After our last review of the Velo de Ville FR8, which is an (un)ordinary type of cargo bike that we’ve known for quite a few years now, it’s time to explore a different dimension of cargo – the Velo de Ville Loady 900. And it’s different in every aspect from what we’ve used before. The Loady 900 is a longtail cargo bike with very broad and flexible applications. And, of course, as is the case with Velo de Ville (VdV), you can configure the bike yourself according to your own needs.
O tym przeczytasz
CONFIGURE YOUR LOADY 900
I’ll be honest with you. Initially, I was skeptical about this type of bike. I kept asking myself: “Why bother when you can have a traditional family cargo bike?” or “Isn’t this the same as mounting a child seat on a regular bike?” How wrong I was!
After a month of daily use with the Loady 900, it will be hard to part ways with it. It will be even harder for our children, who, for the past month, have been answering in unison, “the yellow one,” whenever asked which bike we’re taking.
The model we tested is one of the highest possible configuration options. Below, we show you the bike’s personalization process, where you can change practically every component. Every modification immediately affects the price, so there are no surprises when you place the final order. What’s more, the manufacturer guarantees that the finished bike will arrive at your doorstep within four weeks.
Returning to the components used in our test Loady, it’s hard to describe them—though we will—because your bikes can be built from completely different, still high-quality parts. However, what won’t change is the entire philosophy behind the Loady 900. We have a longtail cargo bike that provides great versatility, a very stable and solid construction with a load capacity of up to 200 kg. All this while giving the unmistakable impression that we’re riding a regular electric bike all the time.
THE KING OF THE BIKE PATH – LOADY 900
The bike is equipped with 20-inch wheels for excellent maneuverability, and the frame geometry is designed so that the center of gravity doesn’t shift when transporting children on the back. This is an essential feature, especially for those with less physical strength or for more petite individuals, like Karo (158 cm in a hat).
FIRST OFF THE STARTING LINE – ENVIOLO AUTOMATiQ
The Loady 900 also comes with an automatic ENVIOLO AUTOMATiQ transmission. It works similarly to a scooter’s gearbox—after stopping at a traffic light, it automatically switches to the lightest gear, and then adjusts the gear ratio to your pedaling cadence. There’s also a manual shift option, but you’ll rarely use it.
DRIVE SYSTEM AND FLOW MOBILE APP
VdV Loady bikes are powered by Bosch motors along with the accompanying components. Our Loady is equipped with the Bosch Performance CX motor with a torque of 85 Nm. Considering the motor’s flexibility, we believe that even the weaker SX version would handle the urban jungle with ease, given that the maximum supported speed is 25 km/h in both cases.
What really makes a difference and is worth investing in is the battery. Ours, with a capacity of 800 Wh, allows us to cover over 70 km in urban mode with one child on the back.
Our motor is controlled by the Purion 200 along with a phone mount (charger). The magic happens once you install the Flow app, which lets you view real-time ride data on your phone. However, the real highlight is the navigation using Mapbox/ Same maps—they are very detailed yet clear. The guidance is accurate and makes use of available bike paths. The app also allows you to secure the bike by immobilizing the drive system.
SAFE RIDING WITH THE LOADY 900
It’s worth mentioning two interesting features used in the LOADY. The first is the special kickstand on which you park the bike. VdV rightly noticed that when you put a child on the rear seat—or the child climbs up themselves—and the bike is on the stand, sooner or later that stand might fold (due to the child’s movement). That’s why there’s a special lock on the handlebars that prevents the kickstand from folding. Let me reveal a little secret: I also used this lock as an additional anti-theft device for the bike.
Another noteworthy feature is the front Supernova M99 lights. Folks, how bright they shine! More than one car has worse lights than this bike does. Additionally, there are two lighting modes. All of this while ensuring the correct light cutoff level (we’re not blinding trees or other bike roads users).
THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE LOADY 900
We mentioned the flexibility of the Loady 900 without explaining what that flexibility entails. Let’s fix that omission. In the configurator, you can choose at least three predefined, ready-to-go sets: Cargo Kit Pro, Cargo Kit Pure, and Bag Holder.
The Cargo Kit Pro allows you to seat two children comfortably on the back, adds side protection, and includes an extra cushion on the backrest. The Kit Pure is half cargo for goods and half family kit. The Bag Holder is for carrying panniers.
Additionally, you can add baskets, racks, and crates—whatever you wish and need.
Well, maybe not entirely. What we found lacking in the Loady was a cover for the passengers in the back. A frame with curtains and a canopy would come in handy. While the rider is fairly resistant to driving rain, a child does not cope as well with such conditions. Incidentally, that’s the only shortcoming of this bike, if you can even call it a shortcoming.
There’s another aspect of flexibility that’s super important for a traveling, active family. You can easily load the Loady 900 onto a car’s hitch-mounted bike carrier. This is a small revolution for us when traveling with a younger child and bikes. Until now, we had to “tow” a trailer as a backup transport solution in case little legs got too tired of pedaling. Now we have a great alternative.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF CARGO
Although bikes of this type have been on the market for some time, the Loady 900 is a whole new dimension of a family cargo bike for me. Such praise is rare coming from me because, as you may have noticed, I often have a skeptical, doubting approach and set the bar quite high. I have a feeling that once our family cargo bike reaches the end of its life, the next in line will be the VdV Loady 900.
This material was created with great pleasure in cooperation with Velo de Ville.
STAY WITH US FOR LONGER
