[Closed] Cargo bikes - maybe with electric assist

no one?

I'd go for a Surly Big Dummy. A mate and I both have xtracycles - mine on a marin rocky ridge freeride frame, his was an aluminium hybrid frame. The hybrid framed one recently snapped through the seat tube at the bottom bracket - mostly from carrying two kids. He's replaced it with a big dummy and is very happy. I'm very happy with my xtracycle and have carried some serious loads and use it regularly to tow a Chariot trailer and have ridden some reasonable singletrack on it. It's great in the mud as it's long wheel base is very stable and you can get it anywhere you can get a normal bike.

I've also ridden an electric bakfiets. Great fun, but not for offroad.

A big dummy would be the most suitable for off-road and weight carrying.

I've an xtracycle for sale http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fsxtracycle-freeradical-203mm-rotor-pc991-double-length-chain-xt-cassette
and yes I did snap my hybrid frame!
The big dummy is great though just a bit pricey.

I am not quite sure why you need this - one bike to do many things or are you really intending touring offroad with huge luggage?

Touring with fair bit of weight, nothing excessive and staying in b&b's

does not compute!?

I've got a Ute. Great bike for shopping trips and light to medium cargo shifting, and with a change of bars, stem might be ok for some short distance road touring (I fancy trying it on mine sometime) but don't think I'd want to do any long distance touring or significant off-road on it. It would be ok for 'off-road' as in Sustrans trails but not really for MTB type off-road. The Big Dummy is probably your best bet if that's what you're thinking.

I'm thinking of getting one for multi day rides, where I'm carrying all my gear, clothes, camping stuff for when not in b&b's. Will be off road but not uber technical routes and also to take the kids to nursery/school. Use a single wheel trailer usually for off road rides, but its cumbersome and a pain when I need to go on trains.

Rats. Sounds like the Kona may not be up to it, which is what I feared.

Am interested in the Big Dummy, but as said, it's expensive and hard to find 2nd hand.

My wife is interested in an electric option, as there is a big hill on the way to/from school (ok, I am a bit too).

Use a single wheel trailer usually for off road rides

singletracksurfer - Member

I'm thinking of getting one for multi day rides, where I'm carrying all my gear, clothes, camping stuff for when not in b&b's.

Its easy enough to fit all that on a normal bike I find

I can get all my gear on a normal touring bike or mtb, I have done (as have many others on here) off-road camping trips with a normal bike and never felt the need for more luggage space. Adding on the extra weight of the cargo bike does not seem to make sense unless you cant fit all your gear on a normal bike, say because you plan on carrying a familys worth of gear or you simply cant camp without a huge airbed and a full dining chair and table set.

oh, and good luck getting a cargo bike onto small local trains, Simply no way you could get one on most of the ones i have ever been on. Large intercity might be fine but even those ex-Virgin ones wont take a cargo bike.

Cargo bikes are very 'enabling' - just the thought of packing up a ton of stuff and putting it on the back for a camping trip is fun. You don't have to go fast.

I have lightweight bivvy bikepacking gear and also an xtracycle. Both are great.

However, electric assist ones are very very heavy. Come to a log/style/narrow gate/super steep bit/etc and you'll be struggling without 2 people to shift it.
Even a non-electric one with a load of gear on can be a real pain.

In the end I make sure that I put everything in two of the largest alpkit dry bags with shoulder harnesses so that I can get just the bike through/over/under, then go back for the bags.

I love riding mine off road - totally slow, but great fun. Makes a great sag-wagon for my youngest son.

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BTW - does the image show above? It might be a private facebook one.

Awesome photo - love the balance bike err, balancing off the back. Looks like a great trip out.