Torker Cargo T Bike Review

Cargo bikes have a special place in the bike kingdom; these are the pick-up trucks of our world. For people who regularly load up their bags well past the limit, cargo bikes become the next logical step. “Yeah, I can carry that.” The Torker Cargo T is a Dutch-style delivery bicycle with a simple step-through design and sturdy front and rear racks like those used throughout Europe and beyond. The $599 Cargo T is a basic bike with all of the small touches that make it uniquely suited for trips across town with more than your back can bear.

The most obvious and crucial feature of a cargo bike are the racks. How big, how sturdy and how much can they haul is really all that matters. The racks on the Cargo T are plenty big and the tubular construction lends a number of places to attach straps or bungees. Up front the large rack L-shaped rack is pitched back nicely to allow gravity to help keep boxes secure, and while it has a stated 25lb load limit I’ve personally ridden on the front of this bike, weight limits be damned. The same goes for the 40lb limit on the rear rack – I’ve well exceeded that, egged on by the large gauge construction and solid attachment points on the frame.The relatively slender fork blades did make me concerned at first glimpse, and though they seem fine in practice I’d still rather have some larger diameter fork legs. The front fork and rack have matching generator and light mounts for the full Euro-experience.

Beyond the racks, the double kickstand and steering lock are what make the Torker Cargo T more than just any bike with a basket. Double kickstands like those seen on motorcycles are vital to a real cargo bike, allowing it to stand up straight even when loaded. Combined with the steering lock, the double kickstand makes loading and unloading the bike a breeze with no need to find something sturdy to lean the bike against. The steering lock is stupid-proof too, ratcheting loudly yet steering if you step on and go without thinking to unlock it. Steel fenders are a nice touch as well, lending real-world durability.

The drivetrain is also well thought out for this style of bike, with a full encased chain turning a Shimano Nexus 3-speed internal hub with a coaster brake. Internal hubs are usually cited because of low maintenance and other such things, but the real reason to have one on a cargo bike is the ability to shift into the lowest gear while stopped, particularly useful when fully loaded and coming up to a stoplight. The lowest of the three gears is a 27% drop from the direct drive 2nd gear, with 3rd being a 36% increase. This proved to be a very useful gear range, allowing me to pull away from a stop uphill even with around 80 pounds of magazines on board. Nexus hubs like the one speced by Torker are known to be very reliable in the long term. Over the relatively short test period I’ve had no problems besides a skipped shift when I had a bit too much pressure on the pedals for the gears to shift under, a known characteristic of most any multispeed drivetrain. Stopping the Cargo T is the aforementioned rear coaster brake and a front drum brake. While they have enough power to stop just fine and are absolutely as low maintenance as they come, they are one of the few places where I personally would prefer different parts for this style of bike. Coaster brakes are fine, but I like to be able to reposition the pedals while stopped to make starting off with a large load that much easier. This was my first experience with a drum brake and it just doesn’t have the solid feel of a rim brake in my opinion, not helped in the least by the very cheap brake lever that lacked a working barrel adjuster. The drum brake however isn’t going to squeal, doesn’t rely on the rim being perfectly in true, and doesn’t require fancy cable routing to avoid rack interference giving it a perfectly logical purpose, just not my style.

The Torker Cargo T is an interesting bike for the right user, someone who has a lot of short trips with boxes, or in my particular case outgoing mail. There are at least 220 copies of Urban Velo #13 on the racks as shown; at 6 ounces each plus the packing material you can see that bringing home the groceries shouldn’t be a problem. For what it is – a Dutch style cargo bike that can take a bruising – the Cargo T is pretty fantastic. Available in the pictured optic green or a more subdued silver, the $599 Cargo T is a definite head turner no matter what, but especially when you have more than you should strapped down and cruising with a grin.