NEW Urban Arrow FamilyNext Cargo Bike: 5 things to know
Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары
Urban Arrow announced a new model in their family line of cargo bikes, the FamilyNext. Let's review the 5 things you should know about this new bakfiets style cargo bike!
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A bike mechanic and sports tech nerd bringing you along on my adventures👩🏻🔧
I owned an electric bike shop and have worked in the bike industry for 20 years. More in-depth sports tech articles: bikeshopgirl.com
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Would have liked to see an optional locking cover
Looks like a worthy update to the existing Urban Arrow lineup. Will be interested to see what you think when you finally get to ride one!
Looks like a nice evolution of the classic Family design...but the price tag....wow...that is optimistic. My Family from 2019 was below 5k and I still love it.
@BikeShopGirl
24 күн бұрын
Good timing on your purchase! In 2021 a lot of bikes took a huge increase. Urban Arrows are now $1-2k more than when you bought.
I'll be very interested to see the US pricing on this model. It seems very competitive in spec with the R&M Packster, I hope like Tern, Urban Arrow is also the Toyota to R&M's Lexus. (Sorry for the car analogy)
Those are all great updates!
The only thing that truly keeps me away from the Urban Arrow is the Enviolo hub. I'm all for ease of use with chain belt drives, and I'm also all for the easy shifting curve for not experienced riders; that being said, this bike is entirely too heavy to handle anything greater than a 6 percent grade. If they either went more upmarket with a Rohloff hub or did what Riese and Muller did and offer traditional 12 gears as a "Touring" option I would buy it. I rented an Urban Arrow before my final purchase of R & M Load 60 and I loved it; but I live where hills can be up to 12% grades and this bike is impossible to climb even with the powerful 85nm motor assistance.
@lwfeagan
21 күн бұрын
I hear ya. I rode the Trek Fetch+ 4 a few days ago on a 15% grade. I live in “flat” Kansas and the hills on my journey home are over 16%. Today I demoed an Urban Arrow, and while significantly more peppy than the Trek (a laborious 165lb lug), imho the Enviolo CVT is just not suited to hilly areas. Manufacturers should offer either a higher pinion/spur ratio or a different gearbox altogether.
Look great. I see some influence from Lovens, but overall good update.
Those Bakfeits are really cool, just hard to move around.
@BikeShopGirl
24 күн бұрын
Agreed! It’s not for everyone but very stable if you can deal with the bulk.
Why not upgrade the kickstand! I lockable stand like the GSD has would be great. the Gazelle makki load has one, and it works very well, a very stable kickstand. I also love my auto enviolo gears, so to have that as an option would have been nice. looks very nice If I didn't already have an only 1.5yo UA I would consider this.
@hyperepe
20 күн бұрын
you are right. As a bike shop, we have the choice of making it spring up by itself for better usability, but then it will not stand so well.. or we can make it tighter but then you have to push it up every time.
Urban arrows are lile SUV. Massive and Heavy. That is probably why they appeal to the non cyclist parents and sell so well. But the could add a few different frame colors (i can imagine it looking nice in sky blue). I see this model as a refresh/improvment to keep it modern and in par to concurrents.
@gordonmorrow4720
23 күн бұрын
The average car costs $1000 per month: depreciation, maintenance, fuel, lost investment earnings, license tabs, insurance etc. True, E-bikes are expensive, but when it replaces one car, even a very expensive model pays for itself in a year or so. Of course, it won’t work for everyone, but it did for us. We bought a cargo e-bike, kept two cars for a couple years, then took the plunge and sold one car and haven’t missed it. We love the extra garage space, fun and money saved. Sharing one car requires a little coordination with my wife and very rarely an Uber.
Sounds good.
This bike is quite a de-novation compared to the UA Family anniversary that was available with a swing-arm front fork, which is a much more reliable and more sensitive and adjustable type of suspension. Pros: small improvements like the step-in..
Yes, a front suspension fork!!!
Another improvment would be great : cable steering for more agility !
@BikeShopGirl
23 күн бұрын
As a mechanic, I’ll never own a cable steering bakfiets.
Is UA Connected even available in US/Can yet?
@BikeShopGirl
24 күн бұрын
No :/
i regularly see the non assisted version lightly used around 2500 euros. that's honestly doable
What are your thoughts on Urban Arrow or Bosch ever offering a throttle? I find myself using a throttle all the time on the current cargo bike especially when hauling heavy loads and find it refreshingly nice to have compared to the pedal assist only.
@BikeShopGirl
8 күн бұрын
The largest market is Europe where throttles are illegal 🤷🏻♀️
This is a light motorcycle with cargo carrying capability. No wonder the word "bike" is used for both bicycle and motorcycle.