5 Min Read

Five Reasons Most Families Buy the Wrong Cargo Bike

(And How to Avoid it)

When it comes to cargo e-bikes, almost everyone we 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 often 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 E-bike 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 - lower is better for control

3. Avoid cargo e-bikes that have the backup battery attached to the seat post, as this impacts adjustability

4. Check the frame's step-through height

5. Consider a 3-wheeled cargo bike for even more stability

**Note: Hydraulic disc brakes are also a safety must!

I cannot emphasize enough the critical importance of tire size, especially considering that many other cargo e-bike brands fail to prioritize this information for their customers. Often, one must painstakingly search through product pages or resort to downloading a PDF spec sheet just to uncover this essential detail.

In our view, any vendor marketing cargo e-bikes to families should be loudly broadcasting this information, lest they inadvertently sell an expensive product to numerous customers who may find themselves struggling with unwieldy tires, leading to discomfort when carrying cargo and potentially compromising safety.

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.

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.

The lower the rear rack is to the ground, the easier it will feel for you to carry cargo. Again, this is not typically advertised on product pages, and might not even be found on the downloadable spec sheet. But this dimension is critical for bikes that will be ridden by (or shared with) females and riders under 5'8"

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!

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.

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.

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.

Meet The Maven

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 of our products come with a 1 year warranty and customer satisfaction guarantee to ensure you're happy with your purchase.

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