Home > Bike Types > Commuter

The Box Bike Collective looks to crowdfund an affordable cargo E-bike

The Box Bike in studio
11 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

The Box Bike, studio shot

After quitting his job to be a stay at home dad, Alex Yasbek was loving life but missing his passion for cycling. He decided he needed a bike that would carry his kids and cargo so he could keep riding in his daily routine, since he no longer commuted to work.

With a diverse group of parents, engineers and bike industry experts Yasbek founded the Bike Box Collective in Santa Cruz, California, and began drafting up designs. They came up with the Box Bike, a two-wheeled hauler with electric assist for carrying kids, groceries, parcels, and of course surfboards!

The collective is a notably ethical bunch- Not only do they intend to promote a healthier and greener alternative to driving, they also plan to hand build the bikes in Santa Cruz and offer reasonable wages to employees. The Box Bike’s Kickstarter campaign is on until Feb. 20th, with the goal of gaining funds to begin production…

The Box Bike, frame features

The Box Bike utilizes a two wheeled design, with a 4130 chromoly and steel frame that rides on sturdy 20”wheels. It cruises and corners like a traditional bike, and its low center of gravity ensures stable handling when carrying heavy loads. The one-size frame is designed to fit riders between 5’0” to 6’7”. The Box Bikes have a wheelbase of 72”, and their outer dimensions measure 90.5” long and 23” wide.

The Box Bike, kids in box

The Box Bike’s cargo carrier starts as a simple floor with open sides, but incorporates a number of features and attachments for accessories. A flag holder to keep you highly visible, attachment holes for a rain cover, and eight eyelets for securing tie downs are integrated on every Box Bike. Optional accessories include detachable canvas side panels with outer pockets, a removable two-child seat, and carrier racks that attach to either side of the bike for hauling longer items like ladders, lumber or your surfboard.

The Box Bike, cargo features

In Standard trim, a 36v, 500w battery providing 8Ah drives a brushless front hub motor to provide pedal assist power only- the Box Bike does not have a full throttle mode. Its max speed is 17mph, and the range is 10-15 miles on a charge. That’s not a lot of range, but extra batteries and chargers will be available. The bike’s maximum combined rider and cargo weight limit is 350lbs.

The collective will also sell you the Box Bike without any electronics- a setup they’ve dubbed ‘The Messenger Special’ but you may want to inquire about the bike’s weight (which is not listed online) before making that call.

Component-wise, the Box Bikes boast Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, FSA headsets, Schwalbe Big Apple tires, plus front and rear fenders and a cushy saddle. The Frames also feature integrated kick stands and rear rack mounts.

There are two electric models of the Box Bike to choose from, the Standard and Deluxe. The Standard model uses a Shimano 9-speed wide range drivetrain, and comes in blue with a yellow cargo deck. The Deluxe adds some bells and whistles including a belt drive system mated to an internally geared rear hub, a higher capacity battery, plus integrated lights and a horn. Buyers can choose their frame color for the Deluxe model.

The pricing does reflect a degree of ethical consumerism- The Standard Box Bike can be bought for $3900 USD and the Deluxe model for $5800, but Kickstarter supporters will get a child seat, canvas side panels, a set of side carrier racks (and a rain fly with the Deluxe) included. The non-electric Messenger Special sells for $2900 with no accessories.

The first finished Deluxe Box Bikes are expected to ship for April 2016, and the Standard models in June/July. Check out the Box Bike’s Kickstarter campaign here.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

11 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Darryl Duck
Darryl Duck
8 years ago

Somebody cannot do maths…..

fourseasoncycling
8 years ago

Well thought out nicely designed cargo bike. I liked that they spec’d super strong 20″ wheels. Since I don’t have kids, I prefer longtail cargo bikes. If I had kids to transport, this would be an excellent choice.

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
8 years ago

Had a Surly Big Dummy for a number of years, couldn’t haul much more than a case of beer without the rear end swaying like mad. A Yuba Mundo solved that, but both were tanks to ride. Few years ago I had a chance to ride a Larry vs Harry Bullitt, now I own one. The Danish ‘Long John’ style of cargo bike is more than just a kid hauleur, they are far superior to the extracycle or long tail type in every aspect except parking. Go ride one, it will completely change your idea of how to haul stuff.

JH Aberschmidt
JH Aberschmidt
8 years ago

3900 is affordable?

Keith Cody
8 years ago
Reply to  JH Aberschmidt

No.

Keith Cody
8 years ago
Reply to  JH Aberschmidt

And this is the “direct” price. Cutting out the middlemen and saving you money.

Keith Cody
8 years ago
Reply to  Keith Cody

It’s $2900 for the bike. Another $1000 for e-Assist. $2900 for a CrMo frame with Sora. Amazon will sell you the Sora groupset for $334. Lets call it $400 if you get some Shimano disc brakes. That’s $2500 for a CrMo frame. You can get a decent bmx frame for $200 and this bikes looks like it’s 3 BMX frames of metal. Call it $1000 for the bike minus wheels. Now that’s affordable.

Keith Cody
8 years ago
Reply to  Keith Cody

Though I do totally support the concept its just that these designers are so far out of the ball park for a 2nd or 3rd bike or 12th in my case (n+1). I put together a decent ebike from a used Cannondale r700 and a used Bionx system. Less than grand total.

John Doe
John Doe
8 years ago
Reply to  Keith Cody

If you’re seriously considering buying this bike, please do yourself a favor and research Urban Arrow, Douze, Bullitt, WorkCycles, and CETMA. These companies have been designing and building quality cargo bikes for years, and they all do it very well. All are available with electric-assist systems that are vastly superior to the one offered here. And the prices are basically the same.

I sell cargo bikes, and I’m not going to plug my shop here because I’m genuinely concerned about the design and value of this “Box Bike”.

Morten MH
Morten MH
8 years ago

http://shop.larryvsharry.com
check out Bullit Bike from Denmark, there you know what you get. I see plenty of them daily on the streets of Copenhagen

dontcoast
dontcoast
8 years ago

awesome setup, have seen in person. best way to haul kids.

for that application though, the 350lb weight limit seems low…I definitely put 2 adults and 2 kids for short rides on my Yuba, and that gets within a hair of the 400lb limit not counting the possible picnic or dog.

As far as people grimping about price and comparing with bmx frames…economy of scale and manufacturing complexity are real things, and this is unfortunately still a niche item in pre-production funding. If bikes as transportation becomes the norm in most urban centers, it would be different.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.