Every cargo bike sold in Australia, by type.

Mid drive or hub drive

There are two main types of motor. A hub drive sits in the wheel and pushes it directly, in one fixed gear. A mid drive sits at the pedals and drives through the bike's gears.

They are not apples for apples, which is why you will generally find hubs cheaper. Australia caps every legal e-bike at 250 watts, so the only way to get more force up a hill is to gear the motor down. A mid drive can do that. A hub drive cannot. Loaded with kids on a real hill, that is the difference between usable torque and a motor at its limit.

“Not stated” means the sourced page does not say, not that no answer exists. Sections sort cheapest first, even where that puts somebody else on top. Spotted a price that has moved? Email hello@tribebikes.com.au and we will correct it.

How to choose from here

Will it fit through the gate, and where does it sleep?

This is the question that catches people, and it is worth answering with a tape measure before a deposit. Our Original is 88cm across the box. Front doors and side gates run from about 80cm to well over a metre, so the difference between “lives in the hallway” and “lives in the weather” can be a few centimetres. A longtail sidesteps the problem: it parks in a normal bike spot.

How heavy is it when the motor is off?

The Original weighs 67kg empty. That is irrelevant while you are riding and it is the whole story if the bike has to come up a step, into a lift, or onto a car rack. Ask for the empty weight of anything you are considering, and picture the worst twenty seconds of your daily route.

What does it actually carry, and for how many years?

Our box takes 100kg, which is four smaller kids or two big ones and the shopping. Kids grow into that limit faster than they grow out of the bike, so buy for the load in three years rather than the one in the driveway today.

How far does it really go?

Range figures are best-case numbers from flat roads and light loads. Ours says up to 50km and we would rather say why it varies: hills, total weight and how hard you lean on the assist all take their cut. Judge any bike on its worst realistic day, not its brochure.

What does it cost to get to your door?

Freight on something this size is real money and it varies by where you live. Ours is a fixed rate by state, published on our shipping page, and for parts of regional Australia it can be very expensive or simply unavailable. Get that number before you compare two prices.

Does it arrive built, and who fixes it later?

Our Original, Ricky Rickshaw and Triberoo arrive ready to ride; the Evamos comes in a carton with the tools and instructions, or a mobile mechanic can build it for you. Servicing matters more than assembly though: a cargo bike is a heavy vehicle that needs brakes and bearings looked after, so find out who will touch it in your suburb before you buy. Ours are supported by our bike shop partners and carry a 24 month warranty on the bike, electronics and non-consumables.

Is it road legal here?

Australia caps electric assistance at 250 watts continuous and 25km/h. Plenty of imported bikes advertise bigger numbers, which makes them unregistered vehicles rather than bicycles. Worth confirming on anything that looks unusually powerful for its price.