Why Omnium is the second platform on OpenCargo

Let's get the awkward part out of the way first.

I work at Larry vs Harry. The Bullitt and the Omnium share dealers. At some of those dealers, I've been told that the Omnium crew refers to the Bullitt as "the couch on wheels."

I think that's hilarious. And honestly, after riding my Bullitt loaded with a week of groceries and half of a furniture delivery, I can't even argue. It is a bit of a couch. A very fast couch. But still.

The point is: if I were building OpenCargo to promote the Bullitt, Omnium would be the last bike I'd add. We literally compete for the same wall space in the same shops.

I added them second because they represent exactly what OpenCargo is about.

Same city, same philosophy, different bike

Omnium is a Copenhagen company. So is Larry vs Harry. I pass their workshop on my way to ours. The cargo bike world here is a village.

But what matters for OpenCargo isn't geography. It's platform philosophy. And Omnium gets this in a way very few brands do.

They sell framesets. They offer titanium builds. Their rack is an open system. You bolt, strap, and customize whatever you want on top of it. They don't try to sell you the box, the bag, the cover, and the rain canopy. They give you a base and trust you to figure out the rest.

That trust creates makers.

16 community designs and counting

When I searched Printables for Omnium, I found 16 community designs already uploaded. Light mounts, AirTag holders, headtube armor, rack covers, GoPro mounts, lock holders, storage triangles. All made by people who ride the bike and needed something that didn't exist.

One designer, j.fed_rr, built an entire set of parts for his Omnium. Front rack light mount, saddle bag rack mount, rack box clips. That's not a weekend project. That's someone who thinks about their bike the way a carpenter thinks about their workbench.

That's the kind of community energy that belongs on OpenCargo.

3 independent makers already building

DAMGOOD makes CNC-machined folding hinges and steering tube uncouplers that let you fold an Omnium flat for storage. 7075 aluminum, designed by a rider, sold worldwide. Bagaboo in Budapest makes Cordura cargo bags specifically for the Omnium Cargo, Mini-Max, and Mini — 80 to 160 litres, two-layer waterproof construction. Dyed in the Wool in Warsaw makes frame bags.

Three makers, three countries, three different product types. And we launched the platform this week.

The Nano just won a world championship

The newest Omnium is the Nano. Under 150cm long. Two 20-inch wheels. It launched a month ago. Matias, Omnium's director, took the first prototype to the Cycle Messenger World Championships in Sydney and won the whole thing on it.

The founder, Jimmi, still rides as a courier every Wednesday in Copenhagen.

I don't know any other cargo bike company where the director races the prototype at world championships and the founder still delivers packages. That's the kind of brand OpenCargo exists for.

What's on the Omnium page right now

206+ products. 3 independent makers. 16 community designs. We're just getting started.

The Bullitt page has 30 makers and 206+ products because people have been building for that platform since 2008. The Omnium page is a week old.

If you ride an Omnium and you've built something for it, or you know someone who has — this is your invitation. Contribute to OpenCargo

The page grows when the community shows up. We're just holding the door open.

The couch and the race bike

The Bullitt is the couch on wheels. The Omnium is the race bike that wants to wheelie. Both are independent. Both are Copenhagen. Both have communities that build things for them.

OpenCargo doesn't pick favorites. We pick platforms where independent makers do interesting work. Omnium clears that bar easily.

Even if they make fun of our bike.

— Vincent