Eurobike 2022 Recap
By Jenna, Operations Director
This July, Davey and I were able to visit Eurobike for the second time. This year the event was hosted in Frankfurt. I haven’t visited much of Germany, or Europe, but even just the small part of Frankfurt we saw was great. Yes, there was a lot of traffic (we were in the city center), but there was bike infrastructure all over the place. And there were SO MANY bikes. We saw Riese & Mullers, Urban Arrows, and Terns all over the city, as well as tons of other electric, conventional, and not-so-conventional bikes. (On a side note, the transit nerd in me loved the train and tram system. Our tickets to the show included a transit pass which was a very nice touch!)
I’ve collected my thoughts on a lot of the things we saw and tried at the show. Here’s a summary of what we learned and got excited about!
Riese & Muller
Packster 70
The Packster 70 is returning! R&M addressed the issues with a few changes to the steering mechanism and fork. They’ve begun refurbishing the bikes that were recalled, which is in line with their sustainability values. They’ve also redesigned the current version to provide a bit more room between the pedals and the cargo box to prevent toe strike, as well as some other small but useful improvements. We were happy to see that they are offering a Packster 70 Family model that includes the kid-carrying accessories we love at an all-in-one price. Let us know if you’d like to hear more about that spec! Oh, and we can’t forget the Control Technology option - make your Packster 70 a full suspension cargo bike!
Transporter 65 & 85
Our customers have logged a lot of miles on their original Packster 60s and 80s, so you’ll understand our excitement about that frame design being redesigned into the Transporter line. The 65 is a 2 kid (or large dog) hauler with a shallow footwell and a very handy entry door. We were told to expect a simple redesign of the rain canopy, but it wasn’t available to see. The 85 is focused more on cargo or business use with a few different lockable boxes that will be available. It could be a great option for a fleet bike, easy to ride and you’ve got the support of R&M and Bosch!
Multitinker
We’ve been waiting for the Multitinker to be public knowledge for a while now: a 20” wheel compact cargo bike (you know we love those) built by Riese & Muller! The rear rack is rated to about 140lbs and is designed to fit two small children. There is a full-surround Safety Bar or a more minimal Passenger Kit. We are waiting to get confirmation on which child seats will fit on the rack. There’s a handy built-in locking cargo pouch in the frame for your essentials. The steering mast is the same adjustable one we have liked using on the Load and the Tinker, it can adjust up and down as well as fore and aft. There are definitely some big differences between the Multitinker and the GSD, and we’re looking forward to comparing these bikes side by side.
Load4
The Bosch Smart System is coming to the Load! The new Load4 will be available as a class 1 or class 3, with the touring or vario drivetrain, and will have two battery options (but no dual battery support). They’ve made a few small changes and added a couple of cargo-specific box options. There’s also a new color, Peanut Matte.
Multicharger
The Multicharger is getting some redesigned bags and a new spec level called Family that gets you a kid-hauling set up for a great price!
Urban (UBN) Line
We were super curious to try R&M’s first non-Bosch release and were pleasantly surprised! The Urban Line bikes are designed to be sleek, lightweight, and powerful bikes to get around the city on. Using a Fazua motor, the bikes come in around 44 pounds (not much heavier than my conventional touring bike…). The motors were sporty, and the riding position was comfortable. The displays can be super minimal or use a custom app and mount for your phone for more data. The bikes won’t be available until later in 2023, and we haven’t decided if they fit into our line-up, but we’re excited to learn more about them!
Tern
Quick Haul
I am SO excited about this bike. I actually had an order in for one before trying it out, and now I’m even more excited. The Tern Quick Haul has a bit of a different fit than the GSD or HSD. It has a “speed-lift” adjustable steerer that raises and lowers your stem, but doesn’t adjust the reach. This gave it a roomier feel in the cockpit, which I loved. It also means customizing your fit with a different stem or handlebar is an option! While we didn’t get to try it with any cargo or on rough pavement, it felt stable and responsive. The rigid fork helps keep the weight down, but it might not be for everyone. We weren’t able to try the P9 Performance version, but it felt surprisingly sporty with the Active Line Plus motor. This bike seems like a very capable and affordable option for folks who will be primarily using it for cargo instead of a passenger. We could see a few of these sooner than we thought…
NBD
The NBD is adorable! And it’s very easy to get on and off, as advertised. The cafe lock and battery placement are well thought out for ease of use. Again, we didn’t get a chance to try it out on any hills or rough pavement, so we will have to put it through its paces when we get some in at the shop.
Short Haul
Davey rode this bike a lot and loved it. It’s essentially a non-electric version of the Quick Haul. It doesn’t have the speed-lift steerer. And it will have an optional bag mounted where the battery would be. We don’t plan on stocking this bike, but we’d be happy to special order for folks looking for a fairly lightweight, compact, cargo bike.
Urban Arrow
Urban Arrow’s new 2022 model bikes arrived at the shop just as we were leaving, and we now have the new model available for demo in the shop!. At the show, they had some new accessories on display that we’re excited about. One is a rear rack that is designed specifically to carry up to two children’s bikes! Bag and drag without the bag! And the other is a headrest attachment to keep your passengers comfy. Urban Arrow’s distribution to the US tends to run pretty behind the European market, so we don’t have an ETA on the new items.
Lumos
MATRIX HELMET
Davey has been a big fan of the Lumos Matrix for a while now and he was happy to meet the Lumos team. They told us about some upcoming improvements to the fit and packaging of the Matrix and Street helmets. They’re working on an E-bike specific Ultra helmet that meets the Dutch NTA-8776 standard for higher speed bikes. And the thing that really got Davey going was the upcoming Firefly lights. These bluetooth-controlled lights can be head or tail lights, they connect to the same remote to be used as turn signals, and multiple can be synced together to add visibility all over your bike. We love the idea of turn signals on the back or sides of a box bike or mounted the back of your rack or bags on a longtail. Plus, the folks there were really nice and excited about their products. We love that!
Other Brands We Love
Bicicapace
One of the best parts about going to shows like this is seeing the friends (and bikes) we’ve made from around the world. Davey loves the bikes that Bicicapace makes in Italy.
Here’s what he had to say:
“Wheeeeeeee! This sensible and lovely and classic steel cargo bike company has been a passion of Davey Oil’s for years and years! The team at Bicicapace, Francesco and Valentina Lombardi, are delightful and enthusiastic family bikers who use the bikes and bags that they make to live their best lives in Milan, Italy.
Just like so many of us, the Bicicapace family solves problems with their bikes as tools, and customizes those tools through their use. The special thing about the Lombardis is that they can build new bikes, and incorporate e-assist from Bosch and Shimano to make them even more useful! What a special bike manufacturer!
Bicicapace has grown and refined their offerings over more than ten years. Italy is not a cargo bike hotbed, and Europe has always leaned more towards front-loading cargo than long and midtails, at least until very recently. Also, almost every new ebike is made of aluminum, and Bicicapace’s steel bikes are designed to emphasize the robust frame construction and especially smooth ride that that material provides.”
Chike
Davey Oil has not been able to shut up about this banking trike from Chike Cargo Bikes since he tried it at the Eurobike show in 2019!
Tricycles are tough in a hilly place like Seattle. If they don’t allow the rider to bank, or lean side to side and steer and center their weight by shifting their hips, they can be very unstable at downhill speeds and pretty dangerous, especially while cornering!
The Chike has a special place among banking trikes in that it is not a huge beast of a cargo bike, but it can carry a good amount of cargo and passengers! In part this is due to the smaller wheels and the more lightweight construction.
The Shimano Steps assist provides an excellent compliment, giving the Chike a powerful and fun ride.
Final Thoughts
We know that traveling to trade shows and visiting brands we love is a huge privilege and we take it pretty seriously. We can’t wait for future shows and we also can’t wait for there to be a show in the US with such a large cargo and electric bike presence!
2023 looks to be a big year for the sorts of bikes we love most. It might be weird to start talking about next year in August, but this is the change of seasons for the industry. We have already started making big plans. We are so excited for you all to try these bikes!