Specialized Globe Haul e-cargo bike makes it to Canada
The versatile rig lets the brand offer a lower price point machine that can move gear and kids
The journey of the Specialized Globe Haul to Canada has been, if you’ll excuse the pun, a long haul. It’s been available in the U.S. for about a year and has finally made it north of the 49th parallel. The Specialized Globe Haul ensures that the company has a range of e-cargo bikes. Earlier this month, Specialized came out with its baller hauler, the Turbo Porto, that starts at $9,000. The short-tail Globe Haul is $3,599, while the long-tail model is $4,299.
A simple e-cargo bike with BMX handling
Like all good cargo bikes, the Globe Hauls are versatile. With a range of accessories, you can trick them out for moving kids, groceries and gear. To make ferrying stuff easier, Specialized ensured the bikes had low centres of gravity and excellent handling. In fact, Erik Nohlin, the Haul’s designer, took a rather rad approach. “The inspiration for the handling has been BMX,” Nohlin says, “so you can almost say this is a cargo BMX, in the way it’s simple and by how fun it is to ride. With its low centre of gravity and the cargo sitting right on top of the axles, it handles very normally, even under very heavy loads. That’s the magic. The cargo is not an afterthought.”
E-cargo bikes can be beasts. With the Globe Hauls, Specialized aimed to maximize their carrying capacities while minimizing their footprints in your garage. The LT’s wheelbase is only about 5 cm longer than Specialized’s Enduro trail bike. You can even put the e-cargo bikes on the right hitch-mounted bike racks.
The key specs of the Specialized Globe Haul ST and Specialized Globe Haul LT
The Specialized Globe Haul ST (short tail) and Specialized Globe Haul LT (long tail) e-cargo bikes have essentially the same spec. The LT, with its 1,356-mm wheelbase, simply lets you carry more, 200 kg worth of cargo. However, the ST (1,089-mm wheelbase) is no slouch with its 190 kg (including rider) capacity. You can carry one kid in the back with the ST. The LT has room for two little ones.
Both bikes come with a 500-W rear-hub motor putting out 70 Nm of torque. The system is powered by a 772-Wh battery that can get you 100 km on one charge, although the range depends on how much weight is being carried, the speed and even the air temperature.
If you’re familiar with Specialized’s ebikes, you’ll know its Turbo models use mid-drive motors. The Globe Hauls have a rear-hub-drive motor. That drive unit lets the company keep the costs of the Globe Hauls lower, but also gives them the power to move 190 to 200 kg. The system has five levels of assist. You can add a throttle afterward. A KMC e9S EPT chain runs between the 50-tooth chainring and a nine-speed, 11-36 tooth SunRace cassette.
Accessories are essential for an e-cargo bike. The ST and LT each ship with a rear rack, fenders, lights (1,500 lumen front, 50 lumen rear, both designed by Lezyne) and kickstand. The LT comes with wheel covers, while the ST doesn’t.
Up front, Specialized designed a 150-mm adjustable stem. Thanks to this component, the telescoping seatpost and the geometry of the bikes, they can fit riders ranging in height from 135 to 193 cm (4’5″ to 6’4″).
The tires have a name that makes me giggle: Carless Whisper. A lot of development went into the 20 x 3.5 treads. In fact, the extra care and diligence actually delayed the initial production of the Haul.
All the accessories
There are many ways you can configure a Globe Haul to suit what you’re moving around. Specialized has named nine setups that include Haul LT School Bus for carrying bigger kids to Haul ST Big Rig for gear. The main components include a front rack, rear rack pads and bucket-style panniers. I am a big fan of bucket panniers for dumping whatever bags you have into them.
The rear racks have T-channels that allow you to affix a wide range of items. They are compatible with child seats, bags and baskets that use the MIK standard.
The Canadian prices of the Specialized Globe Haul and accessories
| Specialized Globe Haul ST and accessory | Price |
|---|---|
| Base model | $3,599 |
| Rear wheel covers (essential for transporting children) | $50 |
| Specialized Globe Haul LT and accessories | Price |
|---|---|
| Base model | $4,299 |
| Adjustable cargo rail | $350 |
| Running boards | $260 |
| Cargo side bags | $350 |
| Accessories for both ST and LT models | Price |
|---|---|
| Trottle | $70 |
| Rack customization kit | $70 |
| Pannier adapters | $130 |
Other accessories include foot pegs, a front rack, bucket-style panniers, seat pads for the rear rack.
