It's cargobike love at first sight, but can we live together?

When I first saw the spec on this cargobike way back sometime in 2018 I was blown away. This is maybe the perfect cargo bike, long-tail variety that is, for me. Dunno about you. I cannot see a time when I would transport a tiny child behind me where they can’t be seen, talked to and cared for when longjohns and box trikes exist? And I don’t even like kids!!!! But I do have a Chihuahua I carry most days on the front of my my bicycle if that counts!!!

Then I saw the photos. Oh wow. Looking sooooooo good. Solid, two batteries, big bags, big front basket, bloke riding it, chunky 20” wheels front and back (my favorite), and made by Tern! And haven’t they got the best PR pic ever with the kid giving a finger to the sky like they’re on a roller coaster. Genius.

I have a Tern Cargo Node, its a factory edition cargobike collaboration between Tern and Xtracycle. Its the nicest bicycle I have EVER ridden (so far!), so I was stoked when they announced the GSD. But what does GSD stand for? So far, from my research, and this isn’t from Tern, it means Get Shit Done. Funny if it’s true. Either way, it does, and then some.
​

I had this bicycle for a week to play with… I mean review ;-), mainly commuting with chores some days. My first impressions are that it’s like riding on a magic carpet – a sexy, blue, cargo carrying magic carpet. Well sort of. It’s so nice and smooth that I forgot what I was riding. This may be because I’m used to the gentle whine of a hub motor, the GSD mid-drive silence adds to the feeling of riding a non-electric bike. The Mid-drive also means the GSD feels like riding a regular bike as the torque sensing motor system only gives more if you pedal harder, unlike my hub drive where I can just turn it up regardless of my pedalling effort. I ended up really enjoying the torque sensor system as it required no real attention from me.

On my commute there is a long bridge. I powered up the bridge not fast (like on a Stromer or OHM) but in a measured and civilized way. The power and speed increase smoothly, so I always felt in control. This also meant that the steering was not negatively influenced by take off power either. In comparison, the long-tail Yuba Spicy Curry did feel faster, like a colt, you definitely have to hang on. The GSD is more like a pony, you will get there quick enough, but be un-flustered on arrival.

Riding down the other side of the bridge at 37kph it took about 30-35 feet to stop. I was hardly loaded and I did get some rear wheel skidding, but I think that’s the quickest I have ever stopped on any Bicycle. Gotta love hydraulic disc brakes. Especially on a cargobike that can carry kiddies.

But THE hill was next. A short lung buster called 3rd Street Hill. Usually I take the long way round through a park so the climb is less severe. But this is a review, therefore this cargobike captain went straight up it like a speeding lycra clad roadie!

Straight up, steady and way easier than I get on my bicycles, someone less heavy would speed up there, wonderful climb. And not that much noticeable battery fade either. A real test of the low torque power of the Bosch system. Almost enough to turn my head away from Hub motors.

I’m commuting in the dark at this time of year. So built in lights are great, no little batteries to fiddle with, just press and hold the + on the controller and we have light, nice. Its been said before, the headlight is fab, really fab, wide and bright beam, but not too bright to dazzle oncoming riders. It’s also super easy to aim down on a city bike path and aim high on the dark bits going home. But the rear light is half hidden by the bags so no side light, I expect the angle of visibility is less than 90 degrees, where 180 is preferable, though the bags do have reflective accents. Fixable with a $25 secondary seat post light which lights up the deck and adds a ton of side visibility.

Bags are big and good and tough. The hook system took me a while to get used to as quite unlike the more usual clip systems of other pannier/market bags. They are about as large as on my Tern Cargo Node cargobike, maybe a little bigger but they don’t have the sling system. They are however perfectly rectangular and deep unlike my Xtracycle bags on the Cargo Node that taper at the bottom. I am 90% sure the GSD ‘market style’ bags will suit 90% of users, especially a parent with odd shaped kids toys to haul and a couple of bags of groceries too. Durable simplicity is the Market bag’s strength, whatever the brand, whatever the cargobike.

A machine of this quality is of course expensive. Locally I can order a GSD with a single battery and no accessories for $5,500 Canadian. But the spec is such that you don’t need to upgrade a thing which can account for quite a lot of money over the first year of ownership.

I adore the 20” wheels and tires. Wow. 2.5” wide rubber made by Schwalbe specially for this bicycle. The confidence this kind of wheel set-up gave me rolling down rough old Vancouver streets was amazing, even on roadside gravel I was solid all the way. In torrential Vancouver rain the GSD cargobike stuck to the line perfectly during any turn. These chunky wheels and the chunky frame just shouts strength and reliability. Plus a 400lb gross load limit, what’s not to like?

Well there are a few niggles I have about the GSD
At 6’4” with a 33” inseam I felt too close to the bars, a bit squashed up, I adjusted everything and it was just OK with the cockpit feel. I’m tall because I have a long back. A more ‘normally’ proportioned body will be fine.

I keep kicking the bags walking with it and pushing off.

I mentioned the half hidden back light already.

Hate keyless activation. My bikes have a key so if it’s stolen they can’t ride it away under power when the key is in my pocket. Dislike control panel removal as a key even more. I can have a spare key but not a spare panel.

It’s heavy and feels more like a moped than a bicycle. I could manoeuvre it on and off the Seabus just fine because it has a regular bicycle wheelbase, but if you have to lift an end it’s tough, and I’m a big strong lad but with a bad back so I have to be careful. It’s 60lbs with one battery, so over 70lbs with the double battery system I was trying. It was also a chore because of weight to get in and out of the elevator at home. All this said, does it matter? With kids and groceries it could weigh 150-200lbs without the rider and who’s going to lift that? It’s more of a commuter that lives in a concrete cave in the sky kinda gripe really.

To sum up
Would I buy one? If I had a garage I could simply roll into and park, yes. Or easily accessible bike room parking that’s 110% secure, yes. But I don’t, so I wouldn’t. The weight is the deal breaker for MY lifestyle. If you are in a house that want’s to get rid of a car, which is the GSD’s selling point, or a business that delivers, then yes, without a second thought, yes. It’s an awesome electric vehicle.

Update
Since I wrote this Tern have released the HSD which looks like it could negate all my living in a concrete cave in the sky gripes. Also, there is an all new version of the GSD now.

Originally published February 2019 in Momentum Magazine. ​