The Best Electric Cargo Bikes for Families

On a sunny summer day, I decided to circumnavigate Washington's Whidbey Island on the coast by bike. This is not quite possible, and my helter-skelter route took me on paved, dirt, and gravel roads, as well as through a few construction sites. But I felt totally fine and fast on it because I was riding the Skid Loader, which has Surly's trademark 100 percent chromoly steel frame and Natch tubing that can handle pretty much anything forever. (Extras like tubeless-ready
Surly ExtraTerrestrial tires and a Tranz-X YSP15 dropper post with 120 millimeters of travel didn't hurt, either.)

The Bosch smart system that Surly chose has more kick than the Urban Arrow, and the bigger tires help it cover more ground. Because it's a Surly that's intended to be used for bikepacking, it has a ton of mounting points for fenders, front racks, and water bottle cages, as well as the included rear rack that has a 100-pound payload, which is plenty big for a large-sized kid (or a giant bag of dog food, or potatoes). It has integrated front and rear lights, a sturdy double kickstand, and room for a double battery, although, because this bike is considerably lighter than the Urban Arrow, I got way more range out of it (30 to 40 miles on one charge). I also particularly love Surly's signature janky colors. I don't know why Illegal Smile Green is perfect; it just is.

The Tern GSD S10 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the most popular electric cargo bike for families in my hometown of Portland, Oregon. It's probably the safest small bike for families, especially short moms (a demographic to which I belong), because it has ABS brakes, which are necessary if you bike up and down hills or in the rain. Also, every component, including the frame, kickstand, and brakes, is third-party tested to meet the DIN 79010, the German safety standard that's the only cargo bike standard that exists.

Personally, I think the Urban Arrow is more useful, and the Skid Loader is faster and sexier. Still, this is the bike that I purchased myself when my kids were small because it's light, maneuverable, easy to store (it can stand on its end), and it's about the same length as an analog bike. There is no situation where you could not take a Tern GSD. The accessories are also unmatched (I own a Storm Box, which protects my kids while riding in the rain, but you can also put on a Sun Shield to protect your kids from the sun, or an integrated TowBar to add a trailer.)

I have been waiting for a major bike manufacturer to release an affordable, reliable daily driver that can be a car substitute. That, my friends, is the Specialized Globe Haul ST (9/10, WIRED Recommends). This sleek, black daily driver fits a wide variety of heights; my 5'10" husband and my 5'2" self can switch it in the same day. The powerful 700-watt motor relies on an IPX7-rated battery that has a remarkable range of well over the stated 60 miles. The display is intuitive, and the pedaling feels natural. The compact 20-inch multi-terrain wheels are maneuverable and feel stable on roads, dirt, and gravel.

I just have two small qualms: There's no suspension, which can make a difference if you're carrying a lot of things and people, and there's no belt drive. However, Specialized uses quality components and has a large network of affiliated shops to get routine maintenance. This is the bike that everyone in my family—me, my husband, and my two kids—asks to ride whenever we leave the house. Just attach two front panniers ($90) for tossing in snacks and water bottles, and you're good to go.

WIRED Gear editor Michael Calore is a fan of the first cargo bike from Aventon, one of the leaders in competitively priced, direct-to-consumer ebikes. It's incredibly flexible. Carting the kiddo to school? Add a back seat ($73) and a handrail ($122) to the long rear platform. Blissfully child-free? Install rear racks ($169) to haul groceries and garden supplies. The easy-riding step-through frame fits pilots up to 6'3".

The Abound’s pedal assistance system uses a rear hub motor with a torque sensor, a design that adds a smooth and even boost based on how hard you’re cranking. In the lowest of the four assistance levels—the power-sipping yet capable Eco mode—you can eke out 50 miles on a charge. Your mileage drops if you load the bike up to its 440-pound capacity, liberally thumb the bar-mounted throttle, or blast around town in Turbo mode at the max speed of 20 mph. Even then, you’ll still get nearly 20 miles out of the 720-watt-hour battery.

This bike comes with a few major caveats. It's a direct-to-customer bike, and we contracted with a local service to assemble it at my house. However, several parts were missing or unusable, and we had to wait a day for replacements. This is an issue if you're assembling it yourself. Also, the company claims that the minimum height for it is 5'2", but I am 5'2" and can't fit on it. The seat post tapers, so it can't be cut. I had to sub my own seat in, so I didn't get to use the comfy, beautiful saddle with suspension that comes with this bike. I find the laid-back, Harley-style seating difficult to maneuver while riding, which is probably related to the fact that overall, I'm just a little too short to ride this.

However, my family and I really like this sidecar style, and it's worth including because of that. The sidecar can carry up to 150 pounds, so anyone in my family can ride it, with a special shout-out to my dog, who loves it. I also love that you can quickly detach the sidecar, so it's versatile and easy to store in my crowded garage. It has everything you need—a 750-watt hub motor with a throttle, a big, easy-to-read color display, and hydraulic disc brakes. If you want to cosplay as Indiana Jones and Dad Jones in The Last Crusade, this is the bike to get.

When you ride family bikes, everyone gets to weigh in. My husband loved the Bunch's large capacity, powerful motor, and tricycle configuration. He never had to worry about keeping the bike balanced while my kids climbed in. It's also the only box with walls high enough to hold my dog, and I can carry up to four kids while riding.

I did not like the Bunch Bike (5/10, WIRED Review); I found it slow, awkward, uncomfortable, and a little overpriced. I also got tired of my neighbors asking if I was starting a hot dog truck. It doesn't have any shocks, and its weight means you inevitably start to drift toward the curb on any cambered street—even with Bunch's anti-tip technology. But if you live in a place with plenty of storage space and flat roads, this might just be the right bike for you.

Bike Friday, the Oregon-based manufacturer of specialty handmade bikes, recently released the All-Day (7/10, WIRED Recommends), which Bike Friday touts as the lightest Bosch-powered electric bike. It is, in fact, tiny and light; it's smaller than my children's own mountain bikes. Bike Friday will work with you to customize pretty much anything you want about it, from the color to the frame style (you can get an even lighter frame), to gearing, to handlebars. (Be wary, as adding a Rohloff gear hub can add a few grand to the initial price.) I found it OK to assemble, but it's a little more complicated than a DTC bike, and you do have to be semi-familiar with bike assembly, as the instructions are not as clear as they might be.

In the grape color, this bike was so profoundly irresistible that nearly all my friends asked if I could pop off for a sec so they could take a spin. The 600-watt motor had enough kick to take me and my groceries about town, and it was tiny enough to fit on the smallest bike rack. I would be remiss, however, to not point out that it's easier (and cheaper) to get the Brompton electric G-Line, which works with a broader system of retailers and distributors. Brompton is famous for the ease and convenience of its fold; however, I tend to prefer the reliability of the Bosch system.