FAQ: It looks like a big bike - will I be able to ride it?

This question varies a little depending on the specific bike, as some cargo bikes take a bit more getting used to, but we believe with a bit of practice, you could ride  any of our cargo bikes.

Utility bikes and Mid-tails are the easiest of our cargo bikes to ride, as they are the most similar to regular push bikes. As long as you have some experience with a regular push bike, you will be able to ride either of this style of bike. The main thing to get used to here is handling the load you would be carrying, which we advise you try and balance as evenly as possible along your bike. While you might find the smaller bikes easier to ride without a load, once loaded the bigger bikes may actually be easier to manage. This is due in part to the bigger bikes usually having a lower deck meaning the weight is lower on the bike.

Longtail cargo bikes have been really popular in New Zealand because it's a very familiar riding position, you feel like you're riding an ordinary bike, and it behaves much like an ordinary bike. They mainly differ from a normal bike due to their length, making them slightly less manoeuvrable but very stable. These features  make them the easiest of the large cargo bikes to handle. They also come double kickstands, which makes them easy to load and unload kids and stuff, without them needing to be helb by you. This also keeps your hands free for lifting small kids up and buckling them in.  Anyone who has loaded a child in a bike seat on an ordinary bike knows how tricky this can be with just a side stand (or no stand).

Front loaders take the most getting used to because they are the most unique of the cargo bike options we offer in their design, but offer some massive benefits in load-carrying. One of the beauties about front loaders is that their riding characteristics don't change as much with the amount of loading you put in them. Because that load is right around the centre of balance, making them predictable in their handling. Our experience with people learning to ride front loaders is that they will jump on the bike, pedal off and wobble for about three or four seconds, and then you'll see the spark of 'I got it' and they're away. It takes literally about five seconds and you just get better from then on as you understand how they handle. We love how stable they are, particularly at speed with that long wheelbase.

You don't need to be a big person to ride these big front loader cargo bikes either. As seen below, my six year old daughter can ride the Load 75, albeit with the seat off so she can just pedal across the crossbar (proud dad!). They are however larger and more cumbersome to maneuver in tight spaces and can require some three point turn practice.

To to summarise, yes you can! with a bit of practice and time, all our cargo bikes are very achievable to ride and a lot of fun.

The best way to work out if you're going to be able to manage one of these bikes is just by taking them for a test ride. If you want to book a test ride for one of our bikes, then you can do so using the button below. If you're unsure of what you should test ride first, then either pop into store or give us a ring and we'll work from there.