Now there's a Grocery Getter...

I have also done that in Rite Aid when I needed to fill an RX. There were a couple of homeless next to the bike rack so I elected to wheel it in. Nobody said a word. Just felt weird walking my bike into a store...

I get it, felt a little odd as well. Though it may've been more due to being in full sweaty MAMIL garb as it was at the end of my 12 mile lunchtime workout route. :D

As for bikes in stores - I see it as functionally no different from bringing a shopping cart in from the parking lot and walking through the store with it. A full on cargo bike might be a bit bigger/wider than the usual cart, but if you've seen those shopping cart barges with the dual kids seats add on at the back, I'm not sure a cargo bike would be much different.
 
And if you worry about crime and shopping, most stores (near me anyway) do free store pickup for orders above $35. Order groceries online, schedule time to pick them up, bike to store at said time, load up, and bike home. No leaving the bike unattended.
I do that all the time, albeit not with groceries. Home Depot in particular. Ever since COVID curbside pickup is a widely available option.
 
A full on cargo bike might be a bit bigger/wider than the usual cart, but if you've seen those shopping cart barges with the dual kids seats add on at the back, I'm not sure a cargo bike would be much different.
It would be 'much different' :D

Each of these is over 8 feet long. Width at 28" is more than a shopping cart on the blue one.

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Something else I had not thought of... pushing around a 4-wheeled shopping cart/giant bucket full of crap is one HELL of a lot easier than pushing around a 2-wheeled bicycle that needs to be load balanced and kept from toppling over. Want to stop for a moment? Drop the kickstand. Ever engaged a 2-legged center kickstand on a 300 lb bicycle? And getting it thru the checkout line, and unloaded in a reasonable time? pshaww!

As pictured there is probably 50-75 lbs per side on this bike just in the back. Soup cans, milk jugs. Juice bottles. The front bags are reserved for light stuff like bread and potato chips.

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When you get serious doing this its just not practical to bring it in and muscle it around. Life is much easier with the right tool for the job and thats a shopping cart. And a well-locked bike.


This Specialized entry into this market is only good for USA cargo bikers and cargo biking in general. Especially if they're going to try and do budget entries. Which for Specialized means only 3000 entry prices. For cargo bikes thats actually kinda cheap.
 
I have also done that in Rite Aid when I needed to fill an RX. There were a couple of homeless next to the bike rack so I elected to wheel it in. Nobody said a word. Just felt weird walking my bike into a store...
Years ago I pulled up to the drive-up banking window on my bike. The teller refused me service since they said insurance would not allow it. I then dismounted and wheeled the bike into the branch and transacted my business. I did get some strange looks. I've not done it recently but have also wheeled into a pharmacy and small market in the past.
 
You're not reading very carefully. This has nothing to do with a 6-wheel device and less still with how other people navigate around it.

I see I have to spell this out.

I was discussing impact on other shoppers. That's all.

Since cyclists, bikes, and grocery quanitites vary, I have faith that the individual cyclist is able to discern whether their bike and grocery load is easily maneuvered through a store or whether they would be better served to securely lock up outside and use a buggy. Thus I didn't address that aspect.
 
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One of the reasons I bought my Vado 3.0 last year was because I thought I would be able to use it to replace my car for local trips and errands around the small town I live in. Unfortunately, I did not realize I would not be able to find the Racktime panniers that fit the rack that came on the 1st gen Vados. I LOVE riding my bike and have no regrets what-so-ever, but I would still like to be able to use it for errands, including grocery shopping. Now that Specialized has moved away from Racktime though, I may be swapping the Racktime rack for one of the current gen MIK compatible racks if that is possible. I sent an e-mail to Specialized Rider Care asking about this possibility but so far I have not received a reply.
 
Would you park your expensive e-bike/grocery getter outside a supermarket? My average time in the supermarket is about 20 minutes. I can imagine the ebike growing legs in that time frame... even with a krypton lock on it...

Mike...
 
There are certainly bigger distances in North America than they are in Europe. Anyway, I wonder whether you people really need to carry a week's worth groceries.
It is a pleasure for me to jump on my Vado SL (!!!) in the morning and make a 15-km round trip ride for part of my groceries. Several times a week. I am not afraid to carry 18 kg panniers (total) plus a big backpack with several kg more. But that's me.

The fact is our neighbourhood is bike-theft free. I just use a U-Lock just in case.
 
The fact is our neighbourhood is bike-theft free. I just use a U-Lock just in case.
I don't know enough about our neighborhoods theft rates, because ebikes have only gotten hot here in more recent years. But with the economy the way it is, and our proximity to Detroit and Pontiac, yeah, it's a scary thought. I'd feel safer locking up a rusty old bike without an emotor on it. I could be wrong, but not taking the chance.
 
In Vancouver B.C. bike theft can be a real problem.
In the suburb where I live it doesn't seem bad at all, or maybe I'm just lucky.
At the large grocery store I take the Garmin and the bag/pannier in with me to avoid the obvious/easy thefts. I'm in the store for at least 30 mins.
Here's my old Fathom all packed and ready after shopping there



At the little local store I'm only there for 5 - 10 mins, so hasn't been a big deal.
Always use an Abus Bordo alarm lock though.
 
I was discussing impact on other shoppers. That's all.
OK so we can substitute vague writing for sloppy reading. Read your comments again. There's nothing there to indicate its focus is as you say now until you clarified afterwards.
 
OK so we can substitute vague writing for sloppy reading. Read your comments again. There's nothing there to indicate its focus is as you say now until you clarified afterwards.
Context was established with the emphasized "Just felt weird walking my bike into a store" in my quote of Taylor75's post. Such feelings about doing something in public are often connected to concern about others impressions of us. My comment was that others have no reason to see a bicycle in a store as functionally different from a shopping cart.

I'm done with this exchange. Go play keyboard warrior with someone else.
 
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I guess Specialized has noticed the success of Rad Power Bikes in the US. I live in Berkeley, CA, and there are almost as many of these Rad cargo bikes at Prius's and Tesla's. :)
This is the only thing in this thread that makes sense. RAD has a major share of the eBike market in the USA. Specialized obviously took note of their success and wants a piece of the pie by offering a similar version to their faithful, of which there are many. That plus their new direct to consumer platform, once again imitating RAD frankly as I feel they were the start of that successful movement for eBikes along with their $1500 price point. Oh, and fat tires, people like fat tires......I doubt that the Globe will be as cheap as the RAD model above but close enough to entice their audience, but no reason why it can't be given their buying power and history of manufacturing in Asia.

Love that it has a hub motor. Really all that is needed for an urban pack cycle. One blurb I read said it is their first hub motor bike but actually their first eBike had a Mahle motor on it some of which are still running today. Google bought 500 of them for getting around on campus but not sure where they are at with that today.
 
Would you park your expensive e-bike/grocery getter outside a supermarket? My average time in the supermarket is about 20 minutes. I can imagine the ebike growing legs in that time frame... even with a krypton lock on it...

Mike...

i wouldn't do it every day, but i've parked my full carbon creo with all it's upgrades outside trader joe's and other supermarkets for a quick stop. life's too short to always be worrying about the worst thing that could happen to you. for a short stop, a heavy u-lock in a crowded place is quite sufficient. easily defeated by an angle grinder but a huge shower of sparks and loud noises in front of a busy grocery store on a busy street in a busy city? far from a major worry. and if the worst happens, that's what insurance is for.
 
There are certainly bigger distances in North America than they are in Europe. Anyway, I wonder whether you people really need to carry a week's worth groceries.
It is a pleasure for me to jump on my Vado SL (!!!) in the morning and make a 15-km round trip ride for part of my groceries. Several times a week. I am not afraid to carry 18 kg panniers (total) plus a big backpack with several kg more. But that's me.

The fact is our neighbourhood is bike-theft free. I just use a U-Lock just in case.

i don't really get the huge quantities thing either. i suppose it makes sense if you live far from a grocery store and it's not to or from anywhere else you go? i hate buying large amounts of anything - it takes up space and goes bad. i prefer smaller amounts of relatively fresher things, bought when i need or want them. my wife or i will probably stop at trader joe's or whole foods once a week to or from somewhere, and the local market across the street twice a week.
 
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