At 2:43 PM +0000 10/17/09, tobit linke wrote:
>Does the distinction between cargo bikes with frame or fork mounted
>front racks exist in French (regardless of wheelsize),
Apart from the post office, I haven't seen
frame-mounted racks in France, so perhaps the
distinction isn't necessary...
>or is the meaning of Porteur narrowed when it's used in English?
Possibly. In Paris, the 'porteur de presse' was a
very distinct bicycle type. Other delivery riders
might have used similar bikes...
>
>What is cycle truck in French?
I don't know. I have seen the word "Vélo facteur" (postal carrier bike), but usually in reference to just a heavy bike intended for durability rather than speed.
Cycletruck really was a Schwinn model name, if I recall correctly. In Britain, this type of bike sometimes is called "butcher bike." Porteur is a French name for a French-style bike that now is becoming popular in the U.S.
The main point is that the distinction between bikes with frame-mounted and fork-mounted racks is an important one, regardless of the names you choose.
Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
2116 Western Ave.
Seattle WA 98121
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com