Mycle, the company behind one of TechRadar's top-rated folding e-bikes, has released a new electric cargo bike with an astonishingly low price tag. The Mycle Cargo, revealed at this year's London e-bike festival, has serious carrying capacity, but costs a mere £1,899 (about $2,500 / AU$2,200) – a fraction of the price of its rivals.
Normally I'd be skeptical of any electric bike with such a modest price tag, but Mycle has impressed me before. Last year, our writer Sarah Finley had the opportunity to review the Mycle Compact, and its performance far surpassed what we'd expected for an electric bike starting at just £799 (about $1,000 / AU$1,500).
Sure, its range wasn't as impressive as that of the MiRider One or Gocycle G4, but 18.6 miles is still more than enough for most commutes and shopping trips, and the bike's drive system delivers a surprisingly smooth boost of power when you begin pedalling. Some budget e-bikes have a tendency to lurch forward as the motor kicks in or you switch between modes, but not this one.
Keep rolling, rolling, rolling
The Mycle Cargo seems to be similarly well built, and can be fitted with a cargo basket for shopping and chores, seat pads for doing the school run with the kids, or child seats. It comes with a 15Wh battery that can keep you rolling for roughly 37 miles (depending how how you load it up), and if you don't mind spending a little extra, you can pick up a second battery that'll boost the maximum range to around 74 miles.
It's kitted out with a 250W rear hub motor, which (as Ebiketips notes) is something of a compromise. Most cargo e-bikes have mid-drive systems that are better suited to hauling heavy loads uphill, but the rear hub drive is cheaper and has the advantage of being easier to maintain.
Of course, the Mycle Cargo is still a serious investment, but as bikes like the Raleigh Stride 2 or Specialized Como SL cost almost twice as much, it's well worth considering if you're looking for a greener alternative to owning a second car – and there's no gasoline required.
