Tips for using your cargo bike:

Congratulations on your purchase of a cargo bike! Because a (electric) cargo bike is a big investment and therefore a valuable possession, I’d like to offer you a few tips to help you enjoy your new cargo bike for as long as possible, while keeping costs as low as possible. Carefully read the manual that comes with your bike. Below is a brief summary:

🚴‍♂️ Use:

A cargo bike is a bike that gets loaded much heavier than a regular bike. Think of it like a truck: besides needing a special license, truck drivers also drive more calmly and with more control because they’re handling a heavy vehicle and cargo. Don’t recklessly jump curbs and always keep the bike’s weight in mind. If you follow the tips below, you’ll enjoy your bike for a long time and greatly reduce the risk of sudden, high costs.

"Take good care of your bike..." A (electric) cargo bike isn’t like a grandma bike that barely needs maintenance and never needs to be washed. Premium cargo bikes are more like mountain bikes or road bikes—they require care, attention, and maintenance because they have lots of delicate parts.

🛑 Brakes:

It’s important to always keep the calipers and discs of your cargo bike’s disc brakes clean. The brake pads should be replaced at least every 2,000 km. Because the cargo bike is electric, you’ll ride faster, and because it’s much heavier than a normal bike, the brakes are under extra strain. Keeping them clean and regular servicing are essential. If you don’t, the brake caliper can get damaged, which is always an expensive and usually avoidable repair.

Only work on the brakes yourself if you’re 100% sure of your expertise! We’ve seen all sorts of crazy things from DIYers who think bike repair is easy... 🙂

⚡ Motor:

The motor is maintenance-free, but it’s a good idea to bring the bike in once a year for a firmware update. Bosch and Shimano are constantly developing new products and frequently release new software. These often include essential improvements that make your bike more reliable, efficient, or just better overall.

⚙️ Shifting:

'Whoever leaves the stoplight first is the first in the garage...' If you always ride in Turbo mode and accelerate hard, all the components are under the most strain and your range is the smallest. Just like with a car, it’s better not to start off in the highest assist mode unless you need to, and to ease up on the throttle while shifting so the gears aren’t unnecessarily stressed during shifts.

**Note: Shifting incorrectly with Shimano gear hubs can damage the hub. In almost all cases, this is not covered under warranty and is an expensive repair. Because it’s a rotating part subject to wear, Shimano (and therefore we) rarely provide warranty on this. So make sure to stop pedaling while shifting and ensure your gear hub gets timely maintenance.

Service interval for Shimano gear hubs:

Nexus 5 and Alfine 8: First oil service after 2,500 km, then every 5,000 km

Alfine 11: Change oil after 500 km, then every 500 km

🌬️Pumping:

Every first Monday of the month, there's a nationwide air raid siren in the Netherlands—especially for all DrBeyk customers. When you hear it, it means it's time to pump up your tires. An inner tube is never 100% airtight and always loses some pressure. The packaging of a good inner tube (Schwalbe) always states that you should top up your tires about every 30 days. With underinflated tires, the motor has to work much harder, the battery drains much faster, the tire’s sidewall can tear, and the rim can suffer serious damage. Plus, riding a cargo bike with soft tires is much heavier and not enjoyable.

🫧 Cleaning:

Last but not least!! "Washing your bike is nothing to be ashamed of." Most maintenance is actually washing. A cargo bike costing 4, 5, 6, or even 7K is not the same as a $200 city bike. It's super important to wash your cargo bike regularly. Depending on use, at least 3-4 times a year. This is especially crucial in winter when a lot of road salt is used. Acid from rain and whatever your bike picks up from the street soaks into the paint and metal, leaving marks over time that you can’t remove. Sand and dirt get into the bearings and brakes, turning your bike into a coffee grinder. The easiest way to wash your cargo bike is with a bucket of warm water, some dish soap, and a dish brush. There are also great bike cleaning products that actually make washing a pleasure (Muc-Off). With miracle cleaners that work absurdly well and brushes that are brilliant and can reach everywhere, you can have your bike looking showroom-new in just half an hour. A clean cargo bike rides better, is more fun, and holds its value.

If you don't wash your bike regularly, it will deteriorate quickly—just like a car that needs regular washes. The argument 'I didn’t expect this from a 5, 6, or 7K bike' doesn’t count if you start seeing rust or if replacing the brake pads suddenly costs more than expected or necessary. We dislike that as much as you do, and it’s not fair to blame us for unexpected high costs. Often, we cover part of those costs ourselves and end up working partly unpaid.

For service and maintenance, we expect the bike to be delivered clean. If the bike is handed in very dirty, we will charge you a €50 cleaning fee.

"Below are some examples of bikes that came in for their first service looking like they hadn’t been washed in three years. Such a shame for such an expensive bike!"

   

🔧 Service and maintenance:

With your cargo bike, you get one free service appointment to use around 500km or within six months. After that, we charge for service. We recommend bringing your bike in for periodic maintenance every 2,000–3,000km or once a year. This will keep your cargo bike reliable and maintain its value. 

*You go to the dentist with brushed teeth.... 🫧 If you bring your bike in clean for service, we see that you care about your bike, and that motivates us even more. If the bike is extremely dirty, we reserve the right (in consultation with you) to wash it (for €50) 🫧or postpone the repair until the bike can be brought in clean. Thanks in advance for your understanding.