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Something strange happened as the cargo bike made its way from Denmark. On its journey through Holland, Germany, and finally North America, it got heavier. A lot heavier. The cargo bike was born in Denmark, and Denmark still builds the lightest, strongest, and most modular cargo bikes on the market. Today, buyers come in asking for big torque and high peak wattage, forgetting that the heavier the bike, the more that power gets vaporized. A look at the numbers reveals that weight is the precondition for power. Ready for some lightweight math? Let’s dive in!

Power-to-Weight Ratio

Power-to-weight ratio measures how efficiently an object converts power into motion relative to its weight. Expressed as power output divided by weight, this ratio is crucial in determining performance across electric cargo bikes.

A higher power-to-weight ratio means better acceleration, efficiency, and overall speed, while a lower ratio can make movement feel sluggish, especially when climbing hills or carrying loads. In electric cargo bikes, excess weight reduces the effectiveness of motor power, making a lighter frame more advantageous for maintaining speed and extending battery life.

Lightweight Beginning, Heavy Evolution

In 2007, Bullitt became the first Danish company to mass-produce the time-honored Danish “Long John” – the world’s first two-wheeled cargo bike. Designed for speed and efficiency, a Bullitt electric bike weighs a mere 55 lbs, whereas most competitors tip the scales at 100 lbs or more. In fact, a Bullitt may be the only cargo bike you can lift, which is handy for curbs but even more important when considering power-to-weight.

Dutch Cargo Bikes: Wooden Shoes

As the cargo bike evolved outside of Denmark, it gained unnecessary weight. In 2007, the same year Bullitt began producing lightweight aluminum cargo bikes, a Dutch company called Babboe started mass-producing steel cargo bikes with heavy wooden boxes, weighing over 145 lbs. In 2023, Babboe recalled every bike they made due to structural failures.

In 2011, Urban Arrow emerged as a competitor to Babboe. A Dutch brand, it took cues from Bullitt by using aluminum frames. Despite this, their bikes still weighed in at 110 lbs – double the weight of a Bullitt! The Urban Arrow may have corrected the drift when it came to Babboe, but it didn’t correct the drift when it came to Bullitt. If Bullitt is a Nike Air Max, then Urban Arrow is a wooden shoe.

Simple (But Powerful) Math

Now, many buyers opt for an Urban Arrow because of its high-torque Bosch Cargo Line motor. But torque alone isn’t enough if the bike is too heavy. The Bosch motor produces 85 Nm of torque, but when divided by the 110 lb frame, it results in just 0.77 Nm per kg.

Compare that to a Bullitt E6100, which has a lower 65 Nm torque motor but weighs only 55 lbs. Its power-to-weight ratio is 1.18 Nm per kg—a 53% increase over the Urban Arrow. The Bullitt EP801, with 85 Nm of torque and the same lightweight frame, reaches 1.54 Nm per kg—a 100% increase over the Urban Arrow. While Urban Arrow has far more spending money than Bullitt, it’s hard to conceive how they bettered the breed. 

German Cargo Bikes: Dialling Back

If the Dutch tend to overbuild, German brands like Riese & Müller tend to overengineer. Take for instance the Load 75 model. This model features dual suspension and massive battery capacity, improving comfort and range. Compared to the Urban Arrow, it’s an indisputable technological leap. A Load 75 weighs 84 lbs (versus Urban Arrow’s 110 lbs) and has a 725 Wh battery (versus Urban Arrow’s 545 Wh), resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 1.01 Nm per kg. It’s lighter, has significantly more range, and it’s got some added comfort too. You can’t deny Riese & Muller did something special. They dialled in the weight while adding lots of extra dials. That seems to be the German way!

The question is whether added range or comfort is actually value added when it comes to power to weight ratios. As far as comfort goes, suspension forks and swingarms require significant maintenance, especially in winter, where salt and corrosion attack critical components. We recommend a suspension seatpost, something ridiculously low maintenance, lightweight and comfortable. And for children, cushioned seating does a better job at reducing vibration than a front suspension fork.

Home in the Range

Many brands justify heavier bikes by promoting larger batteries. But do city cyclists need massive range? Studies show that most urban trips fall within a 7.5 km radius. This is the so-called “last mile” which real estate measures using “walk scores” and urban planners refer to as the “fifteen minute city.” The idea here is that people move downtown to experience a high proximity lifestyle that reduces travel time. Home is not out of range from work. Work, home and play are fundamentally in the range. Of course, e-bikes offer compelling competition to automobiles in distances over 7.5km, but even in Holland the bicycle reigns where distances are too close to drive and too far to walk. Here is a chart that shows how bicycle use is distributed in Holland. 

Range, in other words, is hardly an issue. But, power is an issue.  Whereas a regular bike combines the weight of the bike, rider and some groceries, most cargo bikes can take up to 440lb in total load. The way to analyze this is the same way the logistics industry looks at a truck: gross vehicle weight. If we use a Bullitt as an example, that means that a cargo bike could weigh 55lb on an empty day and 440 + 55lb on that day you dash to Home Depot to buy some cinder blocks. At minimum, the motor is first and foremost there to neutralize this weight. An electric cargo bike is only as good as its ability to carry stuff. And, that has to do with power. 

Out of Range

We’re not saying range doesn’t matter, we’re just saying you already get a ton of range on most cargo bikes, especially considering that the average range of a city cyclist is under 15km per day. But, what if you want to go out of range? What if you want to do a weekend camping trip with your cargo bike?

Well, that’s no problem. A Riese & Müller Load 75, with its 725 Wh battery, can travel up to 87 km on a charge. An Urban Arrow, with its 545W battery has an estimated range of 55 km per charge. A lightweight Bullitt E6100 reaches 48 km per charge, and the Bullitt EP801 stretches to 97 km—the longest range of all four. 

Power to Weight and Value

If all cargo bikes under discussion provide the range needed, then the real question is whether your cargo bike can handle all that cargo you want to carry. And, that’s a question of power to weight. We’ve explored the power to weight of Denmark, Holland, and Germany’s leading brands and discovered that Denmark’s Bullitt is the clear winner. But, what about value?

At a mere $7500, the Bullitt E6100 has more power to weight than any Dutch or German cargo bike and has a practical 48km of range on a battery charge. At $10999 the Urban Arrow seems like a poor value with just 55km of range and the lowest power to weight ratio of all the bikes. At around $15,000 the Riese and Muller Load 75 has tons of range, but the Bullitt Ep801 – at $13,000 – has 10% more range and 30% more power to weight. That makes Bullitt the Bullitt E6100 the first word in cargo bikes and the EP801 the last.

Conclusion

If the Dutch tend to overbuild and the Germans tend to overengineer, Danish minimalism offers the best of both worlds. It isn’t about austerity for austerity’s sake—it’s about eliminating excess while adding value. Durability, sustainability, and easy maintenance define Danish design, and the Bullitt cargo bike embodies this philosophy.

• Lighter than Dutch and German cargo bikes
• Stronger and more modular—ideal for families or commercial use
• Adjustable for different riding positions
• Best power-to-weight ratio for real-world riding