Cargo Bikes

Everything from every brand is taking an age to get sorted out, whereas before it might only be hours or days.
Heard the same about others using those hubs in cargo's, they work fine for a while then implode. I think for normal city use they are very very good, but making a huge that can take the punishment from a mid drive and a cargo combined is a tall order. Even Nexus 5, designed for mid drive daily abuse fail from time to time.

@settle thanks for the offer and recommendation. I’ll certainly consider both cheers.

I had this same issue with nearly every cargo bike in a fleet that I was maintaining for a courier firm. All running Bosch mid drive and NuVinci N360 with eHarmony shifting. Enviolo initially warrantied the eHarmony shifting interfaces that mount on the hub, gave us a whole new batch that were supposed to fix the issue, but ended up having the same problem down the line.

Never got to the bottom of the cause, but one time while on the phone to enviolo, I was told that its a known issue between them and Bosch, where the Bosch components have 'communication issues' with the enviolo shifter. Have you seen an error code at all on yours? (Assuming you also have a Bosch motor)

Eventually the courier firm bought a newer batch of updated cargo bikes, which came with the enviolo cable operated grip shifters instead of the eHarmony stuff. Overall these seemed more reliable, and at least easier to diagnose if problems came about (snapped cable, cables set up wrong etc), rather than an electrical issue that seemed unrepairable. So you might want to look into switching yours from eHarmony to the gripshift.

I would personally avoid the enviolo hubs for a cargo bike in the future though. Had lots of other issues. Enviolo are pretty helpful and were good with warranty, but as mentioned above, I don't think the hubs are up to use on a cargo.

Cheers. Yes it is a Bosch mid drive. Never had error codes. I have already discussed converting it to a grip-shift - at my expense, which seems a bit rough as the test ride was on a UA with a grip-shift!

What concerns me is that Enviolo seem to think a new hub will fix the issue, guy at bike shop reckons it's not the hub but interface or servo.

Also when I gave Enviolo the hub serial number they said "This isn't a Cargo hub, but I expect it to be a Trekking". So there are different versions? And UA fit the wrong type?

Didn't know there was a difference in versions, but have seen quite a few crappy parts on cargo bikes. No name loose ball hubs, spokes made of basically farm wire etc, and these are on branded bikes in the £2-4k bracket (non E).
It might be there is a cargo version but as it was being put together, 2020 struck and there wasn't any available so they went with what was available.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/457984935361128/?referral_code=undefined Nice bullitt for sale! I’d buy it but nowhere to store it :(

Hello cargo peoples. Please forgive the basic questions and enquiries but I became a gardener in 2020 and looking to become more mobile with my tools and equipment. Been thinking about a cargo bike option whilst in the infancy of this career move.

Despite having a driving licence for 20 years I don’t own a vehicle so am far more attracted to staying vehicle free being pretty central in the city. ( I realise work wise this could lead to job limitations, but I feel I can manage for now)

Admittedly I could use a trailer on my current bicycle but looking toward e-help to allow more weight and distance to not be hindering my travel as well as the multiple other benefits of owning a cargo bike.

Can anyone comment on true range of the e-bullitt bike with an approx 100-120kg load (including rider) topography wise we are talking max 15km journey from SE1 so only a hill or two in almost any direction!

Also in regard to cargo area container I’m thinking a soft top storage to allow for awkward shaped tools/items.

Any experienced advice much appreciated in terms of top considerations and things to avoid.

Cheers
Mark

What ever I do get, will have to be stored on the street, which is far from ideal but the reality of my location. I will be looking for off street storage but that becomes redundant if it’s too far from home

Urban arrow has been the alternative I’ve been looking at but not sure I need to go that big.... and once I do, I’ll probably need van! But I do Like how customisable the Bullitts are

Will they follow me around and do any required repairs on the road?!

I initially thought about one of the proper boxes, but as soon as you start looking at long hedge cutters, handles for rakes/brooms/hoes or even a ladder I’m thinking the box quickly becomes mostly empty with things strapped to the outside!

There are these if you can solve the power issue, maybe an aftermarket electric drive for your existing bike?
https://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/specifications

Could probably put your own together using an alu ladder, a finishing kit from a hand truck company, a couple of wheels from same, and a hitch assembly from somebody like Wike.
https://www.magliner.com/hand-truck-completion-kit-1
https://www.magliner.com/10-inch-ballon-cushion-wheel-101030
https://wicycle.com/products/bike-trailers/diy

They don't list it but Wike will sell you a trailer arm only, likely somebody closer to you would do the same.

If the cargo bike budget becomes too high or unrealistic then I think that's what's I'll have to do

I want to upgrade the drivetrain on my cargobike.

I've just ordered a Superstar hub so could go 11 speed if I felt like it. I don't know if I really need to though.

Currently I'm running the 5 largest cogs out of a 7 speed cassette on my Hope trials/ss hub with a thumbshifter in friction mode as I have a long run of really shit gear cable and the indexed setting doesn't really work!

Current mech is like a pretty old medium cage 105 so I think that'll need to go, a clutch mech might be nice but I have got a Paul Comp chainkeeper. Actually though, I have to set it up so that the chain is very nearly rubbing the keeper at one end of the cassette at the moment so fitting a wider cassette is only going to make that worse.

Who all has a 1x drivetrain on their cargobike and what derailleur/size cassette you running?

SLX 10s, 11-34 cassette. I wouldn't want bigger jumps between the gears so if/when that's low not enough I'll go smaller up front.

That sounds like a quite a conservative large end on the cassette?* What size chainring you using?

*Maybe it's not. I've not had a geared bike for a long time, I had a quick look at cassettes and saw there's a lot going to 40t+

Who all has a 1x drivetrain on their cargobike and what derailleur/size cassette you running?

38t x 11-42t 11sp worked really well on the fleet of Bullitts I used to service for a messenger company here in Seattle a couple years back.

Who all has a 1x drivetrain on their cargobike and what derailleur/size cassette you running?

32T narrow/wide up front and an 11-34 at the back. It's currently 9-speed which has gaps but the 10-speed 11-34 on my mtb solves all those problems and I keep meaning to switch it over.

Don't fuck about with trendy Insta on your cargo / Paul / I only need friction on 11-speed etc. Seriously, they'll fuck you off. You want strong and reliable shifting. SRAM or Shimano trigger shifters are what you want. Clutch or chainkeeper isn't necessary with a narrow/wide so you can get away with the less expensive gear.

Hmm yeah maybe need to replace the ring with a narrow wide. Probably no bad thing fitting a new ring with new chain and cassette anyway.

I need to get some decent outer cable too. This shit the lbs sold me is awful.

I live in a flat city, if I had to go up Swains Lane on a regular basis I'd probably go lower! The problem with MTB blocks is when you venture out of the town centre you'll be wishing for mid-cassette gears that just aren't there.
I have a (stock) NW 42 up front, and never use the 11t. When I swap it I'll go for a 38 I think.

Am stock with a 42T x 11-40 9 speed and its a good spread all round although I'd like to have another gear for tackling hills when loaded up. What should I buy? 38T narrow wide right?

Someone was selling a Leonardi general lee on here and I drooled over that for a while might be an option for you, tbh I don't really know too much about them they just look nice.

Edit: this https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/355805/#comment15608865

Does anyone know the headtube angle and fork dimensions of a bullitt? Larry vs Harry seem to like to keep the geometry top secret other than cargo area and seat tube length

Are you making your own?

Just considering it at the moment. I'll use the rear half of an existing frame most likely