The cycle rickshaw, which is a variant of a cargo bike is quite common in Asia. The price for a new one ranges from $100-500. Meanwhile, a bike with elongated rear rack, e.g., a longtail cargo bike (barely counts as cargo bike) can cost $1,000 in the West, and that is the entry level “cargo bike.” A front load cargo bike costs $2500 and upwards. An Urban Arrow ™ cargo bike can cost a whopping $6-7k.
A lack of infrastructure driving a lack of demand. I love my cargo ebike but it’s too bulky to ride on winding sidewalks. I try to avoid roads and unprotected bike lanes wherever possible. My local bike trail network is essential to feel safe when the speed limit for cars is 50kph+ and my bike maxes out at 32kph. Most US cities don’t have trails like that where you can easily get anywhere you need to. While I have the battery capacity to get to the next town over, there’s no bike lane and the roads are 100kph.
It’s also important to note that something like 97% of US bike components come from China. The bike industry was struggling before with low demand post-COVID, but the tariffs are going to be devastating for their entire supply chain.
I personally believe that riding on the sidewalk is more dangerous than riding on the road. You have high risk of getting T-boned by cars pulling out of driveways, they usually don’t look left/right for cyclist, scooters, and people on mobility devices on sidewalk. It is completely legal to ride bicycles on the road, you literally paid for the roads, you paid as much taxes as everyone else so make your presence known and assert your place on the road. However, I acknowledge this is me speaking from privilege, being able-bodied and having no kids. I’ll probably have second thoughts and similar consideration if I have to carry my kids on a cargo bike in US roads.
That aside, what kind of baffled me is that even in countries with excellent bike infrastructure like Denmark and Netherlands, cargo bike still costs an arm and leg. The industry justify the markup because in these places the cargo bike utility-wise is competing with a small car (people mostly use cargo bike to take their toddlers to school, buy groceries, and take items from hardware stores). This is somewhat fair, but the price is still preposterous compared to brandless cargo bike you can get in Asia.
This region is a major training area for professional cyclists. It causes a lot of friction with drivers who act aggressively in response. Road riding should be safer than sidewalks, but culturally here it isn’t. On sidewalks I have a higher risk of being hit by drivers turning/pulling out so I just slow down at each crossing and always let them pass me.