Commuting by e-cargo bike

Benefits of commuting by ordinary bike, cargo bike or e-cargo bike

Less time lost in traffic jams. Every year in Germany there are more than 500,000 traffic jams with a combined length of almost 700,000 kilometres. If you travel by bike, you don’t have to worry about this problem and you lose less time.

No hunting for a parking space. Commuters can waste about as much time looking for a parking space as they do in the daily traffic jams. Here too, it’s better to use a bike, as you can find a space for it almost anywhere. It gets better still if your employer provides an underground car park or covered parking for bikes. That way, your bikes aren’t exposed to wind and weather in winter, need less maintenance and stay in good shape for longer.

Lower costs. Compared with a car, cycling costs considerably less: no insurance, no road tax, no petrol or diesel. Even compared with an electric car, cyclists come out very well.

Easy to plan. If you commute by bike or e-cargo bike, you can plan your time very well. As already mentioned, there are no traffic jams for two-wheelers. Whether you take a cycle superhighway or a pleasant route away from the busy main road, you can time your journey very precisely, because the time it takes to get to work is almost always the same.

Better health. Health is, of course, another good argument for switching from the car to a bike, e-bike or e-cargo bike. Sports physician Uwe Tegtbur of Hannover Medical School demonstrated in a study that a daily e-bike ride of 12 or 15 kilometres each way reduces the risk of a heart attack by up to 40 per cent. The risk of obesity, high blood pressure and sugar and fat metabolism disorders can fall by as much as 50 per cent.

Freedom for the senses. Ultimately, cycling offers freedom for the senses. Drivers are sometimes shut in twice over: first when they get into their car, and again whenever long traffic light phases or traffic jams force them to wait. Cyclists, on the other hand, feel the wind in their face and, at a sensible pace, can let their eyes wander. Cyclists also enjoy a high degree of freedom in their choice of route, as in some cities many one-way streets are already open to cyclists in the opposite direction. And even on sandy tracks and forest paths, where cars are never allowed, cyclists have the right to ride.

The types of e-cargo bike available

Long johns. The type you see most often on German streets is the so-called long john. These are mostly e-cargo bikes with a box between the handlebars and the front wheel. If you want to carry your children in a cargo bike, make sure that the box is not only safe but also offers good child seats, harnesses and headrests. An example of such a bike is the Ca Go FS200 Life Family. If you only want to carry goods rather than children, you will find a suitable model in the Ca Go FS200 Vario. Incidentally, there are larger and smaller long john bikes. Take a close look at the different models and then decide which one suits you.

Multi-purpose e-bikes. These cargo bikes don’t have a dedicated passenger compartment. Instead, they offer large carriers at the front and rear, which makes them very well suited to shopping or other everyday transport. An example of such a bike is the CS. With its Triple Load System, it not only has carriers in front of the handlebars and behind the saddle, but also room beneath the down tube for a drinks crate or other items, which keeps the bike’s centre of gravity low and so guarantees excellent handling.

Multi-track e-cargo bikes. There are also multi-track e-cargo bikes on the roads. Unfortunately, these are often very wide, so that some staggered barriers or back-yard doors become an insurmountable obstacle. With some models, you also need to be careful when cornering or braking hard, as rider and load can tip or even roll over.

Folding bikes. For commuters who travel by train, folding bikes can be a great solution. They can be taken on the train free of charge; in this case you don’t need a ticket for the bike. For commuters who have to tackle a steep hill between the station and the workplace, you can even use a folding bike with an e-motor.

Conclusion