Tern GSD vs. Pedego Stretch?

[Wild Tchoupitoulas]

Hi, all--I'm considering buying my first e-bike for commuting and around-town errands in Arlington, VA. I have twin 6-year-olds who would be riding on the back for the next four years, and we live in a very hilly area, so the bike's power is my primary concern. Price is almost identical, and I have authorized dealers for each within a couple of miles of my home. Does anyone have feedback on either of these options? I'm completely torn.

Tern GSD Advantages:
Lighter in weight
Can fold and fit into the back of my minivan (so we could take it other places to use if desired)
Kids say back seat feels more spacious (maybe because of thinner padding?)
Test ride felt steadier (less potential for tipping)

Pedego Stretch Advantages:
Battery/motor stronger?
Throttle
24" wheels might be better for carrying taller kids and/or avoiding curb accidents
Warranty on is 3 years instead of 2

 

[dblhelix]

Hi, all--I'm considering buying my first e-bike for commuting and around-town errands in Arlington, VA. I have twin 6-year-olds who would be riding on the back for the next four years, and we live in a very hilly area, so the bike's power is my primary concern. Price is almost identical, and I have authorized dealers for each within a couple of miles of my home. Does anyone have feedback on either of these options? I'm completely torn.

Tern GSD Advantages:
Lighter in weight
Can fold and fit into the back of my minivan (so we could take it other places to use if desired)
Kids say back seat feels more spacious (maybe because of thinner padding?)
Test ride felt steadier (less potential for tipping)

Pedego Stretch Advantages:
Battery/motor stronger?
Throttle
24" wheels might be better for carrying taller kids and/or avoiding curb accidents
Warranty on is 3 years instead of 2

Hi, I am in the DC metro as well. I’ve owned a Tern for almost two years now. I recently ordered some parts and have no idea on an ETA plus I have to pick them up from a dealer which is annoying (no drop-ship).

Pedago owners seem to rave to rave about support/service. Tern has a great dealer in Vienna (bikes@vienna) if that’s sufficiently close to you. If you’re stuck between the two bikes, you might also think about the quality of support/service you’ll be getting in the future.

 

[Over50]

Tern GSD Advantages:
Lighter in weight
Can fold and fit into the back of my minivan (so we could take it other places to use if desired)
Kids say back seat feels more spacious (maybe because of thinner padding?)
Test ride felt steadier (less potential for tipping)

Just to clarify that the GSD does not fold. The handlepost folds down and the seat post drops but the frame does not fold.

I have the GSD but know nothing about the Pedego so I won't try to compare. The GSD is very stable (both riding and stationary) with a large load but it needs to be a balanced load - stationary I almost had mine tip over with an unbalanced load on uneven asphalt. I made the mistake of pulling out 2 bags of groceries at once from one side and the bike almost went over. I caught it just in time.

My bike felt light before I outfitted it but after, outfitted with the rails and front basket, it is quite heavy. With dual-battery, the foot rails and the front basket, it is a monster.

Brakes are excellent. Motor is very smooth and range is good. A nice benefit of the GSD is its ability to stand. This is helpful not only for storage but also for inspecting and cleaning the chain.

The one problem I have had with my GSD is some suspected skipping of the chain that I am still trying to resolve. When starting up under load sometimes I'll get some skipping. It feels like the chain perhaps skipping teeth but I'm not sure yet. I am trying to get time to get it back to the LBS to diagnose.

 

[Wild Tchoupitoulas]

Hi, I am in the DC metro as well. I’ve owned a Tern for almost two years now. I recently ordered some parts and have no idea on an ETA plus I have to pick them up from a dealer which is annoying (no drop-ship).

Pedago owners seem to rave to rave about support/service. Tern has a great dealer in Vienna (bikes@vienna) if that’s sufficiently close to you. If you’re stuck between the two bikes, you might also think about the quality of support/service you’ll be getting in the future.

Thanks for this! Yes, I forgot to mention that it looks as though service would probably be good and close-by for me with either brand, so unfortunately can't make my decision based on this.

 

[Wild Tchoupitoulas]

Just to clarify that the GSD does not fold. The handlepost folds down and the seat post drops but the frame does not fold.

I have the GSD but know nothing about the Pedego so I won't try to compare. The GSD is very stable (both riding and stationary) with a large load but it needs to be a balanced load - stationary I almost had mine tip over with an unbalanced load on uneven asphalt. I made the mistake of pulling out 2 bags of groceries at once from one side and the bike almost went over. I caught it just in time.

My bike felt light before I outfitted it but after, outfitted with the rails and front basket, it is quite heavy. With dual-battery, the foot rails and the front basket, it is a monster.

Brakes are excellent. Motor is very smooth and range is good. A nice benefit of the GSD is its ability to stand. This is helpful not only for storage but also for inspecting and cleaning the chain.

The one problem I have had with my GSD is some suspected skipping of the chain that I am still trying to resolve. When starting up under load sometimes I'll get some skipping. It feels like the chain perhaps skipping teeth but I'm not sure yet. I am trying to get time to get it back to the LBS to diagnose.

Thanks for this feedback! I am a bit concerned about the "starting up under load" part, especially if I end up needing to stop halfway up a hill with my kids on the back. The Pedego throttle was pretty awesome for this purpose.

 

[Over50]

Thanks for this feedback! I am a bit concerned about the "starting up under load" part, especially if I end up needing to stop halfway up a hill with my kids on the back. The Pedego throttle was pretty awesome for this purpose.

Not sure if you are considering the Gen 1 GSD or the newer version. But the newer has the Bosch CX motor so lots of torque. If you turn up the assist, you'll have all the torque you need to for a quick start from a stop (on a hill with a load). It is a powerful motor. Now with either bike being in the right gear helps. The newer GSD also has the heavier duty Enviolo which I don't have experience with (but I had the original Nuvinci on a Riese and Muller and didn't like it for a class 3 bike). The setup of the new GSD is pretty sweet but I'd want to try out that Enviolo if I were the one buying. Not sure what the Pedego specs look like in comparison ...

 

[dblhelix]

Thanks for this! Yes, I forgot to mention that it looks as though service would probably be good and close-by for me with either brand, so unfortunately can't make my decision based on this.

If the hilly area near your house is your chief issue, ride both bikes near home. Have you had the opportunity to do this?

I think one concern I would have with the Tern is the 20” wheels. I love my Tern but I’m not biking with twin 6 year olds. I have had the experience of that small wheel catching a pothole, and I went flying.

Like Over50, I have no Pedego experience, so I can’t compare directly.

 

[Dewey]

Hey fellow Arlingtonian, I’ve found the DC Family Biking Facebook group very friendly for asking this sort of question as there are members with either of those bikes. I commute to and from Foggy Bottom and coming up hill from Rosslyn I have come to appreciate the utility of the internal gear hub. As @Over50 mentioned the Tern GSD S00 model has the Enviolo 380 cvt/IGH hub vs derailleur gears on the Stretch. It’s helpful to be able to shift down gear from stationary when facing up hill. The Stretch throttle does get you moving but occasionally you find yourself in a high gear when you can’t change down before you stop at a light. I’ve found an internal gear hub helpful in urban stop go traffic. Also the Bosch motor on the GSD has a pedal torque power sensor which feels more bicycle like than the pedal cadence sensor on the Stretch. I have a simple Bafang BBS01 kit motor on my bicycle and with a cadence sensor it feels like in each PAS level the motor has a set speed it wants to get up to, vs a torque sensor bike rewards pedal effort. The Bosch CX Motor is a mid drive offering more torque (up to 75nm) vs the geared hub motor on the Stretch (40.5nm), and the GSD weighs about six pounds lighter, sometimes I haul groceries from Mom’s up the Custis trail in panniers while towing my daughter in a trailer so imo I’d recommend the GSD over the Stretch if I needed to winch two kids plus stuff up the hills around here (particularly that switchback to get up over Lee Hwy)

 

[Wild Tchoupitoulas]

Thanks, @Over50 and #Dewey. Appreciate all these thoughts! The more I think about it, I wonder if I haven't been using the gearing effectively these first few trials of the e-cargo-bikes... because I can't recall actually being in a lower gear at any point. Oops. I was trying them out in flatter areas than my neighborhood, but of course any hill would be easier if I were just in a lower gear.

@dblhelix, no, I haven't been able to "borrow" the bikes and try them out closer to home, only in the flatter areas where the bike shops are, but I think I'll be able to do so in the next week or two. Follow up Q for you: Do you think the slightly larger 24" wheel on the Pedego Stretch would really make a difference when it comes to your pothole scenario?

 

[ebikemom]

I haven't been able to "borrow" the bikes and try them out closer to home, only in the flatter areas where the bike shops are, but I think I'll be able to do so in the next week or two

Great! Take each one out for a good long ride--long enough to get to some hills and rough pavement, and, if you can, bring along a passenger or a load!

 

[dblhelix]

Thanks, @Over50 and #Dewey. Appreciate all these thoughts! The more I think about it, I wonder if I haven't been using the gearing effectively these first few trials of the e-cargo-bikes... because I can't recall actually being in a lower gear at any point. Oops. I was trying them out in flatter areas than my neighborhood, but of course any hill would be easier if I were just in a lower gear.

@dblhelix, no, I haven't been able to "borrow" the bikes and try them out closer to home, only in the flatter areas where the bike shops are, but I think I'll be able to do so in the next week or two. Follow up Q for you: Do you think the slightly larger 24" wheel on the Pedego Stretch would really make a difference when it comes to your pothole scenario?

A couple of points. I have the envolio cvt hub on another bike. The shifting up hill isn’t that easy to do. I was also advised by the dealer to not do so while pedaling (applying torque) bc otherwise I run the risk of snapping the cable. I let off the pedals every time I twist but that’s harder to do under heavy load. I also read the German sites where the envolio hub seems more widespread. They claim that there is a great deal of variability in envolio hub performance. Some shift easily, others not so much.

I went bike touring with the envolio. It was not ready for prime time on steeper grades. I would describe it as adequate up to 10% grade under loaded conditions, and you’ll be working. Where the envolio is “missing” gear ratios is on the hill-climbing low end. However, I don’t know what the Pedego drivetrain looks like. You also can’t compare torques between hubs and mid-drives — it is not a direct comparison.

I would definitely take each bike for a couple of hours and ride home to test. It’s really the only way to differentiate between the two options. You may have a clear-cut winner.

I do think a smaller wheel is more likely to get caught or jammed. How much vs a 24” is a tough one — this is more about having the odds in your favor, not a constant concern. I think it’s more likely testing the bikes where you will be riding will probably be the decision-maker.

 

[Over50]

...Do you think the slightly larger 24" wheel on the Pedego Stretch would really make a difference when it comes to your pothole scenario?

I had Terns (non electric) with 24" wheels and the electric Terns with 20" wheels. Maybe the 24" inch wheels are a bit less twitchy but not noticeably so. The 20" wheels are a lot easier to pick up and carry or load into a vehicle. I'd preference 20" wheels over 24" for a compact bike because of the greater ease of transport. But @dblhelix raises a good concern regarding the Enviolo on steeper hills.

 

[mams99]

I have a stretch and I live in the DC area. I thought about getting a Tern, but they didn't have (at the time) what I needed, so I got the Stretch and I LOVE it. I don't have two riders, just one - but I do have my teen sitting on the back with me much of the time.

I didn't do all the pricing out, but at the time, the Pedego Stretch was the most reasonable electric bike cargo bikes. I looked at other electric cargo bikes and this gave MANY more accessories for the price whereas the Yuba was pricier.

The only downside I find with this bike is that I really can't take it with me anywhere. To haul it - I would need to get a hitch, and get a specialty (expensive) bike rack and deal with trying to load this beast. Yet, I did manage to get it home in our Honda Fit with some creative arranging and with no leg room while driving. I don't know if the Tern would fit more comfortably in a station wagon or not.

And this is a minor complaint, but I am a bit jealous of all the accessories you can get with the Tern over the Pedego.

For use - the Pedego came with pretty much all inclusive - I LOVE the front basket accessory as if you have a second rider, it gives you much more space for backpacks, coolers, etc.

Hmm... well, one other thing I really like about the Pedego is that it's hauling ability to be flexible has been useful for me. I don't have kid riders with me, so I sometimes carry our folding chairs on the long extension on the Stretch and I use the foot rails to carry more stuff. It really depends on how you envision using it long-term.

For the ability to use it - I weigh 210. (average height - large build and pretty strong) and my son when he was riding with we weighed 160. When I go grocery shopping by myself, I carry $250 worth of food/drink/water with me and I ONLY need to go into full assist on big hills. For tooling around home, I need nothing or 1 assist - with a load, I need 2 assist.

 

[Wild Tchoupitoulas]

Thanks for all this, folks! Clearly I have a lot to think about... and need to try both bikes again, closer to my "home hills."

 

[6zfshdb]

Two things in favor of the Stretch:
1 - There is a dual motor version available if you're concerned about pulling grades with a load.
2 - Not only is the throttle useful for starting uphill but it is also great for walking the bike up grades too steep to ride. Pushing a heavy ebike up a hill is no fun. You can even climb stairs if you're careful.

 

[ebikemom]

throttle useful for starting uphill but it is also great for walking the bike up grades too steep to ride

I live in a very hilly area. I don't have a Stretch, I have an Interceptor (not a cargo bike), but I encounter grades that I cannot ride up (like 28% grades). It would also be VERY hard for me to push my bike up a hill that steep, but I don't have to, because I can use a touch of throttle. Great feature!

 

[mams99]

Two things in favor of the Stretch:
1 - There is a dual motor version available if you're concerned about pulling grades with a load.
2 - Not only is the throttle useful for starting uphill but it is also great for walking the bike upgrades too steep to ride. Pushing a heavy ebike up a hill is no fun. You can even climb stairs if you're careful.

The throttle is INVALUABLE with a full-load and I have not needed a second motor - even with two adult passengers or $250 worth of groceries.

 

[HonoraryOrange]

The throttle is INVALUABLE with a full-load and I have not needed a second motor - even with two adult passengers or $250 worth of groceries.

That's awesome! How well does it perform under mostly throttle on some grades with a load?

 

[6zfshdb]

That's awesome! How well does it perform under mostly throttle on some grades with a load?

Like ebikemom, I have Pedego Interceptor which isn't a cargo bike. I'm a heavy rider and a good analogy for me is the throttle at maximum is like a second set of legs pedaling the bike. It roughly doubles my ability to climb grades. Lighter riders will get more of a throttle "boost". The Stretch is geared a bit lower and will perform better than the Interceptor on grades for most riders.

 

[mams99]

That's awesome! How well does it perform under mostly throttle on some grades with a load?

I have to go up two hills to do my major grocery store run - one is a longish hill that just climbs a little more than I can handle without using the assist at about a 2-3. With a heavy load, I have it up a notch to 3-4 and then I have one steep hill just on the backside of our local Whole Foods. For that one with a full load (me plus all those groceries), I give it a good pedal up with my legs and then I turn up the assist. Maybe once I needed to add the throttle at the end of the steep hill too, but I never crawled to stop or slowed so much as to risk tipping over.

I'm pretty stable on the bike. I've only fallen once when I needed to make an abrupt stop with a full load when I had to come to a quick stop at a stop when a car didn't stop at his stop sign.