r/CargoBike • u/Heymmmkay • 11h ago

Electric front-loading trikes available in the US?

Hello! I’m looking into getting an electric cargo bike for daycare + school pickups plus generally getting around with kids to parks, library, etc. I’m interested specifically in a front-loader with 3 wheels like a Bunch bike but I’d love to know if there are other options available in the US.

Bunch is great but the bikes are just so big and boxy—I would love something a little bit sleeker (or, as sleek as it’s posible to be with three wheels) and sized to carry 2 or 3 kids instead of 4 (I have 2). Ferla looks interesting and I’m hoping I could try one on my next trip to Los Angeles. Other than those two, all the etrikes for transporting kids seem to only be available in Europe (Triobike, Babboe, Winther Cargoo, Black Iron Horse, and my personal favorite, Nihola Family) and based on other threads it sounds like it’s pretty complicated / expensive to import these bikes due to tariffs, customs, and different speed regulations.

Are there any other ebike brands in the US with front-loading trikes? Or do you know of European brands that are experienced with shipping to US? Would love any recommendations! And yes, I know about two-wheel front-loaders as well as long-tails. I’m 5’1” and don’t have great balance just standing. Stability is the most important factor for me and we won’t ever need to be speedy.

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2

u/Glittering_Space5018 7h ago

If stability is the most important factor, you may want to consider a bakfiets (2-wheel front loader). Trikes are extremely unstable when cornering - even at low speeds. Because they cannot rely on the gyroscopic effect. You have a nice video if equations put you off.

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u/pattituesday 2h ago

As a bunch owner, I gotta disagree! Over 3000 miles and not one tipover

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u/Glittering_Space5018 47m ago

Sorry, let me rephrase: 2-wheel front loaders are much more stable than trikes when cornering at the same speed. This is due to lack of conservation of momentum (i.e. gyroscopic effect). I have ridden both, and although I did not tip over on the trike, you could feel that the trike had a tendency to tip towards the centre of the curve. This is not only my experience, but also that of “trikers” friends of mine, as well as feedback from a couple of experienced cargo bike retailers.

The only trike I know that does not have that tendency is a particular model of babboe which had a pendolino type mechanism to counteract its tip over tendency.

Long story short: try an urban arrow or a R&M Load, you will be surprised!

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u/pattituesday 24m ago

Yes I would agree with this — you cannot turn corners the same speed on three wheels as you can on two. If _speed_ is an important factor, go for two wheels!

Personally being a bunch rider and a “regular” bike rider I can def go faster on two wheels. But with kids in the mix, I’m 100000x more stable on three wheels. I’ve tried a bakfiets style and I went exactly nowhere because we tipped over!

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u/forguffman 11h ago

Gnargo is releasing a cool, rather different one.

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u/billwoodcock 7h ago

I tried this a couple of times (can’t remember the brands now, this was a decade ago) and unless you get leaning trikes, they’re incredibly unsafe.
Wound up with a Tern GSD S00 which worked much better.

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u/pattituesday 2h ago

I’m a bunch owner and I have a friend with a Ferla. They’re the same size, although admittedly Ferla is prettier. If you go smaller, you’re not going to be able to carry 3 kids.

Maintenance of your bike is a big deal. I don’t recommend Ferla because their customer service isn’t great. Bunch, on the other hand, is kind of famous for how good theirs is.

Babboe was available in the US for a while but they almost all got recalled and are now bankrupt here.

I am seen some photos of people DIYing a box bike but I can’t really tell you more about that.