20 mph ebike to carry 2 kids (gravel, dirt, pavement)

[blakjac]

I just ordered a Tern GSD, and may have ordered an RFA if the delivery time was more clear. I don't want to miss a whole summer of biking with my kids.

Does anyone actually want the sliding dropouts? I can't imagine not keeping the utility deck configuration, even without kids. Otherwise the RFA looks pretty sweet!

I also ordered a GSD due to the late delivery of the RFA. They missed the boat by not having this bike ready prior to the start of summer.

 

[DCNick]

I'm in a similar position to the person who started this thread. My older son is 4 and a half and 38 lbs. On steep hills the front tire comes up a little on my Surly LHT. We also have a 7 month the old and I want a car replacement vehicle. I like the Surly Big Easy and may drive up to NYC to try the Xtracycle Stoker because it does appear similar and comes with more of the bells and whistles. I don't like that it has the same frame size. I'm 6'4" and the Big Easy feels like more of a Dad bike. The geometry is very similar to my LHT to it feels natural for me.
My wife is just 5'3 and doesn't really enjoy riding a bike normally. She has biked maybe 10-15 times in the past 10 years. Part of that is because she has an old racing bike and would prefer a dutch style step through with very upright posture. She used to have a big heavy bike like that but she was so slow on it that we couldn't ride together.
My wife can't ride a Large Big Easy but now that I am looking at this she kind of wants an electric cargo bike. She likes the Tern GSD. I hate it. The tiny front wheel feels unstable and the bike in general feels too small for me.
I think I will regret compromising on a bike. Our preferences are just so different. I'm kind of leaning toward a Big Easy for me and some other different bike for her. Or I could get a Surly Big Fat Dummy and get her a Tern GSD that I could ride if she isn't using it. I hear the BFD is a super fun bike and I wouldn't have to worry about the electronics or traction in the winter. This is hard.

 

[maddy13]

The GSD was a bit of a compromise for me. I wanted something that my partner could handle as well, but we are only within a few inches of each other, so it is totally realistic to share. The bike I really loved to ride was a Bullit. The Tern rides fine for me, though.

Buy the bike you are going to ride the most. If the Tern feels unsteady and too small, you will never ride it. Get the bike you love.

 

[DCNick]

The GSD was a bit of a compromise for me. I wanted something that my partner could handle as well, but we are only within a few inches of each other, so it is totally realistic to share. The bike I really loved to ride was a Bullit. The Tern rides fine for me, though.

Buy the bike you are going to ride the most. If the Tern feels unsteady and too small, you will never ride it. Get the bike you love.

Yes, I think my wife is on board with that. It is still hard to get over the idea that this is a $6,500 new toy that only I can use. I want to sell our 2nd car as part of this but that may just just push more of the school and daycare dropoffs on to my wife. I'm not going to put a 1 year old on a bike in freezing weather or rain. So it's a little difficult.

 

[blakjac]

I received my Tern GSD last week Friday. I have been riding it to work all week. So far, I really like it. My initial impressions when I first rode it were that it was a bit small and overly responsive. Now that I've spent some considerable time on it I really like it. It is a very comfortable bike to ride. I purchased a Yepp Maxi seat for the back and my 2 year old daughter LOVES to go for rides. Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase. I would recommend trying the GSD one more time.

The only downside is the 20 MPH speed limit. I will probably ride it for the next year and see how it goes. After that I may install the speed limit eliminator module.

 

[DCNick]

I received my Tern GSD last week Friday. I have been riding it to work all week. So far, I really like it. My initial impressions when I first rode it were that it was a bit small and overly responsive. Now that I've spent some considerable time on it I really like it. It is a very comfortable bike to ride. I purchased a Yepp Maxi seat for the back and my 2 year old daughter LOVES to go for rides. Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase. I would recommend trying the GSD one more time.

The only downside is the 20 MPH speed limit. I will probably ride it for the next year and see how it goes. After that I may install the speed limit eliminator module.

The speed limit eliminator option sounds interesting. I didn't know that existed but here it is: https://www.ebiketuning.com/shop/bosch-gen2/peartune-mso-b2.html

 

[blakjac]

One thing somebody here in EBR reported though, those speed limit eliminator will confuse the speedometer to think that you're actually doing 50% of the real speed, which inevitably show the half of actual speed on speedometer.

I don't know if this is true though. But worth looking into and do the fact check before purchase.

So there are two options for eliminating the speed limit. First, there is a sensor that can be attached over the sensor that measures the revolution of the back wheel. It essentially only counts every other wheel revolution. This method results in the computer displaying inaccurate information.

The second option is a dongle that installs inside the motor housing. This is a more "invasive" option that requires a bit more work. However, this option does not interfere with the data the computer receives. Therefore, the info being displayed on the computer will be accurate.