Helping Families Ride Since 2007
The Original U.S. Cargo Bike Shop
At Clever Cycles, cargo bikes aren’t just another category — they’re part of our DNA. In 2007, we became the first shop in the United States to specialize in cargo bikes, introducing Dutch-style front loaders (bakfietsen) to riders across the country. Nearly two decades later, we’re still leading the movement — helping thousands of families replace car trips with school runs, grocery hauls, and everyday adventures by bike.
Whether you’re carrying one child or four, hauling groceries or lumber, or simply looking for a more joyful way to get around, we’ll help you choose the perfect cargo bike.
Find your fit
Types of Cargo Bikes
Cargo bikes are designed to carry what normal bikes can’t. The main types are the midtail, the longtail, and the front loader (bakfiets), plus a newer wave of compact utility e-bikes. Each offers unique strengths depending on how much you carry, how many kids ride along, and how much space you have at home.
Compact. Easy to Store. Family-Friendly.
Midtail Cargo Bikes
Midtails are only a few inches longer than a standard bike, but they’re built to carry a kid plus cargo with ease. They ride like a normal bike, fit in tight spaces, and are simple to transport.
- Carries a child behind the rider (infants in a Yepp seat, bigger kids on the padded deck) or a serious load of groceries.
- Great for apartments and small garages — the Tern HSD parks standing on its tail.
- Best for one-child households, commuters who haul, or anyone short on space.
Examples we carry: the Bosch-powered Tern HSD Gen 3 (and its proven Gen 2 sibling) and the zippy, budget-friendly Tern Quick Haul.
The Minivan of Bikes
Longtail Cargo Bikes
Longtails stretch the rear of the bike into a serious cargo deck. This is the do-everything family hauler: two kids on the back, panniers underneath, and still shorter than many regular bikes thanks to compact wheels.
- Seats up to two kids behind the rider — add the Clubhouse rails and Yepp seats to configure it for your crew.
- Huge accessory ecosystems: decks, panniers, front racks, passenger bars.
- Best for families of four and true car replacement.
Examples we carry: the benchmark Tern GSD Gen 3 — available up to the R14 with Bosch ABS brakes — and the go-anywhere Tern Orox for riders who haul off the pavement.
Kids Up Front, Where the Fun Is
Front Loaders (Bakfiets)
The classic Dutch solution: a big box between you and the front wheel. Your kids (or dog, or Costco run) ride up front where you can see and talk to them — the ride feels like a rolling conversation.
- Carries multiple kids plus their gear; infant-ready with a Maxi-Cosi baby seat adapter.
- Rain covers turn the box into an all-season kid pod — this is how Dutch families ride year-round.
- Best for two or more young kids, dogs, and maximum hauling volume.
Examples we carry: the Urban Arrow Family, the gold standard of modern bakfietsen, and the sportier next-generation Urban Arrow FamilyNext.
Small Bikes, Big Errands
Compact Utility E-Bikes
Not ready for a full-size cargo bike? A new generation of compact utility bikes carries a child seat or a week of groceries on a footprint smaller than a regular bike — at a friendlier price.
- Standard-bike handling with cargo-bike bones: sturdy rear racks, kickstands, and passenger options.
- Easy to store, easy to ride, easy on the budget.
- Best for one kid or errand duty, and as a second family bike.
Examples we carry: the Bosch-powered Tern Quick Haul, the value-packed Segway MUXI with its hub motor, and the simple, non-electric Tern Short Haul.
Carrying Kids by Bike
From day one
Babies & Toddlers
Front loaders like the Urban Arrow accept a Maxi-Cosi infant carrier adapter, so even the littlest riders can come along. On midtails and longtails, a Yepp child seat clicks onto the rear rack for kids from about nine months to preschool age. We stock the seats, adapters, and rain covers to build the setup around your child.
Room to grow
Bigger Kids
Once kids outgrow a child seat, they ride the deck: padded seats, foot pegs, and hand rails like Tern’s Clubhouse turn the back of a longtail into a school bus. The same bike carries them from toddler seat to teenager — the setup just evolves as they grow.
Not just for kids
Groceries, Dogs & Everything Else
Front racks, giant panniers, boxes, and baskets mean a cargo bike swallows a full grocery run, a load of lumber, or a very happy dog. Most accessories install in minutes and swap between duties — kid hauler on the school run, pack mule on the weekend.
Electric Assist, Explained
The heart of the bike
Motors
Nearly every cargo bike we stock uses a Bosch mid-drive motor — the industry benchmark for hauling. Mounted at the pedals, a mid-drive uses the bike’s gears, so it climbs steep hills with a full load and feels natural, like your own legs on a very good day. Budget-friendly bikes like the Segway MUXI use a simpler hub motor — a great fit for flatter routes and lighter loads.
Go the distance
Batteries & Range
Real-world range depends on load, hills, and assist level — most riders see plenty for a week of school runs and errands on a single charge. Hauling heavy every day? The Tern GSD accepts dual batteries, doubling range for all-day duty. Batteries are removable, so you can charge at your desk or in the kitchen.
Built for precious cargo
Brakes & Safety
A loaded cargo bike needs to stop like it means it. Our bikes come with powerful hydraulic disc brakes sized for cargo duty, and the top Tern GSD models add Bosch ABS — anti-lock braking, just like your car — for confident stops in the rain with kids on board. Low step-through frames, wheel guards, and sturdy double kickstands round out the family-safety picture.
Which Cargo Bike Is Right for You?
Why Buy From Clever Cycles?
Cargo bike specialists since 2007
Pro-Built, Fitted, and Supported for Life
A cargo bike carries your family — it deserves expert hands. Every bike we sell is professionally assembled and safety-checked by our mechanics, never shipped in a box of parts. We help you pick the right child seats and accessories, fit the bike to every rider, and our service department keeps it rolling for years. No Oregon sales tax, financing available, and our e-bike trade-in program makes upgrading easy.
