Cargo comes in all shapes, sizes and ages. Whether it be small or big, playful or boxy, choosing the right Cargo Bike is something of an art form. Two wheels or three? Front or rear? How much weight to carry? How many kids? Instead of a car/second car? All very important considerations.

For most new riders, a three-wheeler is a relatively straightforward choice. Stability under load is confidence inspiring and if this is your first Cargo Bike or you are sharing it, Babboe’s ‘Big’ & ‘Curve’ are very sensible options: by steering the box you use all of the space between the front wheels, with ample room for four kids right where you can see them.

Two-wheelers fit through the side gates beside many British homes as easily as through traffic jams and ride much like regular bikes. Yuba’s ‘Supercargo’ can carry 99kg up front with another 36kg on the rear, whilst the ‘Boda-Boda’s’ short wheelbase means it can be parked in most vertical storage racks. Yuba’s ‘Curry’ & ‘Mundo’ both have extended rear racks for 1-3 kids seated directly behind you (‘Mundo’ has a staggering 200kg weight limit too).

More experienced riders prefer to weave around potholes and lean into corners, so the tilting mechanism on the Babboe ‘Carve’ caters for both. This is activated/deactivated with a lever, so you can lock it for loading/unloading, parking and sharing with others. You can also install a third child seat or panniers on the rear, which can come in handy.

Electric Family Cargo Bikes provide the best of both worlds and are ideal for people who like to cover lots of miles in regular clothes. Commute beyond the school run, collect the shopping on the way back from a meeting, this is where they really come into their own. Kiddos tend to get heavier over time and start to bring guests and gubbins too, so carrying a few extra kilo’s is par for the course and an augmented bike is a joy.

With the ‘Cycle to Work Scheme’, you can assign your initial outlay as a salary sacrifice over a year or more. This can really help when deciding upon a budget as Family Cargo Bikes are a long term option: most families recoup their investment within a year or two.