MN Cargo Bike Library

@mcbl

The MN Cargo Bike Library is a community-run program made possible through partnerships with @bikemn.bsky.social, @cyclehoop.bsky.social, the Lyndale Neighborhood Association and a grant from the Minneapolis Foundation.

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MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 6d

Pssst, we have opossum stickers in our merch shop now. 👀 Put one on your laptop, your water bottle, your bike, wherever! www.bikemn.org/join-us/mcbl...

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 14d

🚨 Big news 🚨 Our @bunchbike.com will be on display at the Eco Experience building at the MN State Fair (Aug 27-Sept7)! If you stop by, please take a photo and tag us. www.mnstatefair.org/schedule/ele...

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 27d

And have fun with friends, while hauling the MOST stuff.

MCBL Bunch cargo trike hauling a folding bike, folding trailer and saxophone case on a group ride

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 27d

Bring the whole family along

two kids sit in the MCBL Bunch cargo trike on a separated bike path (Cedar? Kenilworth?) on a sunny day

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 27d

Iconic spot

MCBL Bunch cargo trike parked at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 27d

Oh, the places you'll go with your free cargo bike loan via mcbl.bike.

MCBL Bunch cargo trike is parked at a Minneapolis beach with folks enjoying the water and beautiful summer day

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 27d

Our member survey includes an optional question asking if borrowers took any photos during their free cargo bike loan that they'd like to share with us. Some of them feel like a love note to the bikes (and to the city):

MCBL Bunch cargo trike parked in front of a lake (Bde Maka Ska?) at sunset.

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 27d

It's all smiles down at our brand new Rochester cargo bike library branch!

An adult rides a black Xtracycle Swoop with a smile on their face while a MCBL librarian stands next to them, smiling.

A new MCBL member in Rochester sits on the blue Aventon Abound, smiling. A bike mechanic is in the background, in a garage, also smiling.

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 29d

Need to haul a saxophonist playing live music through your city? There’s a cargo bike for that. 🚲 ❤️ 🎷

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· 29d

To enable on-ride music, we hauled: ✔️1 talented saxophonist w/ saxophone in hand ✔️1 folding bike ✔️ 1 trailer ✔️ 1 saxophone case And still had room to haul another bike with @lauragmitchell.com ‘s Tow Monster (but wasn’t needed). Next up: full band on cargo bikes?

2 Bunch cargo trikes are parked next to each other. One has a folding bike in it, and the other has a saxophonist holding his saxophone and smiling. They are at a park.

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jul 9

Our library Bunch bike got a shiny new front panel (w/ our updated name). Let us know if you spot it in the wild!

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jun 21

Are you cargo bike curious but not wanting a BIG bike? Our Benno RemiDemi is small but mighty & might be right up your alley. Available soon at our Brackett Park library branch!

Yellow electric cargo bike is parked in front of a very coordinated mural of a hand holding some music notes

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jun 15

Important pupdate: One of our borrowers brought this sweet senior chihuahua to bike check out on Thursday and told us they wanted to see how he’d do in a basket on the front of the bike. Yesterday they traveled 18 miles together! 🚲 ❤️ 🐶

Screenshot from Instagram showing a black chihuahua in a basket with a purple
Towel draped over the basket. The dog is looking up at the camera and has a sweet greying face

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jun 5

Our June orientation is this Sunday & our new @xtracycle.bsky.social Swoop ASM is helping us prepare and will be front and center in the training as our demo bike.

Blue Xtracycle Swoop ASM is parked outside the BikeMN office

Close up of the rear cargo area on the Xtracycle with dozens of MN Bicycling Handbook books

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jun 3

Our program accepts donations in the form of money, bikes, AND/OR photos of dogs/adult/child passengers enjoying our bikes. We love this one of Leo who ALSO got to try out our Bunch last year. Which do you think he enjoyed more?

Adorable older golden retriever sits in an Urban Arrow

Adorable older golden retriever sits in a Bunch bike

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jun 1

To celebrate a successful Cargo Bike Showcase today, we just added 3 more spots for this weekend's orientation. If you're interested, register now (they tend to go *very* fast)! Participants must be 18yo+ and live in Minneapolis. www.eventbrite.com/e/june-orien...

Flyer for June MCBL orientation
June 7th, 11am
3537 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· May 27

It’s bike check-in night and two of our borrowers had creative ways to get back home after dropping their bikes off! Other popular options include: -walk - @metrotransitmn.bsky.social -Lime bike/scooter -folding bike -ride share (Lyft) -getting a ride from a friend Which would you pick?

An MCBL borrower rides the Bunch bike with a regular bike in the front cargo box

An MCBL borrower stands on a child-sized scooter

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· May 22

Are you engaged in mutual aid work in your neighborhood or city? There’s a cargo bike to help with that. We’re so proud to see the various ways our borrowers leverage these bikes to support their neighbors in Minneapolis & beyond. 🚲 ❤️

MCBL Aventon Abound LR has 4 canisters of formula on the front basket

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· May 17

Thank you to everyone who joined our cargo bike test ride event yesterday! There were so many smiles, giggles, and “I need to get one of these” comments. 🚲 ❤️

Several people stand around front loader cargo bikes with a sign that says “test a cargo bike today!”

3 college students share a Bunch bike with 2 friends in the box and one riding it

A volunteer helps someone learn about a Bunch bike

A group of volunteers pose with the MCBL cargo bikes. Someone is photo bombing on a skateboard

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· May 12

Member stories: Last week our @bunchbike.com went home with a member who wanted to ensure her friend (who gets around with a wheelchair) could join a weekend picnic. 🚲 ❤️

Several people pose around a Bunch cargo bike outdoors on a sunny day. An adult is in the bike cargo area.

The trike DID work out for my friend--we rode down to the Bote and met some other friends for a Mother's Day picnic. He was so thrilled to be on a bike again--he was giddy!
We are already excited to check it out again!
It worked really well for him to remove the bench and put the seat cushion of his wheelchair in the bottom of the bucket.

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Apr 30

Save the date! We’re offering tests rides of several of our electric cargo bikes at this event! Free & all are welcome.

Flyer for an event:

Lyndale
WHEELS & BIKE RODEO
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 11AM-2PM
Painter Park (620 W 34th St)

Image shows feet of people on skateboards

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Apr 28

A unique aspect of our cargo bike library is our new member orientation: a free 1 hour, in-person session with our librarians to go over everything you need to know to be safe and have fun with your free cargo bike rental. Our May orientation is this Saturday! We can't wait. 1/2

Laura stands next to a cargo bike with a room of 15+ new members going through MCBL orientation

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Apr 25

In the first year of our cargo bike library (2025), men made up less than half of our borrowers. Minneapolis' infrastructure is far from perfect, but is further ahead than most other U.S. cities. When we create networks of safe routes for people to bike, all kinds of people bike.

Pie chart showing men made up 42.1% of borrowers. Women were 44.9% and trans/genderqueer/gender nonconforming folks made up 13.1%.

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Mar 24

Want to be a cargo bike librarian? Be prepared to manage lots of keys (these are half of ours). 🔑

Laura holds a pile of keys and gps trackers with bikes in the background

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Mar 14

We’re so grateful to @perennialcycle.bsky.social for helping us with a very exciting new bike day… Our cargo bike library now has an Urban Arrow! This bike will be available to members to borrow for FREE when we reopen later this spring. 🚲 ❤️

Laura sits on a black urban arrow outside Perennial bike shop (which has a big “Abolish ICE” banner over the shop sign.

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Mar 4

We received 2 emails like this in 2 days. Minneapolitans are eager for some joy... and we can't wait to bring it in the form of free cargo bike loans. We're working on getting our orientations scheduled & setting our reopen date. We'll share those via our newsletter first, so sign up! mcbl.bike

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jan 31

We had planned a winter hibernation to give our volunteer team time to rest. Instead, our full team is deep in mutual aid work & several bikes are back out to help w/ community needs. Our @bunchbike.com will help an injured bike friend join the ride for Alex Pretti tomorrow. See you there? 🚲 ❤️

Bunch bike parked next to the Bryant Ave bikelane. Snow is on the ground and it’s very cold.

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Jan 6

Well, would you look at that? I wonder what this little sneak preview corner could be hinting at... 👀

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Dec 31

Behind the scenes: this is how cargo bike libraries are made. Our core team met for FIVE hours today to work on planning for 2026. We have many, many exciting things in the works… including a name change to accompany our expansion plans! Stay tuned. 👀

3 laptops and misc office supplies are on a table in a meeting space

MN Cargo Bike Library@mcbl· Dec 4

We’re so grateful to have cozy @cyclehoop.bsky.social bike hangars to keep our bikes out of the elements and secure during their winter hibernation!