Yuba Spicy Curry CLS

The Yuba Spicy Curry CLS has long been one of the MVPs of our cargo bike range. It has been a Wellington favourite for years because it ticks so many of the boxes that matter here: strong hill support, confident braking, a stable ride, comfortable handling and proper everyday carrying capacity.

This is the kind of cargo bike you see all over Wellington carrying one, two or three kids, dogs, groceries, trailers and the general chaos of family life. It is also a genuine workhorse. We have seen Spicy Currys used by families, local projects and small businesses, and we have long preached them as one of our own go-to cargo setups.

Why we like it

The Spicy Curry has earned its place in Wellington. It is a proper longtail cargo bike that still feels natural to ride, even when the back is loaded with kids, bags, groceries or something awkward from the hardware store.

The 20" rear wheel keeps the load lower, which helps the bike feel stable with passengers or cargo on board. The 26" front wheel gives it a familiar steering feel - giving instant confidence that makes you almost forget you're riding a cargo bike.

The Bosch Cargo Line motor gives the hill support a loaded cargo bike needs. Pōneke does not hand out many flat commutes, so a family cargo bike needs proper go when you are carrying kids, bags and a week’s worth of snacks up the hill into the wind. It needs proper woah too. The Spicy Curry does not hold back there either, with Magura MT5 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes giving you confident stopping power when the road tips back down.

Best for

This is a great option for families who want one bike to handle the school run, daycare drop-off, supermarket missions and weekend wandering. It has room for kids, cargo, dogs, trailers and the general logistics of everyday life, while still feeling like something you can happily ride every day. It is the kind of cargo bike that can grow with the family, backed by the long-term parts and service support of the Bosch motor system.

Spicy Curry for business

The Spicy Curry is not just a family bike. It is also a very handy little business vehicle for Wellington. It can carry tools, stock, food, garden gear, delivery loads, event supplies or a trailer, while still being easy to park, easy to load and much cheaper to run than another car or van.

We have seen this done properly around town. Kaicycle use e-bikes as part of their food scrap collection work around Pōneke. Cahoots workshop used it to tow their maaaasive trailer, and Clive’s Wheelie Green Gardening Machine shows how a Spicy Curry and trailer setup can become a genuine work tool for a local business.

It is also the kind of bike we point to from experience. Our own Spicy Curry workhorse build has been used for shop runs, cafe supplies, bike boxes, event gear and all the odd-shaped jobs that seem to appear when you work above a bike shop.

What makes it different

The Spicy Curry sits in a sweet spot between family bike and utility vehicle. It is long enough to carry serious loads, but still rides naturally for an everyday cargo bike. The rear deck can be set up for kids, cargo or mixed use, and the included wheel skirts and Yepp adapter make it a strong starting point for family transport.

The Magura 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes are a big deal on a bike like this. More load means braking matters more, especially on wet Wellington descents. They give the bike the stopping power and control you want when the back of the bike is full of school bags, passengers or gardening gear.

Good to know

The 500 Wh battery gives useful daily riding margin for school runs, errands and loaded trips around town. Range will depend on rider, load, hills, wind and assist level, but the Bosch system is well suited to the stop-start reality of cargo riding.

Passenger and cargo setups are where this bike really comes alive. Child seats, monkey bars, footrests, baskets, bags and trailer options can all change how the bike works for your household or business. We can help set it up properly rather than leaving you to guess from a wall of accessories.

Choose this if

Choose the Spicy Curry if you want a proven longtail cargo bike with strong hill support, confident braking and room to grow with your family or daily load. It is especially good if you want the largest cargo capacity for a longtail family bike, but still want something that feels familiar to ride.

Choose a Tern GSD if compact storage and a shorter overall bike length matter more. Choose a front-loader if you want the cargo or kids in front of you rather than behind you.

Our take

The Yuba Spicy Curry CLS is one of the benchmark Wellington cargo bikes for a reason. It is stable, powerful, comfortable and properly useful. Useful in the very real sense of getting kids to school, hauling groceries home, towing a trailer, carrying dogs, helping small businesses move gear and making a second car feel less necessary.

It is one of our faithfuls. The kind of bike that makes cargo biking click.