12 models head to head – The WINORA F.U.B. 2W in our cargo bike group test

Close your eyes and imagine a typical cargo bike. Of all the cargo bikes on test, the WINORA F.U.B. 2W probably corresponds most closely to what you just pictured. The € 5,200 long john cargo bike features a classic look and hopes to impress with its large transport box. We put it to the test to find out more.

The F.U.B 2W is WINORA’s answer to an SUV. Instead of in a Sports Utility Vehicle, you can now cart your family around on a Family Utility Bike, hence the name F.U.B. German brand WINORA offers cargo bike riders two variants of their F.U.B. cargo bike: the 3W tricycle, and the 2W Long John cargo bike on test. At € 5,200, the F.U.B. 2W is the second most affordable cargo bike in the test field. If you subtract the bike’s 63.8 kg (the second heaviest cargo bike on test) from the 200 kg gross weight limit, you’re left with a total payload capacity of around 136 kg. For assistance, you get a Bosch Cargo Line motor and 500 Wh battery from the somewhat dated Bosch eBike System 2. The adaptable transport box sitting between the 20″ front wheel and the rider should provide a versatile cargo carrying solution. We stowed our goods in the transport box and set off in a little-known city called Paris for a cargo bike group test.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best cargo-bike – The 12 hottest models in our comparison test.

The classic of the cargo bike group test – What sets the WINORA F.U.B 2W cargo bike apart?

What does the WINORA F.U.B. 2W have in common with the first WINORA bikes, which saw the light of day over 100 years ago? A steel frame. At first glance, the WINORA cargo bike may not seem quite as beefy as the Riese & Müller Packster2, but it’s built on a robust steel frame and relies on a classic articulated steering rod. The curved round tubes provide enough stiffness so that there’s no need for a top tube. As a result, the WINORA cargo bike has the lowest step-through in the test field, measuring just 40 cm from the ground, which also makes it easier for short riders to hop on. WINORA make up for the low step through in length. At 265 cm, it’s almost as long as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the longest cargo bike in the group test. As a result, it requires a large parking space, either in the garage or an XXL bike-port in the courtyard. The wraparound chain guard runs all the way to the Enviolo HD hub, keeping the chain well protected from the elements.

The plus-size dimensions of the WINORA cargo bike mean you get a large transport box. It measures approximately 95 x 60 cm at the widest points and can haul up to 80 kg of luggage. Due to its tapered shape, however, the floor is significantly smaller, just big enough for a 40 x 60 cm Eurobox to lie flat on the bottom of the box. The bottom of the transport box is equipped with two rails on which you can attach various accessories, like the standard spec bench seat for two kids. In front of or instead of the bench seat, you can also fit baskets, and fastening systems for toddler or even baby seats in the box, like the Steco mount for Maxi-Cosi seats (€ 140) – brilliant! The inside of the transport box is lined with recycled hard foam, which offers a certain degree of impact protection. WINORA offer a range of optional accessories for the box, like a rain cover (€ 270) or a simple lid (€ 65), which increases the bike’s all-weather suitability.

Behind the rider, over the large 26″ rear wheel is a sturdy rack with a MIK HD interface, on which you can mount a child seat. This increases the passenger transport capacity to up to four small passengers plus the rider.

For assistance, the WINORA cargo bike comes equipped with a Bosch Cargo Line motor. Regarding performance, it’s just as powerful as the Cargo Line motors on the Riese & Müller Packster2, Moustache Lundi, and Cannondale Wonderwagen, churning out 85 Nm and offering 400% pedal assistance. However, the Moustache and WINORA have to make do with the previous Bosch eBike System 2 generation. The disadvantage: because the motor on the WINORA is combined with a now seven-year-old Purion display, it’s completely lacking in connectivity features, such as an electronic immobiliser or adjustable support modes.

The WINORA cargo bike isn’t state-of-the-art in terms of battery capacity either. It only comes with a small 500 Wh battery pack, offering the least capacity in the test field. This will suffice for short journeys with a moderate load. If you are planning a longer trip, you should use the pre-fitted bracket for a second PowerPack, so that you can quickly exchange the batteries on the go. This doubles the range and allows you to tackle long trips without having to worry about getting stranded. You can purchase a PowerPack 500 battery online for just under € 600.

The battery is secured with a key and can be charged both externally and on the bike, with the charging port located directly beneath the battery pack. The key for the battery also opens the ABUS frame lock at the rear wheel.

As far as the one-size-fits-all size concept is concerned, WINORA resort to only the most necessary adjustability. You can adjust the saddle height via a quick-release seat post clamp, and the stem angle can be adjusted with a 5 mm Allen key. For everything else, you’ll have to go to a workshop. According to WINORA’s size calculator, the F.U.B. 2W cargo bike will easily accommodate riders from 165 to 190 cm tall.

Tuning-Tipp: A rain cover for the little ones, and a suspended seat post for your own riding comfort

The WINORA F.U.B. 2W cargo bike on test – How does the classic perform in the real world?

If you want to launch the WINORA cargo ship or drop anchor, you can take it off or put it on the sturdy centre stand relatively easily, once you’ve learnt how to use the small foot lever on the left side of the stand correctly, that is. If it’s heavily loaded, you can grab the rail of the transport box with your left hand to help you heave the bike onto the stand, which also lets smaller riders manage with relatively little effort. There are small external footrests at the bottom of the transport box, so the kids can climb aboard on their own if they’re big enough.

With the bench installed, there is just under 40 x 42 cm of floor space left, which is enough for your own bag and the little ones’ backpacks, but not for your weekly shopping. The riding position aboard the WINORA cargo bike is comfortable and upright.

Old School: The WINORA F.U.B. 2W looks like a classic cargo bike. It’s the only long john cargo bike in the test field that relies on a steel frame.

Once the cargo bike is fully loaded, pulling away is a shaky affair, and it even takes experienced cargo bike riders some time to get used to the handling of the WINORA F.U.B. 2W. The transport box sits significantly higher than that of the Cannondale Wonderwagen or the Riese & Müller Packster2, resulting in a high centre of gravity. Together with the long wheelbase, this makes for cumbersome handling. Steering via the narrow 610 mm handlebar and articulated rod feels very imprecise, and the handling demands your full attention. However, those with the balance of a tightrope walker will enjoy the small turning circles that you can make with the WINORA cargo bike. While it’s rather cumbersome to manoeuvre in the yard due to its considerable length, the articulated steering rod allows for steep turning angles nonetheless.

The continuously variable Enviolo HD hub helps when pulling away at a traffic light, because you can shift to an appropriately easy gear from a standstill. Unfortunately, the hub has a relatively small gear range, so the WINORA cargo bike lacks a suitable gear ratio for steep climbs. As such, touring through picturesque vineyards ends up being a test of strength. You’ll notice the two-piston MAGURA CT brakes and small 160 mm rotors on the descents, as they’re hopelessly undersized for a cargo bike. The rigid frame and smooth 2.15″ Schwalbe Pick-Up tires, which are narrower than on the Cannondale Wonderwagen, don’t offer a lot of comfort or generate traction on dirt roads and forest paths. This limits the WINORA’s comfort zone to the cycle paths of flat port cities. In these situations, however, it fares well with the standard lights and ABUS frame lock on the rear wheel for a quick stop at the nursery, the kiosk, and Aldi.

F.U.B. instead of SUV: WINORA’s Family Utility Bike aims to rid the city of unnecessary off-road vehicles and offer alternative means of family transport.

Who is the WINORA F.U.B. 2W for?

Experienced cargo haulers who just want an affordable steel cargo bike to weld their own accessories to the frame, and customise the transport box to suit their specific needs may find the urban pack mule they’re looking for in the WINORA F.U.B. 2W. However, you’ll need to have the skills to cope with the WINORA’s demanding handling. Most cargo bike riders are better off aboard our test winner of the cargo bike group test, the Riese & Müller Packster2.

Our conclusion on the WINORA F.U.B 2W cargo bike

The WINORA F.U.B. 2W is an old-fashioned long john cargo bike, though it lacks what it takes to be a true classic. The handling is tricky, and neither the motor nor the one-size-fits-all concept are up to speed. The convenient mounting rails in the transport box are great for benches and child seats, though the transport concept lacks versatility in other respects. As a result, the WINORA F.U.B. 2W can’t keep up with the better models in our cargo bike group test.

Tops

• pleasantly low step-through
• bracket for spare battery
• space for up to three children in the transport box and one on the rear rack

Flops

• demanding handling
• lacking in comfort
• outdated Bosch motor system
• limited gear range

For more information, visit winora.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best cargo-bike – The 12 hottest models in our comparison test.

All bikes in test: Moustache Lundi 20 Cargo 3 (Click for review) | Specialized Porto (Zum Test) | Ultima Multipath Cargo Compact (Click for review) | i:SY Cargo P12 ZR (Click for review) | Riese & Müller Packster2 70 Touring (Click for review) | Riese & Müller Multitinker Vario (Click for review) | BTWIN Cargo R500E Longtail V2 (Click for review) | WINORA F.U.B. 2W | Cannondale Wonderwagen Neo1 (Click for review) | VEOLO Cargo Trailer (Click for review) | Benno RemiDemi XL (Click for review) | Momentum PakYak E+ (Click for review)

Words: Rudolf Fischer Photos: Antonia Feder, Robin Schmitt