Review: BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail for € 2,799 – What can Decathlon’s new cargo bike do?

With the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail from Decathlon, grocery shopping, trips with the kids or transporting crates of beer should be child’s play. A transport miracle which retails at a remarkable € 2,799? How does this cargo bike compare to high end cargo bikes? Read all the answers in our review.

Who can’t relate to this – a late dash to the supermarket on Saturday afternoon to buy the last few items for Sunday brunch with friends? But as soon as you arrive downtown, the queues of cars winding through the streets make you feel like you’ve landed in a steel snake pit. In the end, what should have been a short shopping trip becomes an hours-long odyssey and more often than not spoils the mood. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this dilemma: the cargo bike. For decades now, generously-loaded bikes have been used to transport bulky and heavy loads or additional people.

Combining them with electric motors once again significantly expanded the possible uses of cargo bikes. The sporting goods manufacturer Decathlon has recognised this potential and is launching the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail, an electric cargo bike at the attractive retail price of € 2,799. For a small surcharge of about € 50 to € 250, depending on which options you choose, you get a comprehensive equipment package with a well-thought-out transport concept to carry loads and people safely. A 58 Nm rear wheel motor that draws its power from a Samsung battery with a capacity of 672 Wh helps to power the 38 kg cargo bike.

The Decathlon BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail transport options at a glance

When buying the Decathlon BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail, you can choose between different transport options and combine them to match your personal needs. The basic version of the e-cargo bike only comes with a rear carrier, which doubles as a bench seat, complete with footrests, the front carrier and a safety bar. All storage and seating surfaces are made of bamboo. As additional transport options for goods or people, you can choose between seat cushions, child seats, and side pockets with a 50 litre volume. On the rear cargo area, the safety bar is standardised to fit the dimensions of Euro containers (60 x 40 cm or 30 x 40 cm). Individual combinations are possible: whether a child seat and a small Euro container, 2 children sitting behind each other, or side pockets in combination with a large Euro container – Tetris aficionados will be on cloud nine because the pieces always fit.

Not only Decathlon’s own products find space on the support bar but also other bags with compatible systems can be placed securely on the side of the rear. Of course, you can also transport your own shopping bags and beer crates without any problems.The bike can carry a maximum load of 170 kg, including the rider. The rear carrier may be loaded with up to 80 kg and the front basket with a maximum of 10 kg, which at full load leaves a maximum weight of 80 kg for the rider. The BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail offers an ample amount of space and can be generously packed. When fully loaded, however, getting off the kickstand is a little difficult. Thankfully, starting off with cargo is no problem due to the powerful start assist, which can also be used as a walk assist. As a little extra, Decathlon have sized the front basket to the dimensions of a six pack beer caddy – cheers! Unfortunately, the height of the beer caddy reduces the radius of the steering angle – the front basket is, therefore, more suitable for flat items no more than approximately 20 cm in height.

The Decathlon BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail motor concept in detail

Cycling uphill can leave you breathless, even when riding a light bike and without a load, that’s why electric assistance for cargo bikes makes perfect sense. With its BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail, Decathlon rely on a fairly quiet rear wheel motor from Vision with 58 Nm torque and three support levels ranging from Eco to Normal to Power. The motor draws its energy from a Samsung battery with a capacity of 672 Wh and is moderately large for a cargo bike. As we experienced first hand, the motor provides powerful support, and starting off is also no problem. The start and push assist integrated into the handlebars provides assistance up to a speed of 6 km/h and makes it easy to start moving, even with a maximum load.

Information about speed, battery status and driving mode can easily be read from the display. Additionally, you will find the estimated range, the distance covered during the trip, and the total distance travelled so far. The assistance is controlled via easy to understand plus and minus buttons beside the display. Next to them are the buttons for waking up the bike and for switching the lights on and off. The buttons work without any problems, but the material and finish feel somewhat low-quality. When the lights are switched on, the display also gets illuminated so that the information is easy to read even in the dark. Overall, the display provides a good overview of all the important information. Visually, however, it looks a little outdated and made us think of our fifth-grade calculator.

The features of the baby blue pack mule

In contrast to a four legged mule, which can quickly weigh over 400 kg, the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail only weighs 38 kg. Instead of four legs, the cargo bike is carried by a 26″ wheel at the front and a 20″ wheel at the rear, giving it a pleasantly low centre of gravity. The tyres, which are relatively narrow at 2.15″, only dampen the rear end moderately and, according to Decathlon, can vary between CST Brooklyn Pro C1996 or Schwalbe Big Ben Plus depending on the production batch and availability. The MicroSHIFT gear lever with only eight gears is a little outdated, while the TEKTRO disc brakes at the front and rear are of average size at 180 mm, and as a result you won’t really enjoy a long downhill ride with luggage. Evening shopping is also possible with the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail, as a rear light with brake light function and a front light underneath the basket are permanently installed. Thanks to the clever positioning, they are not concealed even when the bike is loaded, but they do not produce much light by today’s standards. Thanks to the standard frame lock, the bike can also be quickly parked and locked in front of the supermarket. If you want more security, you can chain your bike to the nearest lamp post with a compatible frame lock chain. For even more safety, a GPS tracker would be an advantage, but that would probably be too expensive for series production, and it’s easy enough to add one yourself. It’s also no surprise that the Decathlon bike does not allow you to let off steam à la West Coast Customs with only one colour variant available: baby blue.

Swift speedster or bulky barge? – The BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail on test

In terms of design, for the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail, Decathlon seem to have been inspired by both Pythagoras and a little Bavarian sturdiness. The top tube merges straight into the seat stay and, in combination with the wooden elements, creates a modern look. The workmanship is solid, but the weld seams should not be viewed too closely. The rear wheel, including the motor and gears, is covered for a clean look. It also protects children from getting their legs in the spokes or getting dirty – smart! Getting on and off the bike would be easier if the frame was a little lower, but, instead, the bike retains its clean lines.

In everyday use, you will notice that before starting off, you have to use your own strength to lift the bike over the tipping point of the stand. The handle under the saddle can help here, but when fully loaded you have to use some force to lift the bike off the stand. However, the position of the stand is well-engineered and the bike stands securely. When actually starting off, almost no power needs to be applied on the flat ground. The thumb-operated start assist on the handlebar provides dynamic support, even if you forget to shift to an easier gear before stopping and you are stuck in a gear that makes it hard to pedal. Once the bike starts moving, it runs quite stably. Thanks to the small rear wheel, the centre of gravity is very low even when fully loaded and the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail impresses with its smooth handling. The small rear wheel is also very advantageous for the motor concept based on wheel revolutions, as the faster the wheel turns, the more power you get. In addition, the suspension fork from SR Suntour and the wide saddle ensure a comfortable ride. The ergonomically-shaped handlebar with the short stem provides a safe riding feel.

The cargo bike is only available in one size, but it is well-suited for people from 160 to 190 cm tall. This is made possible by the continuously adjustable saddle, whereby the sloping seat tube not only adjusts the seating position upwards but also backwards, thus changing the reach – roughly the distance between the rider’s centre of gravity and the handlebars. Despite its length of 220 cm, the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail requires no training and can be ridden like a normal bike. This is a decisive advantage over many Long John bikes, which often need some time to get used to, as you can read in our cargo bike comparison test. The only thing you have to watch out for when getting on the bike is that you don’t hit the shopping or your child with your leg – or put yourself and the bike in a precarious situation. Speaking of not hitting something: The gear lever sits relatively far to the left, so that people with smaller hands may find it impossible to shift gears without repositioning their hand. Also, the buttons on the remote are a little hard to reach while riding if you don’t want to let go of the handlebar.

The hub motor gives the pack mule a good oomph and provides powerful support up to 25 km/h. Even after that, the support doesn’t just suddenly drop off, but slowly fades out, providing a harmonious feeling when pedalling. The BTWIN Cargo 500E is less suitable for mountainous areas or very hilly routes, as the 58 Nm unit reaches its limit as soon as it needs to ascend a steep incline. The cassette with its range of only 255% does not really favour uphill riding, but is somewhat compensated by the small rear wheel. However, the gears are absolutely sufficient for city riding. Unlike a mid-mounted motor, the hub motor in the Decathlon lacks torque. Especially on inclines, the disadvantage of the drive system compared to mid-mounted motors is strongly noticeable. On the straights and when accelerating, however, the rear-wheel motor of the BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail is on a par with a mid-mounted motor. The Cargobike from Decathlon can certainly handle daily commutes to the supermarket and kindergarten without having to stop to recharge. Of course, it can’t compete with bikes with dual batteries, such as the Riese & Müller Packster 70 Vario with 1000 Wh.

In narrow alleys you need to stay sharp, as the bike has a relatively large turning circle due to its wide wheelbase, which makes it less responsive and manoeuvrable. Attention is also needed with higher kerbs! The low ground clearance can lead to unintentional touchdowns when going over large bumps. It doesn’t take much for the stand to make a metallic grinding noise to indicate that it is involuntarily kissing the ground. Even when heavily loaded, the Decathlon cargo bike provides a stable riding experience. Thanks to the low centre of gravity, it does not lurch around. Even bends can be ridden comfortably without the feeling of tipping over. You’ll only feel limited when lifting the bike on and off the stand, on steep inclines, and in terms of the bike’s range. With a heavy load, on steep slopes, using the highest assistance level, and depending on the gear selected, the battery charge drops much faster than riding without a load on the level ground.

Tuning Tip: install a GPS tracker, e. g. Apple AirTag | high-quality security lock | Euro containers as the perfect transport option

In conclusion

The BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail fulfils every frugal person’s dream of an inexpensive pack mule. For a highly competitive price, you get a visually-pleasing cargo bike that unfortunately skimps on the display design and the lighting.
The Decathlon bike impresses with its one-size-fits-all concept and versatile transport options. The bike is ideal for a shopping trip in the city or the commute to the kindergarten. On hilly and long stretches, however, it quickly reaches its limits.

You can find more about at decathlon.de

Words: Gabriel Knapp Photos: Peter Walker