Medeo or Arroyo?

[justinliew]

Hi there,

I've been looking for what I thought was a cargo bike, but after talking to my LBS, they've convinced me to at least consider commuter/touring bikes.

I have a 10 and an 8 year old. I don't really want to ever carry both of them on my bike, but ideally I could take 1 to activities on it. ~32kg is our older one, so in theory he's heavier than the weight limit on either Gazelle, but the LBS owner thinks that Gazelle, being Dutch made, are designed to carry even older people on them. Has anyone here carried an adult or older kid on the back of either of these bikes? Thinking with a pad, foot pegs and maybe some of those handlebars that attach to the seatpost.

I'm also looking to do errands: groceries, etc. with this, and we are in a hilly area. My thoughts are to get panniers, a "trunk bag" or basket on the back, and potentially a front basket? LBS also suggested a Thule chariot/cross type bike trailer that I could hold groceries or kid or second kid in as well, or maybe a bike cargo trailer that doesn't necessarily have to hold a kid.

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on any of these options? Most of my research had pointed me squarely in the Tern/Multicharger/Benno Boost territory, so I was just looking for more opinions than a single opinion. The main benefits to doing this seem to be: much cheaper especially for a much more comfortable bike that I can also ride recreationally (I plan to take it on our family camping trips, for example, or ride around with the kids through parks and trails). As well, it might be a better long term plan as the kids grow up and can keep up more on their own bikes or go to their activities on their own.

Finally, does this sort of use case seem to lean more "Medeo" or "Arroyo"?

 

[Dewey]

Of the two Gazelle ebikes I recommend the Arroyo Elite because it has the battery in the down tube rather than on the rear rack on the Medeo, I’m not sure the Medeo’s rack is designed to carry the weight of an older child plus the battery, and the Arroyo Elite's rack is stronger. Both Gazelle's have a Bosch Active Line Plus mid-drive motor which is adequate for climbing hills, but the Arroyo has the added advantage of a Nexus 8 IGH so you can shift gears when you are stationary. I tow a Chariot trailer or a weehoo trailer cycle when carrying my 5 yo, but they would not fit a 10 year old for which you would need a specialty bike trailer for older children like this one from Wike.

If you want an inexpensive ebike for carrying a passenger you might consider the RadRunner Plus, it's half the price of the Benno Boost, but you will want to replace the uncomfortable rider saddle which is fixed to the seatpost, so you would need to buy both a seatpost plus a new saddle. With the rigid steel fork you might also want to consider getting a 27.2mm wide suspension seatpost or a sprung saddle to improve rider comfort. The RadRunner Plus model comes with the passenger package including rack pad, wheel guards, and footpegs, and there is an optional frame mounted front rack. It has a Bafang 500w rear hub motor. If you buy from RadPower's Vancouver showroom you would have a local dealer for support/service, but check their opening status, their main showroom has been closed for some time due to COVID and they are talking about opening a new showroom located in the Mt Pleasant neighborhood of Vancouver, or you could try Rad Mobile service.

Tern GSD, Xtracycle Edgerunner, etc are long-tail cargo bikes with smaller 20” rear wheels which lower the center of gravity which is supposed to be better when carrying passengers on the bike, but I could see an older child getting cramped on a longer ride, so the Benno Boost is better because of its taller 24” wheels. The Boost has been updated for 2021 with a step-through option and the 3rd generation Bosch Performance Line mid-drive motor. The Boost also has comfort/safety features for carrying a passenger including a sturdy rear rack rated to carry 110lb, and options such as sideloader foot rails, wheel guards, rack seat pad, and frame mounted front rack/basket. Ask if the shop would fit a seat pad and pegs or simply bring a cushion and your ten year old along on the test ride if you want to get a feel for the handling with a passenger.

 

[justinliew]

I did try a Benno Boost and it was pretty good, so I think that would be my backup if a Gazelle doesn't work out. I was curious about the Multicharger but it's so expensive that I don't think it's worth the extra price for my use case. Heck I could get a second Gazelle for my wife and still spend less.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Look for a decent used bike trailer, and you'll be miles ahead.

The last thing you want, is to carry a 10 year old on the rack of an already somewhat top-heavy e-bike. Another thing you don't want, is to break the rack on a beautiful Gazelle, and then have the distributor refuse to cover a warranty repair when they realize that you were knowingly over their max weight rating.

I fooled around with back seats on my regular bicycles and found it a pain in the @$#. A proper cargo bike will handle a rear passenger better, but then you're stuck with a great big, clumsy cargo bike. Unless you're a bicycle courier, who wants that?

A decent bike trailer is a MUCH better arrangement, frees you up to buy a bike that you really like, and used ones depreciate like mad.

I picked mine up for small coin, and found that my kids and I liked it much better. They don't fit anymore, but I'm never selling it- it's still an extremely useful accessory. Another nice feature is that when you aren't using the trailer, all that's left on your bike is the quick disconnect. Much nicer for recreational riding sans children...

Bike-wise, the Arroyo Elite is a different ride from the Medeo HMB.

The Arroyo is more deluxe. The front-mount battery gives it a little better weight distribution. Shifting down as you lose speed becomes second nature to most cyclists, but casual riders sometimes prefer the geared hub setup.

However, the Arroyo is a more laid back, cruiser-style ride. I prefer the zippy feel, lower price, and disk brakes on my Medeo.

 

[justinliew]

I will definitely keep an eye out for a used bike trailer. Feels like I could use it for when I have lots of groceries, even once the kids are older.

I actually tried the Medeo, Arroyo and Ultimate last week and felt the Ultimate met my needs best, so the LBS is mounting pegs on it for me to try with the kids this weekend.

 

[Steve-H]

I can speak to the Arroyo and the Ultimate and the Ultimate has refined problems with the Arroyo (which is a great bike). Both racks are solid and I have filled panniers with cans and exceeded the rack rating with no problems. They would carry a child. My children are grown ups now. I see the easily attached trailer as a great option for an e-bike. I love the Ultimate even more than the Arroyo, both are solid bikes for city use.

 

[gazellegirl]

We recently purchased the Medeo T9 for my husband and I have the Ultimate T10 step through. His battery is mid mount and could easily handle a trailer for a child. I preferred the Ultimate shifting over the Arroyo when I test rode both of them. And, now that I have the Ultimate, it is hands down the best choice. The additional torque that it offers with carrying a load makes it a clear winner.

 

[justinliew]

I bought the Ultimate, and am loving it. I've been carrying one of my kids on the back to a few things and it's very comfortable. We got a MIK system with a cushion and panniers, so those are easy to switch around.

So far I haven't needed the trailer but if I find I'm doing more and more groceries, or need to transport 2 kids I will look into it. If not I know a neighbour who has a cargo trailer that I might borrow to try.