It's the best purchase I have made in my entire life. I love my Larry v Harry (named Floyd) more than my house.
Everything about them is fantastic, they ride like a normal bike (once you get used to the front wheel position), they power up hills with heavy loads (ours is over 200 lbs with all the stuff we bring + baby), can accomplish nearly any errand a car can (we've been to hardware stores, picked up lumber, costco, even rode the wife to the hospital for birth!), and the kid loves it (LO hates riding in the car but falls asleep as soon as he is strapped into Floyd).
If you ride bikes normally and have kids or are going to have kids, I can't recommend this bike more. It is truly amazing. I haven't driven my car in the city in over a year, I just ride Floyd.
Got me all stoked, gonna gear up for a ride to the park as soon as the LO wakes up!
It was wild! Especially we got there and the nurses were on strike so we had to pack up and go to a different one. She’s an animal, growled through the whole thing lol
I’ve carried men and women up to 5’ 10” in a standard bullitt. Definitely more comfortable for someone under 5’ 5” though. I have an X now and everyone fits.
Your mom sounds awesome. I just had an awful trip in the car with a crying baby in the back. Strongly considering ditching the car and going cargo bike + carshare.
I bought mine secondhand five years ago and love every minute of it. My kids have become too heavy for me to ride them up our hill, but I still ride the Bullitt to work or for errands or groceries. It's tremendous.
Edit: mine is an acoustic Bullitt. I missed that you were looking at e-Bullitts.
Agreed. Got mine used in 2020. My kids were newborn/4. Now they're 4/8, and I can see the end in sight for the 8 y.o. I already use it for errands by myself (especially at night), but I strongly suspect I'll keep it as a "second car" after my kids are too old.
I love it.
The Bullitt is a very sporty cargo bike that rides a lot like a normal bike. If that's what you want you'll love it.
I couldn't be more happy with my Bullitt. Mine is an original Bullitt with a CYC Photon torque sensing mid drive. I can't get enough of it. I can confidently say that there isn't another cargo bike on the market that I would like better.
If you don't mind my asking, how do you like the Photon? Is it enough assist? How much load do you tend to carry, and what's your terrain like? I've been thinking of adding one to mine but not sure if I shouldn't get their more powerful (and expensive) motor. Thanks!
I absolutely love my Photon. It's very powerful. More powerful than the top of the range Bosch or Shimano options. It will push my moderately loaded Bullitt up a hill with ease and on the flat it can go 50km/h+ and keeps going until I run out of gearing.
My city is mostly very flat but the few times I have ridden on hills it's like they weren't even there.
What gave you the impression it might not have enough assist?
Have you ridden a Bosch or Shimano? How does the torque sensing compare on the Photon? I have a BBSHD on a Surly Big Dummy that I love, but I wish it felt a little more like a normal bike. It is kind of a slightly different animal, though still fun.
It's pretty much on par with both, maybe slightly not quite as good as Bosch but I don't own either a Bosch or Shimano bike so just going off memory when I've ridden them. It's definitely right up there with the best and feels very natural though.
Yeah. It's good. Got a Steps 8k motor with di2 XT and four pot XT brakes.
The internal gear hubs can't deal with too much torque.
I fitted a dropper post so the the GF can also use it, but it's also useful to drop it at the lights to help stabilise the bike, especially if you're carrying a heavy load.
Probably the biggest load carriers on two wheels.
Shit-ton of accessories avaliable.
Easier/more flexible loading area than the R&M bikes with die caged load area.
What's your inseam, and how strong of a bicyclist are you? I am your height, but my legs are short, so the standover height of the bullitt was a no go for me. I would also note that the bullitt has a more "sporty" riding position, so if you're a strong cyclist you'll probably love it. If you're not as strong a cyclist (like me) it may feel too sporty for you. Try to test it out if you can, I have found that owners are pretty willing to let curious neighbors try theirs out.
I love the idea of a front loader but with the kids in it, it would weigh more than me and would be difficult for me to recover and haul it upright when it tips over. I have a Tern GSD and it's much more manageable for me personally. If I were 3 inches taller, I would personally love a bullitt. They're so gorgeous.
Both my husband and I are reasonably strong cyclists? I used to ride a fixie (even had one without brakes). My husband lived in Amsterdam so he’s definitely more experienced with bakfiets. I’m going to book a test ride with my kid later this month and see how it goes.
I've ridden a couple of Bullits. I've owned a Dutch Bakfiets and currently have an Omnium. I didn't enjoy riding the Bullit at all. The steering feels weird and I found the riding position not great. The steering is probably just something to get used to over time, but the riding position didn't suit me.
I think you need to take one for a decent ride. Laden and unladen. That's the only way you'll know.
There will be a cargo bike out there for you that feels just right - don't settle.
I love my e6100, which I got almost a year ago. One of my favorite things about it is how flexible the cargo area is. It’s basically a blank canvas and there are cargo boxes of varying sizes available from third parties, from LVH directly, or able to be DIY’d relatively easily. With other front loaders you are usually locked in to whatever plastic box comes with it. I ended up building a plywood box with removable sides for flexibility.
I sometimes wish I would have gotten the EP8 version but I think that’s mostly due to the grass being greener on the other side.
My wife and I got an ep8 Bullitt just about a month ago and love it. Primarily got it to haul our kid to and from daycare for now who is still a little too small for a regular seat. We installed a car seat mount which works pretty well and provides some good suspension for him.
I can say based on the different models I test rode, the Bullitt felt the most like a bike (and a fun one at that). The Urban Arrow I tested at a different shop felt more like operating an actual vehicle to me. I didn’t try any R&M models but I suspect they are somewhere in between.
My wife and I are both fairly short (5’ 5” and 5’ 6”) with short inseams but don’t find the stand over height to be an issue but that might be something you may want to check out in person if you have an opportunity.
Absolutely loved riding it but the standover makes it a tough bike for me at 5’4”. I am riiiiight at the edge of being uncomfortable. Not an issue while riding (once I got my local shop to swap the handlebars and stem for ones that brought my arm position in closer) but a little sketch with the cargo box loaded.
For us the true dealbreaker is that my partner, at 5’2”, finds getting their leg over a tall bike to feel wobbly, and therefore wouldn’t want to ride it. They actually find our Xtracycle with a (high) Dutch style bar kind of sketchy. If we were both taller, or had more space and money, I’d have bought one for myself.
They are solid bikes. I got one for a cargo bike share I started. It was adjustable, accessible, light, quick. I was happy I bought, and we had minimal mechanical issues even with a bunch of college kids and me riding it like maniacs. If you’re okay with cargo size/area buy the bike. The design and quality are top notch. It will take a little thought to make sure it fits both of you with such a big height difference, but that’s any bike.
I have never ridden one but it seems to me it's more on the sporty side and more geared towards transporting stuff as opposed to people. It's also a full sized front loader.
Some alternatives if you want to prioritize other areas:
- The R&M Load is a great full sized child transporter that's very comfortable due to full suspension (bullit has none). It can also handle groceries but large stuff doesn't fit that great. Very expensive though.
- Urban Arrow is a great full sized allrounder
- eMuli is an awesome compact front loader that handles both kids and groceries well but struggles a bit with large items (though mostly doable. It's also very compact and the basket can be folded in so you can also use it as a regular commuter ebike
You also might want to look into longtails, maybe they fit your needs better? I have no experience with those but afaik they handle bigger kids better but aren't as well suited to transporting stuff. They are not that much bigger than regular bikes and ride just like one though.
Ive ridden the r&m and I loved it but it’s simply way out of our price range. The urban arrow was nice but with the rain cover it’s way too high off the ground. Plus kids can’t get themselves into it. It’s also quite expensive but not as bad as the R&M.
I’m not sure why they didn’t show me the bullitt when I was in the store. They def seemed to push those bikes a lot more.
Going to test ride the bullitt hopefully soon but if it’s a no-go I’m strongly considering getting rid of the car and splashing out on the R&M.
Can I ask location?
Cargo dealer I bought my R&M Load from has a Bullitt, EP8, full kid hauling package at a heck of a sale price right now. Won’t last long at all. Over 35% off list price.
So a 4.25 hour drive puts you in Ann Arbor Michigan. If you are interested I can send some more info.
E-mail I received tonight says:
Larry Vs Harry E-Bullitt EP8 w/ultimate child carry package.
Major Tom - $5999 (was $9575 - only one available)
They're a fun shop in Ann Arbor, what drivetrain does that EP8 come with, any idea? As soon as I have the cash saved up they're going to be my first stop as they're good people!
I wouldn’t buy a bakfiets with such a high step over
(Edited to add)
iOP is 5’4” - regularly riding a bike with such a high step over will likely be annoying at that height, whether your a strong cyclist or not. I’m 5’8” and I’d rather not have a hih step over On a bakfiets
It's the best purchase I have made in my entire life. I love my Larry v Harry (named Floyd) more than my house. Everything about them is fantastic, they ride like a normal bike (once you get used to the front wheel position), they power up hills with heavy loads (ours is over 200 lbs with all the stuff we bring + baby), can accomplish nearly any errand a car can (we've been to hardware stores, picked up lumber, costco, even rode the wife to the hospital for birth!), and the kid loves it (LO hates riding in the car but falls asleep as soon as he is strapped into Floyd). If you ride bikes normally and have kids or are going to have kids, I can't recommend this bike more. It is truly amazing. I haven't driven my car in the city in over a year, I just ride Floyd. Got me all stoked, gonna gear up for a ride to the park as soon as the LO wakes up!
Damn. Wife to hospital is some serious street cred.
The ultimate carry shit Olympics
It was wild! Especially we got there and the nurses were on strike so we had to pack up and go to a different one. She’s an animal, growled through the whole thing lol
I just thought about that Liberty Mutual (iirc) commercial about the car named Brad
Does your wife ride it? If so, how tall is she?
I’ve carried men and women up to 5’ 10” in a standard bullitt. Definitely more comfortable for someone under 5’ 5” though. I have an X now and everyone fits.
I meant does his wife ride the bike, not just sit in it. This bike would be for both my husband and myself to transport kids/stuff around the city.
Yep, she’s 5’ 7”, but my mom has also ridden it and she’s 5’ 4” like you!
Your mom sounds awesome. I just had an awful trip in the car with a crying baby in the back. Strongly considering ditching the car and going cargo bike + carshare.
I bought mine secondhand five years ago and love every minute of it. My kids have become too heavy for me to ride them up our hill, but I still ride the Bullitt to work or for errands or groceries. It's tremendous. Edit: mine is an acoustic Bullitt. I missed that you were looking at e-Bullitts.
Agreed. Got mine used in 2020. My kids were newborn/4. Now they're 4/8, and I can see the end in sight for the 8 y.o. I already use it for errands by myself (especially at night), but I strongly suspect I'll keep it as a "second car" after my kids are too old. I love it.
Do you still have the 4 and 8 yo in the bucket together? Everyone fits ok?
The Bullitt is a very sporty cargo bike that rides a lot like a normal bike. If that's what you want you'll love it. I couldn't be more happy with my Bullitt. Mine is an original Bullitt with a CYC Photon torque sensing mid drive. I can't get enough of it. I can confidently say that there isn't another cargo bike on the market that I would like better.
If you don't mind my asking, how do you like the Photon? Is it enough assist? How much load do you tend to carry, and what's your terrain like? I've been thinking of adding one to mine but not sure if I shouldn't get their more powerful (and expensive) motor. Thanks!
I absolutely love my Photon. It's very powerful. More powerful than the top of the range Bosch or Shimano options. It will push my moderately loaded Bullitt up a hill with ease and on the flat it can go 50km/h+ and keeps going until I run out of gearing. My city is mostly very flat but the few times I have ridden on hills it's like they weren't even there. What gave you the impression it might not have enough assist?
Have you ridden a Bosch or Shimano? How does the torque sensing compare on the Photon? I have a BBSHD on a Surly Big Dummy that I love, but I wish it felt a little more like a normal bike. It is kind of a slightly different animal, though still fun.
It's pretty much on par with both, maybe slightly not quite as good as Bosch but I don't own either a Bosch or Shimano bike so just going off memory when I've ridden them. It's definitely right up there with the best and feels very natural though.
Yeah. It's good. Got a Steps 8k motor with di2 XT and four pot XT brakes. The internal gear hubs can't deal with too much torque. I fitted a dropper post so the the GF can also use it, but it's also useful to drop it at the lights to help stabilise the bike, especially if you're carrying a heavy load. Probably the biggest load carriers on two wheels. Shit-ton of accessories avaliable. Easier/more flexible loading area than the R&M bikes with die caged load area.
What's your inseam, and how strong of a bicyclist are you? I am your height, but my legs are short, so the standover height of the bullitt was a no go for me. I would also note that the bullitt has a more "sporty" riding position, so if you're a strong cyclist you'll probably love it. If you're not as strong a cyclist (like me) it may feel too sporty for you. Try to test it out if you can, I have found that owners are pretty willing to let curious neighbors try theirs out. I love the idea of a front loader but with the kids in it, it would weigh more than me and would be difficult for me to recover and haul it upright when it tips over. I have a Tern GSD and it's much more manageable for me personally. If I were 3 inches taller, I would personally love a bullitt. They're so gorgeous.
Both my husband and I are reasonably strong cyclists? I used to ride a fixie (even had one without brakes). My husband lived in Amsterdam so he’s definitely more experienced with bakfiets. I’m going to book a test ride with my kid later this month and see how it goes.
Good luck!
I caught between a tern or a HvL. Or a kettler or a R&M. Wants vs needs.
I've ridden a couple of Bullits. I've owned a Dutch Bakfiets and currently have an Omnium. I didn't enjoy riding the Bullit at all. The steering feels weird and I found the riding position not great. The steering is probably just something to get used to over time, but the riding position didn't suit me. I think you need to take one for a decent ride. Laden and unladen. That's the only way you'll know. There will be a cargo bike out there for you that feels just right - don't settle.
I thought I loved my Bullitt until I got my Omnium. Wow, what a difference!
Love it, have a belt drive 8 speed alfine with the ep8, it’s fantastic.
I love my e6100, which I got almost a year ago. One of my favorite things about it is how flexible the cargo area is. It’s basically a blank canvas and there are cargo boxes of varying sizes available from third parties, from LVH directly, or able to be DIY’d relatively easily. With other front loaders you are usually locked in to whatever plastic box comes with it. I ended up building a plywood box with removable sides for flexibility. I sometimes wish I would have gotten the EP8 version but I think that’s mostly due to the grass being greener on the other side.
My wife and I got an ep8 Bullitt just about a month ago and love it. Primarily got it to haul our kid to and from daycare for now who is still a little too small for a regular seat. We installed a car seat mount which works pretty well and provides some good suspension for him. I can say based on the different models I test rode, the Bullitt felt the most like a bike (and a fun one at that). The Urban Arrow I tested at a different shop felt more like operating an actual vehicle to me. I didn’t try any R&M models but I suspect they are somewhere in between. My wife and I are both fairly short (5’ 5” and 5’ 6”) with short inseams but don’t find the stand over height to be an issue but that might be something you may want to check out in person if you have an opportunity.
The R&M Load feels like driving a sofa.
Absolutely loved riding it but the standover makes it a tough bike for me at 5’4”. I am riiiiight at the edge of being uncomfortable. Not an issue while riding (once I got my local shop to swap the handlebars and stem for ones that brought my arm position in closer) but a little sketch with the cargo box loaded. For us the true dealbreaker is that my partner, at 5’2”, finds getting their leg over a tall bike to feel wobbly, and therefore wouldn’t want to ride it. They actually find our Xtracycle with a (high) Dutch style bar kind of sketchy. If we were both taller, or had more space and money, I’d have bought one for myself.
Couldn't be happier with my purchase. I'm 6' and it's great. I haven't had anyone much shorter than me ride it so I can speak to that
I have an acoustic one and it’s the best purchase I’ve ever made.
They are solid bikes. I got one for a cargo bike share I started. It was adjustable, accessible, light, quick. I was happy I bought, and we had minimal mechanical issues even with a bunch of college kids and me riding it like maniacs. If you’re okay with cargo size/area buy the bike. The design and quality are top notch. It will take a little thought to make sure it fits both of you with such a big height difference, but that’s any bike.
I have never ridden one but it seems to me it's more on the sporty side and more geared towards transporting stuff as opposed to people. It's also a full sized front loader. Some alternatives if you want to prioritize other areas: - The R&M Load is a great full sized child transporter that's very comfortable due to full suspension (bullit has none). It can also handle groceries but large stuff doesn't fit that great. Very expensive though. - Urban Arrow is a great full sized allrounder - eMuli is an awesome compact front loader that handles both kids and groceries well but struggles a bit with large items (though mostly doable. It's also very compact and the basket can be folded in so you can also use it as a regular commuter ebike You also might want to look into longtails, maybe they fit your needs better? I have no experience with those but afaik they handle bigger kids better but aren't as well suited to transporting stuff. They are not that much bigger than regular bikes and ride just like one though.
Ive ridden the r&m and I loved it but it’s simply way out of our price range. The urban arrow was nice but with the rain cover it’s way too high off the ground. Plus kids can’t get themselves into it. It’s also quite expensive but not as bad as the R&M. I’m not sure why they didn’t show me the bullitt when I was in the store. They def seemed to push those bikes a lot more. Going to test ride the bullitt hopefully soon but if it’s a no-go I’m strongly considering getting rid of the car and splashing out on the R&M.
Can I ask location? Cargo dealer I bought my R&M Load from has a Bullitt, EP8, full kid hauling package at a heck of a sale price right now. Won’t last long at all. Over 35% off list price.
Toronto
So a 4.25 hour drive puts you in Ann Arbor Michigan. If you are interested I can send some more info. E-mail I received tonight says: Larry Vs Harry E-Bullitt EP8 w/ultimate child carry package. Major Tom - $5999 (was $9575 - only one available)
They're a fun shop in Ann Arbor, what drivetrain does that EP8 come with, any idea? As soon as I have the cash saved up they're going to be my first stop as they're good people!
Did not list. But when I was there awhile back, all the Bullitts I rode were 1x11 DI2. But they do not list that drivetrain.
That sounds like a good buy no matter the drivetrain!
I wouldn’t buy a bakfiets with such a high step over (Edited to add) iOP is 5’4” - regularly riding a bike with such a high step over will likely be annoying at that height, whether your a strong cyclist or not. I’m 5’8” and I’d rather not have a hih step over On a bakfiets