Carrie is the perfect bike! Well, okay, almost the perfect long john. First and foremost, it’s functional, beautiful, well thought-out, comfortable, and ideal both for smaller women (like Karo) and slightly bigger men (like Mario). Honestly, in the past 8 years of using cargo bikes, we’ve never had anything that gave us so much joy from riding.
O tym przeczytasz
Riese & Müller Carrie – a bike with a mission
Riese & Müller is a German brand known not only for its quality but also for its approach to production. The company is committed to socially and environmentally responsible manufacturing wherever possible. An example? This Carrie model is made from 80% recycled aluminum.
Each bike is assembled by hand, made to order. Just like the Loady 900 from Velo de Ville that we tested earlier, Riese & Müller also lets you configure the bike to your needs. You can customize a lot of components—though for hardcore bike geeks, the available options might feel a bit limited. For us, though, the configurator was super clear, and the number of choices wasn’t overwhelming. You don’t have to be an expert to build a bike perfectly tailored to what you need.
A few facts about the Riese & Müller Carrie
We’re not going to go into detail about every component since every bike can be configured differently. But there are a few key features worth mentioning. Carrie lets you install two batteries. With the smaller one, 545 Wh, you’ll get around 60 km in Auto mode under full load. In Eco mode, you can go over 100 km. You can’t buy this bike with any motor other than the Bosch CX series—which is actually a plus. There’s an optional larger battery, but for us, the standard one was more than enough for daily micro-adventures around Warsaw.
Another thing we have to praise is the Enviolo stepless shifting system. It’s probably the best we’ve ever used. Gear changes are smooth and effortless. Interestingly, there’s no gear indicator—and we see that as an advantage. On previous bikes with a “wavy” gear line on display, we often messed up picking the right gear. With the Carrie, relying on intuition worked much better.
Importantly, Carrie also lets you install a rear rack for extra cargo—or even a child seat. But keep in mind not to exceed the bike’s maximum load capacity, which is 200 kg, including the rider.
Carrie – what a beautiful bike!
“What a beautiful bike!”—we hear this a lot as we ride Carrie through Warsaw’s bike paths. I have to admit: this cargo bike was love at first sight. It’s small, sleek, nimble, and ultra-comfortable. I love the lockable box, which lets you fit in anywhere without worries, while also making it possible to go places where a regular cargo bike might struggle—like into an elevator or a train.
The lockable box is a real game changer for us. Suddenly we realized you can leave all your “stuff” inside, lock the box, turn the key—and that’s it. Everything’s safe and out of sight.
Carrie for all weather
If you’re planning to carry kids, a must-have is the extra canopy to protect them from sun, wind, and rain. When we first saw it, our initial reaction was: “hmm… who designed such a weird cover for such a beautiful bike?” But after a few rides, we were totally convinced—it’s well thought-out in every detail. First of all, it’s tall, tiltable, and secured with magnetic clasps. It doesn’t make it harder for kids to climb in, it doesn’t get in the way while riding. It has foldable side flaps that snap into place with magnets. Its only downside is that once removed, it takes up quite a lot of space.
Riese & Müller Carrie – a cargo bike for two kids?
Nie samym designem żyje rower cargo – liczy się też praktyczna strona użytkowania i wygoda. Carrie daje możliwość pA cargo bike isn’t just about looks—it also needs to be practical and comfortable to use. Carrie can carry two kids. It comes with two sets of seatbelts. The cleverly designed bench can easily adapt—just unclip two buckles to turn it into a single-seat setup or fold it completely to expand the cargo space.
But to be honest, Carrie works best as a bike for one child or two preschoolers. With older kids, there just isn’t enough space for them to comfortably place their feet on the floor of the box. Also, the handlebars are quite close to the box, so with taller kids, the brake levers might bump their heads. You can avoid this by pulling the handlebars closer to you. But let’s be fair—you can’t have it all, and we’re willing to forgive Riese & Müller for this compromise. Karo talks more about this in our video.
We do have a small complaint about the seatbelts too. Without extra headrests, the straps can slide off the kids’ shoulders. But let’s be real: very few cargo bikes have truly well-designed child harness systems—deep cargo boxes, where the kids’ shoulders are below the top edge, usually work best.
Urban cargo, Riese & Müller style
Carrie was designed with the city and bike paths in mind. Thanks to front suspension, wide, thick tires, and in our case also an extra seatpost suspension, it also handles less-than-perfect conditions really well—like high curbs or bumpy roads. After over 300 km, our kids themselves said it’s the best cargo bike to ride in, because it shakes the least.
What’s more, Carrie handles incredibly lightly and safely. It’s super maneuverable, which in city settings—on narrow bike paths, sharp spiral ramps down from bridges, or weaving between obstacles—gives you a great sense of control. Anyone who’s ever had to squeeze a cargo bike past bollards knows what I’m talking about. Even fully loaded, the bike stays stable, and balancing it feels intuitive. That’s something you really appreciate in busy streets. For us, with the older kids now riding their own bikes and Basia becoming the main passenger, we both agreed: the Riese & Müller Carrie feels like it was made for us. If you have one child or two close in age—and the budget for it—you really don’t need to think twice about which cargo bike to choose.
Review was made in collaboration with Riese & Müller
