2023 e-Commuter / light utility bikes

[SchralphMacchio]

I know, slap me now.

I need a not blingy non dentist zap bike that can tow my Thule Chariot with 2 kids, then maybe a trail a bike and one kid on the rack in the back. Use would be for daily daycare dropoffs in the summer (mostly flat, 7 miles R/T but a couple of small neighborhood hills), weekend recreational riding on shared use paths or converted rail trails etc, summer trips to state and national parks if appropriate (some bigger grades but not steep). I have no idea where to start or how to compare anything. Where should I be looking as far as resources to get myself edumacated?

REI Co-Op CTY e.2.2 is looking nice, component spec has a lot to be desired but Shimano 60 Nm mid drive and 500 Wh seems about right for my needs?

I just have no idea how to start comparing all this stuff (torque classes, weight, etc), especially with me wanting to keep the door open for a Chariot mount off the axle, a trail a bike off the seat post, and kid seat on the back (or maybe I just throw my MTB MacRidemore seat between the seat post and steer tube?!?!?).

I’m 140 lbs and kids are currently 27 / 35 lbs but of course they will get bigger …

[toast2266]

I think the specs on that rei bike look fine. 60nm is enough for that sort of thing unless you're trying to drag kids up a fairly large hill. But for normal around town stuff that's not excessively hilly, it'll be plenty. And 500wh is pretty standard. That'll get you ~30 miles towing kids.

We've got an xtracycle, but that was more money. We use it a ton though. I do appreciate the xtracycle's ability to carry a ton of shit. We can get two kids on the back seat, plus a bag full of diapers / change of clothes / snacks / all the other crap we have to bring every time we leave the house on the front rack.

[nickwm21]

You need to dial in your wants/needs….
- Mid drive or hub drive?
- Are you grocery getting on this thing, or just cruising with the kids?
- Is this replacing all your local travel or just casually riding?
- Budget?

Those REI bikes seem like an awesome deal for a mid-drive.

Pay attention to component spec. The super cheap e-bikes have white label drivetrains and brakes that will cause you issues if you use the thing more than casually.

Assume that the E part of the bike adds $1000 to a normal bike, so a $1300 e-bike will ride and maintain like a $300 bike…

I recently picked up a Tern Quickhaul which is a short-tail cargo bike and it’s been a blast. Not massive like a real cargo bike but still plenty of room for the kid and most errands. I went with a nicer / more expensive bike than a budget hub drive bike because I plan on using it to replace all if not most of my local travel, pickup the kid from daycare daily, etc…


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[SchralphMacchio]

Thanks toast. We do have a lot of neighborhood hills around here, 99% of the time I’m not trying to go up the bigger or steeper ones with the kids, but I’m not afraid of putting as much human torque as I can put in, and also I would want to have total control on the descent without overwhelming the brakes … a bonus application would be trying to use the thing with kids on some larger (500+ feet) but not very steep grades, but it would very rare.

On the real big extended frame haulers: I had borrowed a friend’s RadWagon 4 last fall to ride in Crater Lake NP (they close East Rim Drive to cars 2 days a year), and there was a lot I didn’t like about it: a beast to get in and out of a rack by myself, super crappy single piston mechanical disc brakes, I’m not a fan of 20” x 3” tires, uninspired handling for people who ride real bikes, and I just couldn’t ever see myself using it without the kids. Going with a better brand (and forking out more money) here seems like it would address my spec and handling issues but not the size/weight complaints? My wife is still a fan of the extended bike over towing our Chariot, but of course she isn’t the one loading or wrenching our gear.

But like on the other end of the spectrum, a Vibe or Turbo Vado SL seem like they wouldn’t hold up to the added tow load on a grade, and I did appreciate the quick bursts of throttle that could be applied when hauling/towing with a Class 2.

So I don’t know if the sweet spot for me is something more like the Giant Explore / Spec Vado, or more light utility sized like the REI CTY 2.2. I have a buddy on a Vado with one kid on a rear Yepp rack and one kid in a Chariot, and he’s been happy doing daycare dropoffs with this setup.

[SchralphMacchio]

You need to dial in your wants/needs….
- Mid drive or hub drive?
- Are you grocery getting on this thing, or just cruising with the kids?
- Is this replacing all your local travel or just casually riding?
- Budget?

Those REI bikes seem like an awesome deal for a mid-drive.

Pay attention to component spec. The super cheap e-bikes have white label drivetrains and brakes that will cause you issues if you use the thing more than casually.

Assume that the E part of the bike adds $1000 to a normal bike, so a $1300 e-bike will ride and maintain like a $300 bike…

I recently picked up a Tern Quickhaul which is a short-tail cargo bike and it’s been a blast. Not massive like a real cargo bike but still plenty of room for the kid and most errands. I went with a nicer / more expensive bike than a budget hub drive bike because I plan on using it to replace all if not most of my local travel, pickup the kid from daycare daily, etc…


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Thanks, I updated the OP to add my intended use cases. Regular daycare drops is the main use, and some trips to bigger places with larger grades would be ideal. I don’t plan to replace all my in town travel needs, but f—- man my daily driver is a crew cab F250 (at least it’s a 6.7 foot bed and not an 8 footer) which is one of the worst vehicles for daycare drops and grocery runs, so whatever I can do to practically replace any of that would be pretty sweet.

I keep reading that mid drive is easier to service and better handling?

I don’t have a budget in mid yet, I’m still working out the right specs and construction and then will work on shaving price or delaying purchase to save money if we have to.

[toast2266]

Yeah, if you're using it regularly for hauling kids around in hilly terrain, you definitely want a mid drive. Keep in mind that they do put a fair amount of stress on the drivetrain, so if the bike has bottom tier components, you're gonna wear stuff out / break it pretty quickly.

The wheel size thing is a big part of the reason we did the xtracycle (as opposed to the various other cargo bike options). It's 24" front and rear - most other options have smaller wheels, at least in the back.

We towed our burly with the xtracycle when the kids were a little smaller. That makes for a pretty huge vehicle, but it also meant that there's plenty of room to, for example, tow the kids to the grocery store and come home with 2 kids + a full load of groceries. The kids are big enough to ride on the back of the bike now, which they like better, and it's a smaller convoy to move around. Still bring the trailer if we need to maximize cargo room though.

But yeah, if you're planning on putting the bike on a car with any regularity, the big cargo bikes are a chore. We move ours with the pickup truck occasionally, but mostly it just gets ridden from the house. Keep in mind that even the "normal" size commuter ebikes are pretty damn heavy. That rei bike is 52 lbs, and that's without any racks and stuff bolted to it. So loading them on racks is always gonna suck.

[nickwm21]

Mid drive applies the power before the gearing. It’s going to feel like you’re riding a bike but with fatter quads. They are more expensive, but if you enjoy riding bikes and can afford it, mid drive is the move. If you have major hills, mid drive will utilize your bikes gearing.

Hub drive applies the power after the gearing. It’s going to feel like a moped, not a bicycle. You’re just spinning your legs to throttle the motor. If getting from A to B cheaper and with a smile is the goal, hub drive is fine.


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[joetron]

Bikes to consider: Surly Skidloader and Benno Boost.
Both mid drive, both short tail cargo bikes that ride more like a “normal” bike than Rad Powers.
Skidloader has 27.5 wheels. Benno rolls on 24 x 3


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[nickwm21]

I really wanted the Skidloader…. But…. It’s priced terribly.

$5k for Tektro and Microshift.
$5k and no integrated lights or fenders.

If your going to spend $5k; Benno, Tern, Spesh, etc is the move…


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[XXX-er]

the hub drives are almost all lower end and at least in Canada an E-bike with a throttle are technicaly not legal so real bike stores don't sell them but they are easy to buy on-line

A bike with a motor adds another level of shit to go wrong tht you can't really fix your self like an acoustic bike so ime its especialy important to think about service & warranty

[carlh]

If you’re hauling kids on a regular basis buy a cargo bike and ditch the trailer. Worth it to pay up they hold value and are so much better to ride than pulling a trailer. I’m on a yuba spicy curry and have ridden it 7500 miles in 5 years.
Tern gsd wasn’t out when I bought mine up seems to be the top pick especially if you’re not tall.

[ghosthop]

I don't have anything to add but there is some nice conversation on this subject in the fatherhood thread in the PR. I will try to consolidate those posts and edit tonight.

[jacob_dbu]

This is not an educated suggestion, but the all-around e-bike I'm most excited about is Specialized's new Turbo Tero. You can set it up Class 1 or Class 3 and it has legit front suspension plus mounting points.