Published September 24, 2023 7 Min Read
The 5 Reasons Most Families Buy the Wrong Cargo Bike
(And How to Avoid it)
By Laura Belmar, CEO of Integral Electrics
When it comes to cargo e-bikes, almost every couple I talk to has had some version of this very disappointing experience:
Dad researches bikes and finds the best option for the family budget.
Mom approves, and both are excited about their big purchase!
The bike arrives! Dad and the kids have a blast...mom and the kids feel wobbly and unstable. She worries she's "just not strong enough" or wonders if more practice will help...
The "family cargo e-bike" is now mostly dad's...and mom feels left out of the fun.
Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way! If you’re planning to share your cargo e-bike with another rider, the right feature set can mitigate huge differences in height, strength, and biking experience.
We've designed our Maven Cargo Ebike to solve for these features, but you can also use this list for comparison shopping. Here's what really matters and why:
5 Key Features for Sharing a Family E-bike
Check these key factors to ensure you don't end up with the wrong bike for your household:
1. Look for a cargo e-bike with 20 inch tires
2. Check the height of the rear rack!
3. Avoid cargo e-bikes that have the backup battery attached to the seat post!
4. Check the step-through height
5. Consider a 3-wheeled cargo bike
**Note: Hydraulic disc brakes are also a safety must!
1. Look for a cargo e-bike with 20 inch tires.
This is truly the “make or break feature” for any couple sharing a family e-bike. I only know of one household for whom tire size has not been a concern, and the mom was 5’10’ and played college basketball.
So unless you and your spouse are both pretty tall, assume that your cargo e-bike should have 20 inch tires. Period.
The reason for this is that the tire height will largely determine key feature #2: the height of the rear rack.
Want a bike that truly fits the whole family?
We've designed the Maven "female-first" to ensure that even smaller riders can feel truly comfortable hauling their precious cargo.
Want a bike that truly fits the whole family?
We've designed the Maven "female-first" to ensure that even smaller riders can feel truly comfortable hauling their precious cargo.
2. Look for a rear rack less than 24" off the ground.
The female center of gravity is generally at waist height, so carrying cargo at this level feels tippy on other cargo e-bikes with larger tires and higher rear racks.
We've optimized our rear rack so that it hits the average female rider just above the knee. This eliminates the top heavy feeling that comes from higher rear racks. We feel this really ensures confident, easeful riding for all.
3. Avoid cargo e-bikes that have the backup battery attached to the seat post!
The back of the seat post is the most logical place to put an additional battery, but unless it’s an extraordinarily short and stout battery, this means that the seat post will have to be taller….and that means that shorter riders may not be able to get the seat adjusted low enough to feel truly comfortable! You can check the minimum seat post height to see if this would be an issue for your family. Again be prepared to go to the spec sheet for this info.
4. Low Step through Height
This is the height your leg has to clear when you step over the down tube of the bicycle to mount it. Most e-bikes place their primary battery on the down tube, and that can raise the step over height significantly. Our e-bikes use batteries that are integrated into the down tube to keep our step through height as low as possible!
Safety Tip:
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
There are a few cargo e-bikes out there with mechanical disc brakes. Stopping with heavier loads means these will need frequent adjustment. We highly recommend avoiding them if you or your partner are not used to doing your own routine bicycle maintenance.
5. Consider a 3-wheeled cargo bike
At Integral Electrics, we knew one of our first e-bikes actually needed to be an e-trike: because having three wheels stabilizes the experience of cargo biking like nothing else. Their main drawback is that they do take up more space, so if you have 2 kids or less, or have space constraints, a two-wheeled model will likely be easier to manage.
But if you have the space, and you have more than 2 kids, or just want to cruise stress free, front loading trikes are the way to go. Kids and pets can hop right in without you needing to stabilize the bike. And unpredictable mid-ride wiggles from the cargo area won’t be a factor.
30-Day Returns
While most e-bike brands stop at 14 days, we'll give you a full 30-day, 50-mile window to ensure you love your bike.
Buy With Installments
E-bikes are a big investment, so we offer 3, 6 and 12 month payment plans. Terms vary based on credit.
1+ Year Warranty
All our products come with a 1 year warranty. If you register your e-bike after purchase, we'll extend your warranty to 2 years.