Electric Bikes

If your partner is not yet comfortable riding a bicycle I wouldn't recommend a front loaded e-cargo bike.  The way those handle are very different due to weight dynamics.  

1) If your partner is not a strong rider, a e-cargo bike is a great way for them to keep up with you while you ride your own bike next to/near them.  The downside is they are expensive, expect to spend $5k+ for a quality one with accessories and tax.

2) Different modes/level of assist is a really nice feature depending on whether your ride/commute has hills.  Other features that are important are aftermarket support with accessories, some brands design their bikes where you can only use their accessories.  Also some bikes come with things like racks and fenders and some do not.

3)Make sure you buy the bike for the person who is going to be riding it the most.  My wife and I have a Surly Big Easy which we love, the large would have fit me better but we opted for the medium because she was more comfortable on it.  She test road it before we bought it.

I'd highly recommend checking out Tip Top bike shop in temescal and Blue Heron in Berkeley.  Both places sell e-cargo bikes of different brands and types.  I'd limit yourself to three options/models per shop because more than that will get confusing.

Hi there! We bought a Tern GSD from "The New Wheel" (two locations in the area) and couldn't be happier. We have a Yepp child seat in the cargo area that can be removed as he gets larger. We liked the bike because it's very easy to adjust from my tall husband, to my shorter self without tools and lightweight enough to be managable. Depending on what type of electric assistance you need, the battery runs out sort of quickly, but if you keep it on the lowest level, it will work longer. They did suggest a second battery and I can see how that would be handy, but we haven't pulled the trigger on that, yet. The panniers are very large size and can hold quite a bit. I'm not that confident a rider and I still ride it and can manage easily. We are very happy and satisfied with out purchase. 

I love my Radwagon e-cargo bike. It's the older generation and slightly top-heavy while loaded. I think I would prefer the bucket style more (lower and more stable front load, versus high-up rear load), but I've yet to see a bucket style e-bike that's anywhere near the price of the Radwagon.

Hi! I'm in a family with two cargo bikes. My husband has a used yuba mundo (no e-assist) he was given by a very generous friend, and after he got his bike I got a yuba boda boda with e-assist.

I got my bike from Blue Heron Bikes. I love it. I chose the Boda Boda, because I knew bike parking at my office was going to be a little challenging, and I knew I could park the boda boda no problem at my work. I also tried my husband's mundo, and it felt a little bit too big for me. Maybe something for your partner to consider. I wanted a mid length cargo bike so it didn't feel like I was driving a bus... I'm not a huge biker, my husband is, so he just does better maneuvering a bigger bike than I feel like I could. I've appreciated having the e-assist, because my husband is a much stronger biker than me, and likes to break a sweat anywhere we're going. It allows each of us to work at our preferred paces while enjoying being out together. 

My daughter (2 years old, started riding around 9 months) rides behind us for either bike. I felt conflicted about wanting to see her, but I think our set up has worked really well for us. We often bike as a family, so the person she's not riding with can keep an eye on her when we're out. My husband often uses his phone in selfie mode to take a look at how she's doing if they are out alone... I think he also considered a mirror at some point, but she's been fine it hasn't really been needed. I think the best option if you want a front set up is to get a box bike. Those always seemed too big to me, but check out Blue Heron - they have lots of options. 

If you're looking for a low price point, check rad power. I've read they are a good bang for the buck. I think you have to do all the assembly yourself though? 

Lastly, if you're interested in grocery shopping or lots of errands, and you get a longtail check out carsick cargo bike bags. We love ours.

Let me know if you want any more info, happy to chat more if it would be helpful. 

I have a Tern GSD, and love it! We still have one car, but we both use the bike for errands and for fun with our three-year-old. 

I used to ride a bike everywhere, but had taken a few years off (living on too steep a hill in the city, then being pregnant, then having an infant). So I was less comfortable than I had been on a bike when we got it. I'm also only 100 lbs, so adding a 30 pound toddler affects my balance a lot. 

I tested a Rad bike, which, if cost is an important factor, you kinda can't beat. It was fine, and it has a throttle you can use without even having to pedal. We both tested a Yuba Spicy Curry, which was fine but is very long, so it takes some getting used to. Then we both tested the Tern, and there was no question it was the best. It's basically the same length as a regular bike, and both wheels are small. This gives it a lower center of gravity so it felt way more stable to me. This was the most important thing - if I felt nervous on the bike I wasn't going to use it, and the Tern just felt very stable and easy to control. I also had thought I'd want the kid up front to be able to see him, but quickly got used to having him behind me, and it's probably safer since he's not distracting me or getting in my way up front. 

We haven't needed to, but it is possible to fit an adult and kid on the back of the Tern, or two kids, if you position the seats right. 

I have the Tern GSD and love it - low maintenance, great motor, and not too unwieldy as cargo bikes go. Happy to answer any specific questions about it if you’re interested. That said - my #1 piece of advice is to try before you buy. Some bike shops (I used the New Wheel in SF) will let you borrow/rent ebikes for a few days so that you can try it out at your pace and in your neighborhood. This step was incredibly helpful for us in making the decision. Different bikes handle differently and you’ll have a much better idea of your preferences after the trial. 

My family of three purchased a Tern HSD e-cargo bike last fall. Both my husband (a bike racer) and I have been cyclists for a long time, but I had not been riding much since getting pregnant and having our son, now a toddler. I was initially suspicious of e-cargo bikes, thinking that they provide more power than someone's ability can handle, but I have been nothing but pleasantly surprised with this bike. Both of us can comfortably use the bike, it is very comfortable, solid and well-designed. I was initially less of a fan of getting the bike, but now I am the primary user! It's so much fun and very convenient to use with my son. After some very brief initial hesitation (a few tears before the first ride), our son loves it, too! Like you say, it would be nice to have the baby in the front because it's easier to interact with them that way, and the Tern HSD has the child in the back. I just make sure to talk to him when we are going slowly or are stopped. And if you or your partner is riding alongside, you can also talk to the child that way. Good luck in your search! 

We're a e-cargo biking family (two adults, 4.5 yo & 2.5 yo) for the past year (prior to that we used a bike trailer). Both of us parents share similar values to yours in that we try to minimize car usage and want biking to be the first choice of transportation for our family. First, I'd recommend checking out the facebook groups "San Francisco Family Biking" and "Bay Area Cargo Bike Collective" - lots of really great information and advice there! Then, to answer your questions:
- Yes, we have the Tern GSD as our e-cargo bike. It's on the pricier end, but was really designed with families in mind, and I think that shows in some of the features and available accessories for the bike. As smaller people (I'm 5'4" and my husband is 5'8") it really helped that it's built a bit smaller and lower to the ground than other cargo bikes, which allows for much more stability when moving the bike around or loading/unloading kids. It's also just long enough to fit 2 kids (3 with a squeeze), which allows it to fit into our entryway better (we don't have a garage) as well as load it up on the car when traveling places (hasn't happened much since we got it just before COVID hit, but I have dreams about cruising around Yosemite Valley one day). 
- Think about use cases and decide from there. I think the most obvious question is whether you'll eventually have more than one kid, and whether you might want to have space for another adult to hop on. Then how much cargo space you'll need - are you doing grocery runs with your bike? It sounds like you want an electric cargo bike, but one consideration is how much juice you'll need - if you're riding in the flats not much, but if you go up into the hills (we love visiting the East Bay regional parks on the bike!) then maybe you'll want two battery packs and not one. Check on accessories offered by both the manufacturer as well as third parties to be sure the bike will have what you want. Beyond that, I think there's a large element of just trying out bikes to see what you like & what fits your riding style.
- We did a fair amount of research online and in the facebook groups I mentioned, so I don't think there's anything I wish we'd thought about. Go in eyes wide open that you're buying a replacement car, and it comes with a used car price tag - better to get something that you really LOVE that you'll want to use every day for more $$ rather than something that bugs you in some way that you end up not using much.
- I'd HIGHLY recommend test-riding a bunch of bikes before getting one. Blue Heron Bike Shop in north Berkeley is the primary East Bay shop catering to the family cargo bike crowd. I thought I wanted a front loader until I road a few and realized that the unwieldiness outweighed the value of having my kids up front. Another downside is that you can never take them anywhere in the car if you travel. 

I have a used xtracycle and I like its handling. Be sure to research the motor separately if buying used. In the case of xtracycle, bionix made their motors for a while but was bought out and is out of business. For new Pacific E-Bikes in Berkeley is a good start. I bought mine used off of SF Family Bike fb group. Have the bike fit for you by a good 'fit expert'. It's great for 5-7 mile journeys. You may have to to think about charging at a mid point for longer rides.

We have a yuba boda boda and really like it but don't absolutely love it. I find that the gear shift is a little sticky (particularly when down shifting) and there is not good suspension in the back (but I haven't seen any cargo bikes that have better suspension for the riders). I really like the bread basket on our boda boda. We have a mesh cover for it and a water proof cover and it is just so incredibly useful. I also really love the overall size of the bike and the feel of it when I am riding.

I really wish we had a bike with a continuous variable transmission (but they are much more expensive). I never remember to down shift when I come to a stop and so inevitably struggle to get going again because I'm in a gear that's too high (even with the e-assist on "high", I still struggle when I have a full load). This is particularly stressful for me when I'm trying to turn left or am crossing a busy street (since I typically have 2 kids on the back I try to get out of the path of cars as fast as humanly possible).

Front loaders ride very differently than back-loaders. If you are considering a front loader I HIGHLY recommend you borrow/ try them out before purchasing.

Overall I will say that I am so so happy we bought our e-bike. We've had it for almost 2 years now and it has really transformed our day-to-day life. For local trips riding the bike takes basically the same amount of time as driving (or sometimes is even faster!), my kids love being on the bike so there are no fights trying to wrestle them into the car seat, and we can just very easily stop/ change plans on a dime (for all those snack/water requests that just can't wait the 5 minutes until you're home). We now go whole weeks without ever getting in the car.

We love our Radwagon! We had an older one that we bought used and the center of gravity felt a little high (we are a family of shorties), so we upgraded when they came out with the 2020 model that has smaller wheels and a lower center of gravity and it is so much better in terms of stability and just feeling like a regular bike even with two kids on it. I have never ridden one of the high-end e-bikes so maybe I don't know what we're missing, but the Radwagon absolutely meets our needs and gets us everywhere we need to go, including up steep hills with both kids. I love the idea of the front loaders but we didn't seriously consider them in part because of the price and in part because they are big and I thought dealing with them in our small basement and trying to park them in tight places would be a pain. If you want your kid in front, you can put a front-mounted seat on it to have a kid up front - we loved the yepp mini on a non-cargo bike, but we never used it on the Radwagon because our kids had outgrown it when we bought the bike. We have both kids in the back now and we have a mirror so I can see them if I need to.

If you think you're done having kids, a full-sized bike like the Radwagon may be overkill and you might want to consider some of the mid-tail length bikes, but we have used ours with one kid and a friend, so it can still be totally useful to have space for 2-3 kids even if only one of them is yours.