Germany's Hase Bikes is rolling into Eurobike next week with a new pedal-assist version of its tandem cargo bike. Pitched as a replacement replacement for the family car, the Pino Cargo can haul gear, roll as a city commuter or serve as a family taxi.
An evolution of the Pino Porter that received a Eurobike Award for Special Purpose Bike in 2013 and the motorized Pino Steps model from 2020, the Pino Cargo is described by the company's head of marketing, Kirsten Hase, as "an ingenious all-rounder, a comprehensive cycling-mobility concept in a single bike."
In solo city rider mode, the front section of the telescoping aluminum frame can slide into the main frame for a shorter wheelbase and tight turning circle, with the chain slack taken up by the ebike's quick-adjust assembly.
Then a Porter bag can be attached to the front to haul up to 40 kg (88 lb) of cargo up to a volume of 120 liters (4 cu ft), while even more stuff can be loaded onto the butterfly-wing rack hanging below the downtube. And if that still isn't enough, a rear rack can be fitted with low-mounted panniers or even a child seat.
Remove the Porter bag and there's recumbent seating at the front for an adult or child passenger, with an adjustable tandem crankset for double the leg power.
The maximum load for this beast is 225 kg (496 lb), which could prove quite a strain on the legs pumping away at the pedals so Hase has included motor assist in the shape of a Shimano EP8 mid-drive system paired with a 630-Wh battery and an 11-speed Deore derailleur with bar-end microshifters.
Other key specs include a Spinner 300 suspension fork for smoothing out bumps along the way, a 20-inch double-walled aluminum rim to the front and a 26-inch wheel to the rear, both wrapped in Schwalbe Marathon ebike tires, and hydraulic disc brakes for stopping power.
A double kickstand should make for stable parking, even when loaded up, full fenders are included, as is integrated lighting front and back, and the cargo ebike can be mounted to a car rack with the frame pushed into its minimum length of 184 cm (72.5 in) and the handlebars folded down.
The Pino Cargo is being launched at Eurobike 2022 next week, but all that versatility comes at a steep starting price of €11,500 (about US$11,700). The very brief video below shows the ebike in action.
Source: Hase Bikes
Or for the same price, you could get a nice Zero FX with panniers which could haul two people and the 12-pack in much more style and safety.
AFAIC, almost NO cargo bikes are worth over two grand.