How to carry your kids and cargo

Glow Worm Electric Bikes has a range of cargo bike accessories to suit different types of families. These accessories can also be changed as kids get bigger, new ones come into the world, or older ones become big enough for their own wheels.

Each cargo bike brand makes their own accessories, but we also find that Yuba accessories can sometimes be installed on other brands of bike.

Kids on the back: the longtail cargo bike

For young children aged 9 moths - 6 years (up to 22 kg), we recommend a child seat with a seat belt and foot supports, such as the the Thule Yepp Maxi or Polisport Bubbly Maxi.

For children over 22 kg, it’s time for them to move up to a padded seat, such as the Yuba Soft Spot (with velcro attachments that make it compatible across different brands of bike), Benno Rack Pad or Tern Sidekick Seat Pad.

Longtail cargo bikes can take a combination of one or two child seats or seat pads depending on the age of each child.

These bikes can also be fitted with:

• A hand hold such as the Yuba Hold-On Bar or the wider Tern Sidekick Joyride Bars (mounted under the rider’s seat and compatible with most brands of cargo bike), 
• A wrap-around bar such as the Yuba Adjustable Monkey Bars (also compatible with the Ezee Expedir cargo bike), Tern Clubhouse or Benno High Rail Plus.
• Safety and comfort features such as foot platforms, wheel guards and back rests (like the Tern Captain’s Chair)

Different passenger and cargo configurations of the Tern GSD

Kids on the front: Box bikes

Kids in box bikes sit on bench seats with seatbelts. The Urban Arrow comes standard with a front-facing bench seat for two children (including chest harnesses), with the option of a second rear-facing bench (with lap belts) for two small children, or up to 125 kg in the box. The Tribe Original Electric Plus trike (three wheels) comes standard with both front and rear-facing benches for carrying up to four children, or up to 100 kg in the box.

Tribe Original Electric and Urban Arrow front-loading cargo bikes

Carrying cargo

It’s also possible to carry cargo in addition to children, such as schoolbags, groceries and parcels.

For a longtail cargo bike with only one child seat or seat pad, the remaining rack space can be used for one or two removable pannier bags, such as the waterproof Ortlieb Back Roller. For a bike carrying two children, non-removable pannier bags can be installed under the passenger seats (often with velcro strape), which act as flexible and foldable buckets that children can put their feet inside, with luggage taking up the remaining space. Alternatively, these bags can be rolled up and out of the way when children are being carried, or unrolled and used for their full capacity when no children are on board. Examples of these bags include the Yuba 2-Go Cargo Panniers (compatible with some other bike brands) or Tern Cargo Hold Panniers (available in different sizes).

For even more luggage space, longtail cargo bikes can be fitted with front racks that can take carry up to 25 kg of cargo (such as the Yuba Bread Basket). Front-loading box bikes either include as standard, or can be fitted with, a rear rack (such as the Urban Arrow Rear Carrier)  compatible with pannier bags.

Yuba Spicy Curry with two seat pads, hold-on bars, panniers and a front basket