Tern Raises Accessibility Bar by Lowering the Bar

Taipei, Taiwan

Urban mobility specialist Tern this week unveiled a new ultra-low-step urban e-bike designed to “deliver the joy of cycling to a much wider audience”.

Tern Team Captain Josh Hon said while the NBD is a particularly easy-to-handle bike for the average rider in crowded urban settings, “what gets us really excited about the NBD are the special features we’ve added for riders that aren’t conventionally average”. 

“For riders that are smaller in size and have a hard time finding a bike that fits, or older riders who might not have ridden a bike in a while, or riders who might have balance or physical issues, or riders who are just intimidated by the sheer size and weight of the average e-bike, the NBD will be refreshingly easy to hop aboard and ride,” he said.

The NBD has the lowest, longest step-through opening of any premium e-bike.

“For somebody with a knee or hip injury who can’t physically lift their leg over the top tube of a regular bike, this could be the difference between riding or not,” according to a statement from Tern.

“SimpleStep frame geometry inspires confidence because it lets riders easily get their feet on the ground at stops.”

The statement says the NBD is also designed with an ultra-low centre of gravity and a longer wheelbase to make it much easier to balance and handle.

“The lowered bottom bracket and motor give the NBD uniquely stable handling,” it states.

“With compact 20-inch wheels, the NBD is much shorter in length than a regular bike, so it’s easy to manoeuvre in tight hallways, bicycle parking stations, or busy train stations.

“The NBD also folds flat in seconds so you can load a pair into a car for trips out of town.”

Despite its compact size, the NBD is rated to a maximum gross vehicle weight of 140kg and can handle up to 27kg on the rear rack, and up to 20kg on a front rack.

The Bosch motor and battery system is one of the few systems on the market today which meets and passes the UL standard for battery and electronics safety.

The NBD is equipped with a Bosch motor and battery system and comes in two models, S5i and P8i.

Short Haul

On 1st June, Tern unveiled its new Short Haul compact cargo bike, designed to get a rider – plus an extra passenger and cargo – from home to work, to school, and everywhere in between.

“The Short Haul is a sister platform to the recently launched Quick Haul, which is additionally equipped with a Bosch electric drivetrain,” the company says.

“The Short Haul is our vision of how a bicycle designed for urban transportation should look,” Josh explained.

“It’s shorter and easier to handle than a regular bike but it’ll carry much more. It’s the perfect bike for people who want the function of a quality cargo bike but are working within a budget. It’s simple but very capable.”

With a max gross vehicle weight of 140kg, the bike’s extra-long, extra-strong rear rack is rated to carry 50kg and can be configured to carry a child in a child seat, an older kid, or even a small adult.

In addition to its rear cargo capacity, the Short Haul can also carry up to 20kg with an optional front-mounted rack.

Dutch Cargo is Australia’s Tern distribution partner and will have the Quick Haul available later this month, with the NBD and Short Haul arriving in Australia in August. Check the Tern Australia website for details.