New to e-bikes, looking for cargo/commuter bike

[Jimmo]

Hello,
I’m new to e-bikes and like the look of the RadPower Wagon 4.

I need primarily a commuter bike (7 miles each way), live in a hilly area & commute into city with not the friendliest/existent bike lanes.

Also I have 2 kids I’d like to go on short trips with (mostly around town, 5 miles round-trip).

I’d like a cargo bike with the option to slim down for commuting, so either trailer or detachable bike seats. I’d choose safety & maneuverability over speed.

Is there anything other than RadPower Wagon 4 that I should be looking at? I like some of the cargo bikes with cargo box in front but haven’t really seen any available in my area, and thinking it may be clunky for my commuting needs. I’m in central Connecticut.

thanks in advance for any advice and also I’m very open to suggestions for must-have accessories. Right now I commute with a bare bones standard bike. I’d love to have a rear-view mirror (helmet or handlebar?), lights (although don’t ride in the dark currently), and options for carrying work laptop (right now I just wear a backpack).

 

[Dewey]

If you're getting a RadWagon 4 certainly you should buy spare inner tubes from Rad Power designed to fit the proprietary 22"x3" wheel size they specced for this iteration of the bike. It might be possible to make a 24" inner tube fit, but no local bike shop is likely to have the RadWagon 4 inner tubes in stock so it's important to carry at least one spare tube with you on the bike. Other budget long tail options might include the Mongoose Envoy or Yuba Kombi longtail cargo pedal bikes converted with a kit motor, Xtracycle Leap longtail kit, or one of the several Rad competitors like the Blix Packa or Eunorau Cargo. Another flexible option is the Argo front box kit, carry your front wheel, unhook the box at drop off, replace your wheel and ride off as a normal ebike - Argo attaches via a spar to a Bottom Bracket adapter so it works for rear hub motor ebikes but doesn't work with mid-drive motor ebikes. I tow a trailer, or a Wee-hoo trailer cycle, with my mid-drive kit converted bike, and I've occasionally tied up the Wee-hoo outside school or the pool and rode off to work or run errands, most ebikes accept a child seat, so there are plenty of options, what sounds good to you?

 

[E-Wheels]

Hello,
I’m new to e-bikes and like the look of the RadPower Wagon 4.

I need primarily a commuter bike (7 miles each way), live in a hilly area & commute into city with not the friendliest/existent bike lanes.

Also I have 2 kids I’d like to go on short trips with (mostly around town, 5 miles round-trip).

I’d like a cargo bike with the option to slim down for commuting, so either trailer or detachable bike seats. I’d choose safety & maneuverability over speed.

Is there anything other than RadPower Wagon 4 that I should be looking at? I like some of the cargo bikes with cargo box in front but haven’t really seen any available in my area, and thinking it may be clunky for my commuting needs. I’m in central Connecticut.

thanks in advance for any advice and also I’m very open to suggestions for must-have accessories. Right now I commute with a bare bones standard bike. I’d love to have a rear-view mirror (helmet or handlebar?), lights (although don’t ride in the dark currently), and options for carrying work laptop (right now I just wear a backpack).

Have you considered a Tern GSD

GSD S10

The GSD is designed to carry two kids, a week’s worth of groceries, or 180 kg of cargo, but it’s only 180 cm long—the same length as a standard ebike.

store.ternbicycles.com

Tern GSD S00 Review | ElectricBikeReview.com

Price: $4999.00 | Model Year: 2019 | A sturdy, reliable, non-flexy, compact electric cargo bike with plenty of accessories to transport kids or even other adults, rated to haul up to 400 lbs

electricbikereview.com

Tern Forum

Discuss the brand, its products and upcoming models.

electricbikereview.com

 

[pualine]

I think Ariel Rider C-Class is a very good option. I saw their new product which has lots of cargo options and comes with lot of nice features. If you never ride a cargo bike before I advise you to test ride one. They seem very useful but not easy to control. I had a Yuba e-bike but in the end I need to sell it. That bike was way too big for me

 

[byunbee]

Here's another option on sale right now at Crazy Lenny's.

Overstock - Crazy Lenny's Electric Bikes

Save more ride more LENNY’S OVERSTOCK DESIGNED FOR ANYTHING BENNOBOOST NOW $1000 OFF The Benno Boost is designed, to fit your lifestyle. With dozens of add on accessories (Not included) the Boost can be tailored to any application with minimal effort. Clean modern and robust design paired to a...

www.crazylennysebikes.com

 

[Alex M]

I saw people hauling kids around in something like This. Not saying it was exactly this bike, - 250W hub is ridiculously low.
Better view than the dad's back, and you see them too. Though with 2 kids it can get cramped.

 

[Jimmo]

Hello,
I’m new to e-bikes and like the look of the RadPower Wagon 4.

I need primarily a commuter bike (7 miles each way), live in a hilly area & commute into city with not the friendliest/existent bike lanes.

Also I have 2 kids I’d like to go on short trips with (mostly around town, 5 miles round-trip).

I’d like a cargo bike with the option to slim down for commuting, so either trailer or detachable bike seats. I’d choose safety & maneuverability over speed.

Is there anything other than RadPower Wagon 4 that I should be looking at? I like some of the cargo bikes with cargo box in front but haven’t really seen any available in my area, and thinking it may be clunky for my commuting needs. I’m in central Connecticut.

thanks in advance for any advice and also I’m very open to suggestions for must-have accessories. Right now I commute with a bare bones standard bike. I’d love to have a rear-view mirror (helmet or handlebar?), lights (although don’t ride in the dark currently), and options for carrying work laptop (right now I just wear a backpack).

Thanks for all the great advice & options. I spent a lot of time watching videos & looking at pros/cons this weekend and ultimately landed on the Radwagon. Tires & battery will be something I’ll be sure to stock up on early. It really was the time they’ve been around, affordability, and customer service (responsiveness to sales inquiries and from what I’ve seen in discussions) that ultimately sold me. Tires worry me most but given my short commute, availability of buses & back-up bike in garage, I’m still giving it a try. Again thank you, and your advice was very appreciated.

 

[pualine]

Here's another option on sale right now at Crazy Lenny's.

Overstock - Crazy Lenny's Electric Bikes

Save more ride more LENNY’S OVERSTOCK DESIGNED FOR ANYTHING BENNOBOOST NOW $1000 OFF The Benno Boost is designed, to fit your lifestyle. With dozens of add on accessories (Not included) the Boost can be tailored to any application with minimal effort. Clean modern and robust design paired to a...

www.crazylennysebikes.com

View attachment 55296

Benno bikes are amazing. Wish prices are more in my range. But regardless If i could afford I would definitely buy.

 

[Pcm]

I think you'll be very happy with your RadWagon I have friends who have them and love them! I opted for a Tern GSD due to the smaller wheels (the Rad 4 wasn't out at the time) and have been very happy with it, but if I were making my decision today, I would likely opt for the cost savings afforded by the RadWagon 4. Congrats!