Reviews Archives - Page 4 of 5

Meet the Woom 4 20″ Kid’s Bike – The best 20″ kid’s bike available?

This week we are looking at the Woom 4 which is a 20″ kid’s bike with 8 speeds. Weighing in at 16 pounds it is one of the lightest kids bikes available! Is it a bike for your kid? Watch the video above or read the article below to find out more!

Woom 4 Bike Details

MSRP $479
Includes 8-speed shifting (grip or trigger shifters available)
16 pounds (crazy light)
Adjustable stem to rotate the handlebars away from your kid as they grow
Specially designed accessories like a rear rack, fenders, frame bags, and more are designed for each woom size
5 colors available – red, yellow, blue, purple, green

Is the Woom 4 Kid’s Bike Worth It?

Many parents are on the hunt for the perfect 20” kid’s bike. Potentially this is the first geared bike that will give their kid the ability to go further, more efficiently. The Woom 4 is one of the best-reviewed kid’s 20” bikes on the market currently. In this article and the video above I’m going to dig into the features of the Woom 4 and help you decide if it is for you.

I have sold dozens of Woom 4 and it is ranked in my top 3 all-around 20” kid’s bikes next to the Prevelo Alpha 3 and the Cannondale Quick. The Woom 4 is 479 dollars and weighs in around 16 lbs. Other popular kids bikes in this category include the Woom OFF 4, the mountain bike cousin of the Woom 4, which weighs in at 17.2 lbs, the Prevelo Alpha 3 at 19 lbs, the Cannondale Quick at 20 lbs, and the Cleary Owl 3 speed is 22 lbs.

The Woom 4 is light and weight is one of the key details of kids bikes that are often overlooked. Some kids’ bikes weigh more than 1/2 of the kid’s weight, can you imagine riding a bike that heavy?

Some of the other key dimensions I like to talk about are minimum seat height, which is 22.5″ and standover of the top tube which is 20″. Ensuring your child can safely stand over the bike when they come off the saddle, and touch the ground when they are seated, is important.

The Woom 4 comes with 8 speed SRAM shifting. It comes stock with grip shift but when ordered you can ask for trigger shifters. I don’t have a preference either way.
It also comes with Woom’s easy to use kickstand which is a really nice feature to help kids keep this bike from being dropped on the garage floor.

The features that really win me over on this bike other than the weight is the adjustable stem to help make this bike last longer by rotating the stem forward and away from your child. Additionally, the available accessories designed for this bike like rear rack and fenders make this a functional commuter bike for a kid that wants to ride to school, the library, or maybe just around town without splashing themselves in the puddles and carrying a backpack all the time.

Is the Woom 4 worth the hype and money? If you bike a ton or your child is petite, this is one of the lightest 20” geared kids bikes around. I love the additional accessories and rooms really do keep their value. They never go on sale so you can often resell them for 70-80% of your purchase price. You really need to weigh your goals of the bike, your budget, and if it will increase your kid’s enjoyment of biking.

Chances are if read this article then your kid’s interest in biking is very important to you!

Buy from woom.com (I make a commission)

*Disclaimer: I make a commission if you purchase from the links above. I personally love the woom bikes and only recommend products my family has used and loves.

Tern HSD P9 Electric Bike Review

Cargo Bike Reviews, Electric Bike Reviews, Reviews

Are you in the market for your first electric bike, maybe a small everyday capable bike or you have been looking at cargo bikes and they are just SO big? The Tern HSD electric bike may be for you. Read on to learn more!

At the time of writing this, I’ve worked around the bike industry for 20 years. It really takes a lot for me to be excited and impressed with a product. Sometimes I’m excited, sometimes I’m impressed, but very rarely both things. The new Tern HSD electric bike offering has me solidly feeling both. In this review, we are going to dig into the pros and cons of the HSD, who I think it is for, and what I hope to see from Tern in the future. You can read my initial thoughts on the Tern HSD here. Don’t want to read all the details? Scroll to the bottom for my conclusion and who I think the HSD is for.

Key Takeaways of the Tern HSD

Class 1 Electric-Assist Bike – This electric bike assists you when you are pedaling up to 20 miles per hour. After 20 mph you are on your own without assistance. This does not have a throttle.
One size fits most – This is a game-changer to be able to comfortably share that expensive electric bike with other people in your household or family.
Smaller wheels and lower battery placement – This makes this bike feel much more stable for riders as the weight isn’t so high (The P9 model is 56.5 pounds).
Everyday capable – Carry up to 374 pounds, and the bike is designed to carry stuff. Kids, groceries, your bags, pull a trailer, etc. Many other electric bikes look nice but can’t carry a kid or panniers very well (more on that in a second!)
Transportable – As long as you have a smallish SUV and can fold down 1/3 of your backseats, this bike will fit thanks to the folding handlepost and low seatpost design. This is huge for an electric bike as you often have to purchase a really expensive rear hitch rack to transport these heavier bikes. I would suggest to rig up some sort of ramp so you aren’t lifting the 50+ pound bike but with two people it is made very doable.
Rear Standing – For the last couple of years, Tern has been designing their bikes around a rear standing feature. Great for storage and servicing your bike. Watch a video on this feature here.
Accessories – Tern has a great ecosystem of accessories, and adapters to make other accessories work with their bikes with more options coming in the spring.
Bosch Only – Bosch makes arguably one of the most reliable and dependable systems but it comes for a price. This bike is not designed to compete with an internet direct bike.
The starting price of the HSD is $3200 for the Tern HSD P9

Comparing the HSD Models

Reviewing the similarities and differences between the HSD models can get a bit confusing. Here is what they all have in common:

20″ wheels, aluminum frame, Suntour suspension front fork
Bosch motors (motor type and battery size change with the S+)
Rear-wheel lock keyed alike to battery
All touchpoints (saddle, grips, pedals) seem to be the same from spec
The rear rack fits one Thule® Yepp Maxi, Yepp Nexxt Maxi, or Bobike® GO Maxi child seat—no adapters needed
Side-arm kickstand
Max vehicle weight capacity: 374 pounds
Max rider weight capacity: 264 pounds

Differences between models:

The HSD P9 uses a Shimano 1×9 Alivio drivetrain with an e-bike rated chain, a derailleur and Shimano disc brakes (180 front rotor, 160 rear rotor). Bosch Active Line Plus motor and 400Wh battery with Purion display.
The HSD P9 Performance is the same as the bike above but with a bigger motor (Bosch Performance) that gives great torque and assistance, this is found on their cargo bike line and a bigger battery at 500Wh.
The HSD S8i switches to a Gates Belt instead of a chain, Shimano internal 8 speed rear hub (the gears are inside the hub allowing you to shift when not pedaling or stopped), and Magura MT4 disc brakes (180 front rotor, 160 rear rotor). Same motor, battery, and controller as the P9.
The HSD S+ is a unique partnership with Enviolo to have the new AUTOMATIC shifting system. This required a new Bosch Performance line motor (more torque) and the Intuvia display. You also get the largest Bosch frame battery available at 500Wh, and a Cane Creek Thudbuster ST seat post. If you are in a hilly area or looking for truly hauling a kid I would look at a performance motor model.
New HSD S11 coming out in January 2021 (more info to come)

Overall Thoughts on the Tern HSD P9

The Tern HSD P9 is what I have had in and what this review is based on. Once my HSD S8i and S+ demo come in I’ll do a more detailed review on those specific models.

As I mentioned in my initial thoughts of the Tern HSD in this article, I named this the crossover electric bike and I really have high hopes for the HSD pushing the electric bike market into functionality. Electric bikes are wonderful but I’ve tried so many that the rear rack is subpar, and the bike is often designed around the sport rider instead of the “everyday” rider. The fact that Civia has put out a whole line of Bosch equipped bikes without lights and fenders designed for “everyday life” really annoys me as a retailer and daily rider. In contrast, I appreciate that Tern has been evolving as a company thinking about the buyer’s complete journey down to what they provide stock with the bike and the accessories they make in-house instead of relying on 3rd party options. For example, every single one of their electric bikes come with lights and fenders, and now the HSD comes with a rear-wheel lock that uses the same key as the battery. This is pretty standard for European bikes but pretty uncommon in the United States.

While I don’t believe the HSD will be for everyone, it has won over many customers. See all the way at the bottom for who I think the key owners of this bike will be.

Thoughts on the HSD P9 Specifically

The HSD P9 at $3200 has a good and reliable parts selection. Nothing too fancy that will cost a ton if you have to replace it due to wear, but also not too cheap that I would worry about the longevity of the bike. This specific build will be what I bring in for demos and rental use while the S8i will probably be my top seller.

As I mentioned, the HSD S8i will certainly be my goto bike in this line-up and already my top seller. For $600 more you get an internal hub, Gates belt drive, and much nicer brakes for carrying cargo. Depending on your attitude for maintenance, the S8i is pretty maintenance-free from month to month. You’ll need to pump up the tires, check your brake pad wear, and ride. The internal hub will need servicing but nothing I would be too worried about, I prefer the enviolo 380 for an internal hub but it would add money to the price.

Tern HSD vs Gazelle Medeo

There are many Bosch equipped bikes under $3,000 on the market. Last year I brought in the Gazelle line simply because they had a $2,500 Bosch equipped bike with fenders, lights, front suspension, and a rear rack. Simply put, that bike really let me down when it came to capability. It is a wonderful bike but the Magura rim brakes don’t do well if you are heavier than 200 pounds or want to tow something. The rear rack with battery mount is not Yepp seat compatible like Gazelle originally stated, and the battery up so high on 700c wheels make the bike very top-heavy. I will continue to keep the Gazelle Medeo on my floor for demo and if you are on a tight budget I still believe that it is a very good bike with a Bosch motor BUT I believe the Tern HSD checks more boxes, most of which I laid out in the “key takeaways” section above. Let me know if you want to see a Batch electric bike, Gazelle Medeo or EasyFlow reviews.

A quick recap of what makes me prefer the Tern HSD over the Gazelle Medeo: Yepp seat compatible, lower weight due to smaller wheels and lower battery placement, disc brakes, adjustability for multiple rider heights, built-in rear wheel lock that matches the battery key.

Tern HSD vs Tern Vektron

The Tern HSD is a much more comfortable ride compared to the Tern Vektron. In part this is due to the suspension fork but also the geometry of the bike. The seat tube angle is much more relaxed moving your weight further over the rear wheel instead of pitched over the handlebars. It is also worth mentioning the step-thru design is much lower at 18.5″ for the HSD vs 23.75″ for the Vektron. The Vektron is still a wonderful bike and a class leader for folding electric.

Kid Carrying on the HSD

I have tried a few different options for kid carrying (and very small adult carrying) which included the Sidekick handlebar and pad system, the Yepp Junior seat with EasyFit, the Yepp EasyFit, and pulling a Burley Trailer.

All options worked well, the larger the human the less I would like to do it all the time. I would say around 8-9 years old I would use it occasionally but it wouldn’t be my choice if I always had someone on the back of that size all the time. For example, if your main goal of this bike is to cart your 10-11 year old around, maybe this isn’t the bike for you.

For the Sidekick handlebar with a pad or Yepp Junior seat, I would require the Cargo Hold 37 bags so the person’s feet and legs are safe. The footrest design is pretty small, so unless you are carrying a child 8 or older I would use the bags still.

Future Passenger Kit and Double Kickstand?

Based on the bottom plate on the HSD and rumors of a new Passenger kit, I believe and hope the new Tern Atlas double kickstand will fit the HSD. This would be a requirement for me to regularly carry smallish children on the back, or if you plan on hauling a lot of cargo so you aren’t relying on a side-mounted kickstand. I’ll update this as I learn more.

Tern HSD with Luggage Truss and Tern Goto Bag

Speaking of Accessories

One of the reasons I really fell for this bike is the front bags and attachments. Specifically, the Go-To bag that attaches to the front using a Tern Luggage Truss™ adapter. Also, hidden on our demo bike is a “cache box” which isn’t released yet but I love that Tern is using this “dead” space for amazing new products.

Things I would change on the HSD

This is always a difficult section to write as these are very biased opinions. These are based on feedback from many test riders and my own experience from riding it in Colorado.

Bosch motor options

This bike needs a Performance motor option that isn’t tied to the automatic shifting price tag. For serious hills with a kid on board, I would want a higher torque/assist motor. June 2020 Update: They now have a P9 Performance option with a bigger motor!

The saddle is a bit wide

The saddle is wider than the Tern GSD, I assume to the more upright handlebar position. This was nice to some but many people found it too wide.

Pedals

I’m still not a fan of the Tern pedals for all-condition riding. They do just fine for fair weather riding but when it is wet I’ve had many customers complain about their feet slipping off.

Who I Think the Tern HSD is NOT For

I believe that just about anyone could find joy in the Tern HSD. It may be easiest to say who it is NOT for:

Someone looking to carry more than 1 human, or 140 pounds on the back
If you want a speed motor (new HSD S11 will help with that!)
If you want a throttle (Bosch doesn’t make throttle electric-assist motors)
If you need 2 batteries

Conclusion

No bike is absolutely perfect. As I finish writing this article, I picked up the phone to talk with Davey at G&O Family Cyclery in Seattle. His customer’s needs for the bike are completely different than what we experience in Denver, Colorado and it was fun to compare notes. I wish there was a more affordable Performance motor option, the kid hauling accessories were available now, and the handlepost was taller out of the box. Hopefully, all 3 of these things will fix themselves with time!

I can confidently say this bike is going to change the landscape of my bike shop due to the availability, pricing, and approachability of being able to go more car-light with the HSD. I no longer have to sacrifice “affordable electric bike” options on my floor that aren’t designed to carry a kid or daily life easily. The Tern HSD is designed for single occupancy use (one rider) just as much as it is for bringing the kid along, and due to the one size fits most a person could justify buying this bike and splitting the use between people of different height.

No longer do you need a dedicated cargo bike to haul one smaller sized child, and no longer do you need to sacrifice everyday errands of groceries or library books because they don’t fit in your standard size panniers.

I welcome this new crossover style of electric bike, and just like the Subaru Outback has changed peoples’ minds about how large of a car they need to be truly capable, I believe the HSD will change peoples’ minds about what they can do daily by bike.

Disclaimer: Since writing this article I have gone to work for Tern Bicycles. This article was written before this, and in no way biased. If anything – I went to work for them because they make such wonderful bikes!!

Surly Big Easy Electric Cargo Bike Review

Articles, Cargo Bike Reviews, Reviews

My, perhaps too candid, review of the Surly Big Easy ELECTRIC Cargo Bike. This is coming from riding it for over 200 miles, owning a cargo bike-focused shop, and servicing them for the last few months since they were released.

Earlier this year I brought in a Surly Big Easy as a demo bike, tried it in various conditions for 60 days, and then sold it to a wonderful friend and customer. I recently had the bike in for routine service and to add lights and do a general check over and I thought it would be a good time to do my full review. If video is your thing, scroll down to watch this review in video fashion!

Overview of the Surly Big Easy Electric Cargo Bike

$5,000
Longtail cargo bike for 2-3 kid hauling
Bosch Performance CX Electric Assist Motor
Class 1 – you must pedal and it assists you to 20mph
500Wh frame mount battery
26×2.5″ tires
1×11 drivetrain
Available in Small, Medium, Large
Full spec here

Video Review of the Surly Big Easy Cargo Bike

What Surly Got Right

Size-specific frames – This could be a big deal if you are taller! Surly makes the only size-specific cargo bike in the US market that I know of. Xtracycle used to make SM/MD and MD/LG but they now also make one size fits most.

Adventure-Ready Cargo Bike – If I was looking for an off-roading electric touring bike, this would probably be it. 26″ wheels and tires are readily available internationally, steel frame and fork with bosses everywhere and 4 piston brakes. If I was truly touring internationally I would switch to a more standard tire size than the 26″ x 2.5.

*Surly Big Easy with the Surly Trailer. Photo Credit: G&O Family Cyclery*

Dedicated Surly Trailer Hitch for Surly Cargo Bikes – What a cool thing Surly did where a cargo specific hitch for the Surly Ted and Surly Bill trailers slides into the lower side where lu-tubes normally mount. This makes the bike handle so much better and less jerky than the typical mounting style on the rear drop-outs.

Availability – Any bike shop in the United States that has a Quality Bicycle Products account (the parent brand of Surly and the largest bicycle parts supplier in the country) can get you this bike. If a shop or an employee or a friend of the shop wants a cargo bike, they can now order it pretty quickly from one of the 4 warehouses across the country. The bike shop doesn’t have to become a dealer of a large cargo bike brand. They don’t have to pay crazy shipping to get one bike to them. Once Surly (or other QBP brands) really dial in their cargo and electric bikes their availability could be game-changing for the movement!

High-Quality Build – This bike has a great build kit on it (see cons below on what I believe they left off). They gave you some of the best options available which has made the bike expensive but they are going the Tesla model, proof of concept with an exceptional product.

Surly Lovers Unite – If you love Surly, the ethos of the brand, and you want to leave your car at home more often, carry kids, carry a sofa, and want to go further, faster, with less sweat – there is a bike for you, my friend.

What Surly Missed Out on this Bike

$5,000 Price Tag – When Surly was a young brand, I remember that shop employees purchased their frames because it was affordable to build up a city fixie. This bike is the extreme opposite of those initial memories and brand building heroics of local bike shop employees across the world. I hope that they make an option with a Performance motor, 400Wh battery, and without bags. That could be close to $1,000 less.

Where are the Lights?! – Every single electric cargo bike I sell comes with lights. You turn on the bike and you have lights that run off your battery. You can even make it so the lights turn on when the bike turns on. The most affordable Bosch compatible lights are the Light & Motion Nip Tuck lights. $100 for the lights, extra for front and rear Bosch light plugs, labor for splicing and routing, extra if you want different mounting, and PLEASE NOTE – you must have a Bosch dealer turn on the light function in the motor hardware for the lights to work.

Dangerous 2nd Battery Mounting – I should mention that Surly includes a 2nd battery harness and y-cable with this bike. Typically it is $200+ extra from other brands (other than tern who includes it and installs it!) BUT I can’t because the placement of the 2nd battery is just simply dangerous. Mounting a $600-800 Li-ion battery under a bike isn’t new, Riese & Muller does it but that is on their city cargo bikes (which I’m not a fan of either). The Surly Big Easy is designed to be an off-road cargo bike. Even for daily city use, I wouldn’t ride a battery under my bike at the lowest point of the frame possible.

Single Arm Kickstand – Kickstands are a big deal in the world of cargo bikes. You want something that makes your bike rock solid as you load up bulky cargo or wiggly children. The stock kickstand honestly sucks and made me rather terrified when I was trying it with my 2 & 5-year-old. Unfortunately, we are very limited on options with this bike as the lower tube (the same that your 2nd battery would mount on) is oval and a bit more flat/wide than the Big Dummy so the Xtracycle Kickback won’t work and the Rolling Jackass (an uber-expensive kickstand) also won’t work. We have since installed a PDW Power Stance center mount kickstand (order here) with lock tight and it is working for my customer with his 8-year-old but this is still a huge fail for making this bike one I would readily recommend for my kid-hauling customers.

Other Things Worth Mentioning

Say No to Two Yepp Seats – Surly did not design the rear deck for mounting 2 Yepp seats, only one.

Say Yes to the Kid Corral – A great kid (or container) holding device. I like how it is modular but I wish it was modular without requiring unbolting on the deck.

Bags Scratch the Kids – I LOVE the Surly bags (full review on these later) but the velcro strips run inside of the bag if you have them folded on themselves as many people use them with kids. The velcro is the scratchy side of the velcro and I’ve heard from many kids about how it hurt them during test rides. I would personally just put some fabric on the velcro on the inside.

No Longer Xtracycle Compatible – The original Xtracycle Big Dummy non-electric bike was designed around the Xtracycle platform and accessories. The Big Easy is a big step away from that as you can see with their cargo deck and accessories. I don’t think it is necessarily bad as long as Surly keeps their accessories in stock. Some things will certainly work like bags, and pads.

They Forgot the Pedals – yep, this bike doesn’t come with pedals so budget $16-45 ($45 gets you my favorites!)

Who Should Try the Surly Big Easy?

Obviously anyone interested in a cargo bike should give this a chance but I’ve narrowed down who I think the ideal Surly Big Easy customer could be.

You want an electric, cargo, adventure making machine.

You are tall. The size large surly fits some of my 6’2-6’6 customers well (Depending on your leg to torso)

You want to use the Surly Trailer systems with a cargo bike.

You are a Surly diehard.

Conclusion

Surly, get a center-mounted dual kickstand that adjusts for the tire range people are going to use with this bike (make it an add on accessory for a reasonable price), design for 2 YEPP seats, move the 2nd battery mount, and add lights but keep the $5,000 price tag and you will have ringer!

This is a good first electric intro for the Surly brand. It’s not my recommendation for hauling 2-3 kids around for anyone under 5’8 (it sits up tall off the ground), if your kids can’t sit still (kickstand) or if you need a step-thru bike but if you are in the cargo bike market I would certainly give this one a try!

Cleary Meerkat 24″ 5-Speed Kid’s Bike Review

Articles, Kid's Bike Reviews, Reviews

I recently took delivery of a few relaunched Cleary Meerkat. After building them up I took the opportunity to take them for a long spin to see if they are worth the price tag. Here are my initial impressions and what I think of this sub $600 24″ kid’s bike.

Cleary Meerkat Details that Matter

Retail $594
28 pounds
Steel frame with a suspension-corrected fork
Relaunched with a 5-speed internally geared hub (more on that shortly)
Hydraulic disc brakes
1.95″ tires that would work on the road or for the child wanting to try out dirt. We wouldn’t recommend this tire long term for mountain biking but will be fine for trying it out.
Read full spec here https://www.clearybikes.com/products/meerkat-24-5-speed

Initial Impressions

What makes this bike different and is it worth $594? That’s really what we are here to talk about.

1. Internally Geared Hub

The Cleary Meerkat was initially launched in 2016 with an external rear derailleur. This is like most bikes you see – the gears are on the outside of the wheel with a large derailleur hanging down.

Fast forward and Cleary relaunched the Meerkat 24″ as a 5-speed internally geared and a 20″ Owl with 3-speeds internally geared. This matters because gears are hard for kids (and parents). Kids have trouble mastering a ton of gears in the back, remembering they have to be pedaling while shifting if using a derailleur system, AND a derailleur gets bent very easily if the bike is knocked over, dropped or maybe crashed on the right-hand side. You can eliminate most of those concerns by removing the derailleur and having an internally geared hub (the gears inside of the rear hub)!

The rear hub is made Sturmey Archer, a company that has been doing internally geared hubs for over 100 years! We found the shifter was easy for small hands to use, and a reliable gear difference of 25% between each gear. You can also change out the 19t cog on this between a 16 to a 22t. Depending on what type of riding your child is doing, we can change out the cog to make the whole system easier or harder for them. Our only initial complaint of this system is that the engagement on the hub when you pedal isn’t as quick as you would find in a standard freehub system but this isn’t something most people or kids would ever notice.

2. Hydraulic Brakes

What a cool feature for a sub $600 bike to have reliable and easy to maintain hydraulic brakes. The hose routing to the rear could use some work but nothing zip-ties can’t fix!

3. Rack and Fender Mounts

I listed this as a pro that the Meerkat comes with braze on mounts but I honestly haven’t been able to find racks or fenders that work!

Who Is This Bike For?

This is a thoughtfully built bike and we have honestly been impressed building this and the Cleary Owl 20″ 3-speed up. We love how low maintenance this bike is either for that budding mountain biking child or for around the neighborhood and city. You lube the chain and pump up the tires. No derailleurs to break, gears to adjust, or really even brakes thanks to a decent hydraulic setup. If we can nail down the rear rack and fenders than this would be an amazing commuter bike as well for the kid that is riding to school or maybe sports practices.

Conclusion

From my test riding and build of the bike, it is a top-quality bike that eliminates a lot of the headaches for children and the adults taking care of their bikes. The bike is on the heavier side at 28 lbs but it is built to be abused and passed down to the next kid. Depending on your child the additional few pounds of a steel frame and internally geared drivetrain is worth it for riding quality and versatility. The lack of a derailleur to bend when the bike is dropped or not having to figure out how pedaling while shifting may make the bike perfect for your child.

Quick Update 6 Months Later

This is one of my most popular 24″ bikes other than the price point Cannondale Quick 24. Why? It is designed to be bombproof. If you have multiple kids to pass this bike down to OR have a kid that is really getting into all sorts of riding and not just on the street then this bike may pay for the price difference pretty quickly. It is a bit heavy, so I would steer away from it if you don’t have the two things listed above.

Disclaimer: I purchased this bike and was not compensated for this review.

Tern GSD Electric Cargo Bike Review

Cargo Bike Reviews, Cargo Biking, Reviews

Tern GSD Electric Cargo Bike Header Image

The Tern GSD electric cargo bike is considered a midtail cargo bike, you can learn more about midtail cargo bikes over here. It isn’t too big but it is certainly more capable to carry things than a standard single occupancy bike due to the longer rear end.

The Tern GSD information was released in 2017 and was rated a top product by many media outlets. I finally took delivery of a review bike in mid-spring and much to Tern’s PR agency’s frustration – I wouldn’t give it back until our production model came in. (Sorry!!)

Key Details of the Tern GSD (Gen 1 version)

This is a mid-drive Bosch electric-assist cargo bike (motor is in the middle of the bike). It can carry 2 kids, uses 20″ wheels front and back, and has an aluminum frame with either 1 or 2 batteries mounted under the rear deck.

MSRP: $4,799 (two batteries) or $3,999 (one battery)

Riding and Using the Tern GSD

I had a preproduction Tern GSD for a couple of months and that truly shifted my outlook and requirements for cargo bikes.

Tern really did their homework on this bike and most importantly, they took feedback well and are implementing small changes quickly with each production run. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the GSD was the kick I needed to open a family and transportation bike shop (now closed). Finally – there is a good selection of readily available products to help families bike more and worry less – I just needed to create a bike shop experience to show them off!

Looking at the bike, the GSD has an uncommon look to it. The wheels are small and the frame has an angular step-through design. If you are too stuck on what a bike “should look like” then you may not get over the design of this bike. If you let go of these notions and embrace the electric, little bike, hauling machine. This bike will surprise you.

The little wheels make the bike seem less cumbersome. The shorter length and handlebar that folds out of the way allows it to be stored and transported easier than a long tail. Now the shorter length rear end doesn’t allow you to carry as much as say the Xtracycle Edgerunner that could carry 3 decent size kids and room for tons of bags or groceries in the side bag. The Xtracycle though is hard to transport or store and most importantly, it is sometimes TOO much bike for people, especially if you are smaller or ride in tight places. These are clear pros and cons to both and really come down to your particular needs.

I must also mention that the little wheels and the “midtail” design make this bike only slightly longer than a single-occupancy bike (SOB.) This matters for storage, carrying on bike racks, trains, and locking to bike racks. It also allows you to take the bike on more adventures in our experience than a typical cargo bike that doesn’t easily fit in the SUV or camper without taking up too much space or being taken apart.

Tern GSD length vs a normal bike – the same!

The ride quality is what I consider quick and stiff. This is great for efficiency and if you want a cargo bike that steers more like a single occupancy bike (SOB). The tires can be run at a lower PSI to add some cushion and I will be stocking suspension seatposts to help take the edge off if the bike is TOO stiff. In general, 90% of people that have ridden this bike love the ride quality. It feels like a normal bike, even with a load on the back compared to say a Yuba Spicy Curry or Xtracycle Edgerunner. The shorter length, smaller aluminum paired with 20″ wheels makes it handle better in dense (city) situations but does make the bike stiffer than the Xtracycle Edgerunner or RFA.

The Fit of the Tern GSD Cargo Bike

The GSD was designed around an electric motor which means that it wasn’t designed to make the rider super aggressive or in the “most efficient position” because that’s what the electric assist is for! The fit is easy to adjust with the multi-direction adjustable stem but in general, the fit is upright and comfortable. Why? An upright position allows you to see better in traffic and gives you a more stable platform to maneuver around with extra weight on the bike.

Tern GSD Andros Stem which is quickly adjustable

The handlebar has a nice sweep to it where the bar sweeps back towards the rider giving you a more ergonomic fit. Speaking of ergonomics, the Tern GSD comes with Ergon grips that have this nice natural fit to give you more support for your hands.

Parts Selection of the Tern GSD S10 Electric Cargo Bike

The components and “build” of this bike are where I started getting excited as a bike nerd. The bike is purpose-built to be used for mobility or simply – getting places. Accessories like fenders, kickstand, comfortable grips, a bell, and durable tires are standard.

This matters because those accessories add up to make a bike an actual functional daily commuter before adding on the accessories for your unique lifestyle like hauling kids or business supplies. It sometimes leads to difficult conversations to show a customer a great electric bike for $3,000 and then tell the person to make it reasonable to ride through the city of Denver every day they should upgrade the tires, lights, and fenders to add $200-400 to their bike.

The Products and Parts That Matter to Us and Why

Bosch Performance Line Mid-Drive Motor – If you listened to the podcast with Josh Hon you know that this little cargo bike was built from the ground up with the Bosch motor in mind. Bosch really has the market cornered right now for excellent electric motors and you’ll love the instant response it provides when pulling a heavy load.

20″ Wheels – This allows the bike to be lower to the ground for stability when you have 2 wiggling kids on the back. The step over of the frame is one of the lowest in class to carry 2 kids and it also allows for a stiffer yet playful ride because the smaller wheels turn quicker but are stiffer by design.

Gearing – Tern uses a 1×10 mountain bike drivetrain which is very common on electric cargo bikes. The Shimano Deore Shadow + rear derailleur is commonly used for aggressive mountain biking. It is very durable but also provides precise shifting for many miles. The “+” in the derailleur name means it has a lever that stiffens up the derailleur to stabilize the chain during bumpy terrain. If you ride over rough terrain or take the path less traveled then use this feature! It does slow down the shifting oh so slightly (most people don’t notice) and I wish more cargo bikes with an extra long chain had it.

Magura MT5 Brakes – I love Magura for their 4 piston brake calipers. These 4 pistons (vs 2) have a longer pad surface to really grab the 180mm rotors. Some shops aren’t too fond of Magura brakes because they aren’t as simple to set up. I, fortunately, have been using Magura on our mountain and city bikes for over 10 years and the setup is no problem.

Cockpit – The handlebar and seat post design were borrowed from Tern’s folding bikes like the Tern Vektron. The handlebar rear and height are easy to adjust on the fly with “Tern Andros (G2), adjustable, forged construction, patented technology” and the whole handlebar folds down for storage using a massive lever on the handlepost.

*Super easy and adjustable handlebar “stem”*

Boosted Wheels – “Boost” is a design feature borrowed from mountain bikes. The hub (center of the wheel) is wider than an atypical bike allowing the frame to be wider (stiffer/stronger) and the wheels have thru axles which also allow for a much stiffer wheel mounting than a quick release. This design was initially released for mountain bikes to help with limit flexing in the frame or fork when turning or braking. It makes the Tern GSD feel like a stiff cargo bike when under load and it also makes for a more durable wheel build.

Lights ALL The Time – I am a big fan of using lights all the time, just as cars have daytime running lights, I wish more bike riders would use lights during the day. Most good city electric bikes have built-in lights that run off the battery. The Tern lighting system is bright and a clean install.

Double the Battery, Double the Fun – The GSD is one of the few bikes equipped with Bosch’s latest Dual-Battery technology. You can connect up to two batteries for a range of over 155 miles *your miles may vary depending on what you are carrying, terrain, and speed. What is VERY cool is that if you buy a single battery GSD it already has the battery harness for a 2nd battery to save you time and money in the future. Most brands charge you $200-400 extra for this 2nd battery harness.

Hidden Battery – The batteries are cleanly tucked into the frame which is visually very appealing!

Tern GSD Accessories

Accessories are really what make or break a great cargo bike. As of the original posting of this review, I haven’t received all the newest accessories and will update in a couple of days once I have them in. Below is what I have tried and our feedback on the products, I will update as I try more accessories! Also, please note pricing for all things can change so check your local bike shop for the most updated pricing!

Yepp Seats – These aren’t Tern accessories but they are required to talk about because many people will be using the GSD to haul kids. The Tern GSD can hold TWO Yepp Maxi Easyfit seats with the adapter built into the frame. This is the only midtail cargo bike I know of that can do this.

Cargo Hold Panniers $150 – These are the massive side bags (sold as a pair) for the sides of your bike. They can be folded up and out of the way when not in use which is very slick. Yepp Maxi Easyfit seats can slide over the flap of these so that the kid’s feet are sticking inside of the bags. These bags (or something comparable) are a requirement in our opinion if you are carrying small kids without Yepp seats. It keeps their feet from the rear wheel. While the Tern GSD has the most protected rear wheel of any cargo bike without a wheel guard, I don’t chance it and do recommend a bag is there.

If you are carrying a lot of weight in these panniers I do recommend using the Sidekick Lower Deck to support the bags.

Sidekick™ Lower Deck $50 – Used as a footrest or to support the Cargo Hold Panniers

Sidekick™ Seat Pad $45 – Pretty straight forward seatpad that has an easy on/off mounting system. Use 2 pads to cover the entire GSD deck or 1 with a Yepp seat.

Sidekick™ Foot Pegs $25 – Give the kids (or adult) a place to put their feet. These fold in and out like a motorcycle footpeg.

Clubhouse™ $190 – This railing system keeps your kids or cargo contained. We will post a dedicated review of this once it comes in as the hoops/rails of a cargo bike are often the most loved/hated piece of long and mid-tail cargo bikes.

Sidekick™ Bars $60 – A mini-handlebar and stem that mounts to your seat post for a kiddo to hold on to. It comes with everything needed including grips and a built-in multitool!

Transporteur™ Rack $120 – An overbuilt front rack/basket to haul all the things – up to 44lbs of things!

Shortbed™ Tray $120 – If you are using the GSD for business or the business of hauling non-child cargo, this may be for you. It mounts to the frame of the GSD providing a wide platform and carries Eurocrates with ease.

Batten™ Straps $16 – I personally feel that bungee cords should be banned for safety concerns. Use a batten strap on all the cargo to batten down the hatches!

Who is the Tern GSD Cargo Bike For?

As I am in the business of getting more families on bikes I am often asked, “What is the right cargo bike for me?”

The Tern GSD to us is a bike that could fit into most households, this is opinion is based off being a family and transportation-focused bike shop. It isn’t too big but it can still haul a trunk load of groceries. You can carry 2 kids and all the camping gear. If you don’t have kids you need to tote then it works well as a single occupancy bike (SOB) that can carry all of your stuff like a computer bag, gym bag, lunch, and all while keeping you sweat free thanks to the Bosch motor.

I strongly believe the GSD will allow many households to go down to a single car. It will also potentially replace several bikes with just one bike. This can easily be your city, kid hauling, weekend enjoying, do-everything bike. Now, it won’t replace a road bike, you shouldn’t mountain bike on it and it isn’t fully enclosed for kids like the Urban Arrow for winter riding. Our youngest child (8 months as of writing this) can’t ride on the Tern GSD yet so I have the Urban Arrow with car seat adapter for him.

Who is This Bike NOT For?

If you want to carry all the kids until they are very big (check out the Xtracycle eSwoop)
You want a Class 3 electric bike that goes to 28mph
You want a classic looking electric bike (check out the eSwoop)
You want a more comfortable ride (check out the most recent Tern GSD with suspension!)
You want to start riding with kids really young (check out the Urban Arrow)

No Bike is Perfect

There are a few small quirks of the GSD that I should mention because no bike is perfect. Here is my list of “improvements”!

The kickstand isn’t the best we have tried but it certainly isn’t the worst. (Update: Check out the new Tern Atlas Kickstand that solves all of these issues!)
The rear light wiring comes a bit too close for comfort to the rear disc brake. This isn’t something a consumer would ever know about but I have personally been throwing an extra zip tie on the wiring so it doesn’t have the chance to move.
Ironically, I wish this bike came in a more classic color like black or white. This is completely different than what I said with the Tern Vektron review!

Additional Tern GSD Resources

Love the GSD but want something a bit smaller? Meet the Tern HSD

Our Tern HSD review is here

Read the Cargo Bike Guide

If you are just learning about cargo bikes, I do recommend reading through my cargo bike guide to help you with your cargo bike journey!

Disclaimer: First off, since writing this article I have gone to work for Tern Bicycles. This article was written before this, and in no way biased. If anything – I went to work for them because they make such wonderful bikes!! The blue/grey model was loaned to us by Tern as a pre-production sample.

Another disclaimer: The orange bike was my personal ride for a couple of years and we did switch out pedals. The grey model was preproduction.