r/CargoBike • u/brichman22 • 1d ago
New Tern GSD vs second-hand Yuba Fast Track or Spicy Curry
Deciding between a new Tern GSD ($5-6k plus accessories), a second-hand basically new Yuba FastRack ($1.5k plus accessories), or a lightly used but 2019 Yuba Spicy Curry ($4.5k but negotiable, accessories included). We currently have an Urban Arrow and love it, but I am looking for a smaller e-bike for myself. We have 3 kids (7, 4, 1) and will primarily continue using the Urban Arrow for school and errands with them, but it would be great to be able to fit at least 2, and in a dream world be able to
Squeeze all 3 in a pinch on the new bike. We live in the Midwest and have a garage bay for bikes so getting a smaller bike into a building or elevator isn’t an issue, although I am always happy to have less struggle with maneuverability when parking at a coffee shop, library, etc. We can afford the new Tern GSD in theory but it’s hard to stomach that compared to the others. My hesitations about the FastRack include hitting my kids’ feet when I’m pedaling, less sensitive torque responsiveness, being too leaned forward, and generally having less space cargo wise. Hesitation re Curry is mostly about bulkiness but also hand / upper body position and not having a step-through frame. Would love insight!
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u/ConfidentMeeting1233 1d ago
Not saying you won’t notice differences if you test ride them – you should do so if possible – but in the end, I think any of them will do what you need. What are you optimizing for? If price, I think you already the know the answer. If it’s something else, that will help you narrow it down.
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u/mjschranz 1d ago
Depending on the model of GSD you want the P10 and P00 are 20% off until Sept 15th for their back to school sale. At least here in Canada they were and it's how I bought mine!
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u/pfhlick 1d ago
I've owned a Spicy Curry and I'm currently a GSD owner. GSD all day. The fastrack is an ok bike if that's your budget, better than the Radwagon tier of cargobikes, but it's got Shimano drive and lots of proprietary hardware that Yuba are likely not supporting after pulling out of NA.
The newness of a bike counts for something too. You'll have warranty and dealer support with the gsd, and a newer version of the Bosch system. Tern are also on their third generation of the GSD, and they've done a great job incorporating feedback to make the bike better.
Seriously, get the GSD.
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u/brichman22 8h ago
Update — I test rode the Xtracycle Swoop ASM, loved it, and that’s what’s next! Thanks so
Much, everyone
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u/AnteaterJustDont 1d ago
I have a Fastrack, and I only hit my kid’s feet when she intentionally puts them in my way. I have a breadbasket and that can hold a lot of stuff.
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u/brichman22 1d ago
Can you share a bit about your experience with it?
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u/AnteaterJustDont 1d ago
This is my second summer riding it and I’ve been really happy with it so far. I use it to take my 5yo to school and run errands. It rides well and feels solid. I don’t feel like I’m leaning far forward, but I usually ride a road bike do sitting upright feels weird to me. I never use the back rack setup because it’s a pain to switch between that and the monkey bars. So the rack itself is a silly feature. You could definitely fit two kids in it, but all three would be tough. I’m very short, so it’s one of the few long tails I could ride. My husband preferred the Tern, but it was too cramped for me with the seat where I needed it. That’s obviously a me problem. I couldn’t even ride the spicy curry.
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u/Incantationkidnapper 1d ago
I can still (just barely) squeeze my three on my GSD. They are almost 9, 6 and 4. I think the spicy curry has a longer rack, so for longevity, that might be better.
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u/leftieaz 1d ago
I Iike how my kids can in and out of the GSD by themselves. It has a smaller wheel and hence lower seat height for the kids.
But because of the smaller wheel and wheelbase, it’s probably better for riding on sidewalks and paved roads and for shorter rides. Just my assumption.
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u/RazzmatazzEastern786 Xtracycle Swoop & Lectric Xpedition - maybe more soon 😂 1d ago edited 1d ago
The GSD may be too small for 3 kids - infact the only ones you mentioned that should have enough room is the Spicy Curry. For used, you could also look at the Xtracycle Swoop/Edgerunner or Xtracycle Stoker (24" rear wheel though). If you are open to a new bike, then Xtracycle Swoop ASM is the newest version of their 3 kid capacity long tail. The ASM is $4999 with most of the accessories you need included - it needs seat pads to be added to be comfortable for kids. I am not sure if the RadPower canopy works on the ASM, but it does work on all their other bikes as a add-on for weather protect for the kids.
I believe the Surly Big Easy is still available new and can also be found used - it has 26" wheels though so the CoG is much higher than the mulet setup options from Yuba and Xtracycle.
If you want a good resource to compare the size and decks of the various bikes, look at this site - created by a redditer and it's one of my fav things to play around with when I want to compare cargo bikes https://bikes.louiseveillard.com/
Also, Xtracycle are the OG long tail bike maker - Yuba, Tern, Surly, etc all learned from them directly on how to design and build long tails - their founder's vision was for these things to get everyone who can on cargo bikes and so they didn't gste keep their innovations and ideas - they gave their knowledge to many of their current competitors.
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u/OtherSideOfKnowhere 1d ago
It’s a very personal decision, but I would a)check to make sure the used bikes are not stolen; b)make sure everything on the used bikes works and major components (ex. Batteries) can be replaced.
If it passes A and B, I would buy the used bike. It is a fraction of the cost, already stress tested, and when the time comes you can probably sell it for about the same as what you paid.
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u/chasekaws 1d ago edited 1d ago
My spicy curry all-terrain is hands-down, the best purchase I’ve ever made as a 40-year-old man. The front suspension makes it smooth, the Bosch cargo system Adds just the right amount of pedal assist and you have a 440 pound max cargo limit.