The idea behind Yuba's new Boda Boda All-Terrain is to take the carrying capacity and utilitarian qualities of its other compact cargo bike models and roll them into a package that's at home on dirt as well as street surfaces. Does it hit the sweet spot? We climbed aboard to find out.
Yuba makes a wide assortment of cargo bikes and its latest offering, the Boda Boda All-Terrain, is a new version of the "compact" Boda Boda v3 model.
The first thing we noticed is just how light the bike feels in both on and off-road, given its stoutness. At 40 pounds (17 kg) it may seem a bit bulky on paper, but it handles as if it's much lighter. It glided easily through corners – regardless of terrain – and it never felt like we had to work hard to get it there.
While it's designed for light work on dirt trails, there's no suspension system so it doesn't handle anything more significant than small bumps and ruts too well. The big WTB All-Terrain tires do help soak up the jolts, but at the end of the day the bike really isn't meant for anything more than local dirt roads, trails and maybe fire roads.
To test the bike's cargo carrying capacity, we loaded up the two side bags (optional) with about 20 pounds (8.5 kg) of groceries on each side. Given we had a 165 pound (75 kg) rider and the max cargo limit for the All-Terrain is listed at 220 pounds (100 kg), we were just under that amount by 15 pounds (6.8 kg).
On different days, we rode several miles in the bike lanes of local roads before taking off on dirt trails in the nearby park. The affect of the extra weight was negligible. In fact, we thought the bike probably could have carried even more quite easily.
The All-Terrain is fitted with hydraulic disc brakes front and back and they do a great job of stopping the bike, loaded or unloaded. They bite down fast and without a lot of effort.
We did get some glazing on the rear brake pads that had no appreciable affect on braking ability, but did create an annoying noise on occasion. This is a fairly easy fix requiring a simple removal of the brake pads, some fine grit sand paper and a few minutes of time.
Our only gripe is that we would have liked a few extra gears. The All-Terrain comes with a 2x10 SRAM set, which is probably plenty for the average rider who will more than likely use the bike for grocery runs, taking kids for a ride in open spaces, and maybe even light camping trips. But for anyone who wants to go a little faster or have to tackle some more significant hills, more gears wouldn't hurt.
The All-Terrain comes with a 25-inch (63 cm) long rack that's welded on to the frame, a wide side stand, rear wheelskirts, sideloader/cargo feet supports (easily removed), a Yepp mount, and a two-year warranty.
At 73 inches (186 cm) in overall length, it's longer than a conventional bicycle, but you'll really only notice that when you put it alongside one. It can easily be stored up on its rear wheel or using its heavy-duty side stand.
A decent list of optional accessories is meant to increase the overall flexibility of this bike as a regular hauler of cargo and children. The version we were riding came with two baguettes that clipped and strapped on to the sideloaders, and a rear deck that bolted to the rack. Cargo straps and a front mounted bread basket would have completed the cargo accessory list.
All-Terrain owners can also choose from several different accessories like hold on bars, running boards and a Yepp maxi seat to give passengers of varying sizes different options for riding in the back.
While you probably wouldn't want to take the All-Terrain to Moab for some slip-rock action, it's a fine piece of two-wheeled transport if your local area demands riding on dirt trails once in awhile. During our tests it definitely proved itself a solid, environmentally friendly option for carrying groceries, passengers or odds and ends across somewhat varied tracks.
The Boda Boda All-Terrain lists for US $2,099 on the company's site, but that includes domestic shipping to your door; international shipping is extra. List without shipping is $1,999 and Yuba bikes are sold at dealers throughout the U.S and parts of Canada.
Check out the video to see more on the Yuba Boda Boda All-Terrain in action.
Product page: Boda Boda All Terrain
