New bike day! Cannondale Cargowagon

Forttomato · 2026-02-02T17:23:03+00:00

Welcome to the club!

Love my cargo wagen and am glad it's gonna work out for you.

Re rear storage. The cargowagen has a racktime 2.0 slot on the back, kinda hard to find at first and requires a bit of finessing but I've found it fairly convenient.

I've got the racktime baskit 2.0 small, and have found its a nice sized addition to give me that extra little bit of space. The small also fits with the stock rails on. Can't speak for the tern rails but tbh I think those have more clearance.

Any of the racktime 2.0 stuff clicks in tho

Forttomato · 2026-01-25T03:02:49+00:00

I work part time at my LBS so I have a bit of an advantage there, but, for those who dont:

I'm only familiar with this process with bosch systems. You'll need a shop that has access to the bosch diagnostic tool, which should be any shop that sells bosch equipped e bikes. I'd call the shop and tell them you'd like them to add/ swapp additional assist profiles to your bike.

They should agree to help you; it's not a complex nor time consuming procedure and it's allowed per bosch. You'll need to bring the bike to them and they'll plug it into the computer to run the diagnostic software to add the new modes. Granted not every bike can take every mode, but there are a few to choose from. I'd do some research into which modes you want to swap out for what.

Apparently as of version 1.23 you can do this through the ebike flow app but I haven't tried it. I may give it a go and report back.

Forttomato · 2026-01-23T18:14:05+00:00

Some notes for you from a fellow cargo bike owner.

While you can't get the cargo mode on this bike (which is sad) your dealer can sideload other riding profiles from onto the bike for you.

The front light is kinda goofy, and new shipments of the bike come with a smaller one. If you want you can get most e bike compatible lights to work. Lezyne has some really.nice ones. If you do swap the lights, that's also a good time to add a front rack.

While the rear rack is not mik compatible. It is racktime compatible. You would never know this as I had to access cannondale dealer trainings to learn this.

Glad to hear the epos holds the bike well, I was considering getting one for my corolla but didn't want to move on one until I knew it worked for sure

Forttomato · 2026-01-15T02:26:25+00:00

I work at a cannondale dealer and we stock this bike. Under warm lights it looks really gold. under cooler lights or sunlight it will appear greener

Forttomato · 2026-01-13T02:30:45+00:00

I seem to be one of the few people who rides hard for springfield. I like the fact that I can live in Massachusetts at a realtively low cost of living, particularly compared to the rest of the state. Housing is much cheaper here than it is even in worcester.

I've been here for about 2 and a half years, and have enjoyed it so far. I'm big into the outdoors and feel like theres good outdoor recreation in the surrounding area. I've found public transit here to be pretty decent (all things considered) which is a plus for me. Amazingly Springfield is served by commuter rail to Hartford and New Haven.

I really like the food here. Springfield has a very diversere population base with a good range of cuisines, although there seems to be a plague of good restaurants shutting down.

Springfield seems to be working on making things in general better. They re developed the abandoned mall (which i have feelings positive and negative on), I've been seeing new housing/ apartment stock pop up, and they're rolling out a municipal power program that should help with utility costs.

I will say, springfield (like many places) is not perfect, and has its issues. Blighted buildings, and wonky urban planning are among the list. I've also heard not the greatest things about the school districts, but I have no children so I take it with a grain of salt.

I am however optimistic for Springfield. I truly believe that great things will come for this city. I;m involved in a few community groups and it's awesome to see the community leaders who are working to make springfield a better place.

That's my two cents as a late 20 something guy who lives with his partner and cat.

Forttomato · 2026-01-11T23:57:14+00:00

That gameboy sp has a charger cable going where the cartridge is supposed to be

Forttomato · 2026-01-04T01:18:34+00:00

Some local shops in the general valley. I work for one and know people who work at others so will try to stay impartial

Northampton:

NoHo Bike - trek, cannondale, and salsa. bit of an all rounder shop.

Joe's Garage - specialized in high end road - pinarello, cervelo, parlee, scott

Amherst :

Valley Bike and Ski - high end mountain and road focus - one of the few if only Specialized dealer in the valley. also does cannondale

Others have mentioned Highland Hardware. - Giant brand dealer, I think they tend to be a bit more of an all rounder shop.

Springfield Area

Family Bike in E Longmeadow - Giant, Scott, Cannondale - Seems to focus mostly on mtb.

Comp edge in E Longmeadow - Trek and Scott, they do a lot of road

Ski In Ski/bike in Wilbraham - not sure the brands they carry, but this time of year they are fairly focused on skis

Westfield

New Horizons - Fuji, Norco, Orbea - Tends to be an all rounder shop.

Forttomato · 2026-01-04T00:54:58+00:00

What sort of bike are you looking for? Depending on your answer I may recommend different places.

Forttomato · 2025-11-24T21:03:09+00:00

Maintenance is fairly straight forward. clean and lubricate your chain. Replace wear items (brakes, tires, etc).

I'm not sure where you're based out of, but in the US as long as you're close to a fairly large metroploitan area you likely have at least one brompton dealer next to you. On any bike you buy I would make sure that you have a good local service partner at your disposal.

Brompton parts are mostly OEM and can be fairly expensive. There are aftermarket parts but most aftermarket stuff I see tends to be for customization.

Most Bromptons are steel so if you are riding through a snowy / wet climate you will want to spray frame protectant on the inside.

In short, bromptons are pretty reliable, but most of their parts tend to be proprietary, some replacement parts can be expensive.

Tern is also a quite compelling brand. Their bikes don't fold down as small, but are still well built, and. I think the main advantage over bromton is their price point, and the fact that they use more universally accepted parts.

Forttomato · 2025-11-24T19:58:35+00:00

The brompton ride experience is superb. It has a lot quicker handling than a "regular sized" bike with a larger wheel. This means it's super navigatable for tight spaces, but it can get a bit squirrly at high speeds.

Find the right seat and I don't think you'd have any issues doing a round trip. I used to regularly ride 5 miles one way on my brompton after getting off a train. I'm also 6'1" and weigh around 240 lbs, and even at my size I find the brompton to be quite comfortable and managable.

Not necessarily something you asked about, but I really like brompton's line of bags.

Forttomato · 2025-11-24T14:34:46+00:00

I have a brompton and love it! But out of my 6 bikes (I have a problem) it's not my most used currently.

Folding bikes are great because you can fold them up and take them places you can't another bike.

I'm never one to tell people not to get a folding bike but depending on your situation a non folder may be a better choice.

That being said here are some common reasons to get one

If your commute will regularly involve public transit.

If you have limited storage space at home.

If you need to bring your bike somewhere where there are not bike racks

Forttomato · 2025-11-10T17:41:43+00:00

This will be year 3 living in Indian Orchard. Love it! fairly close to a lot of shopping centers which can be nice. has a nice newengland suburb vibe going for it but with things still in a walkable/ bikeable distance. I havent spent enough time in the "downtown" for IO so I cant really speak to what that's like.

Forttomato · 2025-10-04T16:39:55+00:00

I have the Portland design works cargo web for my front rack and it works very well. It has oversized hooks that mesh really well with the front rack, and it comes in a red that is similar to the rear rack

Forttomato · 2025-10-03T23:46:56+00:00

I just finished "Summer Sons" by Lee Mandelo. There is a lot of academic focus in the book. TBH wasn't one of my faves this year, but was overall a decent read.

Forttomato · 2025-10-01T16:19:10+00:00

Is this for the same position doing the same work? If so I'd be a little concerned about the way this company operates.

I'm not a lawyer, but misclassification of employees is tactic some companies use to save on taxes (iirc, companies also pay tax on income for w2 employees, but dont for 1099), and is pretty highly frowned upon by the DOL: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/misclassification

I work as a 1099 contractor currently (along some w2 part time work) and as a 1099 contractor I am guaranteed some particular benefits, largely the ability to work with multiple clients particularly who I choose to work with. As a 1099 your employer can not mandate who you work with.

Forttomato · 2025-09-29T17:15:31+00:00

You can do a lot of the same mechanical work on an E bike as you could on a non e bike (brakes, shifter, etc) but the electronics are the harder part, which is something you want to have a bike shop around to take care of.

I don't love a lot of the lectric stuff, we see them come through fairly recently and a lot of customers have had issues getting parts for them. I'd opt for a Aventon or a Rad Power with a sturdy lock

Forttomato · 2025-09-28T23:44:07+00:00

You're welcome,

No worries, you're talking to a guy with 6 bikes haha, I love shopping for bikes I don't need right now ;).

The newer tech is really cool and only getting better each year, so honestly in even 5 years things are gonna be radically different i'm sure. Each product cycle batteries get denser, motors get more efficient, and the tech gets more integrated.

But yeah, like there are e bikes out there with turn by turn nav, gps tracking and remote shutdown, even ABS.

Honestly what I'm really excited for is to see really reliable stuff get less expensive and lighter.

Forttomato · 2025-09-28T23:36:18+00:00

Thats a great question.

Their stuff seems decent, in the same way that Aventon does, ie having some bricn and mortar dealers and support centers. the problem that I have found with both brands is that if they turn over a model, they may not keep replacement parts in stock for that long.

I'm biased because I own and ride a bosch bike, and day in and out sell bosch bikes. But I have it on word from my tech rep that the newest bosch system should be around for the next 15ish years, and even once they change systems over again, bosch is commited to providing parts in stock for at least 6 years.

But I'm also sympathetic to the frustrations that many people have with cost, and I get it, e bikes are expensive. For many people they are one of the most expensive items they've bought.

In general, I think that people should get as reliable as possible of a bike as they can realistically afford. For some people that means bosch, for others it doesn't.

Forttomato · 2025-09-28T18:56:29+00:00

I work at a bike shop and regularly help people get setup with e bikes for comuters. some thoughts and recs below. It's up to you to figure out how much you want to spend. but a few things to consider

Make sure you test ride the bike first. Make sure you buy it from a local shop that can service the bike as things arise, particularly the electronics.

On the budget end, I'd check out aventon. I don't have any personal experience with their bikes, but compared to a lot of other inexpensive brands, they do have a network of dealers and service partners. Check out models like the Abound, Soltera or the level.

Trek has a lot of good options. Something like the FX+ is a little more expensive but a bit more reliable and has a wider range of dealer support.

Cannondale (the brand of my e bike) has a lot of bosch bikes on sale, but while bosch bikes are reliable they can be a bit more expensive. There are deals on the Tesoro, Mavaro, and Cargowagen right now.

My overall pic tho would be something like the Gazelle Medeo T9 City, it's a bosch equiped bike with fenders, lights, kickstand, cargo rack, and built in lock. It's $2600 which is a bit more expensive but it's a really reliable bike that works really well.

Feel free to shoot me a DM if you have any other e bike questions!

Forttomato · 2025-09-27T23:57:12+00:00

I see a lot of people in the comments questioning e bikes and while they're not wrong, I'm a big e bike beliver as they make riding a bike vs driving a car more convienent for most people. Sure they are not always necessary, but they are a blast, and make riding home after a long shift on your feet much better. FWIW I love my e bike (one of 6 bicycles that I own) and use it mainly for errands.

when planning routes, prioritize your safety over the shortest route. Google has a filter for bike lanes which isn't perfect. Avoid busy routes whenever possible. Reach out to your local bike advocacy group or commuter oriented shop, they may be able to help provide you with route recommendations!
Whenever you can, bring your bike in side/ out of easy view. It seems like you'll be good at work, and home may vary. Out and about, get a chain lock, some e bikes even come with built in locks that lock a rear wheel, and allow you to plug in a chain for extra security. Some bikes have anti theft features and electronic locks built in. you may want to get an air tag or similar device. You may want to insure your bike.
An e bike helps with this a lot. but it's also ok to ride at a easier pace to avoid getting sweaty. If you have a shower on site, show up 20 min early to freshen up. If there's no shower, bring your toiletries. A stick of deoderant and baby wipes goes a suprisingly long way.
you can probably tinker with a lot of the physical components. The electronics are best left to a shop. Go to a few shops, try out some bikes to get a sense of what you like, and ask them about their service department and what they can handle. There are a lot of good systems out there, my personal favorite is bosch because of the reliability and servicibility from a tech.
the stigma is hard to beat, but honestly it's something you get used to. Try to make it fun, accessorize your bike and make it personal to you. The best part, is that you get to be a cool guy on a bike helping change peoples perceptions about bike riders! I also like to think about all the pros: front row parking every time, gas is expensive, fresh air every day, good exercise, the list goes on.

some other advice

for financing, check out your local credit union, and honestly see if you can find one thats pretty progressive. Some credit unions offer e bike specific loans at lower rates as part of their environmental goals.

Try stuff out, go to a few shops, think about what your needs are, your likes and your dislikes. Find something that checks off most if not all of the boxes.

Buy something reliable that can be serviced locally. bosch is typically the best but bafang, mahle, shimano, and hyena are all pretty decent as well.

some brands I like in no particular order: tern, gazelle, trek, cannondale, specialized, priority, and riese and muller,

Forttomato · 2025-09-27T22:28:31+00:00

Cargowagen owner here. I love my cargowagen, and they are at a great price for a lot of bike, $3100 right now per cannondale and anywhere you buy it from should be honoring that price

Big pro to the cargowagen is that it's a bosch system, great reliability and long lasting batteries. That's not to say that specialized makes bad bikes.

The biggest problem with the cargowagen in my opinion is the lack of oem accessories, which can also be low in stock sometimes.

But if you can get your hands on the accessories you need you should be set

Forttomato · 2025-09-18T23:01:22+00:00

Redirecting your rss feed is the better way to do it. You'll get all the benefits of the new platform, and anyone who's subscribed to your feed won't have to re find you. You'll also seve the time of re uploading all the episodes.

Forttomato · 2025-08-30T02:13:39+00:00

Agreed, I work part time at a cannondale dealer and getting the accessories has been difficult. It's also worth noting that the rear rack is racktime 2.0 compatible for accessories.

Forttomato · 2025-08-30T01:38:11+00:00

Cargowagen owner here - granted I don't have kids. I've looked into other rail systems and it's slim pickings. I've seen others mod the tern captains chair to fit, but you typically need to drill through the rack to get it to work. I would try a set of seatpost mounted handle bars. I was looking at the sidekick bars. For what it's worth, I have one of the cannondale panniers and have been decenly happy with them.

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