8 Things I Wish I Knew Before Getting An E-Cargo Bike

One year ago Simon bought himself an electric cargo bike with space at the front and back to store shopping AND his own two kids! 863km later, he shares what he's learned. Are they practical? What are the benefits? And what are the downsides? It's time to find out!
0:00 - Intro
0:35 - Bike vs walking and driving
1:40 - Price
2:56 - Parking
4:06 - Weather
5:01 - Traffic
5:32 - Types of cargo bikes
6:57 - Safety
8:52 - Downsides
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[@gcn]

Is a cargo bike on your wishlist? 👀

[@hzunasdfgbciw]

Cargo bikes are cool, but I would prefer an e-supported trailer.

[@schietegal]

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...

[@imbalolpro]

Yes - what mdeol is Sy riding?

[@princeedmunddukeofedinburg]

Yes, indeed! unfortunately there's no cheddar for it....

[@TheVinnythevman]

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!

[@ppeccii]

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).

[@andreicrisan8145]

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

[@StethGarage]

"Norma" people. Exactly 💯

[@lb2791]

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.

[@hkchan1339]

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

[@aleXpeed1]

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 😢.

[@matthewshaw3747]

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]

We always find riding gives you much better headspace 😀 Do you think it's quicker to ride around time rather than drive?

[@matthewshaw3747]

@@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.

[@fallenshallrise]

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.

[@manueldias1301]

@@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.

[@emma70707]

​@@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.

[@tedallenwolff]

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]

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?

[@tedallenwolff]

@@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!

[@manueldias1301]

Hats off sir

[@davidowen6639]

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.

[@gcn]

Aw sounds like some great memories! Do you get to go on rides with your grown up kids? 🚴🚴

[@davidowen6639]

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.

[@bobfoster687]

I try to always pick a route, when possible, to only make right turns. Never have to cross traffic!!!

[@jody024]

Grandmaster holding a cam filming himself while he's riding. Otherwise a good video but he really shouldn't do that.

[@susiesullivan785]

Is that an adult bike with child pedals actually connected? I'm trying to picture it :)

[@Gisae]

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.

[@gcn]

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?

[@blake-gl4wn]

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…

[@steveocrom]

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.

[@wonton3533]

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.

[@WildfireWhiz-bangs]

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.

[@tylerb.3905]

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]

Bikes are for everyone 🙌 The more bums on saddles are better, do you think cargo bikes are the future of urban transport? 🌆

[@tylerb.3905]

​@@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 🫠

[@sympleprt6701]

That was the cutest thing, "I feel that daddy will keep me safe"

[@thomaskuhn6541]

Love this video, way more entertaining than another video about whether different wheels can shave a couple of seconds off your times.

[@gcn]

What if we combined both of them! How fast can Si make his cargo bike 😂

[@olivermoore4080]

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! 😀

[@DougieL]

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!

[@0xsergy]

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.

[@davidfroth]

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!

[@gcn]

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? 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHvEYadqo7ZneKc

[@EvenTheOrdinary]

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.

[@gabedubbs2186]

£750?! For a year?! That’s a huge understatement of how much it costs to own a car a year

[@jonathanrobinson2628]

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.

[@gcn]

Couldn't agree more! It makes even the smallest of trips feel like an adventure 🙌

[@jaytucker2511]

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.

[@peterraffin2227]

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.

[@gcn]

This is great to hear! Do you think it's going to help spread your love for cycling to your kids? 👀

[@xmtxx]

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.

[@denverspin]

Yuba with Bafang mid drive conversion - amazing machine. My kids love it too!

[@denverspin]

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 :)

[@ColbyRidesBikes]

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]

We love to hear it! Bikes are the way to go 🙌 Do you miss the second car?

[@ColbyRidesBikes]

@@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.

[@firstshot2169]

I m thinking of buying one and delivery food in dc any ideas?

[@ZH-fp9oj]

Cool! What did you do about the tires? The custom 22" tires are keeping me from committing to the Radwagon 4.

[@ColbyRidesBikes]

@@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.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

Great to see more of the GCN "family": Hank's Dad, Jesse (Conor's son), and now Si's kids.

[@gcn]

Catch more from the Richardsons here 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmrOqWSMqpKYmac

[@renred5]

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. 🚲 ❤

[@Skzzlemister]

Echo everything you said! I have the HSD and it’s been the best bike I’ve ever bought!!

[@gcn]

We don't think you guys are the only ones! We never hear anyone regretting buying a Cargo bike 🙌

[@ranian02]

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.

[@gcn]

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.

[@fukawitribe]

@@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 ;)

[@TheSpacecraftX]

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.

[@mathewrose2951]

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.

[@xaviertrack2577]

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🙂

[@bols82]

👊🏻

[@paulworth70]

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.

[@gcn]

Whoop whoop! Join the club 🙌 Cargo bikes rule... what bike are you looking at?

[@paulworth70]

@@gcn I think a midtail, the Tern HSD is a strong contender. I'm hoping to replace one of our cars.

[@boxrick1]

Good to see this sort of content instead of the which race saves me 5W. Thanks for the video!

[@damFr]

« 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.

[@gcn]

We've not heard anybody regret buying a cargo bike! Do you think you would ever swap back to having a car now? 👀

[@markotrieste]

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.

[@LockieScott]

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)!

[@davidpomerantz]

Omg, Si's children grew so much since the last cargo video

[@thebestnoobcake]

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 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.

[@thebestnoobcake]

@@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!"

[@FUUUUU1111]

Its price is insane. Couldn't leave it on the street ever.

[@Charleypassy]

The walking scene at 1:02 is incredibly Partridge. More of that, please 👏🏻

[@Lukearthwalker]

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.

[@gordonmorrow4720]

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.

[@cho4d]

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!!!

[@DrDeadmeat]

I bought a cargo bike (R&M Multicharger) last august, and as of today have ridden it more than 2300km. It has been a complete game-changer for my family. We were able to downsize from 2 cars to 1, and even so the car is being used so rarely now that the 12v battery on the car had become flat and we had to jump-start it the other day =D

[@colinandrews2120]

I want to believe you jump started from the ebike battery 😂😂

[@EditioCastigata]

Get one of those solarcell battery-charge keepers. 🙂

[@DrDeadmeat]

@@EditioCastigata Yeah, I got something similar, just not with solar charge capability =)

[@JMJM75257]

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.

[@gcn]

Do you fancy making the switch over to a smaller cargo bike? 👀

[@chrislehr07]

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.

[@ssuami]

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 :)

[@philipamaral5274]

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.

[@falsemcnuggethope]

How's the battery lasting?

[@Skzzlemister]

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.

[@BaskinTapkan]

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!

[@krissozolins8302]

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]

Have you tried both smaller and larger cargo bikes? 👀

[@krissozolins8302]

@@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.

[@bobgray1555]

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.

[@xmtxx]

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!

[@gcn]

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?

[@xmtxx]

@@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.

[@ianstewart8301]

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).

[@lukevanni2987]

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 :)

[@gcn]

Super cool to hear! How has the cargo bike changed your life? 🛒

[@lukevanni2987]

​@@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 :)

[@erinjanssen8336]

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?

[@kwintenvangeit]

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.

[@fangrie_]

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)

[@EditioCastigata]

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.

[@sandrafilot3399]

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.

[@sara.j.w]

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...

[@matthewperry7812]

My favorite series, thank you for showing your real-world experience. Cargo e-bikes are awesome!

[@a1white]

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.

[@geoffreyhoney122]

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!

[@gcn]

Great to hear that you enjoyed it so much!!! Did you catch our cargo bike delivery video? 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHvEYadqo7ZneKc

[@geoffreyhoney122]

@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 😜🤣😉)

[@vickypedias]

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!

[@susiesullivan785]

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!

[@markhewitt3514]

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... 😊

[@wojciechgregorkiewicz2415]

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.

[@gcn]

That's what we like to hear! Do you think you could ever go Carless? 👀

[@wojciechgregorkiewicz2415]

@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.

[@joshaalders3029]

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

[@gcn]

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?👀

[@ms-wh1sx]

Hi,Are we allow to carry 11yrs old child to drop her on tution in local area on cargo bike?

[@susiesullivan785]

​@@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

[@brynglas21]

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!

[@Jinnitaur]

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 😄

[@thomasbuikema]

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

[@gcn]

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?

[@thomasbuikema]

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.

[@PedroTorres-cm3wt]

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!

[@lukewatts1804]

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.

[@thomasfunk9465]

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 😊

[@gcn]

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 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/pILEd3WkfpeKa8k

[@BoomerSwan]

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.

[@maartenschmidt]

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.

[@frogstarB27]

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.

[@lukevanni2987]

If you have the $$$ look up the thudbuster see if you can order and install.

[@gcn]

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?

[@frogstarB27]

@@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. :)

[@EnricoDellaDora]

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.

[@emmabird9745]

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.

[@recstoppauseplay]

Wonderful to see this. I've been looking around for an e-cargo bike for a couple of months now and haven't yet decided how much to spend. I do drive a car (a hybrid which is very easy on fuel) but that's irrelevant when you're sitting doing nothing in gridlock. Thank Si, for a very encouraging video, I'm pretty sure I'll be an e-cargo bike rider this year.

[@ashley_neal]

5.5K 😬

[@lukewiwa]

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]

is the cargo bike to replace a car or just an an extra bike? 🚗

[@lukewiwa]

@@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 ☺️

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.

[@cameronsharpe12]

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.

[@leonawroth2516]

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.

[@bryanwalsh886]

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.

[@mechpade]

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.

[@nerdburglar7563]

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.

[@PyreneesCyclingClub]

Well presented argument Si. We've had our front loader Carqon in the Pyrenees for a few years now and use it for school run, shopping and general fun rides. We got a rain tent/roof which is great. Added some much better Lezyne lights and it's a great car replacement for most journeys. I even carried a washing machine in it!

[@charleneedwards7926]

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 👏👏👍👍

[@borisbadinoff1291]

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. 👍

[@Timber81]

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.

[@TheSaguache]

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.

[@lucasrenzi]

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.

[@davemonacho8746]

Good thing i watched this, my friend was considering to buy this. Great stuff GCN

[@gcn]

Hope we helped your friend make the right decision! 🙌

[@dfishpool7052]

Excellent presentation = Thank you Simon and Richardson minors!

[@ronaldweed6103]

Great reporting. Will check this out. Love the honest kiddos

[@simonm1447]

I don't have a cargo E bike, but I use a normal E bike with a trailer (not for children, for goods) for this purpose. In comparison it costs less, it has now 24k km within 5 years on the odo and is still working fine

[@johnbetus378]

I love the concept... yes, I really thought about it... but I ended up with a fast e-mtb and a cargo trailer... for Costco and beyond... not looking back, love the combo... unhook the trailer, and let the fun begin, can carry kids as well. Good job, nice posting!

[@SovereignStorm]

I just got my first cargo bike this january (7 months after ordering it 🥲) and it's been great for grocery shopping so far. I can now even fit bulky, heavy items like cases of beer, or tool boxes. I didn't go electric though, but instead chose a light bike (~19kg) and had it fitted with a 2x deore groupset. It can be a bit slow uphill, but I try to see it as training. Maybe I'll ride it by your headquarter some day when I find the time and dabble in bikepacking in the future. Should take me about 2 weeks to ride that far one way 😂

[@nickwilliams1953]

This made me smile, great video about having a bike that you can take the kids on and use for lots of other stuff.

[@ryansager6100]

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.

[@dalerasche8769]

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.

[@petefarrell234]

How cool is that. How cute are Si’s kids. Great vid, thanks Si 😊

[@x7j4]

Good overview!! I have the same bike, GSD S10, bought 3.5 years ago and now have 25,000km on it. I rarely use our family vehicle nowadays. Highly recommended bike for many reasons, such as comfort, carrying lots of groceries, carrying the grandkids, replaces a vehicle 90% of the time, helps reduce my carbon emissions.

[@charvey87]

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!

[@groundskeeper5292]

Great video. I miss Bristol! I'll be there in October! Thanks for the info!

[@gulfwinds]

Simon, this is a lovely video. I like your spirit, the bike, Bristol, and, more than anything else, your cute children! I have had a non-electric Yuba Mundo for ten years and I love it. I used to take my daughter to school on it but, as soon as she hit middle school, she no longer enjoyed it because she felt 'too different'... oh well...

[@ellbend]

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!

[@welshrider6631]

I have bought a Douze cargo bike on the second-hand market, as a friend sold his. Best decision I made concerning buying a bike. I sold my car that I used for only 200 km the last year I had it, as I did not use it at all anymore (replaced by my trusty single speed). I only used it for grosseries, actually. But when the opportunity came, I talked about it with my wife. She didn't seem so enthusiastic about it at first, but once on the saddle, she decided it was a great idea. It had already the box and the hard-top cover, which is convenient for the main use we make of it, but I decided to buy the floor board as well, and I used it for larger items (washing machines for example), very convenient when moving a friend for example. My wife has kept her car just in case but uses it less and less thanks to this wonderful investment.

[@fallinginthed33p]

Very tempted now!

[@thesprucegosling9574]

Hello from the Forest of Dean. We have been trying to do utility cycling here for a few years but avoiding the large outlay for a “proper” cargo bike. Various bikenstein creations have ensued and continue to do so as the kids grow up. I don’t regret a minute of it but do struggle to persuade anyone else around here that it works (even people who cycle a lot but purely for fitness/recreation). Great vid therefore. P.S. towing two kids up some of the hills around here is fantastic training that no one would inflict on themselves for the sake of it. Problem is it only makes you brilliant at going very very slowly.

[@andythomson3379]

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!

[@luciesheppard81]

I absolutely love my cargo bike! I've got a Mycle and it's so easy to ride and my girls love it. I always get people smiling as us when we go by, probably because we all look so happy 😁 my baby has had regular naps on it too 👍