Specialized Globe Haul ST long-term review: After 400+ miles, the perfect family vehicle?

[@quest4adventure508]

Trailblasing: very nice review of Bicycling magazine's 2023 Bike of the Year. My wife and I are active 60 somethings and cycling is one of our favorite "go to" activities. We enjoy anything with two wheels, so our experience is vast riding two-wheelers, from bicycles to motorcycles. Having said that, we are in agreement, we LOVE and appreciate our Globe Hauls. We are zealots for using our bicycles for fitness and for reducing our carbon footprint. We live 6 miles outside of town and ride our bicycles to town for trips to the coffee shop, groceries, and light duty errands. I have a another human-powered cargo bike that I bought several years ago, but as I age, it is not getting easier to pedal when loaded up! So I've been following and researching e-bikes for a few years. When I saw the Globe Haul ST and its utilitarian features, I pulled the trigger immediately. This bike is analogous to a Leatherman multi-tool for handy folks, but with two wheels. My wife's Globe Haul is set up just like your Globe shown on the train in your video. She uses it to take our oldest granddaughter (5 yrs) for rides on the back rack seat and for grocery hauling using front panniers and the front "pizza" rack. We plan on getting a "bike seat" for our two-year old granddaughter. My Globe is set up with 4 panniers and the pizza rack with a wide plastic crate on top for hauling groceries, hauling diy project stuff and garden nursery stuff. Installing accessories and add-ons is a breeze and I love the way Specialized includes tools, including torque wrenches, with the purchase! These bikes are fantastic for the types of things previously mentioned, as well as riding for coffee or to a restaurant when we don't want to walk into a place sweaty! The torque sensing assist is so-o-o nice, providing assist just when you need it. I am amazed at the power, the maneuverability with its short wheel base, and the handling of these bikes, even under load. Specialized has knocked it out of the park with the Globe Haul ST. Although, it could be debated that the Globe Haul is too pricey for a bicycle, you can't beat the miles per gallon it gets vs. our gas-powered vehicles. Then you have to include the health benefits you get from being outdoors and pedaling (don't for a minute think that you can't get your heart rate up with an e-bike - you certainly can!). My wife and I will vouch these bicycles are worth every dollar.

[@trailblasing]

Thanks for sharing, what an awesome comment. I love that you both have a Globe Haul, and that you're able to use it for all the use cases you mentioned. Keep riding, it's inspirational!

[@ST-oq9wx]

Love my Globe Haul ST! Like you I have three kids and they love riding on the back. The turbo basket combined with the Coolcave panniers make the perfect grocery getter.

[@trailblasing]

Agreed, glad you enjoy it as well!

[@itsr7studio]

This seems like such a great bike for local errands, light cargo, and commuting! We have a small but growing labradoodle that would love to join us on bike adventures in a pet trailer. Looking forward to testing out this bike and bringing it home this summer. Thanks for the terrific review! 🎉

[@trailblasing]

That sounds awesome. Thanks so much for watching and the kind words. I’m willing to bet you’ll love it, and your labradoodle will too.

[@greenteahawaiiallnaturalch9148]

Awesome bike, running my product to the post office and to the customer's house. Put over 70 miles on it just running around town and that adds up significanly on gas in Hawaii! Especially when your vehicle gets less than 20 mpg. Aloha!!!

[@trailblasing]

Mahalo for watching, glad you’re enjoying the bike!

[@dukelee7181]

I’m considering getting one. Test rode it and have considered Troxus Lynx Cargo bike or the Radrunner 3+ bike as my other top choices. Seems specialized has the best dealer & manufacturer support among the 3.

[@trailblasing]

That’s why I went with the Specialized! Though I’ve heard good things about the Roadrunner!

[@Learnmoretoday59]

The background looks like the Wasatch Mountains of Salt Lake City. Beautiful area.

[@trailblasing]

Nailed it!

[@melanieblaser6745]

Fantastic review! Makes me think maybe I should get one!😃

[@trailblasing]

Thanks for watching!

[@lowmarx9164]

great spot about the potential for a globe haul LT in the future!

[@trailblasing]

Thanks!

[@mysticblade35]

This bike looks right up my alley. Any idea if it plays nice with third-party panniers? Those proprietary ones look kinda lackluster

[@trailblasing]

I haven’t used third party options, but the connection is exactly like old Ortlieb panniers I used to have. So I think you’ll be good

[@jezzarisky]

It’s nice to see an actual review for this, the few others I’ve seen have been impressions over a few days. The bike looks great, but I would definitely be curious how the tires hold up and the effort involved with patching. I’m a little surprised they didnt just reuse their Mission Control app from their other e-bikes, would have been a better user experience. Anyways it’s nice seeing another Utahn show up in my feed!

[@trailblasing]

Thanks for watching! So far the tires are actually one of my favorite features, though I didn’t get into it too much in the video because I also am wondering about longevity. Though we just passed 500 miles and all is good so far!

[@maksymvinyarskyy2813]

Awesome bike! Awesome review!

[@trailblasing]

Thanks for watching!

[@abbymeehan7739]

I've put ~1000 miles on my Globe ST and it's absolutely awesome for commuting and groceries. Thinking about buying the seat and pegs just for laughs, but I'm wondering if an adult would be able to fit? Certainly not doing that for any meaningful distance, a mile tops. Thoughts? I feel like a shorter adult might be able to??

[@trailblasing]

It’s more about weight limit than anything. Max weight of passenger + rider + any other cargo is 419 pounds. Max passenger weight is 132 pounds. So as long as you’re under that, and the adult isn’t too tall, it might be doable!

[@chrisE815]

How's the SLC area for bike commuting? Now that I have kids, I'm looking into protected bike lanes, which doesn't seem to be a thing in North America.

[@trailblasing]

I have commuted off and on for several years, both on a road bike and now the Haul. SLC has some really bike friendly areas and routes, and some less friendly areas and routes. Depending on where you’re trying to get to, it might be worth adjusting your route to be a little less direct, but the result will be a wide shoulder and slower traffic. So in short, it depends 😂 But with some planning and adaptation you can probably feel pretty good about it

[@jezzarisky]

It’s a mixed bag, There are a couple dedicated trails through the metro area, Salt Lake City has implemented some protected lanes and separated paths, and I’ve seen a few areas south of SLC that have wide sidewalks, traffic calmed streets and shared trails(Daybreak, Herriman, Bluffdale, and Lehi). But every city is going at their own pace and most are comfortable with iffy painted bike lane designs since they’re quick and cheap

[@living4adrenaline]

I test rode one of these on "5" on flat and was impressed with the acceleration. Is it possible to get a chip or something to override the top speed? Is the bike still limited to 28mph when going downhill? Cheers

[@trailblasing]

Not sure about a modification chip, but maybe someone will see this comment and weigh in. To answer your other question, you can coast the bike beyond 28 MPH downhill as long as you either aren’t peddling or turn the power to 0. Thanks for watching!

[@SierraGolfNiner]

Rather interesting in the Haul, and comparing it against the Aventon Abound and XPedition. Different classes of bike, I know, with much different feature sets. But I'm curious if you feel limited by the short tail? Doing it again would you still buy a short tail? Or if the LT was out today, would you lean that way?

[@trailblasing]

Tough to say, especially without knowing the price of the LT. I’d probably stick with the ST, however, because ride experience and ease of bringing it on a train. Both of those factors would be impacted by a long tail, I think. Everything is about trade-offs. That being said, my two older kids would probably appreciate both being able to ride on the back at the same time 🙃

[@GG-vh8kz]

Can you please link the child seat(s) that are compatible with the bike? Feel free to share an affiliate link :)

[@trailblasing]

The two that Specialized recommends are: The Burley Dash: bit.ly/3RdS8fo The Thule Yepp Nexxt: bit.ly/3RdSjY6 The Burley is about $100 less, which is why we opted for that one. Either way, make sure you get the rack mounted variant. Good luck!

[@chrisfinnegan8814]

Thanks for the thorough review! I test rode last week and loved it. I have a 3 year old, and my only concern is how short the rack appears to be. Have you found it too tight of a squeeze to fit the kids in back? It's my only hesitation about this bike as compared to a longer tail cargo. Thanks!

[@trailblasing]

Glad you liked the video! The shortness of the rack hasn’t been a problem, but I’ve always only had one kid on back at a time. Depending on how comfortable your 3-year-old feels, it might take a week or two before you ride fast with them on the back. The Haul ST definitely is tighter with the passenger capacity, in exchange for a more agile ride

[@LaPetillanteProd]

I've had my Globe Haul ST for three weeks and have added the optional throttle, rear Panniers and an MIK waterproof bag on the rear rack. Just curious, you show your kids wearing helmets but you are not in the videos. Your thoughts? Thanks.

[@trailblasing]

Very cool, do you enjoy the throttle? I am a big proponent of helmets in general, for my kids especially. I wear a helmet about half the time when riding our Haul. Sometimes if I'm running to the grocery store a block away, I'll just jump on and take off. For other rides that are a little longer, I'll try to wear a helmet. That attitude might seem too casual to some, but I'm also trying to reduce any barriers to using the bike as my default mode of transportation.

[@frankdelemos8809]

What did you think about no front suspension?

[@trailblasing]

I talk a little about this in the video, but most of the time the large tires make up for it. Just make sure you run them at the proper PSI. For my weight and cargo, it’s around 20.

[@frankdelemos8809]

@@trailblasing thanks. I was able to finish the video tonight once my kiddo was sleeping. I saw another video and it was really choppy so I was curious because Rad Rover has the front suspension.

[@trailblasing]

Yeah the RadRunner Plus was the main other bike we were considering. I would definitely give the cliche answer of trying to ride both bikes before buying, if possible. It’s tough to say if your local roads/trails would be a lot more rideable with suspension, or if the low PSI/wide tire combo would be enough. Hope that helps a little!

[@LightsOnMultiMediaMindArts]

I just bought a black Specialized Globe Haul ST and am really enjoying it. I put a Thudbuster seat post and that really helps smooth out bumps. Wouldn't help if I had a passenger in the rear though. I recently went on a ride with someone riding a Rad cargo bike and compared them side by side. The Haul was clearly a better, more durable build, although for the price the Rad is a good thing, too. My issue with Rad has been (and maybe they've corrected it) that a Rad battery key will unlock any Rad battery on any Rad bike. A bike thief with a Rad key could steal anyone's Rad battery.

[@trailblasing]

@@LightsOnMultiMediaMindArtsWhoa, that’s crazy about the universal keys. I did not know that. I generally run our Globe Haul tires at 20 PSI and that feels pretty good for the most part, and the kids don’t seem to mind 😂

[@jancoetzer9941]

I am still on the fence about whether to get this bike or not. I ride bicycles slightly more than the average person, I think. My concern is that I might not get the fit dialed in for the amount of time I spend on a bicycle. Currently, I commute to work on my "acoustic" Surly Pugsley, about 3-4 times per week. I'd like to upgrade my commutes with an e-bike, and this Haul would definitely be a consideration for me. The problem is, that my commute is 18 miles one-way. Currently, it takes me anything from 1h15 to 1h25 each way. I know that an e-bike would surely cut down this time, but I would still be looking at spending at least 1h30 to 2h per day in the saddle. The ergonomics of this bike is very different from my current bike. Are there some other long-distance riders who ride this bike over longer distances? What has your experience been? In the same vein, my weekly commutes and other errands add up to anything from 120-200 miles per week. If there are other heavy-duty riders out there, how has the maintenance been on the Specialized Haul? Any insights would be helpful!

[@trailblasing]

Based on the speed that I average, 18 miles might take around 25 minutes or so? so not a ton of time to spend on the saddle each way. I'd say ergonomics still matters, but if all your rides will be under 30 minutes it might not matter quite as much, hard to say. If you're used to a more aggressive geometry, the Globe Haul is more comfortable

[@shadrack5554]

great review! thanks for the useful info.

[@trailblasing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bigwheelsturning]

Maybe you can explain why this bike from Special Lies doesn't have a UL listing??? They all have to be out of NYC in three weeks or it's a $1000 fine for selling one.

[@trailblasing]

I believe you might be mistaken. The Haul is indeed UL listed. I can see the icon on the charger

[@bigwheelsturning]

@@trailblasing Where on the bike frame is it? Was looking at a new Como and Vado this morning at my LBS, and neither charger had a UL logo on them. Will go to a shop that has them and look for myself. Is it a "real" stamp? Or did the dealer make one up and stick it on?

[@toddpacker7058]

@@bigwheelsturningdon’t be dumb.

[@thelosian]

great video!

[@trailblasing]

Thanks for watching!

[@priceandbar10]

loved the bike until after the first 5 minutes riding i got a battery connection error and it's been in the shop for a week while they try to fix it. quality control not great

[@trailblasing]

What a bummer! Hopefully that issue isn’t too common

[@scottbaker5851]

It is. They will tell you that it's bad gel in the controller box. But if you pull the spiral wrapping that holds the HMI, you will see the wire has two crip bends in them. I feel that the wires are getting broken.

[@TheUnguardable]

Does it come with a helmet because you are not wearing one.

[@trailblasing]

Haha we filmed this in front of my house and on a trail in the park, so the speeds were pretty chill. For longer rides with cars I wear a helmet

[@kiethpederson7558]

Oh ! What up stache gordon

[@trailblasing]

😆

[@kiethpederson7558]

Its a nice stache!!

[@MeMe-cd1wy]

Bike seat is too far back. Child has to lean back in order to fit on the back.

[@trailblasing]

It was installed according to Burley’s instructions, we haven’t had any issues!

[@YigalWeinstein]

long term and 4 months aren't compatible notions

[@trailblasing]

Thanks for watching!

[@Hobo613]

no helmet on driver? fail

[@trailblasing]

Haha we filmed this in front of my house and on a trail in the park, so the speeds were pretty chill. For longer rides with cars I wear a helmet

[@difflocktwo]

User serviceability should be more important than a "dealer network". I actually would avoid this machine specifically for it being a specialized.

[@trailblasing]

Hmmm, interesting point. Though I can’t think of any examples where user serviceability would be worse than any other e-bike. Do you have one in mind?

[@chrisE815]

@@trailblasing I wonder in the future how swappable the battery is... Hopefully it is just a generic 48v system without CAN communications preventing battery swaps.

[@trailblasing]

That’s a good question, though I am pretty confident that battery swaps will be pretty straight-forward through a Specialized dealer

[@difflocktwo]

@@trailblasing Well an ebike is basically a battery, controller and a motor. If you can swap any one of those with any comparable part from any manufacturer then it's all good. Like what if I want a new controller and motor so I can have regen? A bike without regen is totally worthless. It's actually worse than worthless since you're spending money on brake pads that you have no reason to be spending on. The only reason you are spending on brake pads is because you don't have regen.

[@difflocktwo]

@@trailblasing I don't want to go through a specialized dealer for a battery swap. I want to shop around and find the best (cheapest) battery for my application.