Currently 2 children same nursery - split for reception school/ nursery from September. At moment use hardtail with with 1 in burley trailer and 1 on shotgun seat. Getting harder move them about as grow and outgrowing trailer, 5km round trip to deliver both same place currently, about an extra km from September.
Considering either radwagon or mycyle with caboose seating - budget big consideration. Any real experience these? Waiting see if work scheme can provide either as with halfords scheme.
Any other recommendations? Thinking both just have enough range for 1 day/ week 17mile commute to office and school run no issues rest of week - am i being realistic?
Any other ideas with current setup. Roads busy round us for school goer ride with me just yet. Been trying use bike more reduce using van past year and racking up the miles so think can justify new bike, shopping, going into centre of toon etc.
Cheers, Niall
Waiting see if work scheme can provide either as with halfords scheme.
My experience is a few years old, but if you ring the helpline Halfords can get a lot of stuff outside their usual stock. IIRC this is because they own Tredz, which deal with a lot of insurance replacement work.
I read the other day that Rad power bikes were ceasing European operations at the end of the year. I think you'll still be able to access support but I'm not sure I'd feel confident enough to buy one (I was looking hence seeing the notice on their website)
https://radpowerbikes.co.uk/pages/286678749
If you are local to a Decathlon this one looks good too https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-cargo-bike-rear-loading-longtail-r500/_/R-p-329177
Thanks @HoratioHufnagel - none in stock local, will have look see if can try to find one to look at.
I have nothing to compare it with, but our town has a community Tern GSD, which I borrowed for a tip run a few weeks ago. It was absolutely brilliant. Super easy to ride. Big load capacity. Lots of cargo and seating options. Very well thought out etc. Can be tipped on its backside for vertical storage. I suspect that they're quite pricey, but good. One thing, as per any other e-bike, range comes down to a combination of how frugal you are with the top-end power modes and how hilly your local terrain is.
It's obviously not particularly entertaining to ride, but the Bosch motor has more than enough heft to keep things moving and brakes, gears etc all worked fine. It even has rudimentary suspension forks with a lockout.
Not sure that's much help, but I can absolutely see the point of them and in slightly different circumstances - if we had a family particularly - I'd definitely be looking at buying one.
I'm about to sell my non-e cargo bike (down south if you want a test ride to see how things are). Imo for 3 miles each way you don't need the expense/complexity of e assist. As the kids grow, so does your fitness and strength and you just keep going.
A cargo bike is an excellent bit of kit, but i would not have considered paying £5k for one. Mine was £1500 new, half price on the Halfords scheme (via a shop in London)
Intrigued why the Decathlon one states not to ride over 45kph due to the motor creating energy and damaging the system. Does this mean it does regen...or do wheel motors create a small amount of energy and 45kph is the point at which it can start to damage components?!
All motors do regen, if you don't have circuitry to protect the battery or coast I guess that energy has to go somewhere. Not an issue on crank based systems
@badlyWiredDog - very helpful, unfortunately Tern well above current budget but good to hear usefulness in general.
@slab - fair points, currently including trailer I am hauling about 50kg around a short but hilly route - hence thinking e-bike. Both options I have mentioned, with added bits want come around £2500 retail so about 1600 over term of scheme - so as a replacement for using long wheelbase T4 for all family running around I think might be justifiable - I intend to use it for most local jobs - shopping, commute, school etc. On bike 2 work over 3 years looking to be about 1/2 tank diesel/ month. Thanks for offer of test ride - am Newcastle based so unfortunately wont be able to avail - going have a look at non e-assist now too see what is about - open to suggestions.
Nip over to France with a tip bike (via ferry) and pick up the Decathlon cargo bike from overseas... It's only 2800 euro over there!
DrP
@DrP - long trip from Newcastle 🙂 Could probably get my folks in Republic to get for me if go down that route
I would look to what our European cousins use to transport the kids/dogs/shopping in.
For the most part it seems the box on the front is the popular option.
The Raleigh stride 2
My preference is front load but they take a bit of getting used to and usually take up more space.
We have the Decathlon Elops R500 linked above. We're France based, so it was €2,900 here which seems like a pretty good deal.
Have had it since March and have done almost 1,000 km on it so far. Love it.
If you go too fast it does go a bit weird - battery indicator suddenly jumps back up to 100%. I have tried to keep it under 45km/h but have inevitably drifted over that a few times...
We have a Tern GSD and love it. We don’t have kids, so can’t help on that, but it’s brilliant for the short journeys and shopping trips. It makes the mundane fun! We got ours from Edinburgh bike, so the biker branch should have one to have a look at.
There are some charities around that hire them, so you can try before you buy. We test ride around the car park and that was enough for us. There’s a rental one near us in Ilkley so it could be worth checking locally.
Looking at the Amcargo, Ultimate Harmony Tadpole cargo trike. I appreciate that these are really for plonking your kids and shopping in, but I was wondering if the wife would fit in it?
She's kind of shortish, kind of roundish, but probably bigger than four biggish kids. I reckon if we could get her in the box it'd save my kidney's a lot of the punching abuse they get when we're out on the tandem.
I'm very much liking the look of these!
I like the look of the amcargo @beagleboy
Few parents at nursery have front box type bikes, look good but would have to store it outdoors in a yard - not sure how it would stand up to North East winter - but guess there will be covers available.
Would love tern but above budget 😔 Thanks @P20 will look see if any hire locally.
Wonder about a 3 wheeler for 1/ week commute newcaste to Durham- part of why I been thinking long tail instead box up front.
Few parents at nursery have front box type bikes, look good but would have to store it outdoors in a yard – not sure how it would stand up to North East winter – but guess there will be covers available.
You might be surprised, ours (gazelle cabby) goes through the pedestrian door of our garage and the back gate fine, you can fold the basket up but I've never needed to. It's barely wider than the bars on my trail bike
Anybody have experience of the Amcargo bikes? Really liking the look and price of these - can anyone see the significant difference between the Ultimate Curve vs Harmony? Box is bit fancier on Harmony but otherwise not seeing huge reason to pay extra £600.
Had a tern GSD for a few weeks for exactly the same application as you’re looking at. We got ours with an energy saving trust loan - might be worth considering if it can expand your bike choices.
What I will say is that having a nursery run that is actually fun is really hard to put a value on. Feel like my mental health has had a real power up
A pal of mine has a radwagon for double nursery/school drop offs. He's put two seats with back rests on it.
Reckons it's the best thing he's ever bought, they absolutely love it. The power take off assist function is exceptional.
Thanks @stevious and @pictonroad interesting info.
Those with cargo bikes - any opinion re: long-tail vs box for getting through traffic? Is box harder navigate? Know the amcargo being a trike will be compromise.
Unfortunately looking £3k and under so am a bit restricted what looking at.