Christiania Bikes
A cargo-bike maker that began as the village smithy of Christiania in Copenhagen in 1972 and now makes its box bikes on Bornholm and in Copenhagen.
- Founded
- 1972
- Founded by
- Lars Engstrøm
- Based in
- Bornholm and Copenhagen
Pictures © Christiania Bikes, from christianiabikes.com.
Why it is renowned
Christiania Bikes is one of the Copenhagen firms that make the cargo bikes the city is known for, and its bikes are sold in the United States under the name Boxcycles.1 In 2023 the British magazine Cycling Plus called the house cargo-bike trendsetters and credited it with pioneering the cargo bike that carries children.2 It sells through dealers across Europe and in Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States.3
The story
Lars Engstrøm and three friends founded the village smithy in Christiania in 1972, first making wood stoves from old oil drums, then bicycle trailers.4 The smithy built its first Christiania bike in 1984.4 In 1989 Engstrøm and Annie moved production to a farm on Bornholm, where local farmers came to build wheels, sew covers and make parts; today parts are made and bikes assembled on Bornholm and in Copenhagen.4
Works
What to know it by
- Christiania bike41984Lars EngstrømCargo tricycle with a plywood box in front
Sources
- Cycling in Copenhagen, Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org, read 28 September 2026.
- Christiania Bikes, Rob Ainsley, Cycling Plus (UK), March 2023, on Magzter. magzter.com, read 1 October 2026.
- Christiania Bikes. christianiabikes.com, read 28 September 2026.
- Vores historie, Christiania Bikes. christianiabikes.com, read 28 September 2026.
Checked 5 October 2026, against the maker's own pages.