Cruzbike is one of the very few recumbent brands that has managed to build a successful business without having to manufacture and sell trikes. Together with Bacchetta, it is essentially the only one. But just like its American competitor, Cruzbike has also been looking for a way into the three-wheel market, and here is the result of those efforts.
Last week, the company unveiled a new product called the Cruzbike Truck. It is essentially a two-wheel electric rear axle that attaches to the popular Cruzbike T50, transforming it into a tilting cargo trike with all-wheel drive. The familiar Cruzbike Dynamic Boom front-wheel-drive system remains in place, meaning the complete front wheel, bottom bracket, cranks, and short chain all tilt together with the rider, while the two rear wheels support a large cargo platform.
So, let’s take a closer look at the design, specifications, price, availability, and some of the other details that make the Truck such an unusual machine.
The Truck is based on the T50 Gen 3, which uses a 7005 T6 aluminum frame and Cruzbike’s Dynamic Boom Front Wheel Drive system. Pedaling therefore drives the front wheel, while the electric system powers the two rear wheels. A differential distributes electric power evenly between them, effectively giving the Truck all-wheel drive.
Electric assistance comes from a Bafang 48V 750W geared hub motor, operated through both pedal assist and a throttle. The battery is a 48V 14Ah unit with 672Wh capacity. Cruzbike says that during its testing the Truck reached max. speed of approximately 32 km/h (20 mph) without pedaling and achieved around 32 km / 20 miles of range under the same throttle-only conditions. Naturally, actual range depends on the rider, terrain, and cargo. Robert Holler, the product manager of Cruzbike says: “The motor spec is about 80Nm of torque. It has plenty of power for some hauling. I would note that this power is intended for hauling. Not speed demon-ing around as there is a real difference in those use cases. The sensor is a typical cadence-based unit.”
Cargo capacity of the Truck itself is a substantial 113 kg / 250 lb and it measures approximately 41 × 57 cm / 16 × 22.5 inches, while the complete Truck paired with the T50 is about 191 cm / 75 inches long, depending on the adjustment of the front triangle. Maximum width is just 69 cm / 27 inches, and interestingly, it is the T50 handlebar rather than the rear axle that defines that maximum width. Complete weight, including the battery, is approximately 31.8 kg / 70 lb.
The tilting mechanism is one of the most interesting parts of the design. While the rider and the front section lean into a corner much like a conventional two-wheeler, the rear cargo pod remains upright. Maximum tilt angle is 14–15 degrees. As mentioned Cruzbike experimented with various tilt-lock systems for years but ultimately concluded that locking the tilt made the vehicle less stable. The production Truck therefore has no tilt lock. The mechanism itself was designed by retired NASA aerospace engineer Su-Yuen Hsu, and Cruzbike licenses the technology from Naro Delta, LLC.
Here is what Jim Parker, founder of Cruzbike, has to say about tilting: “The tilting occurs as two sets of steel rollers roll across two curved tracks. The resistance comes from the friction in the rollers and is constant, not progressive. At the end the tilt comes to a stop at about 15 degrees. That’s how I usually park it, but you can also leave it vertical if you want.”
The Truck Build Bundle comes with nice lockable hydraulic disc brakes, which can also be used to prevent the trike from rolling away when parked. The front drivetrain uses an eight-speed SunRace setup with an 11–40 cassette and KMC X8e chain, while the front wheel is a 36-spoke double-wall alloy wheel fitted with a 26 × 1.75-inch Kenda Drumlin tire. The T50 platform accommodates riders approximately 160–193 cm / 5’3″–6’4″ tall.
There are two ways to buy the Truck. Existing T50 Gen 3 owners can purchase the Truck Electric Cargo Trike Attachment for $5,700. The complete Truck Build Bundle costs $8,000 and includes the electric cargo attachment, T50 Gen 3 frameset, and the necessary front-end component and wheel set. Cruzbike notes that parts of the assembly require professional bicycle-mechanic skills and specialized tools. At present, Truck orders are shipped only within the contiguous United States.
In the second part of this article, reserved for our Premium Members, we’ll take a closer look at the history behind this project. And that history certainly did not begin this year, or even a year ago, when the first photos of Cruzbike’s electric “pod,” as the company calls its rear axle unit, began circulating among Cruzbike fans.
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