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Beginner Tips for Acoustic Cargo Bike Riders

This article focuses on non-electric cargo bikes like the Short Haul. For e-cargo bike tips, click here.

If you're new to cargo biking and stumbled upon this article, chances are you are curious about how you can safely carry more on your bike. Maybe you are thinking about carrying a kid, or maybe you've just started a side hustle and need to haul stuff around town. Maybe you're looking for a vehicle that can really help you ditch the car.

Cargo bikes can help you do all that. But carrying heavy loads on two wheels can feel a bit daunting—especially if this is new territory.

In this article, we'll offer some tips to help new riders get started and make the most of their non-electric cargo bikes.

1. Establish a positive mindset

Let's just start by getting this out of the way: feeling intimidated by cargo biking is totally normal. Even folks who have been biking solo for years can get anxious about balancing heavy loads or a wriggly kid if they've never done it before.

The good news is that carrying cargo by bike is perfectly doable—but it does take a bit of time and patience. Stay positive and motivated, and in the end riding with loads will feel just as easy as riding without.

2. Prioritize safety

While staying positive is essential to keep you going, taking safety precautions can help you worry less as you build your confidence and skills. Being prepared for common situations could save you a lot of trouble, so here are our top tips.

Wear a helmet

Always wear a helmet when going for a ride, even if you're just going to the shop around the corner. Helmets are a must not only when you're riding, but also when mounting or dismounting the bike, when stopping at a traffic light, and when loading or unloading stuff.

If you are carrying a passenger, make sure they have a properly fitted helmet too. Remember to put on your helmets before getting on the bike, and to only remove them after safely getting off the bike.

See and be seen

Sharing the road with others means you need to see and be seen in traffic. Your bike should always have working front and rear lights for visibility. If you have rechargeable lights, make sure you won't run out of battery mid-trip. And if you'd like to be extra cautious, wear reflective clothing.

Check your bike

Doing a quick bike check before you go is essential for a safe ride. If you're not familiar with the ABCQD test, read about it here. This is a really quick inspection that covers the essentials, such as checking that your tire pressure is OK, that your brakes are working, and so on.

3. Don't forget to shift gears!

If you're already pretty familiar with gears and use them frequently, feel free to skip to the next section. But if you've ever caught yourself wondering why bother shifting gears at all, this is for you.

Shifting is the secret to an easier, more comfortable ride, and you should generally aim at:

  • Downshifting (ie. shifting to a lower gear) before coming to a stop or going uphill;
  • Upshifting (ie. shifting to a higher gear) when descending or gaining speed on flat ground.

If you plan on carrying cargo on your bike, using your gears properly is really important. Imagine, for example, that you have a loaded bike (kid, groceries, the works) and forget to downshift before a big hill. Midway through, you realize that the higher gear you're in makes it almost impossible to climb, and you end up dismounting and pushing your bike all the way up.

Frustrating? Yes. Avoidable? Yes! Get to know your gears and learn how to use them to your advantage.

4. Start small and gradually carry more

Cargo bikes can carry heavy loads, so you might be tempted to carry everything but the kitchen sink on your first try. The Short Haul, for example, can carry up to 50 kg on the rear rack, and up to 20 kg on a front rack—and that's a considerable amount of cargo to handle.

We recommend that you start small, riding solo and carrying lighter cargo. Then, build up to hauling heavier cargo, and then finally a kid. We don't recommend starting out with a kid if you're new to cargo biking because kids tend to wiggle around, and that can upset the balance of the bike.

If you're experimenting with heavier loads but don't feel quite confident yet, try bringing the saddle down a little lower than you normally would for a regular bike. As you gain confidence, you can raise the seat for better pedaling ergonomics.

Safety Tip

Find a safe space to practice. When you're ready to go places, choose a quieter route without heavy traffic.

5. Choose the right accessories for the task

When deciding how to outfit your bike, think about what you'll be carrying most of the time. The right accessories will turn your bike into the ideal tool for your needs.

If you plan to carry lots of cargo, try to spread out the weight using different accessories. If you're riding a Short Haul, you can easily add a front rack like the Transporteur, panniers like the Cargo Hold 37s, and maybe a Soft Crate Mini and Clubhouse Mini combo:

Transporteur Rack Clubhouse Mini Soft Crate Mini Cargo Hold 37 Panniers

Tern cargo bikes have a vast ecosystem of accessories to help you do more. To learn more about how to safely carry cargo on the Short Haul, check out this article.

If you plan to carry a kid in addition to some cargo, you will need passenger accessories as well. Riders in rainy areas might want to consider getting some rain protection like the Clubhouse Fort Mini, to keep their passengers dry and their complaints at bay:

Make sure you have all the required accessories to carry passengers safely. To learn more about how to carry a passenger on the Short Haul, click here.

6. Get support

Finally, sharing your experiences with other riders is a great confidence booster. Look for cargo bike groups to connect with other riders and hear their success stories, and how they've overcome their own obstacles. If you're on Facebook, check out the Short Haul group.

And if you prefer to meet others in person, or feel the need for more intensive support, search for bicycle skills classes in your area. That's a great way to build up your skills.