We did the opposite and started with the Load (front loader). Hauling around our 2 kids (5/2) and a friend has been super clutch. But now we are at a point where we are looking for a second and the GSD is going to be the one. (Sad to see R&M pull out of the US alongside their bench bikes.)
The front loader is amazing but :
1. The parking sucks. Bike racks were never designed for it so you’re always sticking out and when it’s a parklet it’s uncomfortably close to the oncoming traffic.
2. Big kids fit for sure but it does get tight. They learn to play nice.
I will say the ability to talk to the kids while riding has been super fun too.
Good to get a perspective from someone who took the opposite approach to hauling kids via e-cargo bike! Parking can sometimes be tricky with the geometry of the HSD and some bike racks, I'm sure parking the Load is way more challenging.
The big reason we went with the HSD is because my wife felt like it was nimble enough for her to ride with or without kids on the back. She's standing firm that a front loader just won't work for her.
It's really wild how small of a bike the HSD actually is. I've loaded it on buses and trains and it can fit into almost any SUV pretty easily with the handle bars folded down.
Yeah, I'm pretty upset about R&M backing out of the US. I've had my eyes on a Load or Transporter for a while. Once they become nearly impossible to acquire, Urban Arrow will basically be the only game in town for American bakfiets fans. And while I'm open to riding one, it wouldn't be as fun as the R&M options.
You make a good point about the GSD. It's just such a practical bike. It might make sense for us to strip down the HSD to its bare bones as a simple bike for my wife and I can just get a GSD and outfit it with all the accessories for getting 2 kids around town. The only sacrifice would be the ability to talk with the kids in the front bucket like you mentioned.
Urban Arrow Breeze is coming out as the GSD equivalent but yes the options are limited (esp as I am exploring trying to get HSA to pay for one). I was told to give it a chance but no Rohloff so we shall see....
I do think the HSD / GSD combo is prob THE approach given current constraints. I know the HSD is small but hearing about the train, bus or SUV is wild! I'm beyond jealous of that. OR you get a used Load as they truly are incredible machines.
The Urban Arrow Breeze is interesting! Curious to see how it's receieved by folks in the US. I don't see a rain cover for it, that's a bit of a deal breaker for me. The Storm Shield Mini on our HSD gets used year round. Kids love the wind and sun protection even when the weather is nice.
I'm always checking Upway for deals on Tern or R&M bikes. They typically don't last long when they're posted. I'd definitely jump on a decently priced Load75 or Urban Arrow too. I think a front loader would serve me well for about 3 years, then the long tail would make sense moving forward.
The good news is that all of these bikes hold their value pretty well when you're ready to sell a try something new!
We did the opposite and started with the Load (front loader). Hauling around our 2 kids (5/2) and a friend has been super clutch. But now we are at a point where we are looking for a second and the GSD is going to be the one. (Sad to see R&M pull out of the US alongside their bench bikes.)
The front loader is amazing but :
1. The parking sucks. Bike racks were never designed for it so you’re always sticking out and when it’s a parklet it’s uncomfortably close to the oncoming traffic.
2. Big kids fit for sure but it does get tight. They learn to play nice.
I will say the ability to talk to the kids while riding has been super fun too.
Hey Mike,
Good to get a perspective from someone who took the opposite approach to hauling kids via e-cargo bike! Parking can sometimes be tricky with the geometry of the HSD and some bike racks, I'm sure parking the Load is way more challenging.
The big reason we went with the HSD is because my wife felt like it was nimble enough for her to ride with or without kids on the back. She's standing firm that a front loader just won't work for her.
It's really wild how small of a bike the HSD actually is. I've loaded it on buses and trains and it can fit into almost any SUV pretty easily with the handle bars folded down.
Yeah, I'm pretty upset about R&M backing out of the US. I've had my eyes on a Load or Transporter for a while. Once they become nearly impossible to acquire, Urban Arrow will basically be the only game in town for American bakfiets fans. And while I'm open to riding one, it wouldn't be as fun as the R&M options.
You make a good point about the GSD. It's just such a practical bike. It might make sense for us to strip down the HSD to its bare bones as a simple bike for my wife and I can just get a GSD and outfit it with all the accessories for getting 2 kids around town. The only sacrifice would be the ability to talk with the kids in the front bucket like you mentioned.
I guess there really is no perfect setup!
Urban Arrow Breeze is coming out as the GSD equivalent but yes the options are limited (esp as I am exploring trying to get HSA to pay for one). I was told to give it a chance but no Rohloff so we shall see....
I do think the HSD / GSD combo is prob THE approach given current constraints. I know the HSD is small but hearing about the train, bus or SUV is wild! I'm beyond jealous of that. OR you get a used Load as they truly are incredible machines.
The Urban Arrow Breeze is interesting! Curious to see how it's receieved by folks in the US. I don't see a rain cover for it, that's a bit of a deal breaker for me. The Storm Shield Mini on our HSD gets used year round. Kids love the wind and sun protection even when the weather is nice.
I'm always checking Upway for deals on Tern or R&M bikes. They typically don't last long when they're posted. I'd definitely jump on a decently priced Load75 or Urban Arrow too. I think a front loader would serve me well for about 3 years, then the long tail would make sense moving forward.
The good news is that all of these bikes hold their value pretty well when you're ready to sell a try something new!