Month: November 2024

Urban Arrow’s front-loader is a stylish, functional cargo/kid hauler

With either cargo or kids, the Family is impeccably designed and a smooth ride.

So far, all of the cargo bikes we've tested have been what are called "long tails," which means the frame is extended out past the seat, moving the rear wheel back and creating a space for cargo or extra passengers. Based on my experience, they're the most common form of cargo bike on US roads. But they're not the only game in town. Bakfiets, or front-loaders, extend the other end, moving the front wheel forward to create space for a substantial cargo area.

For the last few weeks, we've been testing a front-loader called the Family from Urban Arrow, a Dutch manufacturer that's a sister company to Gazelle. Everything Ars' Kevin Purdy wrote about the Gazelle bike he tested applies here. The Urban Arrow is stylish and incredibly well thought out, and it uses some interesting tech extremely effectively. And it has the added bonus of being able to haul a surprising amount of cargo. If you can get used to the price (starting at $6,000) and the small front wheel being an appreciable distance from the handlebars you use to steer it, it's a fantastic choice.

Taking a back seat

There are a number of nice things about a front-loader design compared to a long tail. For one, the distance between the cranks and the rear wheel is typical of other bikes, meaning you don't need an extra-long chain. With no competition for space between the rear wheel and cargo, the rear wheel is also a normal size. This helps with the feel of the bike's handling and could theoretically allow the front-loader to use more standard parts for easier service. That's not entirely the case with the Family, however, as Urban Arrow went with a belt drive and internally geared hub (more on that below).

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Study confirms Egyptians likely used hallucinogens in rituals

Special concoction also contained honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice, and grapes to make it look like blood.

Last year we reported on preliminary research suggesting that ancient Egyptians may have used hallucinogens in their religious rituals, based on the presence of a few key chemical signatures taken from a ceremonial mug. Now those researchers have extended their analysis and fully identified the chemical components of those samples, confirming those preliminary findings, according to a new paper published in the journal Scientific Reports.

There is ample evidence that humans in many cultures throughout history used various hallucinogenic substances in religious ceremonies or shamanic rituals. That includes not just ancient Egypt but also ancient Greek, Vedic, Maya, Inca, and Aztec cultures. The Urarina people who live in the Peruvian Amazon Basin still use a psychoactive brew called ayahuasca in their rituals, and Westerners seeking their own brand of enlightenment have also been known to participate.

Last year, David Tanasi, of the University of South Florida, posted a preprint on his preliminary analysis of a ceremonial mug decorated with the head of Bes, a popular deity believed to confer protection on households, especially mothers and children. So unlike most other Egyptian deities, images of Bes were quite common in Egyptian homes. There were even special chambers built to honor Bes and his wife, Beset, at the Saqqara site near Cairo, which Egyptologists think could have been used for fertility or healing rituals, although their exact purpose is not certain (Bes was an ancient Egyptian deity of protection, fertility, healing, and purification). The mug is part of the collection of the Tampa Museum of Art.

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