Black Iron Horse

Black Iron Horse has been building cargo bikes in Copenhagen since 1996 — electric three-wheelers with a box up front, designed, assembled and tested in Denmark.

We sell three models: the compact Ibex and six-seat Polly, both available to test ride, and the work-ready Ox, available to order.

Black, blue and grey Black Iron Horse cargo trikes parked in a row on a striped cycle track

Two ways to steer

With children in the front, you want a bike that behaves the same loaded as empty. That’s what Black Iron Horse’s rear-wheel steering is for: on the Polly and the Ox you steer from the back wheel, so a box full of children and shopping doesn’t dull the handling, and the trike turns on the spot — handy outside a school at half past eight. The Ibex takes the other route, with front-wheel steering in the brand’s most compact body, the better fit for one or two children and a tight street. Whichever you choose, three wheels mean the bike stands on its own and nobody wobbles at the lights.

Two children with helmets and a teddy bear in a Black Iron Horse cargo box, one reaching for a flower

Built in Copenhagen

When your children ride in the box, it matters who made it. Black Iron Horse has built cargo bikes in Copenhagen since 1996 — a city where they’re a daily fact of family life — and every one is still finished by hand in the company’s own workshops in Nørrebro and Kastrup. Frames are welded in Europe from Northern European steel, the box is moulded in Denmark from recycled plastic, and each trike is assembled and tested before it ships.

The name goes back to Vesterbro, where the Black Horse Inn went up in 1771 and gave the area its name, and where the blacksmith Lars Leikier built the original Sorte Jernhest. The company is owned by the Ebbefos Foundation, so its profits support the foundation’s work with children and young people — a bike for your family that helps other people’s too.

Which one is best for you

Think about the family you'll have in five years, not just today. The Ibex is the compact one — one or two children, or a dog — and the easiest to live with on a narrow street. The Polly is the people-carrier: seats for up to six, so a third child, a car-share to school or a weekend with cousins doesn't mean a new bike. The Ox is the working trike, built for tools and smaller machinery rather than passengers, with a lockable box or the open Multi body depending on the job.

Black Iron Horse at Flying Dutchman

You can't tell how a trike will suit you by reading about it. Book a test ride on the Ibex or Polly and bring the children — the bike makes more sense with them in it. We'll fit the seats, rain covers, and help you choose a battery for the routes you ride. The Ox is available to order through us. Every electric bike we sell comes with a free first service at 500 km, and you can buy through the Cycle to Work scheme.

Frequently asked questions about Black Iron Horse

Black Iron Horse is a Danish cargo-bike maker based in Copenhagen, building bikes since 1996. It specialises in electric cargo trikes with steel frames and boxes moulded in Denmark from recycled plastic, and it is owned by the Ebbefos Foundation, a charitable foundation supporting children and young people. At Flying Dutchman we sell three models: the Ibex, the Polly and the Ox.

The Ibex is the most compact of the three, with front-wheel steering and room for one or two children or a dog. The Polly is the largest, rear-wheel steered and seating up to six children. The Ox is the commercial trike — rear-wheel steered and built for tools, deliveries and smaller machinery. All three are electric.

The Ibex carries up to two children and the Polly up to six, seated on benches in the front box, with seatbelt and cushion options in the Black Iron Horse accessories range. The Ibex is also offered in a dog configuration.

A trike stands upright on its own, which changes daily use: children climb in while the bike holds still, and pulling away at junctions needs no balancing. Black Iron Horse's trikes are electric, so hills and full loads are assisted. If you're weighing a trike against a two-wheeled cargo bike, our choosing a family bike guide compares the formats.

Black Iron Horse designs, assembles and tests every bike in Denmark. Frames are welded in Europe from steel sourced in Northern Europe, the boxes are moulded in Denmark from recycled plastic, and production has been in Copenhagen since 1996, with workshops in Nørrebro and Kastrup.

Yes — all three models we sell (Ibex, Polly and Ox) are electric cargo trikes with a choice of battery sizes; Black Iron Horse quotes up to 60 km of assisted range. Each qualifies for our free first service at 500 km.

Black Iron Horse backs its bikes with a two-year warranty. If anything needs looking at, book an appointment at one of our shops and we'll help.

Yes — book a test ride on the Ibex or Polly at Flying Dutchman. A rear-wheel-steered trike feels different for the first few minutes, so it's worth judging from the saddle. The Ox isn't held for test rides, but you can order one through us.