Tern and Xtracycle launch full-size folding cargo-bike on Kickstarter

September 9th, 2015—Tern, the world’s leading designer of folding bikes, and Xtracycle, pioneering inventor and leading designer of longtail cargo bikes, are teaming up to Kickstart the world’s most useful tool for car-free living: a full sized cargo bike that folds to 1/3rd its size—the Tern Cargo Node.

Cargo bikes are great vehicles for people who live in cities. Whether they’re used to haul a week’s worth of groceries, bring a date for a ride around town, or move house, they pack as much utility as possible onto two wheels. Cargo bikes make it easy to drive less, and they look great while doing it.

Despite their many advantages, the key pain point with cargo bikes is their size, according to Josh Hon, founder and Team Captain of Tern. “Although they’re big enough to carry almost anything, they’re tough to manage for people who live in cities. If you live it an apartment they’re a problem, since they don’t fit in elevators. That means locking your bike outside, putting it at risk of theft. Cargo bikes have the potential to transform peoples’ lives, but can be challenging for urban dwellers without storage space. The Cargo Node is a project to fix that.”

The Cargo Node project started as a shared vision between Josh, of Tern, and Ross Evans, CEO and founder of Xtracycle, to make the convenience of cargo bikes accessible to as many people as possible. Josh and Ross—both Stanford alums—realized that with their combined expertise they could design a better cargo bike, one with none of the pain-points, and the Cargo Node was born. “Life is full of incredible opportunities and things to explore. In today’s carsick culture, we’ve set out to design a bike that can help you unlock the hidden treasures of your city,” says Ross. 

The current design is a full-sized cargo bike, built without compromise. It supports up to 350 lb (160 kg) and comes equipped with weatherproof Xtracycle CarryAll™ bags ready to haul 70 L (4300 cu in) of cargo and almost anything else you need to transport with its built-in FreeLoader Sling. With 24” wheels, hydraulic brakes, and dynamo lighting, it rides and feels like a full-sized cargo bike. Using Tern’s patented hinge technology, it folds down to 1/3rd of its total volume in only ten seconds, so it’s convenient to store and transport. It fits in a Prius, on public transport, and in the back of many taxis. Plus, because riders can bring it conveniently inside, it’s not at risk of being stolen while locked outside overnight.

Josh and Ross are bringing the Cargo Node to Kickstarter because folding cargo bikes are a new category of bike that need to be proven to the industry. “We’re looking to create something new,” says Josh. “By launching on Kickstarter, we want to ignite demand for folding cargo bikes. We’re partnering with our dealer network to deliver the bikes, so they arrive fully-assembled for customers.”

“Kickstarter is an amazing platform, where visionary ideas can become reality,” according to Ross. “It’s a great way to reach people who believe we can make the future a better place. We’re hoping to get support from a wide range of backers—from cycling enthusiasts to people who just want to help build a more sustainable future.”

After rounds of prototypes, and extensive third-party EU safety testing, the Cargo Node is ready to head to production. The campaign will kick off on September 15th and run until mid-October, with early-bird shipments arriving at customers’ doorsteps in time for Christmas.

 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE KICKSTARTER PROJECT

 

For press photos, please visit photos.ternbicycles.com/p213922581

 

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