Cargo bikes are one of the best ways to leave the car at home while still tackling your to-do list or toting kids around town. With burly frames capable of carrying far more than the average bike, cargo bikes like the Yuba Spicy Curry are sort of the pickup truck of the bicycle world. Throw in an electric assist, and then you get the best of both worlds – pickup truck and sports car.
Speaking of electric assist, that’s one of the main areas of improvement on the new version of the Spicy Curry. Now fitted with the Bosch Cargo Line motor, this drive system is specifically engineered for the demands of hauling heavy cargo. Importantly, the 75Nm of torque can be applied in full even at low cadences – think trying to start pedaling a 440 lb bike up a hill. The system helps ensure controlled acceleration even when fully loaded. While the Cargo Line motor can support a total weight up to 551lbs, the Spicy Curry is rated at 440lb of total payload or up to three passengers.
The Cargo Line Motor is paired with the Bosch Powerpack 500 battery which is a bit larger than the previous Powerpack 400. Need more range? A second battery is an optional upgrade. Controlling the system is the Bosch Kiox color display which is bluetooth compatible to connect to their eBike Connect smartphone app.
To keep all that weight in check and to keep the frame and fork stiff, the Spicy Curry V3 has moved to thru axles front and rear. Along with thru axles, the frame has been updated to clear larger tires and now ships with Schwalbe Super Moto X 26 x 2.4″ and 20 x 2.4″ tires, front and rear. Otherwise, the frame remains mostly unchanged using the excellent long-tail cargo design.
That design gives you a number of options when it comes to both cargo, and passengers. Yuba offers more than 15 different add-ons to customize the setup including child seats, Monkey Bars, and padded seats with Hold On bars. As Tyler found with a long term review on the previous model, the Spicy Curry is extremely versatile and makes it easy to go car-free (or use the car a lot less).
Sold in a single size that “Fits riders 4.7 to 6.4ft (1.45m to 1.98m)”, pricing starts at $4,750. That includes the new Magura MT32 hydraulic brakes with a 4 piston caliper up front and 2 piston caliper in the rear with 180mm rotors to bring all that weight to a halt. Stock bikes also include AXA lights, a bell, the front wheel Deflopitator, fenders, and a twin kickstand. Available now.
