Convercycle

With the Convercycle you can have a long-tail cargo bike or a regular bike – it just depends on how you choose to have it set up

Recent years have seen an increased interest in cargo bikes as a viable alternative to a second car for many families. However, there are a couple of issues that have perhaps been preventing them from seeing a greater uptake. The most obvious is that cargo bikes are heavy, and therefore hard to pedal. The rise of e- bikes, and the increase in options for how that electric assistance is applied, is beginning to negate this argument. The second and more difficult problem to overcome is the physical size of the average cargo bike.

Praise be then to Convercycle for developing the idea of a folding cargo bike. Okay, so Convercycle’s cargo bike doesn’t fold in the way that many folding bikes do, but then it is not a conventional bike. Whereas a regular bike takes up little space when folded, the Convercycle looks like a conventional roadster when it is folded. The bonus here is that it can actually be ridden in its folded format.

The real ace up the sleeve for Convercycle is that once you unfold it the wheelbase lengthens massively creating a longtail cargo bike. Whether you need to take the children to school or do the weekly grocery shop there is enough room for the job on the extended Convercycle. Even better still is the 250W Bafang motor built into the front wheel to help you along when the Shimano Alfine 8 rear hub doesn’t offer enough gears.

As if such adaptability wasn’t enough to convince you of the Convercycle’s merits, the bike’s designers have added lots of really useful extras to further sweeten the deal. Regardless of the wheelbase configuration, the rear wheel is always covered by a mudguard. Similarly, the first run of the drive chain is covered by a guard, so no oily trouser leg worries. Integrated lights are always useful and to save you worrying about stability when you’re making the most of the cargo space by loading it to the maximum 80kg capacity, the centre stand will keep it upright and steady.

► Approx £3,250 convercycle.com