Bike 43 is a Belgian maker of electric longtail bikes for families. We design and assemble our bikes in Anderlecht, Brussels, and have done so since 2015. The range has three models, the Short, the Mid and the Long, built to carry children and loads every day while staying easy to handle in the city.

Bike 43 bikes are designed and assembled in Anderlecht, Brussels, where we have built our longtails since 2015. The motors and batteries are German Bosch units, the frames are made in Poland, and about 80% of the value of the bike is European. Production stays at a human scale, which lets us keep direct control over the quality of every bike.

Bike 43 makes them in house, in its assembly workshop in Anderlecht. Unlike many brands that import complete bikes, we assemble our longtails on site, which keeps us in control of the finish and the service.

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 stability 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 easy to fold and deploy 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 main difference is the length of the rear rack, so the number of children and the load volume. The Short is 173 cm, the length of a normal bike, and takes up to two child seats thanks to the Magic Footbox. The Mid is 186 cm and lets you fit the Bench Kit in long position for three small children. The Long, in its new generation, is 205 cm and comfortably carries three, even four children, with the largest load capacity.

For a single child, the Short is more than enough. It is the most compact and lightest model in the range, easy to park and handle in the city, while offering the stability of a longtail.

For two children, the Short and the Mid both work. The Short takes two child seats one behind the other thanks to the Magic Footbox, which makes it the most compact longtail on the market for carrying two children. The Mid adds 13 cm of bench at the rear, which leaves more room as children grow.

For three children, we recommend the Long, or the Mid with the Bench Kit in long position for young children. The new generation Long offers the longest bench, up to about 109 cm, and can carry up to four children.

The Bike 43 Long is the model built for large families. It is the only longtail that comfortably carries up to four children. It supports up to 120 kg of load at the rear in its new generation and keeps a balanced ride even when loaded.

For hills or for riding often with a load, choose a motor with high torque. The Mid and the Long are available with the Bosch Performance Line PX, which delivers 90 Nm, ideal for climbs and for riders who prefer a slow pedalling cadence. On flat ground, the Bosch Performance Line at 75 Nm is plenty.

A longtail like the Bike 43 places the load at the rear, over the rear wheel, rather than in a box at the front. It stays as easy to handle as a normal bike, parks more easily and rides more intuitively. A box bike offers a large enclosed volume at the front but becomes bulkier and slower to manoeuvre. For most urban families, the longtail is the best balance between capacity and ease of riding.

The longtail keeps the geometry and behaviour of a normal bike, which makes it easy to get used to, even for a new rider. It is shorter than a front loader, weaves through traffic better and is easier to store. On the Bike 43, weight distribution is 50/50 when empty, and about 40 at the front and 60 at the rear with heavy children, which gives excellent balance when braking and cornering.

It depends on the model. The Short carries up to two children, the Mid up to three young children with the Bench Kit, and the Long up to four children, with room for three child seats in its new generation.

The pivoting Bench Kit is a rear bench unique to Bike 43 that turns the rack into a comfortable seat for children. It includes grab bars, cushions and footrests, and comes in versions by model to fit several children on the bench. It is one of the features that makes carrying several children simple and comfortable every day.

For a baby, an adapter for a baby shell of the maxicosy type is available in the accessories shop. The maker Steco recommends it from four months. From about ten months, an Urban Iki front seat is a good solution. In all cases, ride gently with a very young child on board.

Yes, on the new generation Long, which is designed to take up to three child seats and up to four children on board. The Mid takes the Bench Kit in long position for three young children. The Short is designed for two seats.

The simple rule is that the more you like to pedal slowly, the more torque you need. The Short gets the Bosch Performance Line, 75 Nm, perfect for a compact longtail. The Mid offers a choice of that same motor or the Bosch Performance Line PX at 90 Nm for hills. The new generation Long is fitted with the Bosch Performance Line PX at 90 Nm.

Both are excellent solutions and the choice depends on your use. The Bike 43 chain lasts a very long time, can be repaired anywhere and costs far less to maintain. The Gates Carbon Drive belt needs no lubrication and stays very clean, but costs more and is only offered on the Short and the Mid. For heavy use or long trips, we recommend the chain. For regular, maintenance free city use, the belt is a very good choice.

Yes. The load sits low and close to the wheel axle, which gives a low centre of gravity and good balance. Weight distribution is 50/50 when empty, and about 40 at the front and 60 at the rear with heavy children. The in house kickstand, wide and solid, lets you load and unload children without the bike tipping.

Bike 43 bikes are sold only through approved dealers, never online. Bike 43 relies on around a hundred qualified, quality dealers across Europe. You can find the list of sales points on bike43.com/dealers. Going through a dealer guarantees a bike that is assembled and adjusted correctly, with local service for maintenance.

No. We have chosen to sell exclusively through physical shops. A longtail is fitted to the rider, is understood through a test ride, and is followed over time for maintenance. The dealer is the best guarantee of a good experience, before and after purchase.

You can try a Bike 43 at a dealer, or even test it for a full week. Head to bike43.com to arrange a test ride. Nothing replaces a real test ride to feel the balance of a longtail and choose the right model.

The price depends on the model, the motor and options such as the belt or the Bench Kit. You can find up to date prices on bike43.com/pricing, and the exact detail of a configuration from your dealer. Leasing often makes the bike far more affordable than it looks.

The aluminium frame of the Short and the Mid is guaranteed seven years. The frame of the new generation Long is also guaranteed seven years. These warranties apply to the first owner, for normal use, and for bikes bought from an approved dealer.

Maintenance is deliberately low. The transmission is robust and needs little upkeep. On cost, a long life chain runs between 5 and 16 euros per 1000 km depending on the shop policy, while a belt runs about 45 euros per 1000 km. Your dealer handles servicing and parts.

Yes, in most urban spaces, even with the Bench Kit fitted. Only the Long may be a problem in some very narrow bike boxes. The most recent Velo Boxx model in Belgium, for example, is a little tight in width for the Long.

Yes. For the Mid and the Long, you need a bike rack with a wheel rail extension. The best option tested is the Pro User Diamant ((also available here). ). Some users also secure the wheels with XXL fatbike straps on racks such as the Thule VeloSpace XT3 or the Thule EasyFold XT3. Always check the maximum load of the rack and remove the battery, the lock and the seats before loading the bike.