Is your bike's front basket not enough for your daily errands? Sometimes, you need to bring multiple items that don't fit in a small front bike basket. Whether you need to carry grocery bags or your pets, you will surely appreciate extra storage space on your bike. Fortunately, a specific category of bikes perfectly suits your needs.
Cargo bikes aren't a new invention. Tradespeople have been using them since the 1900s. What's new, however, is the invention of the electric cargo bike. Electric cargo bikes can be a suitable option instead of bringing a gas-powered car. So what else can an electric cargo bike for adults offer you?
Read more and learn what these kinds of bikes are and how they can make your life better!
When the small front basket of your bike isn't enough, a cargo bike can save the day! A cargo bike looks like a typical bicycle with a not-so-small modification: a considerable cargo space between the rider and the front wheel. While the layout may differ from one cargo bike to the next, any bicycle under this classification looks like an elongated version of the usual bike.
When you first ride a cargo bike, you feel like you're handling a two-wheeled canoe on paved streets. After a while, however, you will get comfortable with it, and it would be difficult to live without it. Since cities are becoming more bike-friendly, more and more people have been using cargo bikes for their daily errands and grocery runs.
Are your children getting bored at home? They may enjoy a quick ride around town in the child seat on your family cargo bike. If you have toddlers, getting them accustomed to their immediate surroundings will make them comfortable outside. Aside from familiarizing them with the area, you also let them know about your neighbors and the entire community.
Riding around town with your child can also be a memorable bonding experience. They will surely treasure the memories of your afternoon rides around town when they grow up.
Pets are a joy to have at home, and sometimes you want to bring them on your trips. Small dogs like Shih Tzu, poodle, chihuahua, or Maltese can easily fit in a bike's front basket. However, large dog breeds like Great Dane, English Mastiff, St. Bernard, or a German Shepherd won't.
If you have to visit a relative and want to show them your fur babies, you can do so with a cargo bike. The storage space that a cargo bike has can comfortably fit your four-legged friend. Depending on its storage capacity, you may even fit more than one! Regular trips to the vet will no longer be frustrating with a cargo bike.
Do you bring your car with you every time you go to the supermarket? Sometimes grocery runs only involve one or two grocery bags, so driving a four-wheeled sedan to the grocery may feel like a waste of precious gasoline. Once you arrive, finding a convenient parking space may also seem like a chore and may take too much time.
In many cases, you only need a quick way to get to the grocery store to pick up a grocery bag or two. A cargo bike is perfect for this case. You can roll your cargo bike into the curb and onto the streets without any fuss. The storage space is more than adequate for a quick grocery run. You don't even need to locate a parking slot for it!
Do you run a small business? Transporting goods from your place of business to your clients is a disaster waiting to happen. Depending on how large your business has grown, you may need a four-wheeled car or even a small truck to ship out vast quantities of products. However, if you are only building your business from home, you won't be needing either.
Buying a car or a small truck for logistics will be a considerable investment and will set you back even before making a profit. If you want your enterprise to grow, think small and practical. A cargo bike is a more affordable and practical alternative for your transport needs. It can transport your goods without the burden of car maintenance, a downpayment, and monthly installment payments.
Many people see cycling as a way to burn calories while also enjoying a leisurely ride. However, if you have to do it regularly and more than once or twice a day, you will be drowning in sweat. The case may even be worse for people who have to transport hefty payloads via a cargo bike from one place to another.
Fortunately, you don't need to turn into a workhorse to get yourself moving. An electric cargo bike combines the storage capacity of a regular cargo bike and the power and ease of use of an electric bike. With the whine of its electric motor, it can move you and your precious cargo forward even without you stepping a foot on the pedal.
If you feel like pedaling your way to your destination but don't want to turn it into a physical exercise, you can use the electric assist (also known as "pedal assist") feature.
Do you want to feel the rush of cold air against your face? Going fast with a pedal-powered cargo bike is possible, but there's a catch. Reaching high speeds on a pedal bike means getting a leg day. Going fast becomes more challenging when carrying a heavy payload on your bike. However, the capable electric motor of electric cargo bikes can push you forward instantly.
If you are familiar with electric vehicles or EVs, you most likely know that most, if not all, share a near-instant acceleration feature. You can get to breakneck speeds within seconds by pressing down the pedal. With a turn of your e-bike throttle, you can achieve high speeds on paved roads.
If you haven't hopped on the green revolution, you should now. According to climate studies, man-made pollution, especially from the transportation sector, has caused irreparable damage to our environment. Good thing electric vehicles have become affordable; thanks to more efficient manufacturing processes and rising supply to meet the demand.
An electric cargo bike for adults offers a viable way to get around the neighborhood without contributing greenhouse gasses. They run on electricity and don't emit any gas pollution. As more cities become more bike-friendly and incentivize the use of electric vehicles, electric cargo bikes become a more accessible, sustainable travel solution.
When you look for a cargo e-bike online, you will see countless cycles in numerous configurations. Despite these differences, they all share some things in common.
For instance, they have a long wheelbase, which pertains to the distance between the front wheel and rear wheel. This configuration gives enough space for the cargo box. However, the location of this cargo box differs depending on the bike. There are primarily three configurations of cargo bikes: longtail, mid-tail, and front-loading.
Longtail bikes have a rear rack, which is perfect for sitting kids. Meanwhile, midtail bikes are similar but have a more compact and shorter rear rack atop its rear wheel. Lastly, front-loading cargo bikes have a cargo box between the front wheel and the handlebar, making the bike look like a canoe.
While the primary purpose of a cargo e-bike is to transport you and your payload, it won't hurt if you can do it faster and in a shorter amount of time. That's why checking for the maximum speed of the cargo e-bike should be one of your priorities.
You don't need one with a blazingly fast top speed when it comes to cargo bikes. You just need a bike fast enough for your needs.
If you're regularly transporting a hefty payload, getting a cargo e-bike is a good option. Otherwise, it would be best if you get regular electric road bikes or a city bike. Electric cargo bikes differ in their payload capacity depending on their layout. If you need the largest storage space possible, front-loading cargo bikes may be the best way to go.
However, if your payload can be tied onto a rear rack, either a mid-tail or longtail cargo bike can suit your needs. A longtail cargo bike comes with an extended rear rack which can carry a significantly larger payload. Meanwhile, a mid-tail cargo bike has a more compact form factor but has a rear rack larger than those found in regular cycles.
Everything about the cargo e-bike, such as its top speed, maximum range, torque, and carrying capacity, is determined by its battery capacity. Those bikes with a larger battery can travel over longer distances than those with smaller and more limited capacity.
Bigger batteries can provide more juice to more powerful electric motors, improving their performance, especially when climbing a steep hill, and storage capacity. Some bikes have a dual battery configuration for longer rides.
Have you experienced having to go somewhere too far to walk but is too near to drive a car? Having a cargo e-bike solves this dilemma by meeting you halfway.
However, how many kilometers you can travel depends on the maximum range of your cargo e-bike. This manufacturer comes up with this number by computing various factors like battery capacity, weight, and others.
The good thing about electric road bikes is that they're environmentally friendly. You don't need to go to the gas station to fill up your tank with fossil fuel, eventually ending up in the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, unlike refueling, recharging your battery takes a lot of time. So if you need to use your cargo e-bike frequently, check how fast it can recharge its battery.
No matter how good the specifications sheet looks, it would mean nothing unless you can afford the cargo e-bike. So start with setting a price range. How much money can you spare for this investment?
Don't set the price too low, though, or you might end up with a substandard bike. See if your chosen bike suits your needs and your wallet.
You can get more out of your cargo e-bike by buying more accessories. Accessories can add more features that the base model lacks. First-party accessories work well with the cycle but most likely cost so much. For instance, a child seat can make it safer for children to ride with you. Consider the availability of third-party accessories for the bike before you buy it.
A cargo e-bike solves many problems that modern man faces. Since the early 1900s, a cargo bike has helped merchants get their goods from one side of the town to the other. Today, electric cargo bikes for adults offer more functionality and convenience than their pedal-powered counterparts.
Getting such a functional and practical mode of transportation is a no-brainer. How about a helmet and other cycling gear? Check out our riding accessory buying guides to learn more.
