Electric Bike for towing kids.

[Irisincense]

I currently use my push bike to get out and about with my two boys who are one and five years old. My youngest sits in a Copilot limo baby seat on a rack at the back of the bike and my bigger boy rides in a trailer. I was keen to get an electric bike to make things a bit easier for me. My upper spending limit is £2000. Is there a bike out there that is capable of doing this at this price?

I was told by one company that this was too ambitious and would overload their bikes. I'm getting the feeling that a 250w motor just won't be powerful enough-is this the case?

Would a mid drive bike be better for towing?
Any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[Nealh]

There is a listing in the for sale section for a cargo bike ideal for kids.

For Sale - Electric cargo bike | Pedelecs - Electric Bike Community

 

[Nealh]

With most good 250w hubs one can throw 20/22a at them for more power though one needs to use the extra power sensibly, for your needs you need a 201rpm hub.
48v would be favourable over 36v.

 

[MichaelM]

I was told by one company that this was too ambitious and would overload their bikes.

Have you totted up the weight? e.g. if a bike will carry say a 110Kg rider then maybe a 75Kg rider + 2 small children + trailer should be OK?

I'm not suggesting you buy one as it's over your budget, but as to whether 250W is enough, my daughter has an e-Bicicapace (link) cargo bike with IIRC a Shimano E6100 E8000 70Nm (edited) motor that is used to carry a 6 and a 4 year old, and that seems to manage OK - although it is in Cambridge!

EDIT - Apologies, didn't intend to mislead - I've just spoken to my daughter and although the dealer usually sells the Bicicapace with the E6100 Shimano, she actually went for the E8000 - which she tells me feels very powerful, much more so than her Gazelle, ridden solo, with the E5000 Shimano.

 

[Woosh]

have you thought about conversions?
I sell kits for tandems which need roughly about the same torque as a cargo bike for kids.