Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike Review

Cargo bikes are an increasingly popular choice for families, businesses, and individuals seeking a greener, healthier way to travel and transport heavy loads. Whether you are looking for one of the best longtail cargo bikes or considering an electric box bike to carry your kids, there’s a cargo bike for every need.

The Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike offers a highly affordable and practical solution for families looking to replace short car trips with more sustainable, bike-based journeys. Designed with a powerful motor, solid battery life, and versatile carrying options, this bike promises to handle daily commutes, school runs, and shopping trips with ease.

We’ve put it to the test in real-world conditions, to see how it performs with kids on board, heavy loads, and the unique challenges of hilly terrain. From the motor and brakes to the accessories and panniers, here’s our in-depth look at how the R500 measures up as a family-friendly cargo bike option.

Still wondering if a cargo bike is right for your family? Take our quiz to find out!

Disclosure: The review family bought the Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike themselves. Decathlon sent the panniers to review. We were not paid to write this review, and all opinions are our own. We do use affiliate links, so may get a small commission if you choose to buy through the links on this page. This funds the website, and we thank you for your support.

Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike Review

Decathlon, the well-known French sports retailer, is highly regarded for making sport and outdoor equipment more accessible through quality, affordable products.

Their in-house B'Twin bike range is no exception, offering a wide array of bikes for every type of rider, from daily commuters and weekend adventurers to kids and families.

The B'Twin longtail cargo bike, part of this range, has been available in Europe for a while, gaining popularity for its practical design and affordability. Recently introduced to the UK market, this longtail bike offers a budget-friendly solution for those looking to transition to cargo biking.

Decathlon’s approach keeps prices low while ensuring the bike meets quality standards, making it an appealing option for families and individuals interested in an affordable, versatile cargo bike.

About our reviewers

Dan, Kate, Robyn (4) & Harry (3). We’re an active family, who really enjoy sharing the outdoors with our children. Robyn can pedal her own bike, and Harry loves his balance bike.

We’ve found that the children had outgrown the double trailer (and are too heavy to drag uphill now!), and for one person to take both out with a tag along was too much…

Our friends had a Tern GSD and are massive cargo bike advocates. We realised an electric cargo bike seemed like the perfect solution for transporting our growing kids around town and for the school run. 

We did our research into longtail cargo bikes, and landed on the Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike to be a good, budget friendly option.

The Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike made an impressive entrance when it arrived, delivered in a specialised van and brought right into the house by two delivery drivers, with delivery included in the purchase price.

Assembly was surprisingly straightforward, even for someone who isn’t particularly fond of assembling things. The process involved attaching the front basket, and front light, building the caboose, connecting the handlebars, and attaching some wires. The clear instructions included a QR code for video support, and Decathlon provided all necessary tools in the box, a welcome addition at this price point.

Once assembled, the bike was ready to ride with minimal adjustments required. A quick-release clamp on the saddle makes it easy to adjust the seat height, allowing the family to switch between riders with ease.

The bike certainly attracts attention - its unique design and versatility draw admiration and curiosity from passersby, making it a true conversation starter on every outing.

The kid's first impressions: "Woah speed bike!" - They instantly fell for it!

The Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike has proven highly functional and versatile for daily nursery and school runs, as well as town trips and weekend leisure rides.

Dan, who tested the bike, admits he was initially hesitant: “I was slightly hesitant. It was long and heavy! I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it, but did think it looked really good.” However, his first ride exceeded expectations. As a first-time e-bike user, he found it remarkably easy to handle. The motor engaged quickly, the bike maintained good balance, and the kids enjoyed their ride too.

Once in motion, the e-assist kicks in quickly, making hill starts manageable with the walk-assist function, and the assist engages smoothly when riding, adding a comfortable boost on climbs. The bike is very stable when carrying cargo, though low-speed handling can be a bit challenging due to its size and weight but something you get used to quickly.

The bike’s cargo aspect is versatile. It accommodates two children with various seat configurations, and the sturdy rear section even supports carrying other loads.

The front basket provides extra storage, which we strap a large shopping bag into for carrying essentials, and accessories like a rearview mirror and a child rain cover are easily added.

In the six months of daily use, the Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike has required minimal maintenance.

The bike has had two punctures, both on the rear wheel. For the first, the puncture was patched with the wheel in place, which was straightforward. For the second puncture, a local mechanic replaced the standard inner tube with a slime-filled tube to add extra puncture protection. Additionally, the rear brake pads were switched during this repair, although they hadn’t shown significant wear yet.

Thoughts from the Sprog

The kids love it!

It's their favourite way to get around and they fondly call it our "speed bike"

Dan and the kids met Emily, Cycle Sprog's Reviews and Rides editor one day after school to show Emily the bike and they proudly told her just how fun it is, they love how fast it goes and enjoy having their own little pockets in the rain cover for each of their waterbottles!

Motor and Assistance Modes

Electric bike motors and batteries are a complex topic, we recommend reading our e-bike motor and battery options guide first if you are new to this jargon.

The Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike is powered by a rear-wheel motor with a 48V, 250W output and a torque of up to 58Nm, providing reliable assistance when carrying heavy loads up to 170kg. The motor is connected to a torque sensor, which adjusts the assistance based on pedal pressure, giving a more natural pedaling feel. Three assistance modes are available:

• Mode 1 (eco) offers up to 90% assistance for moderate support.
• Mode 2 (Normal) delivers up to 180% assistance, suitable for typical urban riding.
• Mode 3 (Power) provides up to 300% assistance, useful on hills or with heavy cargo.

The bike also includes a “Walk” mode, which can assist up to 6 km/h when pushing or for hill starts. This is activated by a button placed perfectly by your left thumb. This is extremely responsive and powerful and enables you to get some power going before you start pedalling- ideal for hill starts or getting away ahead of cars at traffic lights with a heavy load.

The Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike has a limited selection of accessories, particularly in the UK, but we found the options available to be very affordable.

The bike comes equipped with a caboose and footrests, which with many other family cargo bikes are additional cost which offers a nice cost-saving.

The cushions, while inexpensive, have proven durable through regular use.

We also added a rear view mirror, which has been extremely helpful, especially when the kids are moving around, allowing safer rear visibility without constantly needing to look over our shoulders.

Decathlon has recently introduced a new rain cover/storm shield, which promises to be a versatile, budget-friendly option for weather protection. This wasn't available when we purchased our cargo bike, and we have fitted a Rad Powered Bike shelter (not available in the UK anymore). We use a Bobike Go Maxi rear seat and an Urban Iki junior bike seat too.

We have added pipe lagging around the caboose for added comfort and warm hands for the kids.

Decathlon kindly sent Dan and his family a set of their longtail cargo pannier bags to include in this review, and we were hugely impressed with their carrying capacity. They’re incredibly spacious and can easily hold a full family shop, making them perfect for daily errands or larger loads.

Compared to other longtail panniers, they’re extremely affordable, yet still made from durable fabric with secure buckles and lots of reflective details for added visibility and they arrived completely plastic-free, which is always a bonus.

They fit seamlessly on the Decathlon R500, bolting right into the wooden bench bolts. However, these panniers are designed specifically for the Decathlon R500, so fitting them on other non Decathlon longtail cargo bikes would require some creativity with straps or cable ties.

The only drawback is that they can be a bit faffy when used with a rear child seat. The split down the middle of each pannier allows for compatibility with a child seat, but it does reduce the capacity somewhat and makes access a bit awkward.

However, for families who still need a rear child seat, these bags are definitely still worth it for their versatility and organisation.

Inside, there are plenty of pockets, and there’s even a clever cut-out to access the rear wheel lock (though it can be tricky to use with a child seat).

Overall, these panniers offer fantastic value and impressive capacity, ideal for families with growing cargo needs.

Overall verdict of the Decathlon R500 Electric Longtail Cargo Bike

We are so happy with this as a purchase - it’s really changed our lives. From popping to the shops quickly, to doing the school run it’s become a real alternative to the car.

Every single family member prefers school drop off by cargo bike over the car, we can fit everything we need to take on board. I’ve done the weekly shop by cargo bike! It’s a pleasure to ride and is so simple to use. We all love it.

I would highly recommend it - for the cost it’s incredibly hard to beat if you don’t need huge range or a specific feature only found on another brand.

I was slightly skeptical about it, and didn’t know if it was just going to be a gimmick, but already I can’t imagine living without it!

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