Riese & Müller · Compact cargo
Multicharger2 Mixte GT Vario
A step-through touring e-bike with a long rear rack for one child or heavy shopping.
- Payload
- 70 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 750 Wh
from €5,700
The best belt-drive cargo bikes
A belt drive needs no oil, barely wears and keeps trousers clean — ideal for a cargo bike used every day. These models combine a Gates belt with a hub or automatic gearbox.
Models in this guide
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Ca Go · Front loader (bakfiets)
FS200 Vario
A fully suspended premium front-loader with automatic shifting and room for three children.
- Payload
- 100 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €8,599
Carqon · Front loader (bakfiets)
Classic
A Dutch family bakfiets with automatic shifting, belt drive and a Shimano EP801 motor.
- Payload
- 100 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 630 Wh
from €6,995
Carlos · Longtail
Compact C.1 Full
A compact German longtail on 20-inch wheels with a Brose motor, belt drive and a 65 kg rear rack.
- Payload
- 65 kg
- Torque
- 70 Nm
- Battery
- 522 Wh
from €5,000
Kettler · Longtail
Flair L-N Belt + Passenger Kit
A compact 20-inch longtail with belt drive, stepless hub and a passenger kit included.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €3,200
Kettler · Front loader (bakfiets)
Cargoline HT 800 E-CA Belt
A long-platform front-loader with belt drive, stepless hub and a large 750 Wh battery.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 750 Wh
from €4,000
Bergamont · Compact cargo
Hans-E LT
A compact city utility bike with a front carrier, an extended rear rack and belt drive.
- Payload
- 27 kg
- Torque
- 65 Nm
- Battery
- 500 Wh
from €2,800
Urban Arrow · Front loader (bakfiets)
FamilyNext Advanced Belt
The new Urban Arrow family bakfiets with a clean belt drive and a large 800 Wh battery.
- Payload
- 125 kg
- Torque
- 75 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €5,999
Gazelle · Front loader (bakfiets)
Makki Load
Gazelle's family bakfiets with a tall foam box for three children and a clean belt drive.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 75 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €5,699
Gazelle · Longtail
Cabby C380 L 24" SE
Gazelle's first longtail: an 80 kg rear rack, MIK HD mounts and a belt-driven stepless hub.
- Payload
- 80 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €5,650
Urban Arrow · Front loader (bakfiets)
FamilyNext Advanced Belt Auto
The FamilyNext that shifts by itself: automatic stepless hub, belt drive and 800 Wh.
- Payload
- 125 kg
- Torque
- 75 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €6,899
Carqon · Front loader (bakfiets)
Cruise E2
A Dutch family front-loader with a wide foam box, belt drive and a Bosch CX motor.
- Payload
- 350 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 500 Wh
from €4,000
Urban Arrow · Front loader (bakfiets)
Family Classic Essential 75 + Paket
The classic Urban Arrow Family in its essential version, with belt drive and a stepless hub.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 75 Nm
- Battery
- —
from €5,300
Riese & Müller · Longtail
Multitinker vario
A compact 20-inch longtail for two children with a stepless hub, belt drive and a CX motor.
- Payload
- 65 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 625 Wh
from €6,000
Benno Bikes · Longtail
Boost Enviolo CX Easy On EVO 7 + Family Package
The step-through Benno Boost with belt drive and a stepless hub, sold with the family package.
- Payload
- 60 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €6,250
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Load4 75 vario
The fully suspended R&M front-loader with a stepless hub and belt drive.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- —
from €9,349
Ca Go · Compact cargo
CS200
A compact city utility bike with three load zones, belt drive and a child-seat-ready rear rack.
- Payload
- 80 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €4,300
Carqon · Front loader (bakfiets)
Cruise Smart E2
The Carqon Cruise with Bosch's Smart System: a wide foam box, Cargo Line motor, belt drive and 800 Wh.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €4,400
Cube · Longtail
Longtail Hybrid Comfort 800
Cube's longtail with belt drive and a stepless hub, a big 800 Wh battery and powerful Gustav brakes.
- Payload
- 60 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €4,499
Urban Arrow · Longtail
Breeze
Urban Arrow's first longtail: two kids on the back, belt drive, 800 Wh and 24-inch wheels.
- Payload
- 80 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €6,099
Specialized · Longtail
Turbo Porto 4.0
Specialized's family longtail: a 90 Nm motor, 710 Wh, belt drive and a stepless hub.
- Payload
- 60 kg
- Torque
- 90 Nm
- Battery
- 710 Wh
from €4,999
QiO · Longtail
Long CLA
A compact 20-inch longtail for two child seats with belt drive, a stepless hub and 800 Wh.
- Payload
- 80 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €5,100
Gazelle · Front loader (bakfiets)
Makki Travel
The top Gazelle Makki: the same tall foam box for three children with the stronger Cargo Line motor.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- —
from €6,999
Tern · Longtail
Orox R14
The expedition-grade Orox: a 14-speed hub gear, belt drive and 800 Wh for long off-road trips.
- Payload
- 100 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €8,100
Hercules · Longtail
Rob Family F360
A family longtail on 24-inch wheels with belt drive and 1000 Wh of battery.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 65 Nm
- Battery
- 1,000 Wh
from €3,400
Tern · Longtail
GSD P00
The third-generation GSD with belt drive and a stepless hub: a compact longtail for two kids.
- Payload
- 100 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 500 Wh
from €5,500
Tenways · Longtail
Cargo DUO
An affordable longtail with belt drive, a stepless hub and a 720 Wh battery.
- Payload
- 50 kg
- Torque
- 80 Nm
- Battery
- 720 Wh
from €3,499
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Transporter 65 vario
The first-generation R&M Transporter: a utility front-loader with belt drive, now mostly bought used.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 65 Nm
- Battery
- 500 Wh
from €4,500
Urban Arrow · Front loader (bakfiets)
FamilyNext Pro+ 100Nm
The most powerful FamilyNext: 100 Nm Cargo Line motor, belt drive and room for up to four children.
- Payload
- 125 kg
- Torque
- 100 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €6,799
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Packster2 70 vario
R&M's current family front-loader: 750 Wh battery, belt drive and room for up to three children.
- Payload
- 70 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 750 Wh
from €8,999
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Load 75 vario
The earlier generation of R&M's fully suspended front-loader, with a stepless hub and belt drive.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 500 Wh
from €8,229
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Transporter2 65 vario
A sturdy R&M front-loader for work and family: 100 kg of cargo on a 65 cm loading area.
- Payload
- 100 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 545 Wh
from €4,800
YOONIT · Front loader (bakfiets)
Electric Chain
A mini front-loader only 1.78 m long, with a modular loading platform and a strong Shimano motor.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 504 Wh
from €4,500
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Transporter 85 vario
The long first-generation R&M Transporter with an 85 cm loading area, now mostly bought used.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 65 Nm
- Battery
- 500 Wh
from €4,700
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Carrie city
A front-loader as short as a city bike: 2.09 m, with a box that widens when you need space.
- Payload
- 80 kg
- Torque
- 75 Nm
- Battery
- 725 Wh
from €5,600
Riese & Müller · Longtail
Multitinker2 vario
A compact 20-inch longtail for two children with a stepless hub, belt drive and a Cargo Line motor.
- Payload
- 70 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 625 Wh
from €6,499
Loden · Compact cargo
One
A compact cargo bike the length of a normal bike, with frame-mounted racks front and rear and a belt drive.
- Payload
- 35 kg
- Torque
- 60 Nm
- Battery
- 504 Wh
from €2,249
Urban Arrow · Front loader (bakfiets)
FamilyNext Pro 85Nm
The FamilyNext with the strong Cargo Line motor: 85 Nm, belt drive and a large 800 Wh battery.
- Payload
- 125 kg
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 800 Wh
from €7,099
Riese & Müller · Front loader (bakfiets)
Load5 75 vario
R&M's flagship fully suspended front-loader with a stepless hub, belt drive and 725 Wh.
- Payload
- —
- Torque
- 85 Nm
- Battery
- 725 Wh
from €9,299
Why a belt drive on a cargo bike
A cargo bike is ridden daily, in rain and with heavy loads, and that is hard on a chain: it needs oil, stretches and wears out the sprockets. A carbon belt such as the Gates Carbon Drive runs dry and clean, lasts several times longer than a chain and is almost silent. For a bike that replaces a car, less maintenance is the main argument.
A belt always comes with a hub gear
A belt cannot be shifted with a derailleur, so every belt-drive cargo bike has a hub gear: a stepless Enviolo hub, a Shimano Nexus hub or an automatic gearbox. Hub gears shift at a standstill, which helps when you stop at a light with a loaded bike. The price is a little more weight and a narrower gear range than a good derailleur.
What to check before you buy
Belt and hub usually cost a few hundred euros more than the chain version of the same model. For steep hills with a full load, check the gear range of the hub and choose a motor with 75 Nm or more. Ask the dealer who can service the hub locally; the belt itself rarely needs more than a tension check.
Frequently asked questions
Is a belt drive better than a chain on a cargo bike?
For daily use, yes: it needs no oil, stays clean and lasts longer. A chain with a derailleur is lighter, cheaper and has a wider gear range, which matters on very hilly routes.
How long does a belt last?
Clearly longer than a chain: with correct tension and alignment, well over 10,000 km is normal. A chain on a loaded cargo bike often needs replacing after a few thousand.
Can a belt drive handle steep hills with a heavy load?
Yes, the belt itself is strong enough. The limit is the hub: check its permitted torque and gear range for your routes.