Urban dwellers looking to spend less on car trips have been flocking to cargo bikes for years, and with the addition of built-in electric motors that provide assistance, electric cargo bikes are one of the hottest segments in bike sales at this moment. During recent trips to London and Paris, the city centers were filled with e-bikes of all sizes, like this flower-laden one moving along a wide bicycle boulevard in Paris:

In my hometown of Portland, Oregon, one of the most bike-forward cities in the US (hills and rain notwithstanding), I see more and more electric cargo bikes riding the city’s extensive bike lanes, often filled with kids, dogs, food products – or all three. While not as popular in the US as it is in Europe and elsewhere, the once fringe cargo bike is now a hot seller, and ebike brand Eventon has just updated its Abound (below), which introduced it in March last year. The new model is called Abound SR, which stands for Short Rack.

ForbesElectric bike manufacturer Aventon is going big with the new Abound cargo rackOf William Roberson

With popularity comes demand and, tangentially, an increase in theft. Unfortunately, one of my friends who relies on a cargo bike recently had his stolen even though it was locked.

Keep your eBike

One of the key features of the Abound SR is a suite of anti-theft technology, including a central locking stand and built-in tracking technology.

Abound SR has a lot of performance and features for Priced at $2,199. Power comes from a removable 36-volt, 708-watt-hour battery in the frame that powers a 750-watt motor in the rear hub. Aventon says the battery is good for up to 60 miles of support; load, terrain and how hard you pedal will make the figure vary.

Tektro hydraulic front and rear brakes slow down the 20-by-3-inch tires, and riders can either pedal with three levels of assist in the eight rear gears or simply enjoy the ride without thumbing the throttle which reaches 20 mph. The performance of the pedal assist system can also be measured in the Aventon app.

A rear rack is standard, as are front and rear fenders and mesh foot guards over the rear wheel for when you’re riding two up (or three if they’re toddlers). Aventon didn’t forget to add excellent front and rear LED lighting, including indicators. The handlebars use a Quill stem for quick and easy adjustment over 140mm/five inches of height and a small control bridge on the left bar. The front forks include suspension travel for a smooth ride, but can also be locked out, and Aventon upped the ante with a suspension seat.

To counter anyone who wants to take off with the Abound SR without permission, the bike connects to 4G wireless systems to enable position tracking and geofencing. The center mount locks into place remotely to further deter thieves, and battery removal is now keyless via an access sequence on a neat new control board that can also lock the bike’s electrical systems.

Welcome to technology for sure, but I still highly recommend securing your precious bike to something solid with the new crop of theft-resistant and cut-resistant locks like those from Litelok. Not cheap, but a lot less than buying a new ebike.

Naturally, the company offers a wide range of racks, seats, footrests, panniers and more to customize the bike for your cargo tasks. Cargo bikes are an investment, but they pay for themselves by reducing gas bills, reducing wear and tear on your car and improving your health. In addition, they are fun to drive and for business owners in busy cities, they can also be used for delivery or running errands on the cheap.

Look for a trip report in the near future.

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