Family of four here, sold our car 5-6 years ago and have used the cargo bike (Urban Arrow) instead for every inner city trip and some outer city trips (approx 20,000 km) since then...
The bike to work scheme is a great option to spread the initial outlay in the uk. Bought the bike (bakfiets) one year and an e conversion the next. Sadly, the kids will grow up and stop wanting to use it. I won't!
Hello from Romania, Cluj-Napoca. We bought our first cargo bike (Urban Arrow) 3 years ago. It completely changed our lives, the morning ride to the kindergarten is not just way faster, but also a lot more fun for out child. We rode it trough autumn and winter as well, a raincover a blanket can do wonders. For rainy day we got some basic Dechatlon rain pant as a poncho. It keeps you completely dry. The safety can be an issue, having in mind the Romanian driving style, but with a cargo bike, the slow down and keep a more normal side distance to you, because they can’t decide if you are an alien or just stupid for not taking the car (like “normal” people).
As someone who's been to Cluj Napoca (and Romania for that matter) exactly once, I admire your bravery for daring to ride a bike in romanian traffic XD Beautiful city though, they'd just need to reign cars in more, lower speed limits, remove some lanes in favor of bike lanes, trees etc. Would massively improve quality of life in the city.
The cost of keeping the infrastructure of a city is also cheaper if it's designed for bikes instead of cars. Technically the govt can collect less taxes (they probably won't) and everyone saves money
I always congratulate delivery guys or anyone riding a classic/electric bike, here in Bucharest, for their bravery of riding here where drivers pass them at high speed considering theirs on almost any clear stretch of road and many times at low side distance. I tried it and it scares me, not to mention if I want to turn left on a two/three lanes avenue. But, in the evening or at night it is way safer as people are not in a rush anymore. So, this is why I daily ride a 125cc Honda PCX scooter and drivers respect me more and I never feel unsafe because I can keep up with the traffic speed. I rarely have any fights or incidents with anyone for their carelessness. Yet, I still want to buy an electric bike as I do like the sensation while riding one, I wanna' move more my body and get warmer when outside is colder. And yeah, I have two cars, one of which is a retro one meant to be driven once in a while just for fun at night (so, it has its purpose) and the other my cheap "daily" modern regular one which I hate driving here because I hate searching for parking spots, sitting in traffic jams or higher running costs (yes, that scooter turned my view on the way I see transport nowadays 😂, 2 litres for 100km and getting quick everywhere is so addictive) and I really think of selling it as it sits so much 😢.
I’ve got a front load cargo bike and I love it. One thing I’d say is a real advantage to cargo bike (and normal bike) journeys is that they always take basically the same amount of time. Random traffic, road works or accidents don’t really effect you. It’s a nice bit of stress relief.
@@gcn I live in a big city so it depends on the time of day. During peak hour it’s faster to ride by a long way. Outside of that it’s probably slower but not by much.
100%. No matter the time of year, construction, rush hour or mid-morning or mid-afternoon, my ride to the office is 20 minutes door to door. Maybe a train crossing could stop me but even that I could detour around.
@@gcn I work in Oporto-Portugal downtown, so taking the car is impossible because of the parking costs. I have a 400cc motorcycle that I use in the rainy days and ride my bike on sunny days. The difference between the 2 on normal traffic is 20 min (motorcycle), 22 min (bike). The bike route is shorter by 1.6 kms. I have been thinking about an ebike for the rainy days (less effort, not sweting your clothes). Since it is a big investment I would like to try it before. Information like this is very usefull.
@@manueldias1301 , yeah, you could sell both and switch to an ebike full time unless you need to go to other places with the motorbike that require it. You might be able to try one at tourist rental spots or a lot of online retailers have a trial period.
Mine is not an actual cargo bike, but it's equipped with a large sturdy basket on the back. I do ALL my in-town errands and shopping on it. Being able to scoot past all those cars and park anywhere I want is a major selling point. But at age 71, just being willing and able to ride a bike is the primary reason I do it. I hope to keep riding forever.
@@gcn I still keep a vehicle but rarely use it, just when it's raining. (I don't have the British fortitude to ride in the rain) (ha ha). GCN's videos are excellent, and Sy's are particularly good!
Simon, the grand master of video presenters does it again. I’ve not had a cargo bike but it reminds me of taking my girls out on an old tandem 30 years ago with kiddy cranks. The joie de vivre was palpable as my youngest would call out “this is the life!” as we cruised along the local lanes.
What I learned is that going (almost) everywhere by bike is a mindset. Yes the weather can be awful, but if you have correct clothing and a positive mindset it is actually not that bad. I really like that I can go on my bike almost everywhere. I cycle throughout the year, give my bike some TLC every other week and I just love it. Those beautiful sunsets on a cold winter day are really a joy. In a car I would miss those and just get annoyed by all the traffic. I'd even by less joyful as a human being if I was confined to using the all day.
It is almost always worth getting out on your bike. Once you're wet you're wet... embrace it 😂Can you remember any specific moments you chose the bike over the car and it paid off?
The fact that my bike is electric means I can dress like a fisherman when it rains and not get sweaty like I would on a conventional pedal bike. It's a game changer.
The guys at the local bike shop think I'm crazy 'because I ride a beater road bike with studded tires through the canadian winter. Even in a blizzard, over ice, and pouring rain, as long as you dress appropriately, I can guarantee you'll be nice and cozy.
Exactly! And one of the benefits of the e-bike, like steveocrom mentioned is that if the weather is really bad you can just bundle up and then not have to work nearly as hard and get to you destination way less sweaty! But on most days, if you want to, you can lower your assist level and still crank out some good exercise.
Amazing! I love to see this content in addition to all the sport cycling stuff! It's great to normalize cycling as a mode of transportation and not just as exercise :) also great having Connor and Si in regular clothes instead of Lycra
@@gcn definitely! They might seem goofy at first but the ability to transport children and groceries is a game changer, especially when people think bikes are only for the TdF or for children. The biggest downside is just how car-centric everything is, so safe routes for bikes and pedestrians are a lower priority than public car storage and not having to slow down while driving through dense urban areas 🫠
Good to see this kind of content on GCN's platform. 👍 A Cargo box E-trike riding family for 3 years now, it was an instant revelation. The convenience is the best perk, quicker to get young kids in and away, beats car seats and parking faff any day. Happily around our town can roll up at doorstep of school, plus enjoy a 'parking space' outside most high street shops, so no lugging shopping / bags etc around to distant pricy carparks. Loads of room for stuff and kids and their mates who can hitch a lift in the 4 seats too. No family car use, as just no need! (We are lucky to have a garage big enough to store the large bike though - recognise this is a key point) Finally - we feel safer than on any other bike, taking a lane, cars more tolerant due to bike size, and it also surprisingly creates a safer zone for eldest kid to pedal her bike in front of us in good view of cargo rider. Works for us, better than we ever expected, now wouldn't live without one as a family. Highly recommend! 😀
Same as me. So happy with the investment and we sold our second car = massive savings for the family budget. From our home to the school gate - average is 8 mins. By car it was the same!? (No traffic on the bike and travelling half the speed of the car.) Plus, the kids and I absolutey love it; fun, fun; fun!
even apartment buildings provide bicycle storage nowadays so having room for the bike is no big issue, hell i could fit one in my elevator and bring it into the apt if required.
Have had the same bike for a year and a half here in Norway, 6000ish km later and I still love it. Getting the storm box and shield was a huge benefit for me taking a 5 and 9 year old go their educational places as I live in a very rainy and cold place.👍 for your videos 👍👍 for this bike.
Honestly, if you're thinking about an ebike, and you're not sure, think about why there are so few used ones for sale. Surely the novelty would have worn off by now. Really they are so fun once you get one you can't imagine letting it go.
So few for sale because there is not many of them in the first place. It feels like 80-90 used bikes for sale $500 or less when they were new even cheapest ebike is about $1500
Amazing! Cargo bikes are a game changer! It's not just family's that are using them, city delivery are starting to reap the reward? 👉 ruclips.net/video/RJa0t4nQ4BE/видео.html
We bought one about month ago for childcare pickups and small family adventures. I'm a mountain biker and road cyclist, so I've typically not keen on e-bikes but I'll say this thing is fantastic. We bought it as a regular Yuba Mundo and I converted it with a mid drive set up. I love riding it around with our 2 children on the back. Highly recommended.
Proud owner of a Yuba Mundo for 10 years. Never regreted it a second. Don't forget that you can alsor carry adults. Going to parties with friends is loads of fun.
Yuba with Bafang mid drive conversion - amazing machine. Rode it all year long through the Colorado winter. Kids love it! Other parents love it! Motorists always smile or stare in amazement :)
Not a cargo bike, but we do a lot of trips around our large village in Sweden with a hybrid bike with Weehoo cycle trailer. With my younger daughter especially, she really loves it and gets to kindergarten in far better fettle than if we drop her off in the car. I think being out with kids on bikes really encourages them to take note of their surroundings and connect with nature and the place that they live.
We got a Radwagon 4 electric cargo bike and it's really changed things. I've put 2500 miles on it in two years and have since gotten rid of one car making us a 1-car family. The bike required upgrades for brakes and tires, but otherwise has worked pretty well. I have zero regrets about getting an electric cargo bike. In retrospect I might have gone with a Tern, but I'm happy with my current bike for the time being.
@@gcn So far we haven't really missed the second car. We were putting less than 200 miles on it per year, so it was just costing us money parked in the driveway.
I bought a hardtail MTB and added a high child seat behind my saddle as well as a two seat bike trailer that attached on the side opposite the derailleur through a QR skewer. When I rode it with three kids, I never had problems with cars. Nobody messes with three small kids when the littlest one is seated up high, sporting a pink helmet with a unicorn horn, waving to the world.
Hello from Germany! We bought our Tern GSD about a month ago and it has been a game changer! The powerful motor makes hills feel like nothing and the compactness of it makes it so easy to park anywhere in the city. My daughter absolutely loves it and with the stormbox in the back I can carry so much stuff without breaking a sweat. A pretty expensive bike indeed, but one of the best investments I have ever made. 🚲 ❤
I have the same bike as yours for five months. I ride it with my 68 years old wife on the back across the city. Together we weight about 170 kg so we are a little bit above the maximum allowed weight for this bike. But it still support us very well. I have also to be a little cautious in the corners not to lean to far down. Our global feeling is very positive🙂
Love seeing you cycle around Bristol and mention the questionable cycle paths. Would love to see a video about good and bad cycling infrastructure and what to do when it’s bad. Like Coronation Road where the bike path has trees in it or in the city centre where the path isn’t clearly marked and ends up full of pedestrians.
Yeah what is with the trees on the bike path on Coronation road? Always makes me chuckle, particularly when the tree is just after a sign saying it's a bike path.
@@gcn The white lines used to bend around the trees more obviously, but it's the pedestrian bit that actually narrows - so there's that. ... and there's also the one, random shared path marker sign, down towards Gaol Ferry Bridge that swaps which side is pedestrian and which is bikes. Obviously someone with a sense of humour in the Council somewhere ;)
Yeah this would be a good video. I'm in Edinburgh and cars park all over the cycle paths. Though it's a bit better where they've put in the bollards to keep the road more separated.
Love the video Simon! We've taken delivery of our E-Cargo bike in October and have put 400km on it over winter here in Bavaria. It is just so much more convenient than taking a car for most trips around our small town and my son loves sitting in the front. We have the rain cover which keeps me warm and dry as well even in snow, ice and sleet and the only days it has been hard to ride are when we have deep snow that is turning to slush but it is challenging to drive a car when it is this slippery as well. I firmly believe that the cargo bike is the best transport solution for urban mobility for the future alongside good public transport and walkable urban design and that every family can replace at least one car with a cargo bike and have no negative effects on their lifestyle (but endless positive effects of course)!
I've been looking at getting an electric cargo bike for sometime and this video just helps remind me why. These bikes have to be the future of urban transport, we just need more bike infrastructure to go with it. Great video Si, keep up the good work GCN.
I've owned a Tern GSD (same as Simon's) for a year now and put almost 5000km on the clock. It is a fantastic bike and has already paid for itself in tollway charges. Cycling around with two adults on board is definitely hilarious and we have been surprised by the number of people who are shocked (in Melbourne, Australia) that you can get rid of a car and save money by cycling. Another surprising thing is the amount of stuff you can move on a bicycle. The most recent large cargo haul I did was a 3x3 IKEA Kallax bookshelf and a Mittback desk in one go!
@@jurassicchrist There's also the Lug and Carrie bike everywhere in the inner city! I had another adult on the back today to grab some dinner ingredients and a pedestrian stopped mid-crossing to pull out their phone and take a video of us and yell "woohoo!"
My little dog lulu has a Surly Big Easy cargo ebike that I pilot for her. It's dark green with orange bags. We love it. Two batteries gets me a days ride in half the time. I recommend
Great video, thanks!! Regarding storage of your cargo bike, I thought you might mention that the Tern GSD that you're riding is built to be parked standing vertically so as to use minimal space wherever it's parked. You just grab the rear brake and pull the bike backwards, quite easy after a few tries.
I bought a cargo bike two years ago and absolutely love it. It’s my favorite purchase of all time. There is something about riding vs driving that is hard to describe; i just always enjoy riding and avoid driving at (almost) all costs. I actually look for silly chances to ride my cargo bike - like to get a single lemon for dinner. I also love stringing multiple errands together because they are fun instead of a stressful chore when driving. Pass all the cars and park right by the front door of your destination. I meet many more people riding because it’s so simple to circle back and chat with someone when on my cargo bike, or to make an instant detour to stop and look at something interesting like new construction or someone’s chickens rooting about in their yard. I ride in street clothes with rain gear for drizzly days. Basically, if you like riding a bicycle, you can double how much you’ll love riding a cargo e-bike.
« Go for it, you won’t regret it » I have mine since 4 years now. I sold my car. My wife and I were « early » adopter and now it is more and more common to see Tern cargo bike. Less stress, you know exactly when you arrive. True that people smile a you and the kids. Very reliable, kids love it. I also take it on vacation. Tern can stand up and is the best for cities : can go easily in an elevator. Only downside is when you get a flat : nightmare to change back tire. Also afraid of thief.
Retired last year and treated myself to a step through Gazelle Bloom C7 electric bike - don't judge me. What a laugh , it's absolutely brilliant. It can carry a week's shopping or 2 X sacks of compost and is a dream to ride. Defo the way forward... 😊
Absolutely love this content Si!! So helpful. Great points. Love that you included your adorable children! I am leaning towards getting one. Our local Cycling Without Age group has an e-assist Trishaw and the seniors absolutely LOVE it. More content like this gcn! Great job film crew!
@Global Cycling Network OH yes indeed. That too was a lot of fun! I'm a sap for this cool content! I'll take all you can 'delivery! (By cargo bike, of course 😜🤣😉)
Brilliant. Great video - it's been making the rounds in our community (not the cycling community, the normies one) and has been universally well-received. It really has the potential to open peoples' minds. The one comment that keeps coming up is that the ONLY path to significant growth in sales and adoption of e-cargo bikes will be through the expansion of safe biking infrastructure (protected bike lanes, etc.), and that this discussion is the one gap in race/sport/enthusiast cycling media's coverage of these game-changing bikes. It'd be great if GCN did a third follow-up video where Simon centred the safety of his kids in the discussion and focused on bike infrastructure. We need influencers to be talking more about this. Thanks for all you do, guys.
What a lovely episode - such a nice blend of useful information and presentation. Nice one Simon and all at GCN - my favourite cycling channel. I was born in Bristol and now live in Christchurch NZ, another good cycling hub,so it was really nice to see the cityscape. There are great vibes coming from Bristol Greens which is very exciting.
Hello From Oregon, USA! We have a Tern HSD (the single kid solution) and LOVE it. In July 2022, we did a challenge to do a no car July. That has pretty much continued since then - we only use the car for large loads or long hauls or very bad weather. 1100 miles on the Tern and we absolutely love trekking our kid about on it and beating everyone in a car in speed and in parking. Less cars on the road taking kids somewhere is good for towns and cities. Cheers Simon, great video.
I have the Tern HSD S11 sport (brand shown in the video) and I love it! I have the storm box mini accessory with the storm shield and my daughter absolutely loves riding in it. She’s out of the weather and wind during cold months and my cargo stays completely dry. It’s become a replacement for so many car trips; I really don’t know how much money I’ve saved, but it’s got to be a ton. Plus, I never have to worry about parking wherever I go. I’ll never go back to the amount of driving I used to do.
As an avid urban cyclist, I can only say thank you for spreading the word. I don't own a cargo bike (yet), however my daily commuter is equipped with a tag-along for on child and big side panniers. I average 4000 km a year, all replacing a second car. Savings are huge especially if you manage to buy one car less. My biggest expense is not electricity but brake pads.
Thanks for the review, nice to see your experiences! One of my concerns with cargobikes which are made for carrying people/children, is that children ride less and don't learn to navigate in traffic. Here in Belgium I see several kids (up to 12) which are brought to school with cargobikes. Our kids learned to ride when they were 3/4 and started navigating traffic when they were 4/5. At this point (6 and 9 years old) I almost trust them to navigate solo in the city center.
Good remark! Havn't thought about that aspect yet. Main question in general, whether cargo bikes are replacing car trips as also mentioned in the video other modes of transport, as walking or kids cycling on their own (as you've added)
That's more of an argument about helicopter parents, though. But, if parents are scared for their children due to all the other cars bringing theirs to school, bringing "yours" yourself the way you can control (think: shield) becomes more understandable.
True, but this also depends on the country. I bike to school with my 5 year old on their own bike in the Netherlands where car drivers are more used to having young children in trafic. I think Belgium is quite similar in that, but for a bigger city in the UK this is probably more dangerous.
Sorry to revive such an old thread -- I'm personally umming and ahhing about a cargo bike myself. Instead of coming from cars, my family already has no car. Our kids (6 & 4) can both ride pedal bikes now, and that's how we get them to Kindergarten. We live in a fairly flat city with decent public transport, and use Miles cars when only a car can get us all where we want to go, or it's just too far on a pedal bike. I really want one though, hahaha! But I think for us it might only bring marginal gains...
We have an Urban Arrow and we just bought a Tern HSD (slightly smaller version of the GSD in the video). Love them both for getting our young son around, getting groceries and commuting. We have a car but it's but older, paid off, and we have basically invested in cargo bikes rather than upgrade it. Infrastructure is key, we have it pretty good in Vancouver BC but can always be better!
@@gcn integrates exercise into everyday life, saves $$$ and it's an easier, more enjoyable way to get around. We have good bike paths and quiet streets to ride on in our area and most of what we need it for is within 5km :)
I'm seriously thinking about this. I'm from the Nepean region and this would have been perfect here, but I didn't have the room to keep a bike like this (I was thinking the Tern GSD). Now, we have found that we unexpectedly needed to move and we are now going to be in the Blue Mountains. We will have more room, but I'm worried about the lack of bike infrastructure where we will be living and the safety of riding this around that area. Not to mention wrangling this onto the Mountains trains. What area of Australia do you live in and do you find any difficulties with these things?
Nice discussion. Agree with the advantages over a car. Living in Minnesota -USA (frozen and icy roads during winter excluded), i have been riding my RadWagon over two years now. I only had to replace the back wheel motor assembly due to inaccurate speed registry, but aside from that, it has replaced the car for short trips - less than 10 miles. I have a 2017 carbon road bike as well, which I ride in season a few times a week for fitness and exercise. Different purpose, but still gets me out Wish there are more bike paths around where I live and more people use bikes for commuting, but I am hoping that will happen as e-bikes (especially cargo) are more widely used. Cost savings and fun while riding are spot on!
Went from a long tail to a bakfiets and its awesome! Great weather protection and cargo space! And everyone stares and smiles when your kid is reading a book or singin while riding though town!
When we bought our cargo bike 2 years ago, I actually thought we would be this eccentric abnormality on the street. But in Berlin now it's super common. It feels like every family with 2+ year olds are now getting a cargo bike and there are very good reasons for doing so! Most were already mentioned by you.
Great to see you running articles like this. I've had my Surly Big Dummy since 2010, not electric, but it's carried my twin girls for many miles, taken us on tours through Belgium and the Netherlands as well as countless shopping trips, definitely the way to go!
My front-loader e-cargo bike is the best purchase my family has made since ... the washing machine, maybe? Or the solar panels? We don't own a car, and have two kids. The cargo bike is used every day, I think it's got about 5000km of usage in less than two years. Simon's experience is exactly like ours. It's so fun to ride, and so useful.
You did a good job of telling what the pros (and the cons) of an e-bike. The price does not have to be high. You can buy a cargo bike, without a motor and then mount a befang kit/tongheng kit or what ever you can find. Then you can also be sure to always have spareparts, since you can just switch motor, battery or what ever to something else if the companies stop supporting your model.
Great video Simon. I hope others find it as inspiring as I have. If I ever developed a need for a second vehicle in the family it would certainly be an ebike. Quite possibly a tiny cargo model like yours.
@Global Cycling Network I doubt carless is an option for a family purely from weekend and holiday perspective. But replacing the car for all under 5 mile journeys would be possible with a cargo bike.
I've been bike commuting for 20 years, e-bike for 15, and cargo biking for 10 years. As you said, people don't realise how irritating it is, to be stuck in traffic, or searching for parking, and how empowering it is to pass by loads of cars moving bumper to bumper, until you experience commuting by bike. Don't forget that cargo bikes can, also be used to transport adults. I carry my friends around, whenever we go partying, it's loads of fun! Thanks you for spreading the gospel!
We'll keep fighting for team cargo bike don't you worry! We love them 💕 - Great to hear that you've been riding for so long, have you seem an increase in cyclists over that time?
@@gcn Thanks. I'm cheating, I live in paris. Cycling and cargo have exploded over there, thanks to all the bicycle amenities installed over the years. It's night and day, security wise. When I started, it was a constant battle against cars.
@@ms-wh1sx that's just a question of weight, and safety like a pad to sit on and footrests. The GSD in this video takes an adult. Mine is lower rated but can take 55kg
I have had a Babboe Big (3 wheeled front loading) for a few years. Upgraded it with a belt drive and mid-frame motor this year and it's an absolute game changer. So much fun nipping around on it. Great for running the dog and baby around in it.
Good comment about the e-bike sizes. This looks like a reasonably sized cargo e-bike. You don't need to feel like an elephant stuck on a road with a big empty box in front of you most of the time anyway. You can be more agile and nimble, yet even carry some staff with you.
@@gcn Had a demo ride on Load 75, which felt too big for me. At that time looked as an only option for cargo bikes. And I skipped it, because of it's size.
Loved the video, thank you. Can't believe I've not seen this one before. It's nearly 2 years since I bought my Tern GSD and also carry children with a similar set up. I've got the stormbox and a front rack and a crate :)
As someone who's cycled around Bristol for the last 6 years I wholeheartedly agree with every single point made in this video. Excellent stuff! As I don't have to haul much I get around really well on my foldable electric - gotta have the electric for those vicious Bristol hills!
Bought an Urban Arrow when we moved to The Hague last year. Over 1200km in 6 months later and I still love it. It's more nimble than it looks but sometimes tricky to find parking. Kids seem happy with it especially on wet, windy winter days. And while I sometimes miss driving, I don't miss the hassles or costs.
We have the same bike and it is really good. We love the convince of the bike. Here in Oslo the infrastructure is nice. But the winters can be a little cold and the small wheels don’t handle the snow that well. But we have had it since December and looking forward to using it in warmer weather. Love the vid and don’t regret buying one. A real packhorse
Yes I swap to studded Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires. Superb on the ice but slippery on snow. Wish there where some knobby tires wir the small wheels. Other than that excellent bike.
We have the same bike, and live in the same city (and by the looks of it around the same area!). Agree with everything you said, it has replaced all school runs etc. and living in Bristol it beats a car (for the most part). I am think you’ve been lucky with components thus far. After three years of daily use we’ve found you really need to stay on top of servicing, cleaning and change brake pads and chains regularly due to the wear caused by the load.
I've been using a Urban Arrow Family for our 3 kids on school runs for the last 6 months and its' been brilliant. I do wish it had suspesion though, cause the roads are horrible around where we live. :( but even minimal bike lanes, overall the freedom and easy with which we're able to get around locally has made it totally worth the price. Watching this video makes me want to get Tern as well, cause hauling a large front loader on my own for grocery runs does make me feel a bit silly. Maybe becuase I'm the ONLY person one something like this while everyone else is on cars, but having more people on cargo bikes would definitely help ease that feeling.
Great to hear that you've already made the jump to the cargo life 🙌 Do you get funny looks sat in traffic on your cargo bike? They can bring a smile to your face, even on the smallest of rides! Have you fully replaced your car with a bike?
@@gcn loads of funny looks! but plenty of complements too!! Typical questions range from what's the highest speed? to How much does it cost? Haven't replaced our car completely yet with ULEZ kicking in late summer, I reckon that day isn't far. :)
Hi Si. As you are a Bristolian I'm surprised you missed out the conjestion charging that started this year. Compared to a car a really significant issue. Thumbs up to your remarks on parking. Parking any bike anywhere is a lottery. I could cope with one, I think except for taking the other half for hospital visits and so on. As an OAP my mileage is very low so as I have to have a car (see earlier remark) I might as well use it (keep the oil circulating). Having said that, if I was young now and still commuting, and had somewhere at work to park it reliably then it would work out. Well done with your efforts to not clog the streets and not produce so much green house effect. Thumbs up for that.
Long time viewer, first time commenting. Loved this video and would very much like to see more content like this. Come to Copenhagen and see the many kinds of cargo bikes we have here 😊
Thank's for jumping into the comments! Great to hear that you loved this video, Copenhagen would be a super cool place to visit! Maybe we could do it a similar style to this Berlin video 👉ruclips.net/video/nQaFBnI2W5g/видео.html
It's amazing to see a bicycle journalist describe ebiking exactly the same way I do - I hadn't hardly cycled at all for 20 years before I bought mine :) I could feel your lingering scepticism last year. I just wish I had your handling skills! I even emailed a mountain bike club last year asking could I pay for a class but have it tailored to my HSD. I watched some motorbike handling videos to try to get some sense of it. Rambling now. Happy to see you happy on it!
That was a great video; really enjoyed it. Also love that you chose a longtail versus the front-loader everyone else seems to prefer. Sometime this year or maybe early next year I hope to get a Yuba Kombi, just not the electric version. No hills in Houston 😄
Another thing to consider on bike size is that in our city bicycles can be brought into our light rail transit system. I went with a Benno cargo bike because it isn’t much bigger than other bikes and fits nicely in the train for bike/train rides. This has extended my range for being competitive with car travel times to the whole city.
Most of the valid points apply to a regular bike with some carrying capabilities, especially if you live in a flat area. I'm considering a cargo bike instead of using the kids trolley we are pulling now, but I'm not convinced yet: cargo bikes are very expensive, a regular bike does 90% of the same, and the added bonus of carrying more than 1 kid is useful for a limited time.
Hello. I'm in Maine, USA. I bought the Lectric XP3 on July. I love this bike! I use it to Camp/Photograph in the near-by White Mountain National Forest. I find it quiet and easy to use while searching out wild landscapes. Using the Baskets I can carry all of my camping and photography gear easily. I Highly recommend this bike. I sold my Mini Cooper and now rely only on my Ebike. My home is completely off grid. No public utilities at all. And so my bike cost me nothing to charge and use.
Probably the closest ecargo bike with nice aesthetics is the Benno Boost imo. I'm eyeing one off now. I've test ridden a few and three Boost seemed like the one that felt the most bike like.
@@gcn it will become our "second car". With a second kid on the way we need a bit more flexibility and hauling power but we just don't really want to have to maintain another motor vehicle for essentially school drop off and some local errands. Also when testing out a cargo bike my daughter absolutely loved riding on the back ☺️
Bought my first cargo (speed pedelec) bike 7 years ago, sold my car, never looked back! I’m on my second model now, worth to mention ebikes keep their value very well when you sell them second hand.
My wife and I each got the Tern R14's. They have been a total car replacement for us. We live in a rural mountain community and the assist is greatly appreciated. We have found that on the rare occasion we need a car (once or twice a month), there are plenty of friends that will let us borrow one or we ride share with them. Personally, I might had preferred a R&M Load 60, but other than that, no regrets.
Love this. I don’t have space for a cargo bike, but routinely use my old croix-de-fer with panniers to get my week’s shopping home. Such a stable bike when loaded up.
Hello, great video, as always. I've been riding everyday to work on my e-cargo bike (Decathlon's Elops Longtail R500) since last September, when I sold my 14 year old SUV, and applied to a government incentive that payed for 50% of the bike's cost. I love it. I can take my kids to school, and I've been saving money on fuel, taxes and parking. Riding in a cargo bike takes some learning, mainly when you're used to riding on a much lighter road bike, and always trying to go faster. Now I have to take it slow, otherwise I keep exceeding 25km/h and the motor assistance shuts off. I can see the smiles on people passing by , mainly when I take my kids with me. And at work, at first people thought that I was an eccentric, but I think they are getting used to it as no one even comments anymore on the bike, or my hi-vis clothing. Main negatives are the sense of imminent danger when I ride on certains roads with traffic, the smell of petrol at rush hour, and the lack of coutesy from drivers. But I never felt more free, and happy to have switched from driving to riding to work. Put an e-cargo bike on your N+1 list.
Hi Miguel, Great to hear that you have fully embraced the Cargo life! You do have to readjust how you approach cycling, it's all about getting from A to B and enjoying the ride. No KOMs and PBs here. How do the kids enjoy the cargo bike? 👀
@@gcn Actually I have two teenagers, all grown up, (they will always be my kids) but anyway, when they need someone to take them to school, they know that they can ride with me, and it will be faster than driving, they apreciate the feeling of freedom.
I spent a very enjoyable summer ~15yrs ago living in Bristol, and it stands out in my memory as one of the most cycle-safe places in the UK. Even commuting out past Filton on the dualler, something like 1/100 cars DIDN'T give a couple of feet between them and the kerb for riders - elsewhere it's typically the opposite!
This was fantastic Si! So glad you still have one and are using it. Besides the fact that your kids are adorable (and have grown since the last Cargo video) this was a great book end to how you’re getting along. I so want one and have a love/hate relationship with my car. But I’m hardly ever in traffic and mostly work from home and when I do have to go work, it’s about 5 miles (so I try to bike when I can but do end up driving more, sadly).
I bought a Riese und Müller Load75 about 1 year and a half ago. Now, almost 9.000km later... we do practically everything with it. Transporting kids, groceries, the Christmas tree, my photographer's equipment (cameras, lights, stands...)... we went on camping holidays and much more... now, we get a second front loading bike, so that my wife and I can do things simultaneously. The full suspended Load makes it super easy to ride long distances (over 120km on a day), the bike has two batteries and for that a long reach. Up to 3 kids fit into the box and the raincover is spacious enough to even fit an adult under it. Sometimes we even put a trailer behind the cargo bike to be able to take the kid's bikes with us.
I have a Tribe Evamos and take my three kids on the back to school. Up to 20 km rides. They absolutely love it. Two challenges - it is bloody heavy, and it doesn’t always fit through the chicanes on bike paths designed to stop vehicles. Otherwise it has made our lives so much nicer and the trip to school is great dad and the kids time.
Wow, it's cool to see GCN take on this sort of riding. I've been a long-time bike commuter who recently obtained an electric cargo bike. Yesterday I commuted to and from the office (about 30 miles) at an average speed of 19 mph. At my age, I couldn't do that on an analog bike, so it has effectively shrunk the world a tiny bit for me. Mad props to Aventon Abound.
We have a three wheel non -electric cargo bike. The type with a big box in the front. In the box there are two benches, which can be folded away. And there is a tent over the box. My kids and their friends love to ride in it, and I also like to use it for get groceries or even bulky items from the hardware store. When getting groceries on a normal bicycles you have to plan ahead and you are limited by how much you can squeeze into your bicycle bags. With a "bakfiets" you can just dump everything in the front box like you would dump it in a car booth.
Awesome work Si! Best cargo bike review I have seen. We got a cargo bike 3 years ago it is life changing - best thing ever. Your experience sounds pretty much identical to mine. Have got so much use out of it and it totally works in place of a second car for us.
I bought a basic e-cargo bike in October and I haven't ridden it all that much over winter every ride I do take puts a smile on my face. I don't have kids to drag around so I just use it for groceries, trips to the doc or dentist and the hardware store. Great fun, pretty reasonable cost for a basic e-bike now.
Riese & Muller Load 75 owner for just over a year. Racked up about ~1200km in that time. Bought it instead of buying a second car that would have mostly just been used for shorter, local trips. Similarly saves us taking some of those local journeys on foot which can be done in 1/2 to 1/3 the time on the bike. My son (20 months) loves it!
We bought a Babboe front bucket e-bike during covid to move our daughter around London & its been brilliant. She loves travelling around in it with her friends, and it easily fits our weekly shop. Downsides were waiting a year during the bike shortage for the bucket poles & rain cover to arrive, finding safe off-street parking options in central London - & not being able to put large e-bikes on many trains for trips further afield. Emergency mechanical repair services for e-cargo bikes are getting better - but not cheap.
I also bought an e-cargo bike about a year ago. Not as compact as that Tern GSD (it’s a Yuba Kombi E5), but not a complete monster. It works well storing it in a small attached garage, which is probably a bit easier to come by in the USA. I think I would still prefer the Tern, but it’s hard to argue with the $2000+ savings on purchase price!
Excellent point all around! What I noticed when I'm commuting on an e-bike on the road (we don't have that extensive biking infrastructure in our city) is that we really, really need to be visible and be able to communicate our intentions on the road to other road users. Integrated brake lights and turn signals would be great standard equipment given that e-bikes already have a battery. Long trips require pogies or hand warmers, so I why not heated grips? I feel like cargo bikes would also welcome these improvements.
Год назад
I love it! My wife and I always used bikes to commute. Our kids are growing and we needed to solve transportation with them. We bought Mongoose Envoy. Which isn't an electric bike but it cost 1000$. With little bit of DYI you can convert it to 2 children carrier and even to an e-bike. I would recommend it as a lowcost option.
Love the videos on cargo bikes. I use a ecargo Raleigh Stride 2 as my daily driver. Done 1300 miles since Oct '22. For a city the are the best car replacement, I live on the south coast and also use a passenger ferry (between Gosport & Portsmouth). My kids love it (3 & 5 yrs), and often get comments. I agree on secure parking, insurance and also additional locks. Weather..... prepare for it, same for the kids, they do have a cover. Riding a cargo bike the best analogy I give is going from driving a car to a van. Wider turns, slower accelaration /stopping. Generally agree with the comments. Love the fact Connor has the same bike as me.
I have regular ebikes but I have used the kids trailer to haul gear. I have even cycled to the golf course and then converted the bike trailer to be a jogging stroller and used that to push my clubs around the golf course.
4:02 because i live in birmingham i have 3 bike locks with me- 1 key lock another key lock but different brand and key type with a cable and sometimes a combination one aswell depending on the area. This means i can lock both my wheels together using the cable and both to the frame and to the pole making my bike a pain up the arse to steal
I'm 30 seconds into the video and I love your kids, Simon. I bought a Dutch-style electric cargo this past year and put 500 miles on it in 6 months. I'm never going back.
What an epic video, 1st off loving the attitude not giving a toss about what others think. I invested in a low end electric bike to help with recovery after surgery last year, gives me 20 miles on one charge. I live it, I do most of my weekly shopping on it, although living in London drivers are still not that considerate even though I look like a glow worm on a bike. But best investment 👏👏👍👍
Great to see the Tern love here. Not sure what the situation looks like in the UK / Europe, but here in Aus, to help with the investment, we have a few companies that let you "subscribe" to the Terns. It's still not cheap, but all the $ you spend on rentals is put toward the cost of the bike if you want to buy it. With my company (Lug+Carrie) there's no finance cost either - though the cost to "rent" the accessories is lost. It's an amazing way to try it out, but also give piece of mind. The bike comes with hardcore locks, an alarm, insurance included, and (relatively quick) roadside assistance / at-home servicing. I can't imagine the UK doesn't have something similar, but, honestly, for A$250 / month it's prevented us buying a second car and drastically dropped the k's running costs of the one we already have. Just awesome. Thanks for the content!
Good stuff! Nice to have a sequence on a topic that talks more closely to some of us who just gave up on race bikes, but enjoy the down to earth commentary. Bull's eye on this. 👍
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
Is a cargo bike on your wishlist? 👀
Cargo bikes are cool, but I would prefer an e-supported trailer.
Family of four here, sold our car 5-6 years ago and have used the cargo bike (Urban Arrow) instead for every inner city trip and some outer city trips (approx 20,000 km) since then...
Yes - what mdeol is Sy riding?
Yes, indeed! unfortunately there's no cheddar for it....
The bike to work scheme is a great option to spread the initial outlay in the uk. Bought the bike (bakfiets) one year and an e conversion the next. Sadly, the kids will grow up and stop wanting to use it. I won't!
Hello from Romania, Cluj-Napoca. We bought our first cargo bike (Urban Arrow) 3 years ago. It completely changed our lives, the morning ride to the kindergarten is not just way faster, but also a lot more fun for out child. We rode it trough autumn and winter as well, a raincover a blanket can do wonders. For rainy day we got some basic Dechatlon rain pant as a poncho. It keeps you completely dry. The safety can be an issue, having in mind the Romanian driving style, but with a cargo bike, the slow down and keep a more normal side distance to you, because they can’t decide if you are an alien or just stupid for not taking the car (like “normal” people).
would be nice if our mayor would actually make proper bike paths and not just throw some green paint on the road so he can call it a day
"Norma" people. Exactly 💯
As someone who's been to Cluj Napoca (and Romania for that matter) exactly once, I admire your bravery for daring to ride a bike in romanian traffic XD
Beautiful city though, they'd just need to reign cars in more, lower speed limits, remove some lanes in favor of bike lanes, trees etc. Would massively improve quality of life in the city.
The cost of keeping the infrastructure of a city is also cheaper if it's designed for bikes instead of cars. Technically the govt can collect less taxes (they probably won't) and everyone saves money
I always congratulate delivery guys or anyone riding a classic/electric bike, here in Bucharest, for their bravery of riding here where drivers pass them at high speed considering theirs on almost any clear stretch of road and many times at low side distance. I tried it and it scares me, not to mention if I want to turn left on a two/three lanes avenue. But, in the evening or at night it is way safer as people are not in a rush anymore. So, this is why I daily ride a 125cc Honda PCX scooter and drivers respect me more and I never feel unsafe because I can keep up with the traffic speed. I rarely have any fights or incidents with anyone for their carelessness. Yet, I still want to buy an electric bike as I do like the sensation while riding one, I wanna' move more my body and get warmer when outside is colder. And yeah, I have two cars, one of which is a retro one meant to be driven once in a while just for fun at night (so, it has its purpose) and the other my cheap "daily" modern regular one which I hate driving here because I hate searching for parking spots, sitting in traffic jams or higher running costs (yes, that scooter turned my view on the way I see transport nowadays 😂, 2 litres for 100km and getting quick everywhere is so addictive) and I really think of selling it as it sits so much 😢.
I’ve got a front load cargo bike and I love it.
One thing I’d say is a real advantage to cargo bike (and normal bike) journeys is that they always take basically the same amount of time. Random traffic, road works or accidents don’t really effect you. It’s a nice bit of stress relief.
We always find riding gives you much better headspace 😀 Do you think it's quicker to ride around time rather than drive?
@@gcn I live in a big city so it depends on the time of day. During peak hour it’s faster to ride by a long way. Outside of that it’s probably slower but not by much.
100%. No matter the time of year, construction, rush hour or mid-morning or mid-afternoon, my ride to the office is 20 minutes door to door. Maybe a train crossing could stop me but even that I could detour around.
@@gcn I work in Oporto-Portugal downtown, so taking the car is impossible because of the parking costs. I have a 400cc motorcycle that I use in the rainy days and ride my bike on sunny days. The difference between the 2 on normal traffic is 20 min (motorcycle), 22 min (bike). The bike route is shorter by 1.6 kms. I have been thinking about an ebike for the rainy days (less effort, not sweting your clothes). Since it is a big investment I would like to try it before. Information like this is very usefull.
@@manueldias1301 , yeah, you could sell both and switch to an ebike full time unless you need to go to other places with the motorbike that require it. You might be able to try one at tourist rental spots or a lot of online retailers have a trial period.
Mine is not an actual cargo bike, but it's equipped with a large sturdy basket on the back. I do ALL my in-town errands and shopping on it. Being able to scoot past all those cars and park anywhere I want is a major selling point. But at age 71, just being willing and able to ride a bike is the primary reason I do it. I hope to keep riding forever.
We love to hear it! Keep it up 🙌 Even better that you're doing it on a hybrid city bike. Do you have a car or just full on bike life?
@@gcn I still keep a vehicle but rarely use it, just when it's raining. (I don't have the British fortitude to ride in the rain) (ha ha). GCN's videos are excellent, and Sy's are particularly good!
Hats off sir
Simon, the grand master of video presenters does it again. I’ve not had a cargo bike but it reminds me of taking my girls out on an old tandem 30 years ago with kiddy cranks. The joie de vivre was palpable as my youngest would call out “this is the life!” as we cruised along the local lanes.
Aw sounds like some great memories! Do you get to go on rides with your grown up kids? 🚴🚴
Coast to coast last year with one daughter. We’re very rural here so a cargo bike isn’t on the radar but love to see them flourishing.
I try to always pick a route, when possible, to only make right turns. Never have to cross traffic!!!
Grandmaster holding a cam filming himself while he's riding. Otherwise a good video but he really shouldn't do that.
Is that an adult bike with child pedals actually connected? I'm trying to picture it :)
What I learned is that going (almost) everywhere by bike is a mindset. Yes the weather can be awful, but if you have correct clothing and a positive mindset it is actually not that bad. I really like that I can go on my bike almost everywhere. I cycle throughout the year, give my bike some TLC every other week and I just love it. Those beautiful sunsets on a cold winter day are really a joy. In a car I would miss those and just get annoyed by all the traffic. I'd even by less joyful as a human being if I was confined to using the all day.
It is almost always worth getting out on your bike. Once you're wet you're wet... embrace it 😂Can you remember any specific moments you chose the bike over the car and it paid off?
When you realise you’ve probably cycled at least 4 times a week for 30 years. 🎉🎉Crikey, imagine the struggle (and cost) of the gym equivalent…
The fact that my bike is electric means I can dress like a fisherman when it rains and not get sweaty like I would on a conventional pedal bike. It's a game changer.
The guys at the local bike shop think I'm crazy 'because I ride a beater road bike with studded tires through the canadian winter.
Even in a blizzard, over ice, and pouring rain, as long as you dress appropriately, I can guarantee you'll be nice and cozy.
Exactly! And one of the benefits of the e-bike, like steveocrom mentioned is that if the weather is really bad you can just bundle up and then not have to work nearly as hard and get to you destination way less sweaty! But on most days, if you want to, you can lower your assist level and still crank out some good exercise.
Amazing! I love to see this content in addition to all the sport cycling stuff! It's great to normalize cycling as a mode of transportation and not just as exercise :) also great having Connor and Si in regular clothes instead of Lycra
Bikes are for everyone 🙌 The more bums on saddles are better, do you think cargo bikes are the future of urban transport? 🌆
@@gcn definitely! They might seem goofy at first but the ability to transport children and groceries is a game changer, especially when people think bikes are only for the TdF or for children. The biggest downside is just how car-centric everything is, so safe routes for bikes and pedestrians are a lower priority than public car storage and not having to slow down while driving through dense urban areas 🫠
i do for sure@@gcn
That was the cutest thing, "I feel that daddy will keep me safe"
Good to see this kind of content on GCN's platform. 👍 A Cargo box E-trike riding family for 3 years now, it was an instant revelation. The convenience is the best perk, quicker to get young kids in and away, beats car seats and parking faff any day. Happily around our town can roll up at doorstep of school, plus enjoy a 'parking space' outside most high street shops, so no lugging shopping / bags etc around to distant pricy carparks. Loads of room for stuff and kids and their mates who can hitch a lift in the 4 seats too.
No family car use, as just no need!
(We are lucky to have a garage big enough to store the large bike though - recognise this is a key point)
Finally - we feel safer than on any other bike, taking a lane, cars more tolerant due to bike size, and it also surprisingly creates a safer zone for eldest kid to pedal her bike in front of us in good view of cargo rider.
Works for us, better than we ever expected, now wouldn't live without one as a family. Highly recommend! 😀
Same as me. So happy with the investment and we sold our second car = massive savings for the family budget.
From our home to the school gate - average is 8 mins. By car it was the same!? (No traffic on the bike and travelling half the speed of the car.) Plus, the kids and I absolutey love it; fun, fun; fun!
even apartment buildings provide bicycle storage nowadays so having room for the bike is no big issue, hell i could fit one in my elevator and bring it into the apt if required.
Have had the same bike for a year and a half here in Norway, 6000ish km later and I still love it. Getting the storm box and shield was a huge benefit for me taking a 5 and 9 year old go their educational places as I live in a very rainy and cold place.👍 for your videos 👍👍 for this bike.
Love this video, way more entertaining than another video about whether different wheels can shave a couple of seconds off your times.
What if we combined both of them! How fast can Si make his cargo bike 😂
Honestly, if you're thinking about an ebike, and you're not sure, think about why there are so few used ones for sale. Surely the novelty would have worn off by now. Really they are so fun once you get one you can't imagine letting it go.
So few for sale because there is not many of them in the first place. It feels like 80-90 used bikes for sale $500 or less when they were new even cheapest ebike is about $1500
Totally resonates with me after two years of cargo e-bike ownership. Allowed our family to go down to one car. It’s been a great experience!
Amazing! Cargo bikes are a game changer! It's not just family's that are using them, city delivery are starting to reap the reward? 👉 ruclips.net/video/RJa0t4nQ4BE/видео.html
We bought one about month ago for childcare pickups and small family adventures. I'm a mountain biker and road cyclist, so I've typically not keen on e-bikes but I'll say this thing is fantastic. We bought it as a regular Yuba Mundo and I converted it with a mid drive set up. I love riding it around with our 2 children on the back. Highly recommended.
This is great to hear! Do you think it's going to help spread your love for cycling to your kids? 👀
Proud owner of a Yuba Mundo for 10 years. Never regreted it a second.
Don't forget that you can alsor carry adults. Going to parties with friends is loads of fun.
Yuba with Bafang mid drive conversion - amazing machine. My kids love it too!
Yuba with Bafang mid drive conversion - amazing machine. Rode it all year long through the Colorado winter.
Kids love it!
Other parents love it!
Motorists always smile or stare in amazement :)
Not a cargo bike, but we do a lot of trips around our large village in Sweden with a hybrid bike with Weehoo cycle trailer. With my younger daughter especially, she really loves it and gets to kindergarten in far better fettle than if we drop her off in the car. I think being out with kids on bikes really encourages them to take note of their surroundings and connect with nature and the place that they live.
Couldn't agree more! It makes even the smallest of trips feel like an adventure 🙌
We got a Radwagon 4 electric cargo bike and it's really changed things. I've put 2500 miles on it in two years and have since gotten rid of one car making us a 1-car family. The bike required upgrades for brakes and tires, but otherwise has worked pretty well. I have zero regrets about getting an electric cargo bike. In retrospect I might have gone with a Tern, but I'm happy with my current bike for the time being.
We love to hear it! Bikes are the way to go 🙌 Do you miss the second car?
@@gcn So far we haven't really missed the second car. We were putting less than 200 miles on it per year, so it was just costing us money parked in the driveway.
I m thinking of buying one and delivery food in dc any ideas?
Cool! What did you do about the tires? The custom 22" tires are keeping me from committing to the Radwagon 4.
@@ZH-fp9oj Over the last 5 months I've seen Rad Power Bikes' customer service erode away to nothing. I no longer recommend Rad or the Radwagon.
£750?! For a year?! That’s a huge understatement of how much it costs to own a car a year
Agreed. If your clutch goes or your even your battery so it won't start that can be hundreds.
I bought a hardtail MTB and added a high child seat behind my saddle as well as a two seat bike trailer that attached on the side opposite the derailleur through a QR skewer. When I rode it with three kids, I never had problems with cars. Nobody messes with three small kids when the littlest one is seated up high, sporting a pink helmet with a unicorn horn, waving to the world.
Hello from Germany! We bought our Tern GSD about a month ago and it has been a game changer! The powerful motor makes hills feel like nothing and the compactness of it makes it so easy to park anywhere in the city. My daughter absolutely loves it and with the stormbox in the back I can carry so much stuff without breaking a sweat. A pretty expensive bike indeed, but one of the best investments I have ever made. 🚲 ❤
Echo everything you said! I have the HSD and it’s been the best bike I’ve ever bought!!
We don't think you guys are the only ones! We never hear anyone regretting buying a Cargo bike 🙌
I have the same bike as yours for five months. I ride it with my 68 years old wife on the back across the city. Together we weight about 170 kg so we are a little bit above the maximum allowed weight for this bike. But it still support us very well. I have also to be a little cautious in the corners not to lean to far down. Our global feeling is very positive🙂
👊🏻
Love seeing you cycle around Bristol and mention the questionable cycle paths. Would love to see a video about good and bad cycling infrastructure and what to do when it’s bad. Like Coronation Road where the bike path has trees in it or in the city centre where the path isn’t clearly marked and ends up full of pedestrians.
Yeah what is with the trees on the bike path on Coronation road? Always makes me chuckle, particularly when the tree is just after a sign saying it's a bike path.
@@gcn The white lines used to bend around the trees more obviously, but it's the pedestrian bit that actually narrows - so there's that. ... and there's also the one, random shared path marker sign, down towards Gaol Ferry Bridge that swaps which side is pedestrian and which is bikes. Obviously someone with a sense of humour in the Council somewhere ;)
Yeah this would be a good video. I'm in Edinburgh and cars park all over the cycle paths. Though it's a bit better where they've put in the bollards to keep the road more separated.
Love the video Simon! We've taken delivery of our E-Cargo bike in October and have put 400km on it over winter here in Bavaria. It is just so much more convenient than taking a car for most trips around our small town and my son loves sitting in the front. We have the rain cover which keeps me warm and dry as well even in snow, ice and sleet and the only days it has been hard to ride are when we have deep snow that is turning to slush but it is challenging to drive a car when it is this slippery as well.
I firmly believe that the cargo bike is the best transport solution for urban mobility for the future alongside good public transport and walkable urban design and that every family can replace at least one car with a cargo bike and have no negative effects on their lifestyle (but endless positive effects of course)!
Good to see this sort of content instead of the which race saves me 5W. Thanks for the video!
I've been looking at getting an electric cargo bike for sometime and this video just helps remind me why. These bikes have to be the future of urban transport, we just need more bike infrastructure to go with it.
Great video Si, keep up the good work GCN.
Whoop whoop! Join the club 🙌 Cargo bikes rule... what bike are you looking at?
@@gcn I think a midtail, the Tern HSD is a strong contender. I'm hoping to replace one of our cars.
Great to see more of the GCN "family": Hank's Dad, Jesse (Conor's son), and now Si's kids.
Catch more from the Richardsons here 👉 ruclips.net/video/p9kx1Vu-ecE/видео.html
what you're saying about the feeling of liberation with an e-bike and also constantly making progress vs stop start traffic is spot on!!!
I've owned a Tern GSD (same as Simon's) for a year now and put almost 5000km on the clock. It is a fantastic bike and has already paid for itself in tollway charges. Cycling around with two adults on board is definitely hilarious and we have been surprised by the number of people who are shocked (in Melbourne, Australia) that you can get rid of a car and save money by cycling.
Another surprising thing is the amount of stuff you can move on a bicycle. The most recent large cargo haul I did was a 3x3 IKEA Kallax bookshelf and a Mittback desk in one go!
There's an huge fleet of them around Fitzroy now. It's great to see. All those cars that were doing school dropoffs are off the road.
@@jurassicchrist There's also the Lug and Carrie bike everywhere in the inner city!
I had another adult on the back today to grab some dinner ingredients and a pedestrian stopped mid-crossing to pull out their phone and take a video of us and yell "woohoo!"
Its price is insane. Couldn't leave it on the street ever.
My little dog lulu has a Surly Big Easy cargo ebike that I pilot for her. It's dark green with orange bags. We love it. Two batteries gets me a days ride in half the time. I recommend
Great video, thanks!! Regarding storage of your cargo bike, I thought you might mention that the Tern GSD that you're riding is built to be parked standing vertically so as to use minimal space wherever it's parked. You just grab the rear brake and pull the bike backwards, quite easy after a few tries.
I bought a cargo bike two years ago and absolutely love it. It’s my favorite purchase of all time. There is something about riding vs driving that is hard to describe; i just always enjoy riding and avoid driving at (almost) all costs. I actually look for silly chances to ride my cargo bike - like to get a single lemon for dinner. I also love stringing multiple errands together because they are fun instead of a stressful chore when driving. Pass all the cars and park right by the front door of your destination. I meet many more people riding because it’s so simple to circle back and chat with someone when on my cargo bike, or to make an instant detour to stop and look at something interesting like new construction or someone’s chickens rooting about in their yard. I ride in street clothes with rain gear for drizzly days. Basically, if you like riding a bicycle, you can double how much you’ll love riding a cargo e-bike.
« Go for it, you won’t regret it » I have mine since 4 years now. I sold my car. My wife and I were « early » adopter and now it is more and more common to see Tern cargo bike. Less stress, you know exactly when you arrive. True that people smile a you and the kids. Very reliable, kids love it. I also take it on vacation. Tern can stand up and is the best for cities : can go easily in an elevator. Only downside is when you get a flat : nightmare to change back tire. Also afraid of thief.
We've not heard anybody regret buying a cargo bike! Do you think you would ever swap back to having a car now? 👀
Retired last year and treated myself to a step through Gazelle Bloom C7 electric bike - don't judge me. What a laugh , it's absolutely brilliant. It can carry a week's shopping or 2 X sacks of compost and is a dream to ride. Defo the way forward... 😊
Absolutely love this content Si!! So helpful. Great points. Love that you included your adorable children! I am leaning towards getting one. Our local Cycling Without Age group has an e-assist Trishaw and the seniors absolutely LOVE it. More content like this gcn! Great job film crew!
Great to hear that you enjoyed it so much!!! Did you catch our cargo bike delivery video? 👉ruclips.net/video/RJa0t4nQ4BE/видео.html
@Global Cycling Network OH yes indeed. That too was a lot of fun! I'm a sap for this cool content! I'll take all you can 'delivery! (By cargo bike, of course 😜🤣😉)
Brilliant. Great video - it's been making the rounds in our community (not the cycling community, the normies one) and has been universally well-received. It really has the potential to open peoples' minds. The one comment that keeps coming up is that the ONLY path to significant growth in sales and adoption of e-cargo bikes will be through the expansion of safe biking infrastructure (protected bike lanes, etc.), and that this discussion is the one gap in race/sport/enthusiast cycling media's coverage of these game-changing bikes. It'd be great if GCN did a third follow-up video where Simon centred the safety of his kids in the discussion and focused on bike infrastructure. We need influencers to be talking more about this. Thanks for all you do, guys.
What a lovely episode - such a nice blend of useful information and presentation. Nice one Simon and all at GCN - my favourite cycling channel.
I was born in Bristol and now live in Christchurch NZ, another good cycling hub,so it was really nice to see the cityscape. There are great vibes coming from Bristol Greens which is very exciting.
Hello From Oregon, USA! We have a Tern HSD (the single kid solution) and LOVE it. In July 2022, we did a challenge to do a no car July. That has pretty much continued since then - we only use the car for large loads or long hauls or very bad weather. 1100 miles on the Tern and we absolutely love trekking our kid about on it and beating everyone in a car in speed and in parking. Less cars on the road taking kids somewhere is good for towns and cities. Cheers Simon, great video.
I have the Tern HSD S11 sport (brand shown in the video) and I love it! I have the storm box mini accessory with the storm shield and my daughter absolutely loves riding in it. She’s out of the weather and wind during cold months and my cargo stays completely dry. It’s become a replacement for so many car trips; I really don’t know how much money I’ve saved, but it’s got to be a ton. Plus, I never have to worry about parking wherever I go. I’ll never go back to the amount of driving I used to do.
As an avid urban cyclist, I can only say thank you for spreading the word. I don't own a cargo bike (yet), however my daily commuter is equipped with a tag-along for on child and big side panniers. I average 4000 km a year, all replacing a second car. Savings are huge especially if you manage to buy one car less. My biggest expense is not electricity but brake pads.
I like the look of these smaller more compact cargo bikes. I'm a courier in London on an urban arrow xl and at times maneuverability can be an issue.
Do you fancy making the switch over to a smaller cargo bike? 👀
Thanks for the review, nice to see your experiences! One of my concerns with cargobikes which are made for carrying people/children, is that children ride less and don't learn to navigate in traffic. Here in Belgium I see several kids (up to 12) which are brought to school with cargobikes. Our kids learned to ride when they were 3/4 and started navigating traffic when they were 4/5. At this point (6 and 9 years old) I almost trust them to navigate solo in the city center.
Good remark! Havn't thought about that aspect yet. Main question in general, whether cargo bikes are replacing car trips as also mentioned in the video other modes of transport, as walking or kids cycling on their own (as you've added)
That's more of an argument about helicopter parents, though. But, if parents are scared for their children due to all the other cars bringing theirs to school, bringing "yours" yourself the way you can control (think: shield) becomes more understandable.
True, but this also depends on the country. I bike to school with my 5 year old on their own bike in the Netherlands where car drivers are more used to having young children in trafic. I think Belgium is quite similar in that, but for a bigger city in the UK this is probably more dangerous.
Sorry to revive such an old thread -- I'm personally umming and ahhing about a cargo bike myself.
Instead of coming from cars, my family already has no car. Our kids (6 & 4) can both ride pedal bikes now, and that's how we get them to Kindergarten. We live in a fairly flat city with decent public transport, and use Miles cars when only a car can get us all where we want to go, or it's just too far on a pedal bike.
I really want one though, hahaha! But I think for us it might only bring marginal gains...
The walking scene at 1:02 is incredibly Partridge. More of that, please 👏🏻
We have an Urban Arrow and we just bought a Tern HSD (slightly smaller version of the GSD in the video). Love them both for getting our young son around, getting groceries and commuting. We have a car but it's but older, paid off, and we have basically invested in cargo bikes rather than upgrade it. Infrastructure is key, we have it pretty good in Vancouver BC but can always be better!
I am in Australia and we have this bike. It replaced our second car and it's great. Good summary on this video of it all too. Nice one :)
Super cool to hear! How has the cargo bike changed your life? 🛒
@@gcn integrates exercise into everyday life, saves $$$ and it's an easier, more enjoyable way to get around. We have good bike paths and quiet streets to ride on in our area and most of what we need it for is within 5km :)
I'm seriously thinking about this. I'm from the Nepean region and this would have been perfect here, but I didn't have the room to keep a bike like this (I was thinking the Tern GSD). Now, we have found that we unexpectedly needed to move and we are now going to be in the Blue Mountains. We will have more room, but I'm worried about the lack of bike infrastructure where we will be living and the safety of riding this around that area. Not to mention wrangling this onto the Mountains trains. What area of Australia do you live in and do you find any difficulties with these things?
Nice discussion. Agree with the advantages over a car. Living in Minnesota -USA (frozen and icy roads during winter excluded), i have been riding my RadWagon over two years now. I only had to replace the back wheel motor assembly due to inaccurate speed registry, but aside from that, it has replaced the car for short trips - less than 10 miles.
I have a 2017 carbon road bike as well, which I ride in season a few times a week for fitness and exercise. Different purpose, but still gets me out
Wish there are more bike paths around where I live and more people use bikes for commuting, but I am hoping that will happen as e-bikes (especially cargo) are more widely used.
Cost savings and fun while riding are spot on!
Went from a long tail to a bakfiets and its awesome! Great weather protection and cargo space!
And everyone stares and smiles when your kid is reading a book or singin while riding though town!
When we bought our cargo bike 2 years ago, I actually thought we would be this eccentric abnormality on the street. But in Berlin now it's super common. It feels like every family with 2+ year olds are now getting a cargo bike and there are very good reasons for doing so! Most were already mentioned by you.
Great to see you running articles like this. I've had my Surly Big Dummy since 2010, not electric, but it's carried my twin girls for many miles, taken us on tours through Belgium and the Netherlands as well as countless shopping trips, definitely the way to go!
My front-loader e-cargo bike is the best purchase my family has made since ... the washing machine, maybe? Or the solar panels? We don't own a car, and have two kids. The cargo bike is used every day, I think it's got about 5000km of usage in less than two years. Simon's experience is exactly like ours. It's so fun to ride, and so useful.
How's the battery lasting?
You did a good job of telling what the pros (and the cons) of an e-bike. The price does not have to be high. You can buy a cargo bike, without a motor and then mount a befang kit/tongheng kit or what ever you can find. Then you can also be sure to always have spareparts, since you can just switch motor, battery or what ever to something else if the companies stop supporting your model.
Great video Simon. I hope others find it as inspiring as I have.
If I ever developed a need for a second vehicle in the family it would certainly be an ebike. Quite possibly a tiny cargo model like yours.
That's what we like to hear! Do you think you could ever go Carless? 👀
@Global Cycling Network I doubt carless is an option for a family purely from weekend and holiday perspective. But replacing the car for all under 5 mile journeys would be possible with a cargo bike.
I've been bike commuting for 20 years, e-bike for 15, and cargo biking for 10 years.
As you said, people don't realise how irritating it is, to be stuck in traffic, or searching for parking, and how empowering it is to pass by loads of cars moving bumper to bumper, until you experience commuting by bike.
Don't forget that cargo bikes can, also be used to transport adults.
I carry my friends around, whenever we go partying, it's loads of fun!
Thanks you for spreading the gospel!
We'll keep fighting for team cargo bike don't you worry! We love them 💕 - Great to hear that you've been riding for so long, have you seem an increase in cyclists over that time?
@@gcn Thanks.
I'm cheating, I live in paris.
Cycling and cargo have exploded over there, thanks to all the bicycle amenities installed over the years.
It's night and day, security wise.
When I started, it was a constant battle against cars.
Well done Si! Love the discussion! Including the kids makes this concept real to us who attempt to stay on two wheels as a parent
It's always worth chatting to the kids, making sure they feel comfortable on the back of a bike. Would you make the jump to a cargo bike?👀
Hi,Are we allow to carry 11yrs old child to drop her on tution in local area on cargo bike?
@@ms-wh1sx that's just a question of weight, and safety like a pad to sit on and footrests. The GSD in this video takes an adult. Mine is lower rated but can take 55kg
I have had a Babboe Big (3 wheeled front loading) for a few years. Upgraded it with a belt drive and mid-frame motor this year and it's an absolute game changer. So much fun nipping around on it. Great for running the dog and baby around in it.
Good comment about the e-bike sizes. This looks like a reasonably sized cargo e-bike. You don't need to feel like an elephant stuck on a road with a big empty box in front of you most of the time anyway. You can be more agile and nimble, yet even carry some staff with you.
Have you tried both smaller and larger cargo bikes? 👀
@@gcn Had a demo ride on Load 75, which felt too big for me. At that time looked as an only option for cargo bikes. And I skipped it, because of it's size.
Loved the video, thank you.
Can't believe I've not seen this one before. It's nearly 2 years since I bought my Tern GSD and also carry children with a similar set up. I've got the stormbox and a front rack and a crate :)
As someone who's cycled around Bristol for the last 6 years I wholeheartedly agree with every single point made in this video. Excellent stuff! As I don't have to haul much I get around really well on my foldable electric - gotta have the electric for those vicious Bristol hills!
Bought an Urban Arrow when we moved to The Hague last year. Over 1200km in 6 months later and I still love it. It's more nimble than it looks but sometimes tricky to find parking. Kids seem happy with it especially on wet, windy winter days. And while I sometimes miss driving, I don't miss the hassles or costs.
We have the same bike and it is really good. We love the convince of the bike. Here in Oslo the infrastructure is nice. But the winters can be a little cold and the small wheels don’t handle the snow that well. But we have had it since December and looking forward to using it in warmer weather. Love the vid and don’t regret buying one. A real packhorse
Interesting to hear that you struggle with the wheels in winter! ❄ Do you swap the tyres over to give you a little bit more grip?
Yes I swap to studded Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires. Superb on the ice but slippery on snow. Wish there where some knobby tires wir the small wheels. Other than that excellent bike.
We have the same bike, and live in the same city (and by the looks of it around the same area!). Agree with everything you said, it has replaced all school runs etc. and living in Bristol it beats a car (for the most part).
I am think you’ve been lucky with components thus far. After three years of daily use we’ve found you really need to stay on top of servicing, cleaning and change brake pads and chains regularly due to the wear caused by the load.
I've been using a Urban Arrow Family for our 3 kids on school runs for the last 6 months and its' been brilliant. I do wish it had suspesion though, cause the roads are horrible around where we live. :( but even minimal bike lanes, overall the freedom and easy with which we're able to get around locally has made it totally worth the price.
Watching this video makes me want to get Tern as well, cause hauling a large front loader on my own for grocery runs does make me feel a bit silly. Maybe becuase I'm the ONLY person one something like this while everyone else is on cars, but having more people on cargo bikes would definitely help ease that feeling.
If you have the $$$ look up the thudbuster see if you can order and install.
Great to hear that you've already made the jump to the cargo life 🙌 Do you get funny looks sat in traffic on your cargo bike? They can bring a smile to your face, even on the smallest of rides! Have you fully replaced your car with a bike?
@@gcn loads of funny looks! but plenty of complements too!! Typical questions range from what's the highest speed? to How much does it cost? Haven't replaced our car completely yet with ULEZ kicking in late summer, I reckon that day isn't far. :)
Hi Si. As you are a Bristolian I'm surprised you missed out the conjestion charging that started this year. Compared to a car a really significant issue.
Thumbs up to your remarks on parking. Parking any bike anywhere is a lottery.
I could cope with one, I think except for taking the other half for hospital visits and so on. As an OAP my mileage is very low so as I have to have a car (see earlier remark) I might as well use it (keep the oil circulating).
Having said that, if I was young now and still commuting, and had somewhere at work to park it reliably then it would work out. Well done with your efforts to not clog the streets and not produce so much green house effect. Thumbs up for that.
Long time viewer, first time commenting. Loved this video and would very much like to see more content like this. Come to Copenhagen and see the many kinds of cargo bikes we have here 😊
Thank's for jumping into the comments! Great to hear that you loved this video, Copenhagen would be a super cool place to visit! Maybe we could do it a similar style to this Berlin video 👉ruclips.net/video/nQaFBnI2W5g/видео.html
It's amazing to see a bicycle journalist describe ebiking exactly the same way I do - I hadn't hardly cycled at all for 20 years before I bought mine :) I could feel your lingering scepticism last year.
I just wish I had your handling skills! I even emailed a mountain bike club last year asking could I pay for a class but have it tailored to my HSD. I watched some motorbike handling videos to try to get some sense of it. Rambling now. Happy to see you happy on it!
That was a great video; really enjoyed it. Also love that you chose a longtail versus the front-loader everyone else seems to prefer. Sometime this year or maybe early next year I hope to get a Yuba Kombi, just not the electric version. No hills in Houston 😄
My favorite series, thank you for showing your real-world experience. Cargo e-bikes are awesome!
Omg, Si's children grew so much since the last cargo video
Another thing to consider on bike size is that in our city bicycles can be brought into our light rail transit system. I went with a Benno cargo bike because it isn’t much bigger than other bikes and fits nicely in the train for bike/train rides. This has extended my range for being competitive with car travel times to the whole city.
Assuming the rail is running way way under capacity.
Most of the valid points apply to a regular bike with some carrying capabilities, especially if you live in a flat area. I'm considering a cargo bike instead of using the kids trolley we are pulling now, but I'm not convinced yet: cargo bikes are very expensive, a regular bike does 90% of the same, and the added bonus of carrying more than 1 kid is useful for a limited time.
Hello. I'm in Maine, USA. I bought the Lectric XP3 on July. I love this bike! I use it to Camp/Photograph in the near-by White Mountain National Forest. I find it quiet and easy to use while searching out wild landscapes. Using the Baskets I can carry all of my camping and photography gear easily. I Highly recommend this bike. I sold my Mini Cooper and now rely only on my Ebike. My home is completely off grid. No public utilities at all. And so my bike cost me nothing to charge and use.
Probably the closest ecargo bike with nice aesthetics is the Benno Boost imo. I'm eyeing one off now. I've test ridden a few and three Boost seemed like the one that felt the most bike like.
is the cargo bike to replace a car or just an an extra bike? 🚗
@@gcn it will become our "second car". With a second kid on the way we need a bit more flexibility and hauling power but we just don't really want to have to maintain another motor vehicle for essentially school drop off and some local errands.
Also when testing out a cargo bike my daughter absolutely loved riding on the back ☺️
Bought my first cargo (speed pedelec) bike 7 years ago, sold my car, never looked back! I’m on my second model now, worth to mention ebikes keep their value very well when you sell them second hand.
5.5K 😬
My wife and I each got the Tern R14's. They have been a total car replacement for us. We live in a rural mountain community and the assist is greatly appreciated. We have found that on the rare occasion we need a car (once or twice a month), there are plenty of friends that will let us borrow one or we ride share with them. Personally, I might had preferred a R&M Load 60, but other than that, no regrets.
Love this. I don’t have space for a cargo bike, but routinely use my old croix-de-fer with panniers to get my week’s shopping home. Such a stable bike when loaded up.
Hello, great video, as always. I've been riding everyday to work on my e-cargo bike (Decathlon's Elops Longtail R500) since last September, when I sold my 14 year old SUV, and applied to a government incentive that payed for 50% of the bike's cost. I love it. I can take my kids to school, and I've been saving money on fuel, taxes and parking. Riding in a cargo bike takes some learning, mainly when you're used to riding on a much lighter road bike, and always trying to go faster. Now I have to take it slow, otherwise I keep exceeding 25km/h and the motor assistance shuts off. I can see the smiles on people passing by , mainly when I take my kids with me. And at work, at first people thought that I was an eccentric, but I think they are getting used to it as no one even comments anymore on the bike, or my hi-vis clothing.
Main negatives are the sense of imminent danger when I ride on certains roads with traffic, the smell of petrol at rush hour, and the lack of coutesy from drivers. But I never felt more free, and happy to have switched from driving to riding to work. Put an e-cargo bike on your N+1 list.
Hi Miguel, Great to hear that you have fully embraced the Cargo life! You do have to readjust how you approach cycling, it's all about getting from A to B and enjoying the ride. No KOMs and PBs here. How do the kids enjoy the cargo bike? 👀
@@gcn Actually I have two teenagers, all grown up, (they will always be my kids) but anyway, when they need someone to take them to school, they know that they can ride with me, and it will be faster than driving, they apreciate the feeling of freedom.
I spent a very enjoyable summer ~15yrs ago living in Bristol, and it stands out in my memory as one of the most cycle-safe places in the UK. Even commuting out past Filton on the dualler, something like 1/100 cars DIDN'T give a couple of feet between them and the kerb for riders - elsewhere it's typically the opposite!
This was fantastic Si! So glad you still have one and are using it. Besides the fact that your kids are adorable (and have grown since the last Cargo video) this was a great book end to how you’re getting along. I so want one and have a love/hate relationship with my car. But I’m hardly ever in traffic and mostly work from home and when I do have to go work, it’s about 5 miles (so I try to bike when I can but do end up driving more, sadly).
I bought a Riese und Müller Load75 about 1 year and a half ago. Now, almost 9.000km later... we do practically everything with it. Transporting kids, groceries, the Christmas tree, my photographer's equipment (cameras, lights, stands...)... we went on camping holidays and much more... now, we get a second front loading bike, so that my wife and I can do things simultaneously.
The full suspended Load makes it super easy to ride long distances (over 120km on a day), the bike has two batteries and for that a long reach. Up to 3 kids fit into the box and the raincover is spacious enough to even fit an adult under it.
Sometimes we even put a trailer behind the cargo bike to be able to take the kid's bikes with us.
I have a Tribe Evamos and take my three kids on the back to school. Up to 20 km rides. They absolutely love it. Two challenges - it is bloody heavy, and it doesn’t always fit through the chicanes on bike paths designed to stop vehicles. Otherwise it has made our lives so much nicer and the trip to school is great dad and the kids time.
Great vid. Adorable kids. Nice to see Bristol (where I grew up)
Wow, it's cool to see GCN take on this sort of riding. I've been a long-time bike commuter who recently obtained an electric cargo bike. Yesterday I commuted to and from the office (about 30 miles) at an average speed of 19 mph. At my age, I couldn't do that on an analog bike, so it has effectively shrunk the world a tiny bit for me. Mad props to Aventon Abound.
We have a three wheel non -electric cargo bike. The type with a big box in the front. In the box there are two benches, which can be folded away. And there is a tent over the box. My kids and their friends love to ride in it, and I also like to use it for get groceries or even bulky items from the hardware store. When getting groceries on a normal bicycles you have to plan ahead and you are limited by how much you can squeeze into your bicycle bags. With a "bakfiets" you can just dump everything in the front box like you would dump it in a car booth.
Awesome work Si! Best cargo bike review I have seen. We got a cargo bike 3 years ago it is life changing - best thing ever. Your experience sounds pretty much identical to mine. Have got so much use out of it and it totally works in place of a second car for us.
I bought a basic e-cargo bike in October and I haven't ridden it all that much over winter every ride I do take puts a smile on my face. I don't have kids to drag around so I just use it for groceries, trips to the doc or dentist and the hardware store. Great fun, pretty reasonable cost for a basic e-bike now.
Riese & Muller Load 75 owner for just over a year. Racked up about ~1200km in that time. Bought it instead of buying a second car that would have mostly just been used for shorter, local trips.
Similarly saves us taking some of those local journeys on foot which can be done in 1/2 to 1/3 the time on the bike. My son (20 months) loves it!
Yes! More content like this. Some E-cargo bike challenge? Like can you put more miles on your cargo bike than your car in a year?
We bought a Babboe front bucket e-bike during covid to move our daughter around London & its been brilliant. She loves travelling around in it with her friends, and it easily fits our weekly shop. Downsides were waiting a year during the bike shortage for the bucket poles & rain cover to arrive, finding safe off-street parking options in central London - & not being able to put large e-bikes on many trains for trips further afield. Emergency mechanical repair services for e-cargo bikes are getting better - but not cheap.
Picked up my electric cargo bike from @sparque in Australia and have had a very similar experience to Sam’s. Great to see I’m not alone. Thank you.
I use an Argo cargo bike kit. You can pair it to most bikes with threaded bottom brackets, even electric ones. Saves a ton of space!
I also bought an e-cargo bike about a year ago. Not as compact as that Tern GSD (it’s a Yuba Kombi E5), but not a complete monster. It works well storing it in a small attached garage, which is probably a bit easier to come by in the USA. I think I would still prefer the Tern, but it’s hard to argue with the $2000+ savings on purchase price!
Excellent point all around! What I noticed when I'm commuting on an e-bike on the road (we don't have that extensive biking infrastructure in our city) is that we really, really need to be visible and be able to communicate our intentions on the road to other road users. Integrated brake lights and turn signals would be great standard equipment given that e-bikes already have a battery. Long trips require pogies or hand warmers, so I why not heated grips? I feel like cargo bikes would also welcome these improvements.
I love it! My wife and I always used bikes to commute. Our kids are growing and we needed to solve transportation with them. We bought Mongoose Envoy. Which isn't an electric bike but it cost 1000$. With little bit of DYI you can convert it to 2 children carrier and even to an e-bike. I would recommend it as a lowcost option.
Love the videos on cargo bikes. I use a ecargo Raleigh Stride 2 as my daily driver. Done 1300 miles since Oct '22.
For a city the are the best car replacement, I live on the south coast and also use a passenger ferry (between Gosport & Portsmouth). My kids love it (3 & 5 yrs), and often get comments. I agree on secure parking, insurance and also additional locks.
Weather..... prepare for it, same for the kids, they do have a cover. Riding a cargo bike the best analogy I give is going from driving a car to a van. Wider turns, slower accelaration /stopping.
Generally agree with the comments. Love the fact Connor has the same bike as me.
I'd also be interested in chatting to Conner to see what tweaks / customisations he's done if any.
I have regular ebikes but I have used the kids trailer to haul gear. I have even cycled to the golf course and then converted the bike trailer to be a jogging stroller and used that to push my clubs around the golf course.
Good thing i watched this, my friend was considering to buy this. Great stuff GCN
Hope we helped your friend make the right decision! 🙌
4:02 because i live in birmingham i have 3 bike locks with me- 1 key lock another key lock but different brand and key type with a cable and sometimes a combination one aswell depending on the area. This means i can lock both my wheels together using the cable and both to the frame and to the pole making my bike a pain up the arse to steal
I'm 30 seconds into the video and I love your kids, Simon. I bought a Dutch-style electric cargo this past year and put 500 miles on it in 6 months. I'm never going back.
What an epic video, 1st off loving the attitude not giving a toss about what others think. I invested in a low end electric bike to help with recovery after surgery last year, gives me 20 miles on one charge. I live it, I do most of my weekly shopping on it, although living in London drivers are still not that considerate even though I look like a glow worm on a bike. But best investment 👏👏👍👍
Great to see the Tern love here. Not sure what the situation looks like in the UK / Europe, but here in Aus, to help with the investment, we have a few companies that let you "subscribe" to the Terns. It's still not cheap, but all the $ you spend on rentals is put toward the cost of the bike if you want to buy it. With my company (Lug+Carrie) there's no finance cost either - though the cost to "rent" the accessories is lost. It's an amazing way to try it out, but also give piece of mind. The bike comes with hardcore locks, an alarm, insurance included, and (relatively quick) roadside assistance / at-home servicing. I can't imagine the UK doesn't have something similar, but, honestly, for A$250 / month it's prevented us buying a second car and drastically dropped the k's running costs of the one we already have. Just awesome. Thanks for the content!
Good stuff! Nice to have a sequence on a topic that talks more closely to some of us who just gave up on race bikes, but enjoy the down to earth commentary. Bull's eye on this. 👍