Thank you Yuba Bicycles
for providing us with products to review, free of charge.
These are our own honest opinions. 

Once upon a time, there was a young woman who didn’t own a car. She used to walk and bike everywhere, or take public transportation. Eventually, this young woman moved and bought a car to go to work. She continued to walk and bike but became slowly dependent on the convenience of a car. Then she had a baby, and another. Outings became complicated, she always had her hands full and relied on the car more than ever.

This woman is me. Over the years, I saw myself transition from being someone who was actively going places to someone who passively drove a car from point A to point B. I didn’t like it and I couldn’t find a way out.

Then, one day, I saw a picture of a cargo bike. It was a unique flamboyant cargo bike from Yuba Bikes, designed with flexibility in mind. It allowed the biker to carry passengers (kids or adults) and to haul all kinds of stuff from groceries to sports equipment and even a surf board! I had seen other cargo bikes before but none compared to that one in terms of its design and how each detail was carefully thought out.

My husband looked at me like I was crazy when I proclaimed I wanted one. But I had a vision. I knew exactly what this bike would bring me: I’d be free from my dependence to our car. I’d be able to take my kids to the park and to daycare. I’d be able to go to the grocery store and the library. I’d be able to navigate freely around my little town.

Yuba very generously allowed me to test one of their amazing bikes (with a few add-ons) so I could share my experience with you. To be honest, I had high hopes and my Mundo went above and beyond them! No wonder Yuba Bikes have been the most popular cargo bikes in North America for the last 5 years.

My tangerine Mundo and its accessories (Monkey Bars, 2 Soft Spots, Deflopilator) came in 3 boxes and I don’t remember being this excited about packages before. I literally squealed when I saw them at the door!  (Think 4-year-old who sees a real pony at her front door on Chrismas Day. That kind of squeal.)

Putting it together took about 2 hours, thanks to my husband (had I purchased it from a shop, it would have been assembled but the closest was 3 hours away so we gave it a try ourselves). The Mundo looks even better in real life: it’s a showstopper and I’m in love with its tangerine color! As soon as it was assembled, I was ready for the first of many rides!

Despite the excitement, I was a little apprehensive about how I’d be able to steer this cargo bike. To give you an idea, the Mundo weighs 48lbs and measures 6’9″ so we’re talking heavy-duty, extra-long bike! My worries were put to rest in about half a second. I was able to balance it just as easily as I did with my ‘regular’ bike. Steering was also very smooth and as long as I don’t try to make super sharp turns, I don’t even realize how long the bike is.

Of course it’s a bit more work uphill but it’s similar to pulling a bike trailer. With its 21 speeds, I’m able to ride our Mundo up and down all the hills around our town. I’m actually considering getting a BionX Kit to turn my bike into an electrical one. It would be great for longer distances and steeper terrains (the battery can last for 20-37 miles depending on terrain and costs 3-5 cents per charge). There are also many other add-ons that I’d love to get including the Go-Getter bags and a Yepp Maxi Seat for my youngest one (for next summer).

After a first solo voyage, I was ready for my first passenger. My daughter is a calm child with good balance so I decided to use the Monkey Bars with her instead of getting a Yepp Maxi Seat. I also have wheelskirts which prevent her little feet from getting caught in the wheels. I told her she needed to keep her hands on the bars at all times and I said I’d warn her if there was a bump on the road ahead of us and we were off! She giggled the entire time and kept saying how she liked to feel the wind on her face because we were going ‘so so fast’. Since that first day, she has asked to go on a bike ride every. single. day!

It’s been such a wonderful change of pace for us. I take the Mundo to drop her off and pick her up from daycare. I go to the grocery store (I secured a small wooden crate on either side for my grocery bags). We go to the park and library together. We take our time, we look around, we talk to our neighbors. I feel like we connect with our community in a whole new way. People are curious about our bike and I love to explain to them what cargo bikes are and why we love ours so much.

I am so grateful for my Mundo cargo bike and I feel like it literally changed my life for the better. I can’t believe I finally found a fun, healthy, functional means of transportation. It’s greener and more affordable than a car and with all the different configurations and storage options, it’s virtually as convenient as a car! I won’t get rid of the car entirely (I do live in a somewhat rural part of Canada where biking isn’t actually feasible and safe for many months of the year) but I’m more than happy to avoid using the car unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Here is a short video about how Yuba started and how it can make your life better. I also want to share some impressive facts on the Mundo:

– it can accommodate 1-4 passengers (max. 2 child seats)
– it can haul 440lbs plus the rider
– someone carried over 1000 bananas on their Mundo!
– it is designed to fit ordinary riders from 5′ to 6’7”, no need to be an Olympic athlete nor wear spandex (thank goodness!)

Find Out More: If you’re curious about cargo bikes, head over to Yuba’s website to see for yourself their gorgeous bikes. There’s the smaller Boda Boda, and the ‘family-size’ Mundo. Both can be fitted with BionX and turned into powerful electric bikes.

Connect: Don’t forget to like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter  and subscribe to their YouTube channel for all the latest news and promotions.

Rachel