June 19, 2023 - (Toronto, ON) If you want to get around a city with ease, throw a leg over an e-bike. But if you’ve got kids to shuttle around the ideal cycling solution is an e-cargo bike and we were stoked to test Trek’s new Fetch+ 4 that’s destined to replace a car in your daily life.
It’s easy to see how cargo bikes are part of the mobility transformation as my kids loved jumping into the front cargo box for an up-front adventure. The two built-in EVA seats feature a nifty ability to recline in three positions (upright, chill mode, and sleep mode), and come with five-point safety harnesses and headrests which can be easily removed and stored. Custom options include a child bench, infant seat adapters, and a fully-enclosed rainfly which can double as a sun-shade during hot summer days.
The maximum cargo box weight of 175 lbs. (80kg) means that up to five children can be whisked around, and the total max capacity is 551 lbs (250kg). The sturdy box is made of strong polyethylene plastic (PE) and my crew was always comfortable and eager to hop on board. When I’d tell them to load up, indicating the Fetch+ instead of the car, they’d burst into smiles and cheers and tumble up and over the sides of the bucket.
Powered by a 250W Bosch Cargo Line mid-drive motor that features 85Nm of torque, the low-maintenance Gates CDX belt drive helps to smoothly get you up to speed. The rear wheel features a unique Enviolo internal gear hub with an over 380% gear range to tackle virtually any hill. What’s unique is that it’s an infinitely variable resistance hub so there is no indexing in the twist grip shifter. Ease off of the power, adjust the shifter to increase or decrease the resistance and then start pedaling again.
The drivetrain is very smooth and quiet, and I’d start the Fetch+ 4 rolling in an easy gear, and then twist to a higher level of resistance to get up to speed. That’s when the kids really fell in love with this e-cargo bike. They’d lean forward and tuck their noses up to the front of the box. It felt as though were cruising via a land speeder in a sci-fi movie.
Operating the electronics is a breeze as the Bosch smart system is activated by a switch on the same controller that changes the levels of assistance. The colour display indicates how much assistance is being provided with red being the fastest and most aggressive.
I usually rode a level or two down from the top as it provided more than enough extra speed in bike lanes. Step the Fetch+ 4 into traffic, switch up into the red zone, and this e-cargo bike will easily maintain its 32kph limit.
Also on the controller is a five-level indicator for the massive 750Wh Bosch Power Tube battery. If you’re running top-level assistance and climbing hills on your errands, you can still add in some bike paths, playgrounds, a snack and whatever else you fancy for a full Saturday loop, as the battery has ample capacity. It takes about six hours to fully recharge the battery.
Like any new ride, and for those who aren’t used to a box-style bike, it takes a bit of time to get comfortable. The low center of gravity and cable steering keep things stable, and the front wheel turns a bit less than the input on the handle bar.
After a few rides I was able to slalom the Fetch+ 4 around potholes and could do tight slow speed turns with ease. Given the size of e-cargo bikes you also need to more attentive at higher speeds as the smaller front wheel can wander slightly from side to side – not a big deal as you always need to be paying attention anyways.
Keep in mind that like all front box e-cargo bikes it’s big and practically fills the bike lane, so if you come up on a slower rider, you’ll need to be patient until you’re able to safely pass them. Also in narrow bike lanes between parked cars and the curb, it takes a little more input than a standard bicycle.
The stock Schwalbe Pick-Up reflective tires, Tektro 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 2.3mm thick rotors, and SR Suntour Mobie front shock with 50mm of travel are all excellent. I never had an issue with traction, accelerating or stopping. Even doing a rolling gravel path there were never issues with traction.
On one outing we had to make a sudden full stop as a vehicle turned left into the lane from the oncoming direction, and the Fetch+ 4 stayed straight and upright with no skidding, while the kids were held securely in place via the harnesses.
We loved the front shock as well as it took on expansion cracks, potholes and speedbumps with ease to keep things smooth for the passengers.
There’s an abundance of standard equipment on the bike including commuter-friendly custom fenders, front/rear lights that come on with the motor, and a bell. Plus there’s a Bosch SmartphoneGrip holder with built in charger.
Surprisingly there is a TranzX dropper post, something usually found on mountain bikes. I found it useful when the e-cargo bike was coming to a stop as the dropper post allows the seat to be lowered so that my feet could come down more easily to stabilize things.
On the back is a frame-integrated Bontrager rear rack with a 27kg weight limit that works with accessories from the MIK line of equipment. My dream scenarios included making use of the rear rack as a third seat for an easy on/off platform for an additional passenger, or mounting an extra storage box when the front box was fully loaded with passengers.
All of this equipment is all available through Trek’s MIK ecosystem which is the beautiful thing about this multi-purpose e-cargo bike – most everyone can find a way to fit it into their routine.
The built-in Abus rear ring lock let’s you make quick pits stops and the Bosch Connect module allows you to activate the system’s eBike alarm via the Flow App for extra anti-theft protection.
When the bike is parked, the Fetch custom double leg kick-stand keeps the e-cargo bike secure and stable for loading and unloading – kids can easily climb over the sides without the rider having to balance the bike.
The only issue that I came across was the battery cover, as it’s held on by magnets, and it can easily get dislodged by knee contact when getting on and off of the e-cargo bike.
It’s exciting that a mainstream manufacturer like Trek has entered the e-cargo bike market which signals interest and growth in this utility segment of the bicycle market.
I can’t say enough how much the kids loved this e-cargo bike, and being up front to enjoy every adventure. This is a homerun of a bike as literally a family could be transported to a ball game using it.
Trek has included so many useful details that make the Fetch+ 4 a treat to operate and anyone that owns this e-cargo bike will be looking for opportunities to ride it.
The SRP is $10,999 and for more information click here.
