We’ve been test riding the newest family cargo bikes for 2024

The Benno RemiDemi XL is an exciting proposition as it’s hitting the sweet spot of a longtail with a branded Bosch mid drive motor and a £4k price tag. 

When we learnt about the launch of Tern’s first off road adventure cargo bike, the Cycle Sprog team were divided. Cycle Sprog’s main office is in Kendal, Cumbria on the outskirts of the Lake District, and Emily, our Reviews and Rides editor and I were immediately salivating over the photos of the bike. The possibilities it opens up for both daily commuting and weekend adventures in such a hilly part of the country are so exciting.

Saskia, who always cycles in urban areas or on paved routes thought it was totally OTT! 

It really depends on what your intended use is going to be, or how rugged you want to look. 

Speaking to one of the Tern distributors, he confirmed my suspicions that quite a proportion of the pre-orders for this bike are from people living in central London who plan to use it for their local commute. Whilst we certainly mustn’t complain that the Range Rover brigade are moving onto cargo bikes, it does seem such a waste, as this bike is just begging to be taken out into the wild. 

A couple of laps of the tarmacked test track can’t do any bike justice, but the Orox in particular deserves so much more.

What I did take away from the couple of laps was that this is one seriously thought through bike, with the obsession to detail and quality that Tern are renowned for having clearly been brought to their latest offering. 

The Tern Orox definitely deserves its place on my dream bike list, and with the first shipment arriving later this summer I suspect it won’t be long before we see them not only on the streets of London, but on the tracks and trails of more rural areas too. Don’t expect to see Saskia on one any time soon though!

The front box can fit two children forward facing at the back of the box plus another baby in a maxi-cosi car seat. It can also be used with an additional Urban Iki seat on the rear rack. You can potentially carry four children with this bike, although there’s not much space for children’s legs if you carry a baby in a car seat as well.

The safety features that will really appeal to come parents may annoy others for whom functionality and longevity are more important. This includes features like a very low bench which will mean children will be sitting with their legs stretched out in front of them and the lack of a second bench seat for rear facing passengers too big for the car seat option. 

The SPF 50 protection on the canopy (which also converts into a rain shield) is a great idea.

One issue with most of the electric cargo bikes we test rode is that you do need to have at least £4,000 to spend. Whilst this does compare favourably with the cost of a new car, and salary sacrifice schemes can help reduce and spread costs, this can still be too much for many families.

The Estarli eCargo is therefore an important addition to the market, as it sits at the £3,000 price point (excluding accessories) whilst also being well thought out for families. 

The lower cost obviously comes with a lower specification, and there are certain considerations around this especially when it comes to the Ananda mid drive motor, which is not a well known brand.

Saskia's view: "The Estarli eCargo is an interesting newcomer on the market, with a very attractive price tag. However, this price tag means there's going to be compromises to the specification. During my quick ride I noticed he lower quality of the kickstand, cabling and that there was no way to adjust the handlebars. Having said that, this bike has some impressive specs for the price you pay, including a belt drive and mid drive motor."

We will be running a course on choosing a cargo bike later this summer that will include what to consider when you’re buying at different price points, so sign up now to our newsletter if you're curious about getting a cargo bike but don't know where to start. 

Sometimes you don’t need an entire new bike model to get excited about. Accessories and how they work are equally important, and it was good to see the Bike43 premium pack up close.

Perhaps the neatest feature is the movable caboose, which makes it so much easier for children or an adult passenger to get on board. This will be a game changer for those wanting to keep younger kids contained whilst also using the bike with older family members or friends. 

Other features of the premium pack include waterproof seat cushions and the latest Bosch e-bike system.

If you want to know more about this bike read our review of the Bike43 longtail cargo bike.

As kids grow, so do your transportation needs, and now I have two teenagers who are reasonably self-sufficient in getting themselves around town, I’m no longer obsessed with how to carry them both by bike. 

I had thought therefore that my need for a daily cargo bike is probably over, and I’d missed out on this type of ownership. That was until I saw this particular set up of the Ca Go CS. Saskia and I both really enjoyed riding this bike. It may look very unsual, but it was surprisingly easy to ride! 

My role as mum of two active teenage boys seems to mainly centre around how to keep enough food on hand to satisfy insatiable appetites, plus the occasional lift to and from places too far to walk or ride under their own steam. And as a couple, Chris and I are gradually getting more time to head out together, and empty nest syndrome is slowly coming into view. 

This particular set up would be almost perfect for my current and future needs, with plenty of cargo space and room for a passenger. If only the rear seat foot pegs were low enough to accommodate those over 6 foot tall!

This was a very timely reminder that there are now so many cargo bikes available there really is one to suit every stage of life. Better get saving! 

The Ca Go bikes are currently available in 4 outlets in the UK; two in London, one in Stafford and one near Blackburn.

What to know about even more about the bikes we saw at the Cargo Bike Festival?

A lot of the cargo bikes we saw at the festival were the same models as we test rode and wrote about last year. You can read all about our thoughts on them in our write up of the 2023 Cargo Bike Festival. 

Before you go......

If you're interested in finding out more about which cargo bike would be best for your family head over to this article now for more advice - What type of cargo bike is best for my family? and if you want to hear when we launch our new course covering everything you need to know about buying a cargo bike, don't forget to sign up for our newsletter.