Urban Arrow Family Cargo Bike Tips and Tricks

May 15, 2020

Are you looking to buy an Urban Arrow Family cargo bike, or did you recently buy one? Today I’m covering my top 10 tips to help you get started with this great cargo bike. Don’t forget to add your own in the comments.

Video of these Tips

1. Program Your Key and Phone Number

Before you leave the shop, make sure your Urban Arrow dealer has programmed your battery and frame lock key code AND your phone number to the bosch motor. This is something only a Bosch Dealer can do and should be done before you leave the store. You can ensure this has been done by checking the printout of your diagnostics report, which your dealer should also provide you with your new bike.

2. Adjusting Your Seat Height

This seat height tip is for any cargo bike.

Starting with a new cargo bike or a test ride, I recommend having your seat height slightly lower than normal so you can confidently touch the ground on both sides. The Urban Arrow Family is an electric assist bike, so for your first test ride or a few rides getting used to the bike, it isn’t as critical that your seat height is perfect. As you get used to the bike, raise the seat, but initially, I want you to feel confident to have both feet touching the ground to balance the bike when you stop and get started.

3. Handlebar Fit

Adjust your handlebars to be comfortable AND confident. Not too high so your shoulders wear out, and not so low that your weight is on your hands.

4. Grips and Brake Lever Fit

Now that your handlebars are in a good place, adjust your grips using a 4 mm or 3mm Allen to rotate them so your wrist is comfortable and in line with your arm. Once your grips are in place, you want to do the same thing with your brakes, making sure everything is in the same plane.

Finally, you can also adjust the distance your brake lever is from your finger or the reach so you can comfortably pull on the brakes without stretching.

5. The Kickstand

My next tip is to use and adjust the kickstand. The Urban Arrow kickstand is amazing and steady if used properly. To engage, reach down with your foot and push it down while pulling back with your bike. When parking your bike, ensure you are on level ground, and the bike is never pointed down a hill.

If the kickstand gets sticky to use over time, there are four bolts on either side of the kickstand clamps. Carefully loosen and test the kickstand snap over and over again. I also take the clamps off and clean them after a hard winter of riding. It can be dangerous if you loosen these clamps too much, as it can allow the bike to roll back over the kickstand.

6. Shifting

Most of the Urban Arrow Family line uses the enviolo continuously variable transmission. The basic idea is that your gears are in the rear hub and the gears don’t have steps in between and just adjust infinitely from one end to the other. This allows you to fine-tune your shifting without looking for that next click, and you can shift if you are at a stop. You turn away from you to make it easier, and then you rotate towards you like a throttle on a motorcycle to make it harder and go faster.

For proper shifting, try not to shift under load going up that huge hill.

7. Basic Ebike Functions

Click here to learn how to remove/install your Bosch Battery.

8. Bosch Walk Function

Most newer urban arrow bikes have a walk function. This is where you can press a combination of buttons, and your bike will slowly propel itself forward without you pedaling. Watch the video above to learn how to use this!

9. Bike Locking System

Your Urban Arrow comes with a frame lock that holds the key when the lock is open. This makes it so you ALWAYS have a lock, but this key is also the key to your expensive battery, so always take your key with you. This key has numbers, allowing you to order a new key if you lose yours. I program this key number on to each bike’s motor along with the customers’ phone number.

10. PRACTICE!

If you plan on riding with a super-young child, please ride this bike or any cargo bike in various conditions so you are confident. My wife made me ride 100 miles with my first cargo bike before putting my 7-month-old baby in it. I can ride the Urban Arrow family with my 80-pound dog wiggling around in the front, with just my right hand and my left hand holding a coffee. Once you know how to ride it, it is a brilliantly steady bike, but please practice!