FAQ’s
The Bike
You can order additional locks sharing the same key as the battery. Simply give the Abus YourPlus key number from the battery to your dealer and order one of these locks.
X-Plus locks for Bosch
- frame lock Abus 5755LNR XPlus (art. 748723 EAN 4003318690891).
- U-lock GRANIT XPlus™ 540/160HB300 (without EaZy KF because the frame already holds the lock while riding)
- foldable lock : ABUS Bordo GRANIT XPlus™ 6500/110
Plus locks for Shimano
- frame lock Abus 5750LNR Plus (art. 79736 EAN 4003318797361). An optional chain is available : ACH 8KS/110
- U-lock Abus Granit 470/150HB300 (without EaZy KF because the frame already holds the lock while riding)
- foldable lock : ABUS Bordo 6015/90.
About 2 weeks later you will be able to pick them up from your bike store.
We are so sure about the quality of the bike design and the materials used that we give a life time warranty on bike 43 frames purchased in our official dealer network. The warranty is provided to original owners of the bike only (not transferable), in the circumstances of normal usage of the bicycle (professional usage not covered).
The key concept you need to understand to choose a motor is “the slower you like to pedal, the more torque you need from the motor”.
The bike 43 is available in two different models:
- Performance : powered by the Shimano E6100 – 60Nm of torque.It comes with the superb Nexus Inter5E for ebikes. Shifting under load is possible, and of course at stand still too, unlike a cheaper derailleur system. The Performance series will cover the needs of all users.
- Alpster : powered by the Bosch Cargo Line – 85Nm of torque. It’s meant for those living in hilly or mountain areas, or those preferring to pedal at a lower cadence. It also fit fot those who look for top-notch performance and strong sensations.
The weight distribution on the wheels is 50/50 with only the rider, and 40% (Front) / 60% (rear) with heavy children. It’s way more balanced than a cargo boxbike, and even better than a regular bike. The benefit is that the grip of both tires get used in an optimum manner for braking and for speeding in turns. It’s easy to ride, and if you want to ride actively you’ll enjoy a great feeling of confidence.
The total length is 197cm, which is 5 to 15cm longer than a normal ebike. The wheelbase is 141cm. It will fit in any constrained size environment just as a normal bike.
The length of the bike is the minimum achievable while complying with the mandatory children seat installation, according to the EN14344 safety standard.
In combination with the footbox which allows the children to seat as much forward as possible, the length of the carrier is enough to allow both seats to be installed complying with EN14344 §14.2.5a.
It’s correct, we don’t buy an off-the-shelf kickstand and bolt it under the frame. We do our own.
As users, we noticed that the <strong>stability</strong> of the bike for loading and unloading is extremely important on a daily basis. We couldn’t reach this goal with standard products, they were just too weak. Our kickstand has a wide spacing on the frame and on the ground.
Also, it has the exact length to make it <strong>easy to fold and deploy</strong> even with 60kg of load. You don’t have to lift the bike to fold or deploy the kickstand, you simply push the bike forward or rearward.
An internal gear hub replaces a more basic regular derailleur. There is one chainwheel at the front and one cog at the rear. The chain never shifts and never drops off. That is a terrible experience for a cargo bike with kids on board.
Second benefit, the gears are inside the sealed rear wheel hub, nicely lubricated and protected from the dirt and sand. There is no maintenance and it’s trouble free. The internal gears are made of steel and should last the life of the bike. As opposed to a regular cassette which has to be changed regularly together with the chain. As the sprockets of an IGH are in steel and the chain tension is pretty constant, the chain will last 8000-10000km and the sprockets about 20.000km. An Internal Gear Hub is the low maintenance and worry-less solution for intensive usage.
Third major benefit, you can change gears when stopped. If you’re surprised by a traffic light going to red, you can change back to 1st when standing still. You can also change several gears at once.
From our experience, switching from a derailleur to an Internal Gear Hub is like switching from a B&W TV to a color TV. You don’t go back. It’s a no brainer for low maintenance and high mileage bikes.
The rear load has to be low for stability reasons and safety reasons, a 20” rear wheel is a no brainer.
However, in an urban environment the front wheel has to go over kerbs so it has to be bigger. A 26” wheel is cumbersome, so after some testing we decided to go for 24” wheel. It proved to be the right compromise for a smooth and comfortable ride, while staying manoeuvrable, and offering good grip for braking.
If you’re a dynamic rider, even very dynamic, don’t be afraid to go out of the footsteps! Recently, this 24″ – 20″ set up is getting increasingly popular on the MTB scene, it’s called “mullet bikes”.
We’re proud forerunners of the combination of a 24” front and 20” rear wheels.
Oh Yesss!
The benefits of CrMo steel is that it will never crack from fatigue failure, as opposed to aluminum. As an example, most world touring bikes (remember the pics of those bikes heavily loaded in the beautiful landscapes of Mongolia) are made of this refined CrMo steel.
CrMo Steel also offers an unbeatable comfort, because the material itself absorbs the roughness of the road better than aluminum alloys. It’s a physical fact.
Our development team made their teeth on high performance race cars, like Le Mans LMP1 racers of 700BHP traveling in the Mulsanne straight at 330km/h and taking high speed corners under 3.5 lateral g’s. And they do so for 24 hours in a row.
The frame of the bike 43 is made of the same grade of steel as the suspension parts of those cars, the proven high performance SAE 4130 (chromium and molybdenum alloyed steel). No need to say that those parts need to be both strong and lightweight.
Don’t be confused with regular steel used for low cost and children bike. The CrMo steel is twice as strong, therefore two times less material can be used, and a construction will weight half the weight. On the frame of a bike 43 the weight penalty of CrMo steel vs aluminum alloy is minimal, around 1kg. It’s the weight of your drinking bottle. Trust us, on such a transport bike it makes no difference at all. But all the benefits will matter to you.
CrMo steel is the choice of the connoisseurs.
Using the bike
The maximum gross weight is 200kg, this includes the bike’s own weight.
The maximum weight of the rider is 100kg (ut o 130kg with a suspension seatpost).
The maximum payload on the rear carrier is 100kg.
The maximum payload on the front basket is 20kg.
The bike fits in most urban parking boxes. Even with the Roller Coaster installed.
We’d love to hear your feedback about other popular bicycle parking solutions.
Note : The most recent model of Velo-Boxx in Belgium is currently not suitable for the bike
You will find a maxicosy adaptor in our accessory shop. There you’ll find all the maxicosy brands compatible with the adaptor together with an installation manual.
Please note that the manufacturer (Steco) recommends using it for babies from 4 months and on. The adaptor includes a basic suspension system but remember to ride gently.
For older babies from 10 months on, a front seat (Urban Iki) is available in the shop.
Sure you can!
Remember to have the installation made by a capable person or a professional bike mechanic.
You will find all the user guides and video tutorials on the User Manuals page.
It does, and it’s as easy to install as any other bike.
You just need car rack model with an extension. The best option we’ve found is the Pro-User Diamant (also available here)
Alternatively, some users managed to fix the wheels using “XXL Straps for Fatbikes”on car racks without extension like Thule VeloSpace XT 3, or Thule EasyFold XT3.
Please check always the weight capacity of the racks and of the car. And make sure to remove heavy items like the battery, the locker, and any other accessory.
One of your questions
is left unanswered?
