We all love cargo bikes but they aren’t always practical for city living. Throw on an electric motor and it’s near impossible to get them in and out of apartment building or on and off trains. Not anymore. Tern gets set to debut their new GSD compact utility e-bike that folds down to 1/3 the volume — small enough to fit in the back of your car, into an elevator, or to stow away in your apartment.
The Tern GSD is designed to carry two kids, a week’s worth of groceries, or 180 kg (400 pounds) of cargo, but is just 180 cm (71 inches) long — the same length as a standard e-bike. To accommodate the whole family, the bike adjusts to fit riders from 4.9-5.9 feet tall.
The electric cargo bike runs on a Bosch Performance motor where you can connect two batteries to get you 250 kilometers or 155 miles before recharging. That makes a pretty compelling scenario for both commuting and even bike touring.
The GSD comes come with integrated lighting, rack, mudguards, double kickstand that supports up to 176 pounds so you can safely load and unload your kids.
The low step-thru frame makes getting on and off much safer, while the smaller wheels, and centrally mounted motor and batteries give the bike an extremely low center of gravity. All this coupled with an extended wheelbase (124 cm), makes the GSD stable and easy to handle.
The rest of the cargo bike build includes Magura 4-piston disc brakes, custom 2.4-inch Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires, Boost thru-axle hubs, and custom 36mm width double-joined rims.
The Tern GSD retails for $4000 and comes with a pair of 62 liter Cargo Hold panniers. A suite of ‘Sidekick’ accessories includes the KLICKfix seat cushion, retractable foot pegs, and an underseat handle that let two adults ride together — great for heading to dinner or the pub at night.