Transporting Cargo eBikes (specially Dutch style)

[sammcneill]

Hi,
My parents are 70yrs and 69yrs of age - they have two Specialized Como eBikes about 5yrs old now.

They got a dog mid-pandemic and now really want to ride with him but he's a bit too big for basket on the front of the bike type riding.

I've shown them the R&M Load/Packster style e-Cargo bikes and they're interested in exploring it, but have questions around how they'd transport the bike if tehy wanted to go to their holiday home with bike+dog.

I'm guessing the answer is basically a trailer and/or ute/truck type vehicle but wondering if anyone has had much experience with this.... they're in good health but as they age they're certainly considering the weight of such a bike as a blocker.

Cheers
Sam

 

[Jay Kay]

Looking forward to someone knowledgeable replying.

We would have got a Load by now if I could have solved transporting it without a van/large trailer!

 

[sammcneill]

Looking forward to someone knowledgeable replying.

We would have got a Load by now if I could have solved transporting it without a van/large trailer!

My guess would be a Ute/pickup truck with some kind of ramp to roll it up into … but changing your car to accommodate your eBike seems somehow counterintuitive !

 

[m@Robertson]

Well, I have quite a bit of experience with this, and I've seen plenty of others in the cargo bike community do the same. I've transported a Surly Big Fat Dummy, as well as a Bullitt which is exactly the same style of bike - a bakfiets / frontloader - as the R&Ms mentioned.

Your best bet short of a trailer, subject to some judicious use of a tape measure, is to buy yourself a motorcycle carrier. They can accommodate a long bike and you can find a 7-ft ramp to make loading quite easy. They are also the cheapest option of any bike carrier at around $200 a pop. Plus since they are made for a motorcycle, they have load capacities typically in the 350-450 lb range. You will really want to use a 2" hitch with one and not try to use a smaller 1.5". Also you'll want to use a riser extender and the full suite of hitch tightening gadgets. Here's a pic of my Surly on the carrier. But bear in mind this bike despite its gigantic size likely has a shorter wheelbase than your R&M choices, or my Bullitt. Thats why I specified the tape measure. It'll be a near thing.

My Bullitts measure out to be about 8 ft long. Just a little over, actually. I've seen plenty of R&M frontloaders and they are quite a bit bigger than a Bullitt. Possibly longer too. So, if my Bullitts are 8 ft long, ask yourself how many truck beds are long enough to handle a bike like that? Vans? In my searches only a Uhaul bare cargo van can do it, but only just barely. If looking into a trailer you'll want to be serious about its length.

Also I have seen younger, fitter owners find ways to get them on the roof of their car with the front wheel removed. Good luck with that A Bullitt is much lighter but I sure wouldn't want to try that with an R&M.

To move just one of them, a motorcycle carrier is your best bet.
I ended up taking off the front and rear wheels of my latest build, moved the seat forward on my station wagon (its a big one) and managed to get it in layiing on its side diagonally. I have seen this done with a Subaru but the owner had to move the passenger seat alllllll the way forward and angle the seatback forward too.

 

[sammcneill]

Well, I have quite a bit of experience with this, and I've seen plenty of others in the cargo bike community do the same. I've transported a Surly Big Fat Dummy, as well as a Bullitt which is exactly the same style of bike - a bakfiets / frontloader - as the R&Ms mentioned.

Your best bet short of a trailer, subject to some judicious use of a tape measure, is to buy yourself a motorcycle carrier. They can accommodate a long bike and you can find a 7-ft ramp to make loading quite easy. They are also the cheapest option of any bike carrier at around $200 a pop. Plus since they are made for a motorcycle, they have load capacities typically in the 350-450 lb range. You will really want to use a 2" hitch with one and not try to use a smaller 1.5". Also you'll want to use a riser extender and the full suite of hitch tightening gadgets. Here's a pic of my Surly on the carrier. But bear in mind this bike despite its gigantic size likely has a shorter wheelbase than your R&M choices, or my Bullitt. Thats why I specified the tape measure. It'll be a near thing.

View attachment 151674
My Bullitts measure out to be about 8 ft long. Just a little over, actually. I've seen plenty of R&M frontloaders and they are quite a bit bigger than a Bullitt. Possibly longer too. So, if my Bullitts are 8 ft long, ask yourself how many truck beds are long enough to handle a bike like that? Vans? In my searches only a Uhaul bare cargo van can do it, but only just barely. If looking into a trailer you'll want to be serious about its length.

Also I have seen younger, fitter owners find ways to get them on the roof of their car with the front wheel removed. Good luck with that A Bullitt is much lighter but I sure wouldn't want to try that with an R&M.

To move just one of them, a motorcycle carrier is your best bet.
I ended up taking off the front and rear wheels of my latest build, moved the seat forward on my station wagon (its a big one) and managed to get it in layiing on its side diagonally. I have seen this done with a Subaru but the owner had to move the passenger seat alllllll the way forward and angle the seatback forward too.

Thanks mate! Super informative!
I’ve passed it on to my dad

 

[JimAndArrow]

Well, I have quite a bit of experience with this, and I've seen plenty of others in the cargo bike community do the same. I've transported a Surly Big Fat Dummy, as well as a Bullitt which is exactly the same style of bike - a bakfiets / frontloader - as the R&Ms mentioned.

Your best bet short of a trailer, subject to some judicious use of a tape measure, is to buy yourself a motorcycle carrier. They can accommodate a long bike and you can find a 7-ft ramp to make loading quite easy. They are also the cheapest option of any bike carrier at around $200 a pop. Plus since they are made for a motorcycle, they have load capacities typically in the 350-450 lb range. You will really want to use a 2" hitch with one and not try to use a smaller 1.5". Also you'll want to use a riser extender and the full suite of hitch tightening gadgets. Here's a pic of my Surly on the carrier. But bear in mind this bike despite its gigantic size likely has a shorter wheelbase than your R&M choices, or my Bullitt. Thats why I specified the tape measure. It'll be a near thing.

View attachment 151674
My Bullitts measure out to be about 8 ft long. Just a little over, actually. I've seen plenty of R&M frontloaders and they are quite a bit bigger than a Bullitt. Possibly longer too. So, if my Bullitts are 8 ft long, ask yourself how many truck beds are long enough to handle a bike like that? Vans? In my searches only a Uhaul bare cargo van can do it, but only just barely. If looking into a trailer you'll want to be serious about its length.

Also I have seen younger, fitter owners find ways to get them on the roof of their car with the front wheel removed. Good luck with that A Bullitt is much lighter but I sure wouldn't want to try that with an R&M.

To move just one of them, a motorcycle carrier is your best bet.
I ended up taking off the front and rear wheels of my latest build, moved the seat forward on my station wagon (its a big one) and managed to get it in layiing on its side diagonally. I have seen this done with a Subaru but the owner had to move the passenger seat alllllll the way forward and angle the seatback forward too.

I can fit my Load 75 into the back of either of my pickups - a 5.5' and a 6.75', diagonally and with the tailgate down, no problem.

But I believe it's too long to use a hitch mount carrier sideways like this day to day - given the length of the bike, you'd be substantially wider than any normal passenger car or truck, enough so that I think you might even need a wide load permit and/or chase vehicle, and the streets you could drive on would be limited. Seems to me the legal and safety risks here would be nontrivial and bear looking into very carefully before spending any money toward this approach.

You might be able to use a vertical hitch mount though - something like the Draftmaster racks they make for tandems and long wheelbase recumbents.

 

[m@Robertson]

In California at least, where the no-permit-needed width limit is 8'6", both my Bullitt and Big Fat Dummy are well within that. The issue in this state at least is simply whether or not the wheels fit within the motorcycle rack. Now, since the OP is in New Zealand, there's no telling what the rules are. I've seen extensions put into play, but thats not something I'd want to be doing on anything more than a one-off basis. One in particular that needed no extensions was where the owner attached a front wheel mount to the end of the rack... the kind you'd see on a roof rack. He then just rolled the bike up and on, removed the front wheel and bolted the forks to the mount.

I have seen cargo bikes loaded vertically on the backs of vans and RVs, but since he says his parents are senior citizens I doubt thats an option.

 

[JimAndArrow]

In California at least, where the no-permit-needed width limit is 8'6", both my Bullitt and Big Fat Dummy are well within that. The issue in this state at least is simply whether or not the wheels fit within the motorcycle rack. Now, since the OP is in New Zealand, there's no telling what the rules are. I've seen extensions put into play, but thats not something I'd want to be doing on anything more than a one-off basis. One in particular that needed no extensions was where the owner attached a front wheel mount to the end of the rack... the kind you'd see on a roof rack. He then just rolled the bike up and on, removed the front wheel and bolted the forks to the mount.

I have seen cargo bikes loaded vertically on the backs of vans and RVs, but since he says his parents are senior citizens I doubt thats an option.

The Load 75 is actually a tad more than 8'6" - 264.5cm per the specs - so unlike your Bullitt and Big Dummy, it wouldn't be permitted sideways here without wheel removal or other weirdness. But they would indeed have to check local regs, and for my own part, I would not feel safe having the bike sticking out so far past the sides of the car, you're going to be constantly on the verge of whacking whatever's in the lane next to you...

 

[sammcneill]

Thanks for additional perspective - really does sound like limited options to easily transport these very large bicycles further afield !

 

[peterh_nz]

Hi,
My parents are 70yrs and 69yrs of age - they have two Specialized Como eBikes about 5yrs old now.

They got a dog mid-pandemic and now really want to ride with him but he's a bit too big for basket on the front of the bike type riding.

I've shown them the R&M Load/Packster style e-Cargo bikes and they're interested in exploring it, but have questions around how they'd transport the bike if tehy wanted to go to their holiday home with bike+dog.

I'm guessing the answer is basically a trailer and/or ute/truck type vehicle but wondering if anyone has had much experience with this.... they're in good health but as they age they're certainly considering the weight of such a bike as a blocker.

Cheers
Sam

As an alternative, I wonder about using a trailer for the dog?

Trailers can fold down, are light and are easily stowed in a vehicle.

 

[6zfshdb]

Hi,
My parents are 70yrs and 69yrs of age - they have two Specialized Como eBikes about 5yrs old now.

They got a dog mid-pandemic and now really want to ride with him but he's a bit too big for basket on the front of the bike type riding.

I've shown them the R&M Load/Packster style e-Cargo bikes and they're interested in exploring it, but have questions around how they'd transport the bike if tehy wanted to go to their holiday home with bike+dog.

I'm guessing the answer is basically a trailer and/or ute/truck type vehicle but wondering if anyone has had much experience with this.... they're in good health but as they age they're certainly considering the weight of such a bike as a blocker.

Cheers
Sam

There are several possibilities, some of which have already been discussed above. A lot depends on how much you can afford to spend.

There are many hitch racks available for a single bike but the choice is limited when two, heavy cargo bikes are involved. There is also the vehicle's tongue weight rating to consider. Dual bike racks extend outward from the rear of the vehicle and can amplify the force exerted on the hitch. More than just the bike weight needs to be considered.

If the budget will support two new cargo bikes as well as a new vehicle, you might consider a pickup. Crew cab models have plenty of space for luggage as well as a pet. Carrying bikes in the truck bed is the safest way to transport and protect them. I've been doing it that way for over 20 years. I'm 76 now and my ability to lift my heavy e-bikes onto a rack or into the truck is getting more difficult. Over the years, I've cobbled together a "slide out" rack made from PVC pipe scraps. It's easy to load the bikes from the side and the PVC rack slides easily into the truck bed.

Unfortunately, racks like this aren't available on the market and need to be custom built. It's a lot easier than it looks though and requires only basic tool skills.

 

[Old-tool-guy]

6z … how does that pvc rack work? How do you use it to load the bike?

 

[6zfshdb]

6z … how does that pvc rack work? How do you use it to load the bike?

Instead of lifting the bikes onto the rack from the sides, I now use a ramp to roll the bikes up into place as in pic #1 in my original post. Once the bikes are attached. I lift & push the rack into the truck bed. Part of the weight is cantilevered forward of the tailgate edge so lifting isn't a problem. The support legs pivot 90 degrees to allow the tailgate to close.

For those days when my back is acting up, I added a winch to pull the rack up into the truck bed:

Lots of possibilities if you have some PVC pipe and a few DIY skills.

 

[Old-tool-guy]

The first pic was taken from the off-side, had a little trouble seeing the details. So you roll the bike up the ramp until the front wheel is over the tailgate, then lift the pvc assembly and the nike and slide it into the bed … right?

The ramp that touches the ground … is that a piece of pvc pipe that you cut in half?

 

[6zfshdb]

The first pic was taken from the off-side, had a little trouble seeing the details. So you roll the bike up the ramp until the front wheel is over the tailgate, then lift the pvc assembly and the nike and slide it into the bed … right?

Correct

The ramp that touches the ground … is that a piece of pvc pipe that you cut in half?

Yes. 4" PVC with the two halves screwed together for strength. Here are some better pics:



The piece that touches the ground is a 4" tee cut in half. This keeps the ramp from twisting. The lag screw heads bite into the gravel or pavement to keep it from sliding around.

 

[sammcneill]

Great engineering solution here!