Cargo ebike for two adults occasionally

[mams99]

Here is my situation and you all can help me brainstorm as I'm exhausted from it...

A month or so back I was looking into a tandem for myself and my 12 year old son (12 5'9" and growing quickly) so that we could make quick trips to the lake 1.5 miles away, concerts 1.5 miles away, library - also 1.5 miles away and possibly to the farmer's market which unfortunately just relocated. Used to be 2 miles away, now it's 6 miles away. Oh and grocery is 1.5 miles away.

Taking a car to most of these things seems a waste and for some things is a pain as parking is an issue. A bit too far for a comfortable walk on a hot day.

THing is, I need electric assist. We live in a valley and just getting out of the neighborhood is troublesome for me in my unfit state. Two, sometimes it won't be both of us, but me alone - and I too need electric assist when riding solo.

So, ebike -for tandem, that basically leaves only the pedego. Second problem - my son is tall, autistic (high functioning). He cannot be the pilot and me the anchor/passenger. He is "this close" to learning to ride a bike on his own, but he will not master riding solo for awhile and in the meantime - we are "stuck".

But then I saw the pedego stretch listed locally on ebay... Wow! Maybe I've been overlooking a whole market - a cargo bike that can take a passenger for short treks. Park - concerts... I was eyeing the pedego stretch as a drool-w0rthy bike that might work for us. (it sold off ebay before I could seriously give it thought for that particular bike - getting the stretch would mean buying it nw)

Then yesterday I saw a Xtracycle Edgerunner listed locally with an added bafang mid-drive electric motor with lots of extras.. Would that possibly work?

But now I'm torn... Weight limits... height concerns.... Anyone know?

Full disclosure - I used to be rather fit, not so much any more due to an injury (shoulder) that threw me out of commission for awhile. When I exercise, I like it to be with function - walking, gardening, biking to the store, etc. I'm 5'6" and currently 220 pounds (bouncing around quite a bit, but trying to hover around 200... I'm very largely built... my "ideal" weight according to docs is 165-170.... which is basically not happening as I dieted and excerised myself down to 175 5 years ago before the injury and with 7 hours of hard workouts a week, 25% bodyfat, 14oo calories a day... I was starving, very fit... and still 175 pounds!) Anyway... that's a distraction for another day.)

My son is 12, growing quickly. He's 5'9.33" and about 125 pounds and is also built large... he's just in that growing stage where he's really thinned out and hasn't put on much muscle mass yet. He'll probably get to 6'3" or 6'4" in a couple years and probably 200 pounds by the time he reaches 20.

My husband who might join me on the bike for concerts (we live 2 miles from Merriweather) is 6'1" and about 190 pounds.

With all that information, could a cargo bike with spare rider for a short distance (2 miles and under) work for us? Or should we get a tandem that will work for a tall back rider and electric assist?

Edgerunner says 350 weight limit (with additional 250 with sidecar) Pedego Stretch says 400. I have seen in pics more than 350 and 400 for these bikes too.

And is it just wiser to buy new with a new battery than to buy used and mid-life battery/motor?

Just someone please help guide me. I'm getting overwhelmed by possibilities. And of course finances are an issue. We are fine, but also paying for our 20 year old's college education right now, but I'm also ITCHING to get moving on a bike again. I miss it and now that I'm working on fitness again, I don't want to wait forever and ever.

 

[ofthenorthvt]

Here is my situation and you all can help me brainstorm as I'm exhausted from it...

A month or so back I was looking into a tandem for myself and my 12 year old son (12 5'9" and growing quickly) so that we could make quick trips to the lake 1.5 miles away, concerts 1.5 miles away, library - also 1.5 miles away and possibly to the farmer's market which unfortunately just relocated. Used to be 2 miles away, now it's 6 miles away. Oh and grocery is 1.5 miles away.

Taking a car to most of these things seems a waste and for some things is a pain as parking is an issue. A bit too far for a comfortable walk on a hot day.

THing is, I need electric assist. We live in a valley and just getting out of the neighborhood is troublesome for me in my unfit state. Two, sometimes it won't be both of us, but me alone - and I too need electric assist when riding solo.

So, ebike -for tandem, that basically leaves only the pedego. Second problem - my son is tall, autistic (high functioning). He cannot be the pilot and me the anchor/passenger. He is "this close" to learning to ride a bike on his own, but he will not master riding solo for awhile and in the meantime - we are "stuck".

But then I saw the pedego stretch listed locally on ebay... Wow! Maybe I've been overlooking a whole market - a cargo bike that can take a passenger for short treks. Park - concerts... I was eyeing the pedego stretch as a drool-w0rthy bike that might work for us. (it sold off ebay before I could seriously give it thought for that particular bike - getting the stretch would mean buying it nw)

Then yesterday I saw a Xtracycle Edgerunner listed locally with an added bafang mid-drive electric motor with lots of extras.. Would that possibly work?

But now I'm torn... Weight limits... height concerns.... Anyone know?

Full disclosure - I used to be rather fit, not so much any more due to an injury (shoulder) that threw me out of commission for awhile. When I exercise, I like it to be with function - walking, gardening, biking to the store, etc. I'm 5'6" and currently 220 pounds (bouncing around quite a bit, but trying to hover around 200... I'm very largely built... my "ideal" weight according to docs is 165-170.... which is basically not happening as I dieted and excerised myself down to 175 5 years ago before the injury and with 7 hours of hard workouts a week, 25% bodyfat, 14oo calories a day... I was starving, very fit... and still 175 pounds!) Anyway... that's a distraction for another day.)

My son is 12, growing quickly. He's 5'9.33" and about 125 pounds and is also built large... he's just in that growing stage where he's really thinned out and hasn't put on much muscle mass yet. He'll probably get to 6'3" or 6'4" in a couple years and probably 200 pounds by the time he reaches 20.

My husband who might join me on the bike for concerts (we live 2 miles from Merriweather) is 6'1" and about 190 pounds.

With all that information, could a cargo bike with spare rider for a short distance (2 miles and under) work for us? Or should we get a tandem that will work for a tall back rider and electric assist?

Edgerunner says 350 weight limit (with additional 250 with sidecar) Pedego Stretch says 400. I have seen in pics more than 350 and 400 for these bikes too.

And is it just wiser to buy new with a new battery than to buy used and mid-life battery/motor?

Just someone please help guide me. I'm getting overwhelmed by possibilities. And of course finances are an issue. We are fine, but also paying for our 20 year old's college education right now, but I'm also ITCHING to get moving on a bike again. I miss it and now that I'm working on fitness again, I don't want to wait forever and ever.

Check out the electrified Yuma Mundo. It has a higher weight limit and is adjustable to many rider heights.

Dennis

 

[Antia]

Hi there,
just a few comments. It seems like a longtail cargo bike could work well for you. Certainly the xtracycle with a bafang will work well with regard to the drive assist, but I wonder if the low deck (where your son would sit) would be problematic as he is so tall. Usually the low decks are nice because they lower the center of gravity helping with stability and because it is easier for young kids, but in your case it might be a problem with long legs.
Have you considered the Radwagon from Rad Power Bikes? It is very nicely priced and it is a long tail with the deck at a regular height. Depending on the maximum grade of the hills in your neighborhood, it could work very well for you. I have one and I use it to haul my two kids (3 and 4.5) to daycare and errands (anywhere from 1 to 10 miles). Let me know if you have any questions about it.

Antia

 

[mams99]

Check out the electrified Yuma Mundo. It has a higher weight limit and is adjustable to many rider heights.

Dennis

It looks like an amazing bike (so many do - hence the search fatigue)... But the price is so high. With options, it's like a $4700 bike. I see a non-electrified one listed semi-locally. I supposed I could buy an electric assist kit for it and have it electrified? But it would have to be hired out. I'm mechanical. I'm not a bike mechanic.

 

[mams99]

Hi there,
just a few comments. It seems like a longtail cargo bike could work well for you. Certainly the xtracycle with a bafang will work well with regard to the drive assist, but I wonder if the low deck (where your son would sit) would be problematic as he is so tall. Usually the low decks are nice because they lower the center of gravity helping with stability and because it is easier for young kids, but in your case it might be a problem with long legs.
Have you considered the Radwagon from Rad Power Bikes? It is very nicely priced and it is a long tail with the deck at a regular height. Depending on the maximum grade of the hills in your neighborhood, it could work very well for you. I have one and I use it to haul my two kids (3 and 4.5) to daycare and errands (anywhere from 1 to 10 miles). Let me know if you have any questions about it.

Antia

The height is my worry too. It has not been a gift to be a early growing (he's always been huge) high functioning autistic boy. People have expected him to act older than he is when really, he's a few years behind in all that physical ability development.

I looked at the Radwagon bike. Problem is the max load - that is also 350, right? For the price of new... I just don't know if that would work. But I have looked.

And my hill out of my neighborhood isn't HORRIBLY steep, just fairly long - like 3/4 of a mile. I was so discouraged when I was doing high impact step aerobics 3 times a week, strength training twice a week - being the woman in class who could lift the most, and then some other aerobic class 1-2 times a week - and I STILL had to walk the bike up the hill the last bit. I FINALLY ditched the 7 speed comfort bike and got a 21 speed road bike and could get out of the neighborhood - huffing and puffing, but then I got an injury, followed by another overuse injury and stopped riding/exercising and now I know NOTHING would allow me to get out of the neighborhood without electric assist. Plus... I'm all for fitness and such, but having some help on hills - especially with cargo would be wonderful.

 

[motostrano]

Mams-

A couple bikes I would recommend are:

Moustache Tandem
http://www.motostrano.com/MOUSTACHE-Samedi-27-X2-Tandem-Ebike-p/samedi27x2.htm

Gepida Tandem
http://www.motostrano.com/GEPIDA-RODANUS-1000-Electric-Tandem-Bike-p/roadanus.htm

Or, for carrying a person on the back, the Bruhaul is my favorite

http://www.motostrano.com/Felt-Bruhaul-Cargo-E-Bike-p/bruhaul.htm

as long as the person is smaller, say under 5:4.

Also the new Yuba Spicy Curry is up to the task but has a low frame on the back

http://www.motostrano.com/Yuba-Spicy-Curry-Electric-Bosch-Cargo-Bike-p/15166100b.htm

I've carried kids and girlfriends on the back with good success.

The above bikes are all available in our stores.

Joe

 

[mams99]

Wednesdays are my day off. I am going into B'more today to try out the Pedego Stretch to see how it fits and works and if it's worth saving up for to get it. Then, this Friday I am driving a bit to test out the used xtracycle edgerunner with the bafang assist and see how that is. It's loaded with nice accessories and is 1/3 the price of buying the Pedego - but at it's half life and who knows if there's been damage done to the chain or drive, etc (as I see can happen with these added mid-drives to the Edgerunner). I'll have my son with me both times. Reality is that the two passenger usage will probably be rare, but farmer's market, grocery store, etc will not be rare.

Of course all of this thought and maybe all I will need/want is a regular cruiser bike with assist. I do have the Burley Travoy to use - which I did use for grocery trips on my regular bike, but that all uphill to get to the store... and all downhill to get home (about 2 miles). I literally didn't have to pedal to get home except for about 1-2 minutes.

 

[mams99]

Getting a ridekick and adding it to a non-electric cargo bike?

 

[JRA]

A motorized trailer like the RideKick is probably not the best option for an already long cargo bike.

Moto trailers are ok but they do struggle to maintain traction due to relatively light weight over the drive wheel(s). I had a BOB trailer with a hub motor on a regular bike and it worked well. Was nice to be able to take it on and off easily.

 

[mams99]

And, I just discovered there's a store right near my work that carries yuba and xtracycle, so I should be able to try them all that I'm considering at this moment - very soon.

 

[mams99]

Saw the Edgerunner and all the Yubas today - the ones with low back wheels are out.

Contenders are:

Yuba Boda Boda midtail and Perego Stretch. Seem pretty comparable - with add-ons, Yuba is more expensive...

thoughts on that? Checking out the Stretch tomorrow.

 

[mams99]

Tried the Pedego Stretch - it wins. I cannot even express how fun and easy it is to ride. By myself, up a moderate hill, I "could" ride it without assist on my own, with assist 1 assist it was great. Working, but not dying. I didn't need a throttle. I did up and down hills for about a mile on rough roads in B'more. Then I rode that same stretch with my 5'10", 130 pounds son on the back. The throttle start with the weight was amazing. For me, I felt nothing different in how it drove, except for normal riding I needed a 1 assist and for hills for a comfortable feel a 3 assist. And that was with the smaller battery...

What tipped it in my favor for me was:

1. With all the accessories needed, the Pedego was a little cheaper (shocked?)
2. It has more of a step-through frame which I LOVE.
3. It's faster and easier to adjust for different size riders. I'm 5'6" spouse is 6'1", Adult son who might ride is 6'2.
4. More comfort for adult passenger - better seat pad for rider and a backrest for rider (making my son feel more secure). My son felt safe and comfortable and he loved it. We had a shared buddybike and this is way better (though he's a bystander - not actively helping me ride).
5. Options for changing racks around.
6. Aesthetics - It is one gorgeous looking bike - not feminine or masculine - just beautiful lines and thought went into it.

Now to decide if I should pay the extra 300 for the larger capacity battery. Max ride I can imagine is 6 there and 6 back... Basically around town bike. I won't be commuting on this bike. My husband commutes one direction 19 miles. I commute the opposite direction 20 miles. If I really get into riding, I'll get a smaller folding ebike for around my work area and close in commuting by parking my car a bit out to avoid the worst of the traffic (I work at tip-top of DC... so that Silver Spring and DC traffic is a bottleneck in and out.)

 

[Antia]

Glad you were able to try the Stretch and it was such a good fit. It is a gorgeous bike! Enjoy your new ride and please report back with your real world experiences.

 

[mams99]

Glad you were able to try the Stretch and it was such a good fit. It is a gorgeous bike! Enjoy your new ride and please report back with your real world experiences.

Thanks... now to see if my husband will OK getting it sooner than later due to finances. This is no small purchase. But I am feeling trapped at home for some things as driving is so difficult for some places or always stuck to a car - which I hate for my son too.

 

[Mike Schroll]

Thanks... now to see if my husband will OK getting it sooner than later due to finances. This is no small purchase. But I am feeling trapped at home for some things as driving is so difficult for some places or always stuck to a car - which I hate for my son too.

I'm in almost the same boat -- my wife returned her BMW i3; and we dropped to a one-car household, and I've been exploring e-bikes as an option for primary transportation for me. Zeroing in on the Pedego Stretch being the right answer, as both my wife and I could be on it for a fun shared ride; but otherwise it works out great with just me. Being 6'4" and 300lbs and her at 5'2", 95lbs -- the fact we can both ride it is awesome -- Truly like getting two bikes in one.

Just bought a Kia Niro yesterday to jump our one car from a 20mpg VW Tiguan to the 50mpg Niro. Now just told myself I need to sell the Tiguan before I buy the Pedego Stretch

 

[mams99]

I'm in almost the same boat -- my wife returned her BMW i3; and we dropped to a one-car household, and I've been exploring e-bikes as an option for primary transportation for me. Zeroing in on the Pedego Stretch being the right answer, as both my wife and I could be on it for a fun shared ride; but otherwise it works out great with just me. Being 6'4" and 300lbs and her at 5'2", 95lbs -- the fact we can both ride it is awesome -- Truly like getting two bikes in one.

Just bought a Kia Niro yesterday to jump our one car from a 20mpg VW Tiguan to the 50mpg Niro. Now just told myself I need to sell the Tiguan before I buy the Pedego Stretch

While I'm not going down to one car (as my husband and I commute 19-20 miles in opposite directions - living in the middle), I am wanting to ditch the big car for around town.

About height adjustments... that might be tricky for both of you, actually. It can fit all body types, but you might need to raise and lower the handlebar stem as well as rotate the handle to get it right... which you may not want to do every time you switch the bike. On the other hand, no other bike allows even that much freedom/difference - at least what I've seen/tested.

That was a bike down factor for the Yuba Boda Boda - frame size for me wouldn't be ideal for my spouse. I could fit the bigger one, but would lose the step through part of the bike and I would miss that terribly as I do like the easy on/off of step throughs.

I think we are ordering ours tomorrow!

 

[Larry Ganz]

I bet that Pedego Stretch will be a good bike for you and your son, and I'd go for the larger battery if I were you because you'll use higher assist levels as he grows more, as as you commute more.

Over memorial Day weekend there was a woman on a small Pedego chasing her husband up and down the trails, while he rode a vintage Specialized carbon mountain bike, and he was in great shape for any age (he was in his early 50's). But we couldn't keep up with either of them on my Trek Powerfully 7 and my wife on her Trek Neko+, although we were pacing ourselves for a 32 mile round trip ride and super fast mama on the Pedego was on the shorter 22 mile circuit.

EDIT - did you see this seat accessory? https://www.amazon.com/Pedego-Stret...qid=1498452644&sr=8-1&keywords=pedego+stretch

 

[ebikemom]

Heya @mams99 !

I started a new section on the forum for ebiking with disabilities. There's an autism thread! Feel free to share updates there (or, of course, anywhere on the EBR Forums!)

Here's a link, if you're interested.
https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/autism-and-ebiking.24617/