The Most Fun I’ve Had on a Bike This Year: The Specialized Globe Haul ST
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Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Only Specialized can build a marvel (Creo 2) and a joke (Haul ST) in the same year 
Oh, I do "love" sponsored texts without even mentioning it.
Oh, I do "love" sponsored texts without even mentioning it.
AvalancheRun
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Not to discredit this genre of ebike because it can be appropriate for car replacement, but they do feel more like vehicles than bicycles, if that makes sense? I get a similarish sense from the R&M Homage and Delite though they are obviously more civilized/appropriate for mixed used trails. I have enjoyed testing the Haul ST aside for the absolute bone-rattling ride when it came to rougher terrain. They say it's a (only) 700 watt motor, but man it rips. Feels like an e-scooter to me.Only Specialized can build a marvel (Creo 2) and a joke (Haul ST) in the same year
Oh, I do "love" sponsored texts without even mentioning it.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Any online cargo e-bike is similar and costs less.
Jeremy McCreary
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Exactly my take. Here in hilly coastal San Diego County, well over half of the ebikes I see — and I see a lot — are of this genre, though overwhelmingly Rads. And I sense that to the riders, most are just fun, cheap, easy, license- and registration-free transportation. Most are ridden by school kids. Passengers are common. Meaningful pedaling is not.
Still, most represent a car not on the road, so hard to disapprove. Problem is, these bikes also account for most of the irresponsible riding I witness.
Partly, that's just the demographic (school kids, tourists) they attract. And partly, it's the power delivery, which typically combines a throttle with simple cadence sensing. Between throttling around and ghost pedaling at full power, not a recipe for finess in motor use. Effectively, they're mini-motorcycles ridden at top speed whenever possible.
Just one question about the Haul: Exactly how does the front basket qualify as a "Turbo Basket"?
"Perfect for light groceries, extra layers, or toting take-out, the Turbo Basket is your carry-on carry-all. Paired with the MIK adapter plate, it easily attaches to the rear MIK-compatible racks of our Turbo Vado, Turbo Como, or Turbo Tero for a clean, simple solution for your on-bike storage." Specialized.com
Jeremy McCreary
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Ah, makes sense now! Not a lot of performance-enhancing front baskets out there.
Taylor57
Well-Known Member
I dont get how you would have fun on this bike. Zero suspension and it looks like it weighs a ton. Are there animals in the baskets?
I was interested in a Globe LT at one time. I know Specialized has a monopoly on most bike shops and that can be good or bad. Bad for me because the local Specialized dealer in my area are roadies, God forbid you ask about anything else! Plus their website didn't list any Globes in-stock. So I just saved the money and purchased my Xpedition. I did go into that local Specialized dealer to ask a question over the weekend and they did have both the ST and LT on the floor. I didn't test ride one or give them a good look over but judging by my limited interaction with the Globe I'm glad I saved the difference in money. A 750watt hub drive cargo ebike is just another 750watt hub drive cargo ebike in my eyes.
Taylor57
Well-Known Member
It looks like a bike from WW2
ElevenAD
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Ringoes New Jersey
Meh, nothing really wrong it, nothing really amazing about it either imo, just a lil tiny cargo bike. If your someone in the market for something like a RadWagon this may be a good choice for you and its probably worth the additional $800 bucks as it does have a bigger battery and better components.
I am slowly warming up to this bike.
I am slowly warming up to this bike.
ElevenAD
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Ringoes New Jersey
lol, when i think of WW2 Bikes i usually think of my cruiser but yeah i totally get what your saying, riding that while wearing a leather trench coat could look suspect.
... more like WW3
indianajo
Well-Known Member
20" wheels are for Germans where the government fixes any pothole 30 minutes after it occurs. Germany during Reforger 82 had better paved tractor trails from village to the farm fields than the streets of my city. I haul 60-80 lb cargo, ride 26" wheels, and have a lot of fun. Those steerable baskets on the front are fine if full of styrene pellets. On my rutted grass driveway at the summer camp any weight in the fork baskets would make me fall over. Been there, done that. My first conversion had a 14 lb battery hung from handlebars & fender holes on the front fork. Unrideable on my rutted grass driveway.
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m@Robertson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
The Globe Haul ST is a success from what I can see. People who don't practice or sympathize with utility cycling see it as an abomination. Its not meant for them. The things that make it ugly to just-for-fun riders make it a better bike-that-has-a-job. My neighbor two doors down has one now and she loves it.
Sorry to be harsh, 'meaningful pedaling' and 'recipe for fitness' is backward thinking. Leave the 'earn it' mindset behind. People on a bike should be welcomed regardless of whether or not they can muscle their way through the job to ANY degree. Otherwise, only the fit can ride, and you are demanding the rest maintain status quo and drive an automobile. Take a longer, more inclusive view. Resist the temptation to tell others how they should live their lives (i.e. no finger-wagging over laziness... remember thats what people used to say about all ebikers).
Ask the old-school cycling community how well it worked to try and sneer ebikes out of existence, or the mtb community to ban ebikes from trails, 2015 vs. 2023. Its like Native Americans who started fighting in Massachusetts and ended up defending Santa Monica. A vocal minority vs. the masses is only going to end one way.
I can say personally, my interactions with both spandex cycling club riders and automobiles are completely different riding a cargo bike vs. a recreational ebike. On an e-mtb I'm a lazy cheater. On a cargo bike I get smiles, thumbs-up and questions on how I like the bike. I get a complete pass on the motor.
Sorry to be harsh, 'meaningful pedaling' and 'recipe for fitness' is backward thinking. Leave the 'earn it' mindset behind. People on a bike should be welcomed regardless of whether or not they can muscle their way through the job to ANY degree. Otherwise, only the fit can ride, and you are demanding the rest maintain status quo and drive an automobile. Take a longer, more inclusive view. Resist the temptation to tell others how they should live their lives (i.e. no finger-wagging over laziness... remember thats what people used to say about all ebikers).
Ask the old-school cycling community how well it worked to try and sneer ebikes out of existence, or the mtb community to ban ebikes from trails, 2015 vs. 2023. Its like Native Americans who started fighting in Massachusetts and ended up defending Santa Monica. A vocal minority vs. the masses is only going to end one way.
I can say personally, my interactions with both spandex cycling club riders and automobiles are completely different riding a cargo bike vs. a recreational ebike. On an e-mtb I'm a lazy cheater. On a cargo bike I get smiles, thumbs-up and questions on how I like the bike. I get a complete pass on the motor.
Jeremy McCreary
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Bad choice of words in my part. By "meaningful pedaling" I just meant pedaling that actually contributes to forward progress. Simply an observation that most of the pedaling I see on Haul-like ebikes doesn't really do that.
Agree that utility cycling has a place and deserves our respect, with or without effective pedaling. Around here, utility cycling is actually the norm. Just wish more of our young utility cyclists rode responsibly.
m@Robertson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
A tilting, frontloading trike would be pretty awesome. Frontloaders in general expose midtail and longtail bikes as failures when there's a chance for a side by side comparison. You can't even tell you have a load on a frontloader until you hit the brakes and inertia reminds you. Balance with just two wheels, never mind three - is unaffected. With my longtails a 150 lb load makes for a harrowing 8 mph experience all the way home.
20" wheels on a cargo bike make a hub motor a viable option. With a small 20" wheel you get enough of a torque advantage that a hub motor can be viable in hills. Its purely a compromise to keep costs down of course, but witness all of the 20" cargo bikes on the market now and you can see its obviously working well enough. Just generally shooting the breeze with other riders here, I've heard from Rad owners that their 26" Rovers may as well be pushbikes on the Ho Chi Minh Trail when it comes to getting around some parts of town here.
Doesn't have to be as big as 26" either. I see people pushing Rad Wagons up hills that people in Lectrics and whatnot can ride up, albeit slowly.
Not my thing, but if it gets another bike on the road thats one less car, so bring 'em on.
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