Riese & Müller Load 60 Touring GX with RX chip in Review

Porsche or cargo bike? The Riese & Müller Load 60 Touring GX quickly answered that question. We put the E-cargo bike through its paces to find out how it fares against the competition. Our buddy Erik also performed his famous gyros test as he initially attempted in his Porsche Taycan Turbo.

Click here for an overview of the best cargo bike in review

**Riese & Müller** Load 60 Touring GX | Bosch Cargo Line Cruise /1000 Wh
45.5 kg | € 5,999 | manfacturer’s website

Our friend Erik Bötzle has sped along highways in some of the fastest sports cars in the world. His current car, a Porsche Taycan Turbo, enjoys advantages such as privileged parking spaces, no local emissions tax and sufficient range for local trips. He’s been testing the R&M Load 60 Touring GX E-cargo bike and it was the biggest eye-opener he’s had in recent years.

Having bought over 200 Porsche’s, Erik quickly came to the realisation that, more often than not, an electric cargo bike is the better form of transportation. That’s not just because it makes you a lot more likeable and attractive, instead of garnering envious looks in the city centre, but also because it’s damn practical. The last time Erik got food from his favourite Greek restaurant, his new Porsche still smelled like gyros two weeks later. Goodbye new car smell! Thanks to open-air transport with the Riese & Müller E-cargo bike, problems like these are a thing of the past!

**Like a Bosch**
The Bosch Cargo Line Cruise is the most powerful motor in the test and capable of pushing you up even the steepest climbs.

**Excellent choice**
Lots of advantages off-road and no disadvantages on-road: the knobbly Schwalbe tires make perfect sense on this bike.

**Not afraid of the dark**
The Supernova lighting system delivered the best illumination in the test and is cleverly positioned on the bike, meaning you’ll never have to fear the dark again.

Riese & Müller Load 60 Touring GX

€ 5,999

Specifications

Motor Bosch Cargo Line Cruise 75 Nm
Battery Bosch PowerPack 1000 Wh
Display Bosch SmartphoneHub
Brakes TRP C 2.3 200/180 (f/r) mm
Drivetrain Shimano SLX 418 %
Tires Schwalbe Smart Sam 20 x 2.35" / 26 x 2.25" (f/r)

Technical Data

Size One size
Weight 45.5 kg
Length 248 cm
Width 58 cm
Height 86 cm
Perm. total weight 200 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 100 kg

Specific Features

full suspension
RX Connect
customisable spec
off-road tires

**Connectivity for professionals**
Combined with your smartphone and the appropriate app, the Bosch SmartphoneHub becomes an intelligent control centre for navigation, music and fitness tracking.

**Secret compartment**
Whether as a way to get your feet lower or as additional storage space for snacks or tools, the small storage box is super practical.

**On cloud nine**
Thanks to the dual suspension, the bike is by far the most comfortable in the test whether it’s loaded or not.

Our tests showed that the Riese & Müller Load 60 Touring GX E-cargo bike (which also happens to have won the Design & Innovation Award 2020) is super versatile. Buying beer and meat for the whole team? No problem. Take the kids to the daycare centre in every weather? Check. Feel like taking a shortcut through the woods on your way to work? Si, claro! Attract attention at the ice cream parlour, the weekly market or in front of a fine restaurant? Of course! The Load 60 cargo bike isn’t only an absolute eye-catcher and great conversation starter, it also gives you a lot to talk about!

Like on cloud nine! Thanks to the dual suspension, the bike is by far the most comfortable in the test whether it’s loaded or not.

**Helmet** Fox Metah | **Jacket** Belstaff Nevis | **Pants** Dondup George | **Shoes** Bikkembergs
**Glasses** Vuarnet Edge | **Backpack** Louis Vuitton Michael

Looking at the R&M Load 60 Touring GX, it’s off-road capabilities are obvious. The knobbly Schwalbe Smart Sam tires, Suntour MOBIE A32 suspension fork and X-Fusion Glyde shock underline the E-cargo bike’s versatility as the only full-suspension model on test. It simply absorbs every bump and irregularity on gravel and forest roads, making the R&M cargo bike more comfortable than any of its competitors! Thanks to this, your carton of eggs will remain intact even on the worst cobblestones and we were glad that bumps weren’t passed on unfiltered to the little ones when transporting kids. Unfortunately, the height of the children’s backrest can be adjusted to a limited extent and considering the width of the box, the seats are best suited for small passengers. There was enough room to accommodate our two 14-month-old test pilots but things will get tight beyond that if you want to buckle them up. However, bike-loving parents are likely to want their kids to be able to ride a little themselves as soon as they’re two years old anyway …

Not happy with carting around only two kids at a time or you need to take along the entire daycare group? Then we’d recommend taking a look at the Riese & Müller Load 75, which has a 50% bigger loading area and room for three child seats. R&M have done a stellar job of integrating the child seats. Even when fitted, the seats hardly get in the way if you unexpectedly have to load some additional cargo and they’re super easy to remove when not needed.

With the help of the online configurator, you’re free to spec the bike as you wish, allowing you to swap certain components and add upgrades. Choices range from upgrading to the 45 km/h S-Pedelec version (HS), a dual battery system, ABS and the choice between a derailleur or belt drive. You can also decide for or against the complete RX Connect security package, which includes an RX tracking chip in the event of theft, along with digital services and insurance. The RX chip is available by itself for €99.90, allowing you to track your bike via GPS. In the event of a theft, Riese & Müller will return your bike or replace it, provided you’ve purchased the appropriate insurance package.

Tuning tips: smaller chainring for hilly terrain and steep climbs

Bosch’s new SmartphoneHub is centrally located on the cockpit. Together with the COBI.Bike app, it turns your smartphone into an intelligent control centre. The functions include everything from GPS navigation, controlling your music, tracking your fitness and making calls, to connecting third-party apps such as Strava or komoot. If you want to leave your smartphone at home, there is a small, somewhat rudimentary display for basic riding data. The SmartphoneHub is best suited for trekking and commuting, where it delivered a convincing performance. Just the navigation function was a bit slow at times, which is why we missed one or two turns. It’s also convenient to be able to charge your smartphone while it’s plugged into the cockpit.

Like a Bosch: The Bosch Cargo Line Cruise is the most powerful motor in the test and capable of pushing you up even the steepest climbs.

Compared to other cargo bikes, the Load 60 feels calm and composed regardless of whether it’s empty or fully loaded and the handling is absolutely brilliant. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face, whether you’re heading out into nature while keeping an eye on your kids or you’re riding up to the nearest lookout point with a small grill and a cooler box filled with cold drinks to watch the sunset. Having said that, we would have preferred a smaller chainring for very hilly terrain and super steep climbs with a gradient beyond 12%. It would also be nice to have more powerful, four-piston brakes for the descents. However, on more level terrain, the gear range and spec are absolutely fine! The only question really left now: Porsche or cargo bike? If you had to ask Erik, he’d say both!

Conclusion

With the Load 60 Touring GX, Riese & Müller have created the ultimate all-purpose companion! Thanks to the full suspension chassis, optional GPS tracking, GX off-road tires and intuitive handling, it offers maximum safety and comfort as well as being the most versatile bike in the group test. As the only truly off-road capable bike, it’s perfect for barbecues and picnics in nature. The powerful Bosch Cargo Line motor and SmartphoneHub also set the benchmark. This coherent overall concept paired with its innovative features ensure a unanimous Best in Test!