Introducing The Cargo Bike

The cargo bike in our family works as our second vehicle, actually no, since buying it it has become the primary vehicle.

We live in Hamilton, New Zealand, a small city in the central North Island. Our cargo bike, the Riese + Mueller Load 75 is the perfect steed for a small family here.

Bike Summary

Without further adieu, let's summarise and introduce the family cargo bike:

• front-loading allowing 2-3 children to ride,
• rear carrier rack allowing another child to ride, or to carry extra cargo (via panniers, crates and the like),
• Bosch Cargo Line mid-drive electrified pedal assist to move the extra weight from stand-still faster, and take on hills,
• 2x500 Wh (Watt/hour) batteries allowing the family to ride around the city comfortably without recharging, and to take longer trips,
• enviolo internal gear hub, and belt drive system allowing gears to be changed with less effort, and reducing required maintenance

Front Loading

While the full package really sells the bike, the front-loading area is what makes the bike stand out from the rest. It is not common to see front-loading bikes in New Zealand, but with electric bikes it is seemingly becoming more common (or I just keep an eye out for them like the convert I am)

The front loading area of the bike is fully weather protected and modular. The fully weather protected aspect means that rain or wind cannot get into the front area on the wet and cold Waikato mornings, and the modularity means that in the summer we can slap the sun protector on so the children do not get sunburned. Further to that, the covers can be easily removed on days with less intense sun and the children can feel the wind and warmth directly on them.

The front loading capacity is up to 100kg, this means that Sam and I have both ridden in the front and had a blast. Of course, the extended family have also had rides in it too. The front suspension allowed for a very smooth ride.

We have also carried some heavy cargo, the most notable being a tree and our children from a garden center on one side of Hamilton city, across the Waikato river, and to the other side.