Looking for a car replacement family of four

[flotilch]

Hello everybody,
So great to find this ressource! I am a little bit intimidated by all the knowledge around here.
Also by all the choices there are now for electric bikes and cargo bikes. I find it really difficult to make a choice.
We, a family of four (kids are 1 and almost 4) are temporarily relocating to Germany and do not want to buy a car. So I am looking into cargo options.
Intuitively, I was interested by tail models like the spicy curry or tern gsd 00. Then I was wondering if there wasn't a more local option (German brand) and found Riese&Müller. And wow, just by the length of the feed here I see that people are really passionate about those bikes.
I will try and test ride the load 60, just because of the rave reviews, even if I think there will be a learning curve with the front load.
Here in Germany we will have space to put the bike away. In Quebec, we will be more limited.
In both countries we will have quite some hills to climb.
The price point, well since it will be our only vehicle, we are willing to invest.
Quite vague my needs, huh?
I'll be very happy for any experience/help/review you can give me.
Have a great day!
Florence

 

[flotilch]

Also - what's your experience flying with a cargo bike ?

 

[indianajo]

The battery would have to go separately. I think it would be better to ship the bike with the household goods in the container. Since you are not a qualified haz mat shipper, the battery may not ship at all unless you find one willing to pack the battery for you. Moving companies (UK removals agents) may still accept haz materials like lithium ion batteries.
You see my yuba bodaboda cargo bike left. I live without a working car, renting a truck about once a year. I wanted two 26" wheels for rough pavement so I converted the pedal bodaboda myself with an ebikeling kit & a luna battery. That kit is not legal in EU since it has a throttle. Old people with bad knees in Europe are supposed to use electric wheelchairs at 2 mph. Or buy cars.
Germany has such super pavement maintenance, the 20" wheel of a spicy curry may not be a problem. I found good pavement on tractor tracks to the fields and fire roads in hunting reserves when I was there. Don't forget to look around Amsterdam; the dutch have a lot of brands of their own like Arroyo.
Other US brands of stretch cargo bikes are radwagon, xtracycle swoop, pedego stretch, kona ute. I prefer the sram shifters to the 7 speed shimano of the radwagon. I prefer geared hub drive to the DD of the radwagon, too, since I cross a lot of hills. You won't have many hills in Germany unless you're in Bavaria or the Hartz mountains.
Enjoy yourselves.

 

[flotilch]

The battery would have to go separately. I think it would be better to ship the bike with the household goods in the container. Since you are not a qualified haz mat shipper, the battery may not ship at all unless you find one willing to pack the battery for you. Moving companies (UK removals agents) may still accept haz materials like lithium ion batteries.
You see my yuba bodaboda cargo bike left. I live without a working car, renting a truck about once a year. I wanted two 26" wheels for rough pavement so I converted the pedal bodaboda myself with an ebikeling kit & a luna battery. That kit is not legal in EU since it has a throttle. Old people with bad knees in Europe are supposed to use electric wheelchairs at 2 mph. Or buy cars.
Germany has such super pavement maintenance, the 20" wheel of a spicy curry may not be a problem. I found good pavement on tractor tracks to the fields and fire roads in hunting reserves when I was there. Don't forget to look around Amsterdam; the dutch have a lot of brands of their own like Arroyo.
Other US brands of stretch cargo bikes are radwagon, xtracycle swoop, pedego stretch, kona ute. I prefer the sram shifters to the 7 speed shimano of the radwagon. I prefer geared hub drive to the DD of the radwagon, too, since I cross a lot of hills. You won't have many hills in Germany unless you're in Bavaria or the Hartz mountains.
Enjoy yourselves.

Thank you so much for your reply!
Yes, we are not far from Amsterdam, would be worth checking those bikes out.
But the hassle with the battery - maybe buy and resell in Germany, now I am thinking maybe we find renta bikes or leases.
We are going back to my home tome, some hills, but you are right, nothing compared to the South. But I was also thinking about that steep hill back in Quebec city.
With two kids.
Thanks again!

 

[pushkar]

I would also look at the Yuba Supermarche - https://yubabikes.com/cargobikestore/electric-supermarche . looks like they have a distributor in germany.