How to Choose the Best Cargo Bike for Your Family
When it comes to cargo bikes, your family’s safety and comfort comes first. When searching for that perfect cargo bike, it’s important to focus on the quality of the materials, safety measures, and overall lifetime of the bike you are purchasing.
Braking System: Mechanical vs. Hydraulic
Mechanical brakes work by pressing a lever that engages a cable which causes friction between the system’s brake pad and the rotor. This system operates with an open design that exposes your braking system to all the debris your bike will travel through and easily get cluttered with dirt, rocks, and water. While maintenance comes fairly easily, it comes much more frequently. If you are planning on riding your mechanical brake bike through tougher terrain, you should expect to fix your brakes after every use and plan on changing the chains and pads multiple times a year.
Hydraulic brakes work by pushing fluid through tubes and applying pressure onto the rotor. Hydraulic brakes are fully enclosed by durable aluminum making it less likely for debris to infiltrate and tear down your braking system. This system design requires no user maintenance unless there is leaking, which needs to be addressed by a bike repair professional.
In terms of physical breaking, hydraulic systems apply far more pressure to the rotor than is applied by the lever. This means that you don’t have to push the lever hard to come to a complete stop quickly and effectively. Mechanical braking systems, on the other hand, take more physical power to come to a complete stop.
Hydraulic braking systems take minimal physical effort for the cyclists to slow down or come to a complete stop, and cyclists can do it one-handed if needed. Being able to easily adjust your speed when traveling with your family is critical to your safety. It can protect you from tumbling down steeper hills, crashing into obstacles, and keep the energy of the cyclist up so that they can stay alert.
Battery and Motor
The quality of your cargo bike’s battery and motor is important for ensuring long journeys and safety on your trips. Many manufacturers use cheaply-made and toxic lithium-ion batteries made with liquid electrolytes that can cause problems. Often defective lithium-ion batteries make their way to the approved batch of batteries and they deteriorate without notice and cause bikes, machines, and other equipment to have unexpected failures. While most of these battery malfunctions result in engine failure and the overall lifespan of the battery being low, they can also result in dangerous malfunctions, such as fire.
Unlike cheap batteries that require liquid electrolytes, all-solid electrolyte systems support greater energy densities, allowing it to be more powerful and longer lasting charge. Batteries that operate with all-solid electrolyte systems are more powerful, efficient, and durable.
For example, the Ferla Cargo Bike operates with a Samsung - 36 V 14Ah lithium-ion battery. Although it’s more expensive, it was important to use a battery like this in order to support the bike’s powerful 350 watt motor.
Safety Precautions
Placement of Cargo Box
The placement of the cargo box is a very important safety measure to consider when choosing a cargo bike. When the cargo box is placed behind the cyclist, it is more difficult for the cyclist to maneuver the bike and see the cargo box. Whether you’re thinking about purchasing a cargo bike for your children, pets, or delivering goods, it is important to make sure you are able to see your precious cargo while you’re riding. Without that peace of mind, it is incredibly difficult to have a fun, relaxed, and memorable ride.
Seatbelts and Protective Roll-Cage
In addition to the placement of the cargo box, it is important for the box to be equipped for emergency situations. What happens if the cargo bike topples over? What happens if you have to brake too quickly? It is important to make sure that the cargo bike you invest in has secure seatbelts and a design that keeps your precious cargo safe in emergency situations.
The Ferla Family Cargo Bike is a great example of a bike that has both of these safety features. This cargo bike is equipped with secure three point harnesses optimized to ensure safety. The Ferla Family Cargo Bike is built with durable, protective roll cage bars that are there to protect kids and pets from getting hurt if the cyclist loses control and causes the cargo box to lose balance and topple over. The roll-cage bars act as a barrier between the passengers and the hard ground. As the bars hit the ground, they cushion the impact of the accident. While the loss of control and rollovers are highly unlikely with bikes that use hydraulic brakes, it's never a bad idea to be extra safe, especially when it comes to your loved ones.
Materials
While the durability of the braking system and battery contribute to the longevity of your cargo bike, the materials and design of the bike are important factors to take into account.
Tires
Most cargo bikes on the market use low-durability bicycle wheels. Low-durability bicycle tires flatten easily and make it difficult to go through medium to high difficulty terrain. This type of maintenance and replacement can become expensive and can put you and your family in a difficult and potentially dangerous situation if left in an unknown area with a flattened bicycle tire.
To combat this, the Ferla Family Cargo Bike is built with puncture-resistant, fat tires. Fat tires are less likely to slip around corners, fall into pits, and are generally easier to maneuver. Ben Witt, owner of Milltown Cycles in Faribault, Minnesota says “[they’re] just harder to screw up on.” No matter how experienced (or inexperienced) of a cyclist you are, the Ferla Family Bike’s fat tires ensure a safe, comfortable ride.
Wood
Most wooden cargo bikes on the market typically use plywood. This isn’t ideal since plywood can become flimsy, moldy, and brittle. High quality cargo bikes like the Ferla Family Cargo Bike use top of the line bamboo composite with an elegant, sleek, and beautiful finish. Bamboo wood is termite-resistant, harder than most hardwoods (like plywood), and can last up to 50 years. Now that is longevity! Not only will your cargo box last forever, it’ll have heads turning too. Our Ferla Family Cargo Bike comes in three colors: classic wood, matte black, or matte white. Not only will and your family will be having the time of your life, you’ll be the most stylish people around.
In addition to wood, the quality of metal is critical in determining a Cargo Bike's longevity. Most cargo bike manufacturers use cheap metal alloys to create their bikes frames. Cheap alloys rust easily, dent easily, and do not hold up well enough to protect your family in the case of emergency. The Ferla Family Bike uses high grade stainless steel in every one of its components, no matter how small, to ensure that your family is safe. The stainless steel also makes sure your bike stays shiny and lasts just as long as its beautiful bamboo wood.
Summary
While there are other bikes on the market, the bike that delivers you and your family the most user-friendly design, highest quality materials, most safety precautions, and sleekest design is the Ferla Family Cargo Bike. To recap: the Ferla Cargo Bike is equipped with an amazing hydraulic braking system, Samsung battery, protective roll cage, durable wheels, and beautiful bamboo finish. On top of that, its active frame design and bright headlights make biking effortless, and the weatherproof canopy allows you to take your precious cargo on any adventure, rain or shine. If you’re wondering which cargo bike is right for you, look no further.
