New e-Cargo bike in New Mexico!

[john peck]

Hi everybody!
I’m in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA and just bought a used Riese & Muller Load 60 Nuvinci HS with dual batteries
It’s my first ebike and first cargo bike. I’ve wanted a cargo bike ever since I learned of their existence, and have wanted an ebike ever since riding my sister’s Yamaha in Tokyo.
So far, I love it!
I’ve already learned quite a bit from this forum and am looking forward to participating more.

Cheers,
Ryan

That´s quite an investment for a 1st ebike. There are newbie mistakes that can spoil the love affair.
Learn all you can about the bike & take very good care of it.

 

[Tys]

@Tys since you are going full time solar for the bike, have you considered going to hard panels? I'm assuming you have a backyard installation or similar. I've heard there are issues with the folding panels (not the hinged type like for example Rich Solar's) breaking down thanks to the repeated folding and unfolding. I am saving my folders for my semi-annual camping trips for this reason.

Yes, the folding panel is floppy and difficult to prop up, and I worry about longevity. If I had paid full price, I’d have likely returned it. I got a great deal and it is nicely portable, so I plan to keep it and get a rigid one to use regularly at home. Plus I can use both together if the need arises! I was looking at the 190W panel from HQST, but looks like it’s out of stock currently.

 

[Tys]

That´s quite an investment for a 1st ebike. There are newbie mistakes that can spoil the love affair.
Learn all you can about the bike & take very good care of it.

I try to choose quality things, take very good care of them, and keep them for a long time! What newbie mistakes should I be worried about? I have lots of experience with bicycles, but haven’t had an ebike until now.

 

[m@Robertson]

I try to choose quality things, take very good care of them, and keep them for a long time! What newbie mistakes should I be worried about? I have lots of experience with bicycles, but haven’t had an ebike until now.

I would get on the Facebook groups for R&M and for cargo bikes. This forum is great but it only has a few cargo bike riders. Cargo Bike Republic has over 13,000 members The Riese & Muller Cargo Bikes group has 3000 members.

Insofar as generally on that bike, you will figure out the weirdness of riding a bakfiets in a few miles. Do pay attention to the steering lock far right and far left to ensure you don't have to adjust where you make u turns. On my Bullitt with a steering dampener installed, left turns are limited, but only very slow and very sharp ones. You install a steering dampener to eliminate death wobble, which given your suspension you may or may not have to contend with. Its rare but not unheard of on Bullitts and my build has it. This is something a more experienced user group will be able to sound off on and either laugh off or advise via direct, specific experience.

I predict you are going to love this bike. A bakfiets is *vastly* superior to midtail and longtail designs under load, and its convenience level is also off the charts by comparison - its a big box you can just toss stuff into without a care for balance or anything else. The Load is unique in that it has full suspension. I have front suspension on my longtail and I absolutely love it. But it has to be done right or the flex will make the bike unstable under load. Something like an R&M designed with it from the factory is highly desirable as a comfortable bike to ride.

Mid Tail, Long Tail or Front Loader (which cargo bike do I choose)?

I never planned on building three different classes of cargo bike, but I did. What are their strengths and weaknesses?

talesontwowheels.com

I would buy yourself a big/tall canvas duffel bag and use that so you can (cheaply) increase your load capacity. A canvas bag will also limit or eliminate the cargo rattling and bouncing. And start thinking about locking strategies as an 8 ft+ bike needs some special attention. Mine is set up so I carry the lock always in the cargo area and can deploy it in roughly 1 minute. Beyond that I would consider some sort of larger hardsided box. Once you start hauling groceries and such, you start supersizing your jobs and it won't be long before you are hitting Costco and then trying tofigure out how to fit a whole shopping cart in the bike.

Lastly, I would start asking R&M riders what rack fits on this bike (or you say you have bike experience so you can check for frame bosses etc. easily yourself). Thats part of the whole supersizing thing. I load up my front end with the milk jugs and the soup cans. The panniers get the chips and the bread loaves.

 

[m@Robertson]

Yes, the folding panel is floppy and difficult to prop up, and I worry about longevity. If I had paid full price, I’d have likely returned it. I got a great deal and it is nicely portable, so I plan to keep it and get a rigid one to use regularly at home. Plus I can use both together if the need arises! I was looking at the 190W panel from HQST, but looks like it’s out of stock currently.

In the solar groups I frequent, nobody talks up the HQST as a good value (the mounts I am showing off above on that one panel are HQST and they are pretty cheaply made, but their price was right and I'll make do). Bouge is a big favorite for budget panels. Rich Solar's 250w panels - especially the 24v ones - are favorites. Renogy. REC and Sunpower are perhaps the most highly regarded and not at all cheap. Look for Youtube user 'hobotech' and dig around his recommended products as they often have coupons attached to their links.

But I went a different way: Consider the used panel market. Commercial take-offs (commercial buildings getting knocked down, with good solar installs on their roofs) create a lot of low cost hard panel opportunities. Thats how I got hold of 10 Sunpower 250w panels for $70 each with an estimated 90% of their original capacity remaining.

This is who I bought my panels from. Now, they came via LTL freight on a pallet, so buying one or two from this seller may not be the best idea for you. But look at these prices to get an idea of the kind of savings you can have, which are typical for the used panel market. Look to EBay for more sellers.

Used Solar Panels | SanTan Solar

store.santansolar.com

 

[Tys]

I would get on the Facebook groups for R&M and for cargo bikes. This forum is great but it only has a few cargo bike riders. Cargo Bike Republic has over 13,000 members The Riese & Muller Cargo Bikes group has 3000 members.

Insofar as generally on that bike, you will figure out the weirdness of riding a bakfiets in a few miles. Do pay attention to the steering lock far right and far left to ensure you don't have to adjust where you make u turns. On my Bullitt with a steering dampener installed, left turns are limited, but only very slow and very sharp ones. You install a steering dampener to eliminate death wobble, which given your suspension you may or may not have to contend with. Its rare but not unheard of on Bullitts and my build has it. This is something a more experienced user group will be able to sound off on and either laugh off or advise via direct, specific experience.

I predict you are going to love this bike. A bakfiets is *vastly* superior to midtail and longtail designs under load, and its convenience level is also off the charts by comparison - its a big box you can just toss stuff into without a care for balance or anything else. The Load is unique in that it has full suspension. I have front suspension on my longtail and I absolutely love it. But it has to be done right or the flex will make the bike unstable under load. Something like an R&M designed with it from the factory is highly desirable as a comfortable bike to ride.

Mid Tail, Long Tail or Front Loader (which cargo bike do I choose)?

I never planned on building three different classes of cargo bike, but I did. What are their strengths and weaknesses?

talesontwowheels.com

I would buy yourself a big/tall canvas duffel bag and use that so you can (cheaply) increase your load capacity. A canvas bag will also limit or eliminate the cargo rattling and bouncing. And start thinking about locking strategies as an 8 ft+ bike needs some special attention. Mine is set up so I carry the lock always in the cargo area and can deploy it in roughly 1 minute. Beyond that I would consider some sort of larger hardsided box. Once you start hauling groceries and such, you start supersizing your jobs and it won't be long before you are hitting Costco and then trying tofigure out how to fit a whole shopping cart in the bike.

Lastly, I would start asking R&M riders what rack fits on this bike (or you say you have bike experience so you can check for frame bosses etc. easily yourself). Thats part of the whole supersizing thing. I load up my front end with the milk jugs and the soup cans. The panniers get the chips and the bread loaves.

I would get on the Facebook groups for R&M and for cargo bikes. This forum is great but it only has a few cargo bike riders. Cargo Bike Republic has over 13,000 members The Riese & Muller Cargo Bikes group has 3000 members.

Insofar as generally on that bike, you will figure out the weirdness of riding a bakfiets in a few miles. Do pay attention to the steering lock far right and far left to ensure you don't have to adjust where you make u turns. On my Bullitt with a steering dampener installed, left turns are limited, but only very slow and very sharp ones. You install a steering dampener to eliminate death wobble, which given your suspension you may or may not have to contend with. Its rare but not unheard of on Bullitts and my build has it. This is something a more experienced user group will be able to sound off on and either laugh off or advise via direct, specific experience.

I predict you are going to love this bike. A bakfiets is *vastly* superior to midtail and longtail designs under load, and its convenience level is also off the charts by comparison - its a big box you can just toss stuff into without a care for balance or anything else. The Load is unique in that it has full suspension. I have front suspension on my longtail and I absolutely love it. But it has to be done right or the flex will make the bike unstable under load. Something like an R&M designed with it from the factory is highly desirable as a comfortable bike to ride.

Mid Tail, Long Tail or Front Loader (which cargo bike do I choose)?

I never planned on building three different classes of cargo bike, but I did. What are their strengths and weaknesses?

talesontwowheels.com

I would buy yourself a big/tall canvas duffel bag and use that so you can (cheaply) increase your load capacity. A canvas bag will also limit or eliminate the cargo rattling and bouncing. And start thinking about locking strategies as an 8 ft+ bike needs some special attention. Mine is set up so I carry the lock always in the cargo area and can deploy it in roughly 1 minute. Beyond that I would consider some sort of larger hardsided box. Once you start hauling groceries and such, you start supersizing your jobs and it won't be long before you are hitting Costco and then trying tofigure out how to fit a whole shopping cart in the bike.

Lastly, I would start asking R&M riders what rack fits on this bike (or you say you have bike experience so you can check for frame bosses etc. easily yourself). Thats part of the whole supersizing thing. I load up my front end with the milk jugs and the soup cans. The panniers get the chips and the bread loaves.

Thanks! I’ve long been partial to front loading and was actually on the lookout for a regular bakfiets type bike when I discovered the Load. It seemed like the perfect application for electric assist as well as suspension.
No trouble riding it at all, and I’ve yet to run into problems with the steering limits, but there are a few spots on local paths where the overall length presents a challenge.
The bike came with the rear rack, I had just removed it temporarily when that photo was taken. I haven’t actually used the rack to carry anything, but it’s very handy to lift up the rear end when maneuvering for a parking spot, etc. My bike also came with child seats and cover, but I mostly keep in in open “pickup truck” mode.

 

[Tys]

In the solar groups I frequent, nobody talks up the HQST as a good value (the mounts I am showing off above on that one panel are HQST and they are pretty cheaply made, but their price was right and I'll make do). Bouge is a big favorite for budget panels. Rich Solar's 250w panels - especially the 24v ones - are favorites. Renogy. REC and Sunpower are perhaps the most highly regarded and not at all cheap. Look for Youtube user 'hobotech' and dig around his recommended products as they often have coupons attached to their links.

But I went a different way: Consider the used panel market. Commercial take-offs (commercial buildings getting knocked down, with good solar installs on their roofs) create a lot of low cost hard panel opportunities. Thats how I got hold of 10 Sunpower 250w panels for $70 each with an estimated 90% of their original capacity remaining.

This is who I bought my panels from. Now, they came via LTL freight on a pallet, so buying one or two from this seller may not be the best idea for you. But look at these prices to get an idea of the kind of savings you can have, which are typical for the used panel market. Look to EBay for more sellers.

Used Solar Panels | SanTan Solar

store.santansolar.com

Thanks for the tip, I hadn’t considered looking for used ones!