Electric bikes have become so much more than bicycles with motors attached to them. These days, they’ve created a new category when it comes to urban mobility, and in parts of Europe and Asia, people are actually using e-bikes on a daily basis instead of their cars. That being said, cargo bikes are evolving and becoming more and more high tech. Case in point: the new Gravit City E-Bike from German bike maker Hase Bikes.
The new Gravit City is unlike any other cargo e-bike currently on sale simply because of the way it optimizes its cargo hauling capabilities. Unlike other cargo bikes where the storage compartment is behind the rider, the Gravit City makes use of an innovative front end wherein the frame of the bike can telescope depending on the size of the load you wish to carry. There’s a large cargo board mounted in front of the suspension fork which is rated for up to 40 kilograms of cargo. It can then be fitted with a variety of accessories such as a canvas web for you to dump your stuff into, or a more robust waterproof fabric box with 120 liters of storage capacity.
Hase’s new Gravit City isn’t just a cargo bike, either. If you install the padded child seat accessory to the front cargo board, you can carry your little one along with you on your rides, provided that they’re no taller than 1.2 meters, and aren’t any heavier than the previously mentioned 40 kilogram capacity. Now, if the expandable front luggage solution simply isn’t enough for you, there’s also an Altran Velo rear rack that can carry up to 25 kilograms of cargo. You can even fit a Porter Rack under the frame to stow away smaller items. In total, the Hase Gravit City e-bike can carry up to 200 kilograms of load, rider included.
In order to reliably propel this e-bike and all its load across all sorts of terrain, Hase Bikes has equipped it with a Shimano Steps E6100 mid-drive motor. This motor gives the bike a top speed of 15.5 miles per hour, and thanks to its 504-watt-hour downtube-mounted battery, should provide sufficient range for trips around town. Hase doesn’t provide specific range estimates, however. Power is transferred from the mid-drive motor to the rear wheel via a Shimano Deore 11-speed drivetrain.
Complementing the reliable performance of this e-bike is a 26-inch wheel at the back with a two-inch Schwalbe Marathon e-bike-specific tire for extra stability. The front wheel is a smaller 20-inch unit with a 1.75-inch tire to make room for the luggage compartment. The Gravit City comes to a stop with front and rear hydraulic disc brakes for extra confidence. For extra nighttime visibility, the bike is equipped with a B+M IQ-X headlight and an integrated taillight.
