These are the seven cargo bikes in the test
- Benno Bikes Boost 10D
- Ca Go FS200 Vario Cover
- Cargofactory One
- Chike E-Kids
- Hase Bikes Pino Cargo
- Hercules Rob Family F360
- Riese & Müller Multitinker
One decision is actually made earlier: does it have to be a cargo bike? If you only occasionally want to transport something that fits in a trailer, a cargo bike in addition to a normal bike often makes little sense - unless you are using a cargo bike that is suitable for everyday use in the narrow sense. Flexibility characterises many variants of the cargo bike class; the bikes are only really designed for individual use with special attachments or baskets - be it for transporting children or for craftsmen. Nevertheless, certain types of cargo bike are of course better suited to the respective use than others. Be sure to test several types before buying.
Do you have an easily accessible and preferably weatherproof storage facility for the bike of your choice? Make sure that the cargo bike can be adjusted for all family members who will be riding it! If possible, test it with luggage. When transporting children: Check whether the little ones feel comfortable in their new taxi, whether they can get on and off easily and whether the bike is stable. If possible, base your test ride on routes that you intend to use in everyday life with a cargo bike. Don't skimp on safety. Hydraulic disc brakes are a must, as are safe child seats and belts as well as the option of getting on the bike safely. Before you commit, enquire about subsidies for cargo bikes from your local authority and the state. Cargo bikes are differentiated by the arrangement of the loading area and the number of wheels. We have summarised three - or more precisely four - types below.
>>The big Cargobike test with the seven different bikes can be found here.
Everything on the back!
Longtail: The name says it all, the long and therefore transport-friendly part of the bike is an oversized pannier rack behind the saddle. At the front, the cargo bike resembles a city or compact bike with 20-inch wheels. The longtail therefore steers very directly and usually requires little adjustment when riding. The turning circle is only slightly larger than on a city bike, especially if it is a bike with small wheels. However, the vehicle is offset, which means that the rear wheel has a significantly smaller radius than the front wheel when cornering. Plan for this on tight bends!
What the Longtail with reinforced and upgraded rear end can do well: Replace a taxi for short and medium distances! For this purpose, suitable footrests must be available and the feet must be protected from tyre and spoke contact. Seats or cushions and, for children, a railing or grab handle must be provided. As many bikes have a permissible total weight of up to 200 kilograms, up to three children or one adult can be transported from A to B. Some models allow two rows of panniers. A sensible option not only for bulk shopping, but also for travelling! The biggest advantage: easy handling of all cargo bikes, especially when parking. A stable centre stand is important, a sprung fork makes sense.
Preferred area of application: broadly designed, from a parent or partner taxi for short distances, an easy-to-ride everyday bike suitable for touring with a licence to transport. However, the centre of gravity is slightly higher than on the next model, which is noticeable when carrying heavy loads.
Long lanky with brawn
The Long John is a tried and tested classic. The cargo area sits in front of the steering column and behind the front wheel, which is usually small here too. This makes the cargo bike considerably longer than the standard bike. The fact that the front wheel is often not in view when the bike is heavily loaded also needs to be internalised. Despite its length and steering characteristics that take some getting used to, the bike can be ridden very quickly, which makes it popular with bike couriers.
Its big advantage: a lot of usable transport volume with a low centre of gravity, which makes it a delivery van among cargo bikes, and at the same time more agile than a heavy-duty tricycle with often only slightly less payload capacity than the latter. You always have a view of the cargo, which is particularly useful when transporting children. Manoeuvring is necessary when parking and pulling out of parking spaces, and occasionally also with a walk-through gate.
Preferred area of application: Short and medium distances, from tradesmen's vans to bulk purchases and parental taxis, even for small children.
Three wheels for a hallelujah
On the classic cargo trike, the load is positioned between the two front wheels. The low centre of gravity and the distribution of the load on one wheel more enable safe riding characteristics even with a heavy load. Balancing? Not necessary. On the other hand, you are less speedy when travelling, as the track width at the front, the significantly larger turning circle and the higher weight make the cargo bike bulkier than the two-wheeler in city traffic. In addition, a classic tricycle does not lean into a bend and therefore only allows limited cornering speeds. However, some of these bikes are transport wonders and allow up to six kids in the box. Or even a complete set of DIY equipment.
If you don't need to get around quickly and have space to park and manoeuvre, you can easily compete with an estate car. However, "carrying it quickly to the cellar" is not really an option. Important: A parking brake should be fitted to prevent the vehicle from rolling away when parked!
Field of application: heavy or large-volume load transport, depending on the set-up also several children. Many people swear by the (stationary) safety of the classic tricycle for transporting children in comfort. A good heavy-duty transporter, depending on the set-up.
Inclined to the flow
Tricycles with tilting technology are a relatively new category among cargo bikes. Thanks to a special chassis, they can corner in a similar way to single-track bikes and are therefore faster than the classic; depending on the type, they are also a lot of fun to ride. However, both variants require more space in traffic, when parking and manoeuvring than single-track models. For individual use, however, the handling makes a huge difference between the two variants - depending on the type, you can stay in the flow with the tilt bike just like with the two-wheeler. However, you should test whether you are comfortable with the respective handling before buying.
Depending on requirements, the tilt cargo trike is also available with a crate, basket and also a flat, flexible loading area, although the tilt chassis reduces the available loading area slightly in width compared to the normal trike. The unladen weight from approx. 35 kilograms is an argument in favour of motor assistance, even if the forwarder is an experienced cyclist. Important: The tilt mechanism should be lockable for loading.
Field of application: Transporting children and everyday family life, provided suitable parking space is available. With Neiger, you can stay in the flow despite having plenty of space - if the traffic infrastructure for cyclists allows it.
Cargobike with or without motor?
Due to their robust construction, cargo bikes are heavier than normal bikes or e-bikes. Tricycles in particular can quickly weigh 50 kilograms. A challenge for stop-and-go in the city with cargo - if you don't have motor assistance. Even if you have big thighs and a lot of biking experience, the idea of replacing a car journey with a cargo bike may be quickly shelved. That's why we always recommend a motor, not only because of the comfort, but also because of the motivation to transport your cargo and children sustainably and CO2-free. Many manufacturers actually only offer cargo bikes with assistance. Manufacturers such as Bosch or Shimano have special motors for cargo bikes in their range that offer plenty of torque even at low pedalling frequencies. Just the right thing for traffic light starts and inclines with weight.
Decision-making aids and practical tips for buying a cargo bike
- Does it have to be a cargo bike? A cargo trailer makes sense for some occasions. If you only occasionally want to transport something that fits in a trailer, it is not economical to buy a cargo bike in addition to a normal bike.
- Be sure to test several cargo bikes before buying.
- Do you have an easily accessible and preferably weatherproof parking space for the bike of your choice?
- Make sure that the cargo bike can be adjusted for all family members who are to ride it.
- Test with luggage. When transporting children: Check whether the little ones feel comfortable in their taxi, whether they can get on and off easily and whether the bike is secure.
- If possible, base your test ride on routes that you intend to use in everyday life with a cargo bike.
- Don't skimp on safety. Hydraulic disc brakes are a must, as are safe child seats and (at least three-point) seat belts when transporting children, as well as the option of safe boarding.
- Enquire about subsidies for cargo bikes from your local authority and the state.
The first Cargobike kilometres
Newcomers should familiarise themselves with riding a cargo bike. The best place to practise is a traffic training area or an empty car park.
- Load your bike with the weight you intend to use in everyday life to familiarise yourself with the handling.
- Practise placing the bike on the centre stand: push the stand down with your foot. When it touches the ground, pull the bike backwards. Make sure the ground is level!
- Remove from the stand: Push the bike forwards with momentum. When the rear wheel touches the ground, pull the front brake.
- Practise starting off. To do this, set the pedal of your jumping leg to a good half height so that you apply pressure to the pedal as soon as you set off. This stabilises the bike right from the start and prevents it from rolling around (single track only).
- Braking exercise: familiarise yourself with both brakes. Try to come to a standstill at a targeted point - for example a traffic sign. First from around ten kilometres per hour, then from higher speeds.
- Practise driving slowly without wobbling (single track).
- Practise U-turns to familiarise yourself with the handling and turning circle.
- Test: (How) do I get through the circulation grids and bollards?
- You cannot lean into a bend on a standard tricycle, even if everyone tries to do so intuitively at first. So sit upright and approach bends very slowly at first until you get a feel for how quickly you can take bends. Practise this with and without luggage. In the latter case, you will notice that you reach the limit faster, where the wheel on the inside of the bend takes off.
- On tricycles with tilting technology, you roll round corners at an angle, just like on single-track bikes. However, you should also practise this, as the more complex technology makes for a slightly different riding experience.
- You should also always lock the tilt function and apply the parking brake before dismounting the tricycle. draw.
