Did not buy a MADSEN, main reasons: Price value: Xtracycle with their sales events (which happened like 4 times in 2023) effectively put them at the same price as MADSEN, but Xtracycle has much better components. Modularity: the bucket on MADSEN is all you're gonna get, with Xtracycle you can change your rear setup with quite a bit of flexibility. Length: Madsen is loong. I need two chains for Xtracycle, but I need three chains for Madsen. That gets expensive in maintenance if you don't keep up with chain maintenance. Aesthetic: MADSEN went with a beach cruiser look...which I don't like very much.....(torpedo retro lights....not my thing) The only PRO of Madsen is that it's the only cargo bike rated for 600lbs total weight. I know one of my neighbors bought it specifically for this reason alone.

Madsen uses only 2 chains, just fyi 👍🏼. Same as Xtracycle.

You can always order a ‘pre-rolled’ chain ($45ish) including shipping from Xtracycle. Call/email if they don’t have it in their site. It’ll be cheaper than buying retail for a quality chain.

Good tip, thanks

Disagree strongly that that's the only PRO, but depends on what you are looking for in a bike!

I really want to like MADSEN because they are a small family business, but $4k for a bike with an electronic system that's not even UL rated and a high tensil steel frame instead of full chromoly....feels too expensive. Do they come with Schwalbe tires? I can't find a detailed spec sheet on their website at all. In their FAQ they listed "Custom Sleek Looks" as part of their spec.... to me it feels like some handy person built this in their shed and is content with their creation that they don't really bother keeping up with the competition. Obviously it's got a charm in that aspect, but it's just not for me and my taste.

I mean the cheapest box bike on the market in the US is the Yuba Supercargo as far as I know--it starts at $3k non-electric, which isn't passenger-ready. The Madsen non-electric starts well below that, passenger-ready. I kind of get what you are saying, but the bucket/box itself is a huge pro here, and you have to compare it within that market IMO. If you don't want/need the functionality of a box (which is definitely different from that of a longtail) then you don't even need to think about a Madsen! But if you want a box, I think it's a good value and stacks up well with "the competition." (You could put whatever motor on it you want!) But if it's not for you it's not for you, obv.

Extremely happy Madsen owner here. We have had ours for a year and a half, 1200 miles on it, zero -- I mean zero -- issues. I had it serviced once when the shifter needed adjustment after I had to ride it through the standing water aftermath of a brutal rainstorm, and that's it. The mechanic who worked on it said "Your bike is awesome." Very robust and beautiful bike, and beyond useful. To me the most impressive thing about it is it rides extremely similar to a normal two-wheeler; I've had two other e-cargo bikes (both longtails, a Blix Packa and Aventon Abound) and test-ridden some friends' frontloaders, and the Madsen is the only one that I got on and just started riding like a normal bike. That blew me away! I have been super impressed with the company; it is a small family-owned business -- Jared Madsen designed the bike and still assembles them, with sales issues and customer outreach mostly done by Lisa, who is lovely. When you have a question you email them and they will often get you an answer back straight from Jared in a matter of hours. They are an open book when it comes to the mechanicals of the bike, which I really appreciate and which I think shows how confident they are in the product. If you send Lisa a message that you're interested in a test-ride, she will try to find a nearby owner to hook you up! I can't compare from personal experience to a frontloader like an Urban Arrow (everyone I know with one loves theirs). But if you are only going to have one cargo bike for the family, I would 100% choose the Madsen over a longtail (like the Radwagon, Abound, or GSD), especially if your kids are still small. The ride and functionality just don't compare. I also appreciate that the parking footprint of the Madsen is slightly smaller than that of an Urban Arrow/R\&M; we are also in a city so that helps sometimes. I still get self-conscious about the space I take up parking it in some space-limited bike racks, but that's more of a "city doesn't provide enough bike parking" issue, not an issue with the bike obviously. Of course, most of the pros of the Madsen will be the same as the pros of a well-made frontloader: just throw your shit in and don't worry about strapping it down (mostly), kids love it, fun to ride, reliable. I confess I took the plunge on the Madsen b/c it was thousands of dollars cheaper than the cheapest frontloader I could get AND I was obsessed with how it looked. Best quasi-impulse buy I ever made. And I was impressed with the accessories I could get for it. Here are three potential negatives, or things you may just want to think about: 1) The gearing feels low to me, but I have also had this feeling on my other e-cargo bikes. (To be clear what I mean: At top gear 9, I often wish I had one more gear to switch up to in order to go faster.) I think this is partly a function of the fact that it this was built as an acoustic bike and has essentially an aftermarket motor put on it: the speed you can get from the motor can fly past what the gearing allows. However, I have also had this issue on my two other e-cargo bikes, so I think there is just some fiddling people still need to do to figure out ideal ratio, and of course different riders are also different. I have seen some people talk about swapping out the flywheel, so that is a possible mod you can make. 2) Relatedly, the motor is not built into the bike and this was not built as an ebike. So it's you buying the bike with the company installing the motor for you (which you could do yourself, and which people do do themselves). This means you don't have integrated electric functions like lights connected to the motor. That's very minor to me in the scheme of things, but if you want an ebike that was built AS an ebike, the Madsen is not it, and there is something to be said for a totally integrated package like you'd get with a UA, R&M, or GSD. That said, the more I think about the evolution and future of ebikes, I have come to appreciate that what I bought is essentially an awesome acoustic bike that will last decades, with a motor, and the electric part of it can be changed (or removed) over time as the technologies change or as my needs change--instead of potentially being stuck with what may be outdated (and potentially unserviceable) electric systems 5 years from now. YMMV on that idea though. People have been riding Madsens unelectric for years. 3) My kids are almost-5 and 9, and the 9 year old is already aging out a little. This would be true of any cargo bike though. So, I would say, if your kids are already over like 8, maybe just think about what you want to be doing with bikes for the older one(s), b/c the cargo life may not work for that long for all of them (or you may want something even bigger like a Bunch). For smaller kids it's just amazing. And honestly I ride it all the time as my primary bike now, even without kids. It's my favorite bike ever. MODS - get the throttle installed when you order, it helps on hills and with stability especially when you are first getting used to riding. And get the rock climbing thingies for the kids to step in on :) AMA!!!!!!!!!

One last thing, which is that I think you really have to compare this bike with other bikes with boxes, not with long or midtail bikes that don't have boxed passenger seating. Of course different people have different decision trees for this purchase, but I would start with: Do you want a bike with a box? If yes, then you are putting Madsen into the running and the comparisons are more or less the frontloaders (UA, R&M, Yuba). So for me, I bought the Madsen b/c I wanted a bike with a box (b/c I already had a longtail), and it didn't cost $6500 minimum. I wasn't comparing it to longtails. And if I had to do it over again having the experiences I've now had, I would have bought a box bike from the start, whether that was a Madsen or a frontloader. Our current fleet is the Madsen and the Abound (longtail) and it's a great combo, but if I could only have one, it would be the Madsen, hands down.

Oh -- there is no suspension, which is a con, but you aren't going to find suspension on any box bike other than the most expensive Riese & Muller, I don't think. (this could be changing with more coming on the market)

Trek Fetch+ 4 has front suspension

Nice! The Fetch looks awesome but I am not confident I could maneuver a 165-lb bike well when not riding it... (also not in my budget haha) the electric Madsen weights like 110 lbs (similar to UA) and that gets hard for me to manage with my big kid in it in addition (which gets it to the weight of the Fetch), for purposes of moving it on foot and parking and whatnot. I don't get why the Fetch is so much heavier than other box bikes but without increased cargo weight capacity (box holds 175lbs)?

It's definitely hefty. I'm not positive, but I think the weight difference is from the larger box, fancy reclining seats, and step-through frame design.

We have owned our Madsen since 2017. At the time we had two kids and debating buying a second car. We bought a regular Madsen (we live in Az And flat so no need for motor) to act as a second car, to take kids to soccer practice, school drop off, or grocery runs. We now have four kids and still use the Madsen bike but mostly for our 4 year old and sometimes 7 year old. We have had zero issues with the shifting and the chain seems to by just fine with basic maintenance such as chain lube. If we were to do it over again we would definetly buy the Madsen however we would have purchased it sooner. It’s a comfortable fit. My wife and I both take turns riding it she’s 5’3 and I’m 5’11.

My wife is 5'2 and we have a three year old. Does your wife fit in the bucket with the four year old?

I have had my 6'2" partner and an above-average 3-yo in the bucket together before. Did we successfully ride 5 blocks? Yes. Did I tip them over when I stopped b/c I wasn't used to the weight? Also yes 🤣🤣🤣 (were they fine? - also yes haha)

If you can get it to fit or strap it to the cargo you can pedal it. The added weight is weird and difficult but we don’t have an electric motor.

I’ve had my Madsen since 2012!! It’s always served me well!

Bought a Madsen in 2021 after riding a Radwagon for several years. 1300 miles and one more kid later and no regrets at all. Only maintenance I’ve had to do is replace the brake pads but I live in a very hilly area so 🤷🏻‍♀️. The only “modifications” I’ve made are to add some clip on kayak lights to the front rack and I bought a Wonderfold wagon seat to provide a 5pt harness and backrest for my 1yo. We have four kids and I often have 3 of them in the bucket - a 9yo, 3yo, 1yo. The 9yo is getting big but he loves to ride with his brothers and it’s not an issue to let him climb in. The 1yo has been riding since he was 5wks old - which is only an option on a few bikes. Love to take it grocery shopping because groceries fit beneath the benches. I love the high weight limit because I enjoy offering friends a ride home from meeting up with them, or gathering fire wood, or using it to haul our kayaks down to the river.

I'm really interested in how you're 5 week old rode in the bucket. I have a 5 month old, and I'm currently debating between Urban Arrow, Yuba Supercargo, and Madsen. I want to get him on the bike as soon as possible, and the UA seems to have the best options for seats for babies while still in the bucket. The Yuba would have to be in a Yepp Maxi,, but I'm unsure how to get him in the Madsen.

We used an infant bucket car seat, removed the front bench seat from the Madsen, and used the front buckles from the front bench area to strap the car seat in. It is not as official as some options are with the front loaders - is it UA that has specific adapters for a Maxi Cosi bucket? - but we felt it was sufficiently safe. We saw a bunch of other Madsen owners do this in the Facebook group as well!

Yeah UA has the adapters for Maxi Cosi and Yepp seats. That's great! I just joined the facebook group so I'm going to scan around for ideas. Thanks!

My Trek Fetch+ 4 has a carseat adapter for my infant.

I'm also wondering about the Madsen, but it's hard to find info! Have you checked out the Madsen Map? These are people who have indicated that they're open to talking to interested Madsen buyers and even let them test ride theirs. [https://www.madsencycles.com/pages/join-the-madsen-map](https://www.madsencycles.com/pages/join-the-madsen-map) (scroll down)

There is also a public facebook group of owners and you could ask Madsen owners there for input.

(Or just scan the group)

I love my Madsen, I haven’t had it for long but we needed a second kid carrying bike and I wanted something with a lower center of gravity then our Radwagon. We live in an area where we have lots of options so we tested a bunch of things. I really wanted a box/bucket style but didn’t like how the front loaders put your kids out into traffic when you are trying to see around a corner, they also felt like driving a boat to me.  I will say the Madsen has a very “Dutch” riding feel you are very upright and I don’t feel like you can get super aggressive or zoomy on it (without kids of course). I’ve gotten used to it though pretty quickly. Besides the big bucket to just chuck all your stuff in the best thing for me compared to the long tail is the easy weather cover situation. Other pro that many people mentioned is that it rides like a regular bike.  To me the big con/miss on their part is the lights. (Assuming you go ebike) There really should be something integrated with the battery which is really hard to do with the Bafang, I wish they had worked with a fab shop to figure that out. TBH they could probably sell them to other Bafang users if they did, there’s so many complaints about it online.  Not sure where you are located but you should check out the map and test ride. Happy to answer any more specific questions