I love how you break down who Riese & Müller even is! I've watched so many videos on the Load series but few with why the cost are so justified with R&M's process! Thank you!
This is a frank and genuinely helpful video on cargo bikes on whole and Riese & Müller specifically. Prospective buyers are well-served by your expertise, personal experience, and candor.
Thanks for your opinion, very happy to hear some downsides of this bike as well that were not pointed out in other places 👌 Carrying 3 kids deserves some applause 👏
Great review. The elephant in the room is of course the initial purchase cost, but as time goes by, there should be an increasing second hard market. And folks often forget to include insurance, registration, fuel, and higher repair costs when comparing against a car.
Looooove my Load 75. So much so I've been watching videos, like your's, about the Load4 as I'm pondering a 2nd to pair with my existing for many reasons! Thanks for the details, thoughts, and more - solid video!
Great video, Arleigh. R&M makes me envious and a little sad that these fantastic bikes have such a seemingly high initial cost bar. Perhaps lease to own, payment plans, or even employer/state incentive plans can more easily allow people to try to venture into the car free living that a Load offers. On a trip through PNW recently we encountered Bend Electric Bikes where they stock and test ride R&M, Larry vs. Harry, Tern, Benno, Specialized, Gazelle giving folks a multitude of different styles of Long John and rear loading cargos to choose from. They also have an Urban Arrow rental to help you see the difference. They're even located along a trail, and offer rentals to spend time getting to know the bike before such a big purchase. Speaking to an employee, folks travel from out of state to get this excellent buying experience.
We have a community scheme which was originally set up to hire out conventional electric bikes but now also has two cargo bikes -- a Load 4 75 and a Tern GSD. Personally I greatly prefer the Load to the Tern, but I think the principle of having them as community assets is a good one. They are VERY expensive for one household, and unless you're using them to take children to school, or working as a tradesman and using them to transport tools and materials, you aren't going to need one more than once or twice week. So provided you can be confident that a communal asset will be well cared for, owning it communally is not a bad idea.
I live in the UK and I wish there were more community cargo bike rental schemes here. Many times such a bike would replace a car for specific needs. I think ultimately they represent a better future for the community and the environment. Thanks for the great video 🙏🏿
@@davidwebber7941 David, I don't know where in the UK you are, but if you're anywhere near south-west Scotland you'd be most welcome to come and talk to us about our scheme.
Not sure if this is within the scope of what you'd consider, but I'd love to see a video on solutions for bringing kid's bikes along, while riding a cargo bike, for those whose kids are in that overlap age where they'd like to ride some of the time, but won't make it the full distance, or where the route may not be kid-friendly riding the whole way!
We did rides using the load. First was one kid 1 on his own bike all the time, kid 2 in the cargo bike with running bike. Ortlieb bags everywhere, the other adult used a bike with front loaders. We didn't manage to pack tents so we stayed at Airbnb and stuff, but had a kitchen. Second time we had tents and sleeping bags and everything, kid 2 on own bike but still struggling with the distance. First traveling day I helped by pushing, second day we had a road we didn't want her to ride on so we managed to strap the bike on the front and find a place for her to exist. That setup was so nice for kid 2 we struggled to get her back on the bike. Day 3 of cycling didn't happen as kid 1 got sick :-(
Very useful particularly the understanding about comfort for your kids, behaviour of the suspension under load and loading limitations. i think this is important because there are no shops around that will carry a selection of similar bikes to try. I think the largest local bike shop has one model.
Excellent and unbiased review! As someone who owned both a Packster and Load, there are definite tradeoffs you make when you choose one vs. the other. I ended up keeping and committing to the Load 4 75 - and love it! - but I do yearn for the more ample storage space of the Packster (and UA) when I have to pack the bike for a long day trip of birthday parties, etc. One thing you hinted at and I'll confirm is that the Load is *not* the easiest monster to handle when not moving. Getting it in and out of the garage and around tight corners is.... challenging. If you really value getting in and out of tight spots, the Packster is so much more capable! Now with the Packster 2 w/ suspension, the lines are blurring between the product offerings. The Load is such an exceptional driving machine that it's really hard to stay away from it once you take it for a test drive. However, IMO, if the Packster ever gets a HS Rohloff or Pinion offering, I'd go that route. Listening, @rieseandmuller? 🚲😇
Got the Load 75 Vario with three seats, footwell, and canopy. This bike rides really well and is a lot of fun for me and my toddler. I've put 3000km on it in 11 months.
Really interesting video, I'm currently waiting on delivery of my custom ordered Riese & Muller Multicharger 2 Vario. I did a lot of internet research to find my perfect e-cargo bike and they fit the bill. I then tried one close in spec to what I wanted in a local cargo bike shop and liked it enough to pay the premium for this brand. I'll be transporting my 5 year old on it so the mid-tail bike seemed like the perfect option. I have been really glad that they have announced the rain cover for rear passengers and I'll get that as soon as available. However it's taken more than 12 weeks to arrive from Germany since ordering, to Australia it's more like 4 months. Indeed it just arrived at the dock yesterday and will not be passed on to the shop for another 2 weeks, which is only 10km from the port. Also you do pay a premium for an R&M bike, these are far from cheap. I'm taking the long view and went with it, it will be my only form of transport other than public transport but I am hopeful it will mix well with our lifestyle and I'm excited for it to finally arrive. Loving your channel, keep going and I hope it grows as it deserves to.
@@BikeShopGirl I will do. Not long to go. And a quick question for you, what is the bar mirror you are using on the load here? I'm definitely want to fit a good bar mirror on mine.
Wow, i watched so many videos on this (because I can only order it online but not try in the local shop) and your review is the first one which is truely helpful and sincere! Thanks for your work
I’m pretty sure you can adjust the suspension based on weight. But maybe it’s just rider weight and not cargo weight. Great to finally see a real honest review of this and not just a “review” showing the bikes features as a bike shop would.
There’s some basic adjustments you can make by handThe front is just tightening a spring, the rear is actually tightening the coil but is a pain to do on the fly at school or grocery pick up.
I tried it and the UA but the UA impressed me more mainly because of the space and proper car seat set up. made more sense! the suspension would have been nice though!
@BikeShopGirl road a UA for 5 years and just recently tried the Load 4, great ride, great bike, the box is too small to be useful for us. my oldest still fit in the UA box with their gigantic 5 year old brother at 11, they couldn't both get in the load at all, much less take a ride. The oldest rides themselves anyway, but it was funny to note how big a difference in box size there is. They would've outgrowing the load in a year, the UA really is the best family front loader for us
I love my Load 60, however, front wheel wobble is an issue. I can be a bit disconcerting when it happens. It’s significantly reduced when using max tire pressure and easing your death grip on handlebars.
@@BikeShopGirl I feel like that has to be, at least in part, a function of the 5 or 6 brands available here compared to the dozens available across the EU. It's a chicken and eouf problem.
None of them are built for safety, to be honest. I prefer the Urban Arrow simply due to the depth and foam all around incase I tip the bike over. If any of these come in contact with a car it will be terrible.
Best thing on wheels ever made, but it does have a few weaknesses as equipped from the factory. Fortunately, they can all be fixed. The most glaring two are the control ergonomics and the fork. The first is easy: ditch the narrow, flat, no-sweep-having original one and put on something like an Ergotec Riser 50 Comfort, plus replace the lame-o grips, cheap pedals, and bulbous saddle while you're at it. The second takes a bit more doing, but is totally worth it. The bike comes with the crappiest joke of a fork ever; this not only seriously compromises the handling and ride quality, but the slop in the "seals" lets water straight in and allows enough side-to-side play to cause headshake (a.k.a. speed wobbles / death wobbles) that can be severe enough to cause a loss of directional control. (The rear shock is disappointingly low-quality, too, but at least it sorta does its job.) So the Suntour Mobie is completely unsuitable, but replacing it with something worthy of this amazing bike transforms it into something magical. In my experience using 120 mm of air travel with the Maintou J-Unit via an EC44 headset: Handling and ground clearance improve, passenger ride comfort vastly increases, pedal strikes are reduced, and it's just generally a lot more confidence-inspiring and safer to ride.
We have Load4 75 and it has been pretty nice but yeah, probably max 2 children comfortably as the footwell is really small. I dislike the kids safety belts the most as the adjustments are so awful and sizing is weird. Some have modded the basic Y-seatbelts similar to UA and Bakfiets and I'll probably have to do the same.
I have a love hate relationship with their straps. They are superior to the Urban Arrow IMO because they have waist straps, but they need more adjustability. The head rest on all front loader seats really need to accommodate helmets...
@@BikeShopGirl I have been absolutely loving my front loader @yubabicycles Supermarche. It's shockingly speedy, has a very low center of gravity, a HUGE bucket, the riding stance is athletic but not aggressive, has wide handlebars, and the rear rack can hold a kiddo.
I love how you break down who Riese & Müller even is! I've watched so many videos on the Load series but few with why the cost are so justified with R&M's process! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
This is a frank and genuinely helpful video on cargo bikes on whole and Riese & Müller specifically. Prospective buyers are well-served by your expertise, personal experience, and candor.
Thank you!
Thanks for your opinion, very happy to hear some downsides of this bike as well that were not pointed out in other places 👌 Carrying 3 kids deserves some applause 👏
Excellent review. I lived in Germany for 15 years and grew to appreciate these bikes.
Thank you! What part of Germany?!
Great review. The elephant in the room is of course the initial purchase cost, but as time goes by, there should be an increasing second hard market. And folks often forget to include insurance, registration, fuel, and higher repair costs when comparing against a car.
100%. My hope is that R&M do a good job of keeping parts for the bikes to last a long time.
Looooove my Load 75. So much so I've been watching videos, like your's, about the Load4 as I'm pondering a 2nd to pair with my existing for many reasons!
Thanks for the details, thoughts, and more - solid video!
Great video, Arleigh. R&M makes me envious and a little sad that these fantastic bikes have such a seemingly high initial cost bar. Perhaps lease to own, payment plans, or even employer/state incentive plans can more easily allow people to try to venture into the car free living that a Load offers.
On a trip through PNW recently we encountered Bend Electric Bikes where they stock and test ride R&M, Larry vs. Harry, Tern, Benno, Specialized, Gazelle giving folks a multitude of different styles of Long John and rear loading cargos to choose from. They also have an Urban Arrow rental to help you see the difference. They're even located along a trail, and offer rentals to spend time getting to know the bike before such a big purchase. Speaking to an employee, folks travel from out of state to get this excellent buying experience.
Bend Electric is a great shop!
I hope we see more enthusiastic e-bike shops opening.
We have a community scheme which was originally set up to hire out conventional electric bikes but now also has two cargo bikes -- a Load 4 75 and a Tern GSD. Personally I greatly prefer the Load to the Tern, but I think the principle of having them as community assets is a good one. They are VERY expensive for one household, and unless you're using them to take children to school, or working as a tradesman and using them to transport tools and materials, you aren't going to need one more than once or twice week. So provided you can be confident that a communal asset will be well cared for, owning it communally is not a bad idea.
I live in the UK and I wish there were more community cargo bike rental schemes here. Many times such a bike would replace a car for specific needs. I think ultimately they represent a better future for the community and the environment. Thanks for the great video 🙏🏿
@@davidwebber7941 David, I don't know where in the UK you are, but if you're anywhere near south-west Scotland you'd be most welcome to come and talk to us about our scheme.
Not sure if this is within the scope of what you'd consider, but I'd love to see a video on solutions for bringing kid's bikes along, while riding a cargo bike, for those whose kids are in that overlap age where they'd like to ride some of the time, but won't make it the full distance, or where the route may not be kid-friendly riding the whole way!
We did rides using the load. First was one kid 1 on his own bike all the time, kid 2 in the cargo bike with running bike. Ortlieb bags everywhere, the other adult used a bike with front loaders. We didn't manage to pack tents so we stayed at Airbnb and stuff, but had a kitchen. Second time we had tents and sleeping bags and everything, kid 2 on own bike but still struggling with the distance. First traveling day I helped by pushing, second day we had a road we didn't want her to ride on so we managed to strap the bike on the front and find a place for her to exist. That setup was so nice for kid 2 we struggled to get her back on the bike. Day 3 of cycling didn't happen as kid 1 got sick :-(
I put a trailer bike on my UA using a Follow-me trailer attachment. It's fantastic and let's you put a rider on the back and still use the rack
Very useful particularly the understanding about comfort for your kids, behaviour of the suspension under load and loading limitations. i think this is important because there are no shops around that will carry a selection of similar bikes to try. I think the largest local bike shop has one model.
It certainly is frustrating to see the lack of shops getting behind cargo bikes. Hopefully the next 5 years will change that!
Excellent and unbiased review! As someone who owned both a Packster and Load, there are definite tradeoffs you make when you choose one vs. the other. I ended up keeping and committing to the Load 4 75 - and love it! - but I do yearn for the more ample storage space of the Packster (and UA) when I have to pack the bike for a long day trip of birthday parties, etc. One thing you hinted at and I'll confirm is that the Load is *not* the easiest monster to handle when not moving. Getting it in and out of the garage and around tight corners is.... challenging. If you really value getting in and out of tight spots, the Packster is so much more capable! Now with the Packster 2 w/ suspension, the lines are blurring between the product offerings. The Load is such an exceptional driving machine that it's really hard to stay away from it once you take it for a test drive. However, IMO, if the Packster ever gets a HS Rohloff or Pinion offering, I'd go that route. Listening, @rieseandmuller? 🚲😇
I love the packster! Especially the combo of the boxes Splendid Cycles has.
Got the Load 75 Vario with three seats, footwell, and canopy. This bike rides really well and is a lot of fun for me and my toddler. I've put 3000km on it in 11 months.
@@lighthunter1980congrats on the bike!
Really interesting video, I'm currently waiting on delivery of my custom ordered Riese & Muller Multicharger 2 Vario. I did a lot of internet research to find my perfect e-cargo bike and they fit the bill. I then tried one close in spec to what I wanted in a local cargo bike shop and liked it enough to pay the premium for this brand. I'll be transporting my 5 year old on it so the mid-tail bike seemed like the perfect option. I have been really glad that they have announced the rain cover for rear passengers and I'll get that as soon as available.
However it's taken more than 12 weeks to arrive from Germany since ordering, to Australia it's more like 4 months. Indeed it just arrived at the dock yesterday and will not be passed on to the shop for another 2 weeks, which is only 10km from the port. Also you do pay a premium for an R&M bike, these are far from cheap.
I'm taking the long view and went with it, it will be my only form of transport other than public transport but I am hopeful it will mix well with our lifestyle and I'm excited for it to finally arrive.
Loving your channel, keep going and I hope it grows as it deserves to.
I’m excited to hear about your new bike! It seems that all bike shipments to Australia add 4-8 weeks :/
Please keep me posted on your new bike 🎉
@@BikeShopGirl I will do. Not long to go. And a quick question for you, what is the bar mirror you are using on the load here? I'm definitely want to fit a good bar mirror on mine.
Wow, i watched so many videos on this (because I can only order it online but not try in the local shop) and your review is the first one which is truely helpful and sincere! Thanks for your work
Glad it was helpful!
Those things are so cool! They are really big though so they have to go home every time.
Very true!
Seeking content on notable differences between the Carrie and Load 60. Thanks!
So many, they really aren’t comparable other than the same manufacturer :)
I’m pretty sure you can adjust the suspension based on weight. But maybe it’s just rider weight and not cargo weight.
Great to finally see a real honest review of this and not just a “review” showing the bikes features as a bike shop would.
There’s some basic adjustments you can make by handThe front is just tightening a spring, the rear is actually tightening the coil but is a pain to do on the fly at school or grocery pick up.
@@BikeShopGirlGood to know. Ty. I’m saving up for one. But I’m gonna get the 3 seater for my 2 kids due to space issue.
I'm not in the market for that style of cargo bike. But it looks like a good fit for some people.
What type of cargo bike are you looking for?
Would love to hear your thoughts on the multitinker and multicharger :)
Both great bikes. Very different from each other.
What do you think of the Load cargo bike?!
I've had one since mid-June and already put 500 km on it! It's amazing.
I tried it and the UA but the UA impressed me more mainly because of the space and proper car seat set up. made more sense! the suspension would have been nice though!
@@ekcs3941 the suspended car seat on the urban arrow is so nice!
@@BikeShopGirl yes and it has lots of room under it so you can still put the kids bags and stuff in there
@BikeShopGirl road a UA for 5 years and just recently tried the Load 4, great ride, great bike, the box is too small to be useful for us. my oldest still fit in the UA box with their gigantic 5 year old brother at 11, they couldn't both get in the load at all, much less take a ride.
The oldest rides themselves anyway, but it was funny to note how big a difference in box size there is. They would've outgrowing the load in a year, the UA really is the best family front loader for us
I love my Load 60, however, front wheel wobble is an issue.
I can be a bit disconcerting when it happens.
It’s significantly reduced when using max tire pressure and easing your death grip on handlebars.
Do you think Specialized could be persuaded to sell the Turbo Porto in the US?
Cargo sales in the US are such a small % compared to EU. We really need to grow the market here!
@@BikeShopGirl I feel like that has to be, at least in part, a function of the 5 or 6 brands available here compared to the dozens available across the EU. It's a chicken and eouf problem.
I think it’s an infrastructure, education, and bike shop thing - less to do with product availability.
Any recommendations on switching the X-FUSION Glyde rear shock to something else, maybe air-based?
I’ve seen folks do it on the Facebook group but I don’t know of any other shocks rated for the weight
in terms of child safety, which do you recommend. R&M Load, Packster or urban arrow? The load seems great as the bars run along side the cargo area
None of them are built for safety, to be honest. I prefer the Urban Arrow simply due to the depth and foam all around incase I tip the bike over. If any of these come in contact with a car it will be terrible.
Best thing on wheels ever made, but it does have a few weaknesses as equipped from the factory. Fortunately, they can all be fixed.
The most glaring two are the control ergonomics and the fork.
The first is easy: ditch the narrow, flat, no-sweep-having original one and put on something like an Ergotec Riser 50 Comfort, plus replace the lame-o grips, cheap pedals, and bulbous saddle while you're at it.
The second takes a bit more doing, but is totally worth it. The bike comes with the crappiest joke of a fork ever; this not only seriously compromises the handling and ride quality, but the slop in the "seals" lets water straight in and allows enough side-to-side play to cause headshake (a.k.a. speed wobbles / death wobbles) that can be severe enough to cause a loss of directional control. (The rear shock is disappointingly low-quality, too, but at least it sorta does its job.)
So the Suntour Mobie is completely unsuitable, but replacing it with something worthy of this amazing bike transforms it into something magical.
In my experience using 120 mm of air travel with the Maintou J-Unit via an EC44 headset:
Handling and ground clearance improve, passenger ride comfort vastly increases, pedal strikes are reduced, and it's just generally a lot more confidence-inspiring and safer to ride.
We have Load4 75 and it has been pretty nice but yeah, probably max 2 children comfortably as the footwell is really small. I dislike the kids safety belts the most as the adjustments are so awful and sizing is weird. Some have modded the basic Y-seatbelts similar to UA and Bakfiets and I'll probably have to do the same.
I have a love hate relationship with their straps. They are superior to the Urban Arrow IMO because they have waist straps, but they need more adjustability. The head rest on all front loader seats really need to accommodate helmets...
I like SO much about the Load but can’t move away from what I love about my Yuba Supermarche. The rear rack/no kid on back is a huge con.
Tell me what you love about your Yuba!
@@BikeShopGirl I have been absolutely loving my front loader @yubabicycles Supermarche. It's shockingly speedy, has a very low center of gravity, a HUGE bucket, the riding stance is athletic but not aggressive, has wide handlebars, and the rear rack can hold a kiddo.