Review: Riese & Müller Multitinker Compact Cargo & Family Bike

[@maxnewts]

I love how you’re filming things recently. They begin to not just take on the form of being a very functional and useful review, but also become a piece of visual storytelling and art within itself - provoking personal and relatable moments which are very effective in creating the atmosphere around the product’s lifecycle and attached lifestyle elements. Even as a person living halfway around the world from you in the United Kingdom, it’s very impressive to me that you’re able to grasp this concept so vividly and bring it to life so well on screen. This, to me, shows true talent and creativity!! Bravo!!

[@thenewwheel]

Thank you Max for the encouragement. We are having a lot of fun with these videos. So fortunate to have phenomenal places to ride right out our front door!

[@patrickknight6542]

The production quality is incredible and YOU GUYS are incredible. This wasn't just a video... it was a beautiful experience. Thanks!

[@karlInSanDiego]

Another use for a compact cargo bike is that they can be transported on trains depending on local rules. San Diego's train system cuts off at 6'4", and the multitinker is just under that. Train + cargo bike = car replacement

[@thenewwheel]

Great point.

[@difflocktwo]

Anyone who can afford this R&M can afford multiple cars. This is not a car replacement.

[@karlInSanDiego]

@@difflocktwo how does the relatively high cost of a quality e-bike preclude it from being a car replacement. I think you have it backwards. It is the car dependent people who easily have the means to buy expensive EVs that will value a well built quality bike from a respected manufacturer as their path to replace car trips. The utility of a bike as a car replacement is dependent on high reliability, which come with a price. Bikes that are very low cost will also be less reliable and will possibly be harder to maintain if they use proprietary parts and the manufacturer goes under.

[@difflocktwo]

@@karlInSanDiego Because if you can afford multiple cars, you will own multiple cars and the "car replacement" is pointless when you have multiple cars and tons of money.

[@difflocktwo]

@@karlInSanDiego Everything minus the battery are dirty cheap and bombproof. Light EVs do not need to be as expensive as the R&M to be reliable. EVs are almost intrinsically reliable.

[@maestroivanoff3963]

the holy grail of two wheeled transport

[@andy009m]

What a great movie I have just watched.

[@BenDuchac]

Such a wonderful video y'all! Was thinking about an HSD or GSD but now the decision has been made more complicated! Time to come in for a test ride

[@thenewwheel]

We can't wait to see you. If you're the type to plan ahead, book an appointment at newwheel.net/ride and let us know that you are coming in to try a Multitinker!

[@TheMirrorVision]

Really great review! The footage of riding the bike out in the wild is superb 😀

[@thenewwheel]

Thank you! It was really fun to make this one.

[@garyseckel295]

Beautiful! Really liked the DOUBLE rear cargo tubes, with the INNER tube padded for the children's hands! Such a HUGE safety detail if the bike were to tip onto the pavement!

[@thenewwheel]

Yes that is a really nice feature. Benno does this as well and while Tern doesn’t have it exactly, they do have outside bumpers that do something very similar.

[@thenewwheel]

The other nice thing on the R&M rails is that there is a great hand hold on the rail for picking up the bike.

[@jameslongstaff2762]

When you answered the question "who is this bike for" I wish you said why someone should buy this one versus a front loading cargo bike.

[@thenewwheel]

That is a tough question! The bikes have fundamentally different ride characteristics. For the most cargo and kid capacity, you can’t beat a front loader. For the most bike like maneuverability and ride feel the Multitinker wins. If storage is an issue, the Multitinker is also your bike. The full suspension front loaders from R&M are in a whole class of their own in terms of comfort and safety but are also a level up there in price. Hope this helps!

[@shaunhall960]

Looks good and well engineered. I just came across this video because of the algorithm and my love of bikes and e-bikes. E-bikes sure have come a long way from over a decade ago!

[@difflocktwo]

Have ebikes come that far in 10 years? I am seeing worse and worse ebikes. Back in 2015 you could get a couple kWh bike built for under 3k USD. These days we don't even have the most basic features such as regen.

[@GabrieleKucich]

Nice to see caffè Trieste 😀

[@thenewwheel]

We love it!

[@r4z0r1]

Having the Multicharger myself, I really miss some features of the multitinker. Low center of gravity makes it much more stable with kids in the rear. Low step through is also something I really miss…

[@thenewwheel]

Understood completely. But what we love about the Multicharger is that it really is a full sized bike - and totally capable for all sorts of things - that happens to have a ton of cargo and child hauling capacity. The fact that the ride is so much like a regular bike is a big 👍for the Multicharger.

[@sebastienleclerc8772]

Have you ridden the Multitinker? I wonder how it feels compared to the Multicharger, both with and without load.

[@MatthewRascoff]

Great overview, thank you. We are going to come in and check it out.

[@thenewwheel]

Awesome! Can't wait to see you at the shop. You can book a test ride at newwheel.net/ride!

[@dinhomomo]

oh ohoh... Dilemma, between Multicharger 2 and Mutitinker... Help

[@thenewwheel]

Hmmm.. have you tried both?

[@lucarondon]

Very informative video! It sucks that they don't have a Rohloff option on this bike, I've been car-free for two years now and I'm looking to upgrade to a R&M. KZbin has ruined the Enviolo hub for me as I live in Switzerland and can't really go anywhere without climbing massive hills. I'll pass by your shop if I ever visit SF!

[@thenewwheel]

Luca! You should definitely test this bike with the Enviolo hub. We know steep hills over here in San Francisco and we were really impressed. R&M really got the gear ratio right on this bike and the new Enviolo hubs are really good. That being said, Shimano LinkGlide is incredible and gives an internally geared hub a run for its money now that they have improved chain longevity so dramatically.

[@johnwebsterification]

You can have one installed if you want it. Bikes are easily upgradable. Plus the part you’re replacing has value.

[@peterpoddy]

Good review, loving the bike! I’m also really happy to see I’m not the only person that rides in clogs! They’re better for cycling than you’d think! 😀👍❤️

[@thenewwheel]

Rocking the clogs!

[@DanaBrown1984]

Love it. Great Video!

[@thenewwheel]

Thank you Dana!

[@christophec.482]

I hope they worked on their lights. On my daily commute, I get blinded by so many of their bikes ! Every time it's this brand !

[@thenewwheel]

Hmm… maybe they have their high beams on? The bikes use Supernova headlights that meet German light design standards.

[@rjgit]

Good times. :)

[@DresdenFPV]

looks like R-M took the lessons that Tern had to learn during the first generations of GSD and improved upon it. There's a decent stand (that broke in Gen1 GSD regularily), there's the ground clearance, there's the included lock and some suspension in the fork. But since tern had the years to learn those lessons, they now have a ton of accessories that R-M doesn't yet have. Would love to hear how it's rated regarding max weight and individual parts (i.e. tern said you can put up to 20kg onto the front, but imo that's really pushing it)

[@DresdenFPV]

…and you probably can't store the R-M vertically I've never actually used that in GSD/HSD for storage - but it's nice for things like working on the back wheel. No need to flip a heavy bike if you just can engage a brake, push it some and it's standing stable onto a different side.

[@ldenilmusic]

Looks great! But could you fit a U-Lock around the frame? Struggling to see where one would fit. Otherwise looks like an amazing bike!

[@thenewwheel]

You are observant! Yes this was something we brought up as well because some customers will need more security than the chain attached to the cafe lock. The most secure locking point is around the frame, and there is room to get past the wheel guards and put a lock through the frame but it is tight. What we found is that if this was the preferred locking point and you want extra space to maneuver your lock, we would cut the wheel guard slightly - it is plastic - to open up more room.

[@nnnimroddd]

Brilliant

[@JWBrewer73]

Can it be ridden under throttle only? I have a disability that prevents me doing any significant pedaling.

[@thenewwheel]

Hello. No this ebike has no throttle. That being said, I highly recommend a test ride to see what it can do. You will likely be very surprised and it might work perfectly for you.

[@orson347]

This is a really great bike and your video hit all of the main points. What I am curious about is how you would stack this one up against the HSD and the GSD? Thoughts?

[@thenewwheel]

Great question. The HSD is going to be smaller and lighter if your needs are not as much cargo or passenger hauling. The HSD also has a lower torque Bosch drive the matches this less heavy duty use. The GSD is definitely the main competitor for this bike. It really comes down to test riding to understand what you like more. That being said there are a few key differences: - GSD is more compact when story since you can fold the handlebar down and store it on its rear end, but the Multitinker is more adjustable with its stem design - The Multitinker features the Bosch Smart System - Tern edges out R&M on variety of accessories but R&M has all the main bases covered - Terns locking kickstand is pretty great but the Multitinker kickstand is extremely well designed as well, just not locking! Besides these points we’d say there are a whole host of subtle details that might tip you one way or another. These details you will discover with a test ride!

[@BlackMamba-lt8oe]

Nice bike will do in potholed roads

[@baernir]

Great test. I would expect you to mention the price , or at least drop a link. I am totally into cargo bikes but to be honest $6900 pricy even by bay area standards.

[@thenewwheel]

It's a premium family bike to be sure. While not for everyone, we think it is fantastic that R&M is building premium bikes like this as not only does it ride beautifully, it will last for years to come and continue to ride great. We don't mention price as it can be looked up for the correct price for your region and prices change!

[@eveastardust3747]

You can afford to drop that $$$ if you lose the car which is WAY more expensive because gas, insurance, registration, smogging, repairs. = 6-12k per yr. I replaced my Prius with an 11k R&M Load 60 and my 4K Gazelle from The New Wheel - somehow I have more money than I ever had with that car. I know it depends on your situation, but if you want to save, ditch the car.

[@HullioGQ]

The family that plans together, plays together, prays together...

[@stockholm3976]

How tall are you? (CENTIMETER!)

[@thenewwheel]

Karen is 150cm

[@sgtpepperz25]

That doesn't look very safe on the road for kids, I love riding my bike to work but there is no way in H&ll I will put my children on this and ride through Philadelphia with the way people drive around here. Otherwise great for the utility of it, not that good looking though.

[@BlackMamba-lt8oe]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 ur child is more probable to die in a school shooting than this

[@NerdTouchingGrass]

the price on this bike though... if i could afford a car i would just get a car.

[@thenewwheel]

😕

[@inzana2]

your seat is waaaay too high

[@thenewwheel]

Thank you for the heads up! 👍

[@SteffiReitsch]

E- bikes just keep getting better. They could use bigger batteries. Also, the wheels should be mags instead of spokes. It's a big hassle dealing with loose and broken spokes. As for this bike, it costs almost $7 thousand dollars. It's worth it, but it's too much for me.

[@difflocktwo]

How is it worth it? That is the price of two motorcycles.

[@FUUUUU1111]

lmao, their previous bike was overpriced for 5k+, this one is 7k? At the same time, we got alternatives for 2k (around 2500 with all attachments). Crazy.