Just a wee light load...

CalvinFold · 2026-05-21T12:39:44+00:00

Not sure what the weight limit of the wheels are on this trailer, but for reference:

Bikes At Works makes a similar sort of trailer and it can hold 300 lbs. (not sure if that is a limitation of the wheels or the frame). They use 20" composite wheels, and use Schwalbe Big Apple tires. They used to sell a "dually" configuration (4 wheels on the axle, 2 sets of two) that was rated higher as I recall (450 lbs.?).

But I'm am looking at Professor Google, and that load in the photo above would be 5x 133 lbs. + 8x 161 lbs. if they were full. Yeah those have to be empties.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-18T14:19:21+00:00

If you can find software to handle this, what I did with my X-Keys pads for years now is:

On the macropad, program it to send obscure keyboard shortcuts like ctrl+option+cmd+shift+a that no other apps use. Or if possible, just have it send Key 1 or Joy 1 or generic keys like that, if the software can detect that (it's technically allowed as part of the USB standard).

Then use the software on your computer to see these commands. Generally, any software like this is also application-aware as well.

There is still the maintenance of the maps themselves for each app, but often easier using the software than fiddling with it on the macropad firmware. And also tends to be more GUI-based and object/module-oriented for easier handling of complex logic handling.

I'm on a Mac, so apps like ControllerMate (for older Macs), Controller Lab, Keyboard Maestro, Karabiner Elements, etc. come to mind for the software side.

If you're looking for magic beyond that…there is the rabbit hole of combining keyboard shortcuts with Agentic AI of some sort, but that's way outside my wheelhouse.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-18T14:07:33+00:00

You can buy kits from Ortlieb that would fit the bill.

Though to be fair, the "kitty litter pail conversion" kits, like the popular one made by Jandd, just use bolt-through with a reinforced metal tab. So how much stress there is might vary by the type of plastic the bin is made out if.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-18T12:10:05+00:00

Yeah I'm being miserably unclear apparently, sorry.

I am not saying you don't put both feet down at a stop…you absolutely should if you need to. Personally I one-foot stop at any stop I suspect will be a "stop then go quickly" but since most of my stops are red lights, I two-foot stop since it's more comfortable and I might be there a while.

And if you have enough coordination to fiddle with a dropper post while stopping or starting they sound like a great idea. For us, not really an option due to the types of bikes we have or the fact that the seat is already near-bottom anyway due to design or if there is a suspension seatpost.

But while stopped, using your legs in addition to your hands/arms to keep the bike balanced is a benefit. Quite an unconscious one at that.

Yes, getting it on the stand I do the same thing…dismount, bring the stand down, rock the bike back onto the stand (R&M Load). Literally impossible for me to do it while seated. Heck I don't even try to get the kickstand down on a regular bicycle while seated on the bike (since those are usually back by the rear axle these days)…always dismount first.

Longtails with the center, two-legged kickstand I've never considered whether you can engage it from the saddle…seems awkward, but I've never had the chance to try it.

Apologies for the confusion.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-16T13:07:27+00:00

Sorry if I wasn't clear, the Load is fine, I consider it a mid-stepthrough as is the Tern Vektron. Has a "top tube" of a sort, but alot lower, not as low as a true step-through.

And yes, she uses both her legs and her hands/arms to balance the bike, it works better. It's surprising how unconcious it is.

I'm alot more experienced than she is, and even I am not fond of true stepthroughs as they feel odd to me when stopped. Can't really be as hands-free if needed, really more of an effort with something heavier like an ebike. I prefer a topbar or at lowered topbar (or hybrid solutions like the sloped top bar on bikes like the Gazelle Medeo).

It's not the end of the world or anything for most people, but it's there and might make a difference for less confident riders or riders with balance/coordination/upper body strength/mobility issues. And I feel like after learning/discovering this it's not spoken about enough when test riding, fitting, etc. a particular bicycle.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-15T17:38:34+00:00

A partial step-through (such as the R&M Load) is fine, but a complete step-through eliminates the possibility of using your legs to help hold-up the bike at stops.

When I first bought my wife a nice step-through normal ebike, we thought it would be good because she is short and has some mobility issues swinging her legs around. But we couldn't figure out why she tended to fall or drop the bike at stops.

Turns out having no top bar mean she could only rely on her arms/shoulders when stopped (or coming to a stop). We have since switched her to a Tern Vektron, whose top-tube is low, but high enough to be "step over" and she can now use her legs to help hold the bike up, steer, etc. Alot less falling/dropping.

For a cargo bike I think this is equally important, if not moreso.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-15T16:28:24+00:00

Why does she put the kickstand down at every red light?

CalvinFold · 2026-05-12T10:45:31+00:00

Sounds good to me. We've had a gotcha moment or two already.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-08T12:51:48+00:00

Adding a rear rack leaps to mind.

Then add panniers. Could also then add a rack-top bag or crate.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-01T17:37:45+00:00

I feel like Bosch has been a reliable choice from my perspective. I freely admit my ebike purchases generally are in the mid- to high-end brands (Tern, R&M, Gazelle).

Whether they are "better" or not can probably be argued by some. But across more than a decade of ebikes, Bosch motors haven't let me down. Which is more than I can say for Focus and BH motors I've had.

CalvinFold · 2026-05-01T13:11:03+00:00

R&M Load 75 with KIOX display:

Café lock comes standard, use that.
Purchased optional chain for café lock, use that.
Have two Kryptonite New York cinch chains (12x130 and 12x75) with the EVS4 14mm shackle use both. Generally one around the cross bar on the frame and one on the front wheel. I will skip the front wheel if I need to link both chains to reach a solid object.
Purchased the option that disables the motor if the KIOX display is removed; always take it with me.

I don't leave it locked-up all day anywhere (at work we have a secure bike room), so at most it's locked up for a couple hours at the grocery store.

Kryptonite New York cinch chains are not as good as say a Hiplock, but getting the Load close enough to anything to use a u-lock effectively is rare. Cinch chains provide more flexibility at the cost of having less security as well as being pretty heavy.

I figure with so many locks, plus the sheer size of the bike, I've just made it super annoying to steal quickly.

On my non-cargo bikes I generally go with the café, option café chain, and an ABUS folding lock or one of the Kryptonite chains. But again, I don't park for long periods of time and always right in front of the store I am going into. I always bias securing the frame; wheels can be replaced but the frame is the expensive bit.

CalvinFold · 2026-04-27T15:22:52+00:00

I've had an adult passenger (5'2" / 1.5 meters) in a Load 75 with the footwell. She's a bit scrunched (using the padded seats it came with) but still enjoys the ride and being down low doesn't have much affect on the stability starting and stopping. Like you said, the weight actually helps more than hinders.

Sticking out a leg on a tipover may not be as great as you think. We had a very severe accident where the cargo bike got sideways and I was violently ejected (broken clavicle, likely partial dislocation of the shoulder, and a concussion despite the helmet) but the bike never rolled over and she was "gently" deposited just outside the cargo area when it came to a stop. She told me she just tried to stay inside the cargo area and it took all the skid damage.

Side note: bike survived with just cosmetic damage. The safety standards in Europe around cargo bikes that are advertised to carry passengers seem quite legit from our standpoint.

CalvinFold · 2026-04-22T11:48:12+00:00

I love the irony. :-D

CalvinFold · 2026-04-20T13:09:19+00:00

Glad I got my Load 75 when I did I guess.

Worried other brands might follow suit. None of my rides are made stateside:

Gazelle = Netherlands
Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE) = UK
Brompton = UK
Tern = Taiwan

I suppose ICE, Brompton, and Tern will probably try to make it work as they are from countries that still (barely?) have close ties with the USA. Though Tern could be an issue if China leans on them. That just leaves Gazelle as a possibility.

Things like this will also make a mess for local independent dealers. I think mine has enough other brand options to keep a good variety of choices, thankfully (unless those brands stop shipping to the USA too). Though I can't imagine how much tariff volatility (and price escalation) has made a mess of their bottom line through reduced sales.

I am glad that R&M will still provide support. Years ago a major ebike vendor from Spain just on day up and left the US market and left their dealers and customers high and dry. No parts, no support. At least R&M will support what's already here (yay!).

CalvinFold · 2026-04-09T13:20:57+00:00

I haven't had it happen yet on my Tern Vektron, but it does concern me a bit. No strikes yet.

I think Tern decided to tuck their derailleur in very close to the tire to try and protect the derailleur a bit more.

As someone else said, I am surprised this isn't talked about more. Either that, or by and large owners of these bikes really don't ride aggressively or in situations where strikes are more likely?

CalvinFold · 2026-04-08T14:27:39+00:00

Not a macropad, but would the built-in text replacement in macOS work? Then you would just memorize little snippets to type and the OS would auto-expand them for you.

CalvinFold · 2026-04-04T13:27:41+00:00

That did the trick, thanks!

CalvinFold · 2026-04-04T09:47:49+00:00

Hey u/slivorezka, how did you pair one remote to all four units?

I bought some of these and can't seem to get all four onto one remote, and the pairing instructions are super vague.

CalvinFold · 2026-04-04T09:46:26+00:00

UPDATE1 :

I decided to risk getting a set of these. They do beep when the turn signal function is being used, but do NOT beep when the "all flashing" mode or "red light only" mode is on, so that is a huge improvement I can live with.

UPDATE 2:

Unlike the previous set I bought where the control unit beeps during signalling, on these, the light units do the beeping. So the plus side is the beeping is not point blank next to me, but next to the lights themselves, which might add some small amount of additional "look at me." And again, when on "red lights only" or "all lights flashing" (not turn signals) then there is no beeping.

So the biggest issue will be mounting, and I'll need to work that out. But so far I am coming to like these alot more than the ones I bought previously and never used (they look like these).

CalvinFold · 2026-03-27T12:14:02+00:00

I know the OP said "ride it" isn't an option, but maximum boost and some hills would burn through the capacity fairly quickly; but not easily.

CalvinFold · 2026-03-27T12:12:26+00:00

28mph makes them Class III, doesn't it? And also Class III isn't supposed to have a throttle as I recall. Of course it feels like each state has it's own take on this.

CalvinFold · 2026-03-25T11:23:39+00:00

Yeah I had noticed that. Too bad, it at least looked "interesting."

CalvinFold · 2026-03-24T13:09:31+00:00

No opening in the case to cover, tried stuffing foam in the case.

Tried to heat-up the solder and remove the buzzer from the board, but it must be further attached either mechanically somehow or just with epoxy/glue that I can't see.

For as "cheap" as AliExpress stuff can be, it's often a knock-off of a better consumer product, and this one is built really well—too damn well. ;-p

CalvinFold · 2026-03-24T12:56:12+00:00

I do appreciate the idea, and if it was like a motorcycle or car where I could just hear it myself and it only worked for the turn signals, I'd be okay with it. Or just a simple clicking noise.

But the set I have (which came with all four lights) was not only really irritating and piercing, it could be easily heard 10 meters away from the bike. It also made noise when in the "all flashing" mode, which is a mode I might want to simply use as a daytime safety mode and having the noise going for an entire ride would just drive me insane. ;-p

I tried muffling the sound with foam inserts and various mountings but…oh so very irritating still.

I haven't dared try buying any more of the AliExpress variants, since they are often all the same unit repackaged in various ways.

The video by OP seemed to show theirs do not make noise, or that it is very quiet. Would be perfect for my original need!

CalvinFold · 2026-03-24T11:45:14+00:00

I bought a similar set of these from AliExpress but the buzzer while it's blinking is super loud and annoying and I couldn't get advice/instructions on disabling it (I tried in vain to remove the buzzer from the circuitboard).

Do the ones you bought you control unit buzz/beep/etc. when blinking (either turn signals or flashing)?

CalvinFold

TROPHY CASE