile than its original Classic. The new scooter takes short trips while carrying more than 50 lb (23 kg) of gear or goods.

Nimble launched its original Classic scooter a few years ago, providing the market with a unique blend of cargo bike utility and kick scooter simplicity and affordability. Unlike something like the Scuddy scooter, the Classic doesn't have a motor – or the attached price or weight. You can pick one up for a retail price of US$299 and give yourself a little extra wheeling and hauling power for short trips around the city or neighborhood.

Nimble Classic cargo scooter
Nimble Classic cargo scooter

While an intriguing blend of cargo capacity, simple operation and affordability, the original Classic isn't necessarily the cleanest design out there. Its fixed 18-gal (68-L) cargo tub makes it rather large for storing or transporting. The T-bar appears to be mounted vertically and doesn't look as ergonomic as it'd be with a bit more lean (though we haven't actually tested it out).

Based around Classic customer feedback for something smaller, lighter and more versatile, Nimble designed the new Urban, a cleaner kick scooter platform for your cargo-hauling pleasure. Nimble calls it its best scooter yet, and it seems the company realized that the Classic's design is a bit large and bulky for the small apartments and public transportation of the city, one of the environments where you'd be most likely to want a cargo scooter in the first place.

The basic Urban includes a custom flat rack
The basic Urban includes a custom flat rack

The Urban is designed to shine in small urban spaces. In place of the big HDPE tub, the Urban comes with a custom 12 x 12-in (30 x 30-cm) flat rack that you can use to carry cargo directly or secure a box, bag, basket or other carrier to better accommodate your load. The scooter even comes with a bungee cord for securing carriers or cargo to the rack. The Urban can also be ordered with a bicycle rack so you can use standard bicycle accessories like panniers and baskets.

The scooter folds up for easy storage, transport in your car trunk and rides on public transportation. It doesn't compact quite as much as standard kick scooters with fully folding handlebars, but the rider platform swings underneath the front frame, dropping length from 52 to 34 in (132 to 86 cm). The handlebars adjust between 38 and 24 in (97 and 61 cm), accommodating riders up to 6-foot 4-in (1.9 m).

The Urban folds for easier transport and storage
The Urban folds for easier transport and storage

Nimble imagines the Urban being used for short trips of a mile or two (1.6 to 3.2 km), trips it thinks of as "too far to walk but not far enough to be worth taking a car or bike." It states that the Urban will be perfect for cruising university campuses, picking up local produce at the farmer's market, rolling through office buildings and more.

The Urban has a steel frame, linkage front-wheel steering system, foot-activated rear flex brake and kickstand. It weighs around 30 lb (13.6 kg). A built-in locking loop on the handlebar tube ensures that you can lock it up with ease.

Nimble has turned to Indiegogo for help raising the funds it needs to purchase tooling for its California production facility and parts for the new scooter. It is offering the basic Scooter with flat rack for pledge levels starting at $149 (40 percent off the projected $249 retail), a model with bicycle rack and flat rack for $229 (vs. $269 retail), and a model with wicker basket and flat rack for $239 (vs $279). All models include the bungee cord and come in buyer's choice of glossy white or matte black. The company expects to begin shipping in July, if everything pans out.

Sources: Nimble Scooters, Indiegogo

View gallery - 28 images
4 comments
4 comments
TheoArmour
I just helped fund the Nimble Urban Scooter project.
Let's disrupt the shopping expedition and warehouse fulfillment experience by enabling better health, greater economy and - simply - more fun.
Daishi
It's not a bad idea but I feel like I could probably design a simper/cheaper version of this. Something like this maybe http://i.imgur.com/hzIvIVi.jpg
I think I would even prefer a scooter like this one with a flat rack for a milk crate above the rear wheel: http://i.imgur.com/CST1NaR.jpg
You could put a basket in front too and have one on the front and back. Both of the pictured scooters fold as well.
Bob Flint
Sorry but you can take even a new bicycle for 50 feet or several miles for that price...
Besides hauling 50lbs worth of what stuff? Nowadays everything is very close, or on one's way to work, or can be delivered...
unklmurray
I like the design. Due to my recent Hospitalization,and subsequent diagnosis of COPD.....I can no longer get that much exercise,the amount it takes to ride a motor-less kick scooter,so I will have to put a motor in the hub of either wheel or both wheels,then I can carry Me and my portable oxygen concentrator, and some groceries........LOOKS LIKE PHUN !!.......LOL :-)