Specialized Turbo Porto is designed to replace your car with 200kg of overall capacity

New long-tail electric cargo bike can carry two kids and still has room for your shopping

Oscar Huckle / Our Media

Published: March 5, 2024 at 5:00 pm

The all-new Specialized Turbo Porto is a long-tail electric cargo bike – Specialized’s first – that's claimed to be the most powerful in its category with a “family first” design. 

The Porto comes with a front rack and long-tail rear rack, and can accept optional child seats, panniers and a whole host of other accessories. 

Specialized says the rear rack can carry two kids, with any additional gear in the front rack, although the bike can be customised to suit your needs. It can even accommodate a bike trailer

The Porto is rated to carry up to 200kg of load. Specialized says the one-size-fits-all electric cargo bike is suitable for riders from 155 to 195cm tall. The brand says an adult can ride in the back of the Porto as long as they weigh less than 60kg. 

There will be only one bike in the Porto range, retailing for £5,500 / €6,500. Australian and US availability is to be confirmed. 

A bike for every type of rider

Specialized Turbo Porto on a road
Specialized has thought of all the details you'd expect from a long-tail electric cargo bike. - Oscar Huckle / Our Media

Specialized says it went through many prototypes during the Porto’s development. When it came down to its final two potential designs, it approached “not only our best riders to test them, we also involved moms, dads, kids, our smallest and our tallest colleagues to ride the bike in different configurations before we locked the most optimized geometry”.

Specialized says it wanted the 39.6kg (claimed weight) bike to ride as well unloaded as when fully loaded. 

Specialized Turbo Porto on a road
A belt drive is the order of the day. - Oscar Huckle / Our Media

To achieve this, the brand opted for a belt-drive drivetrain with hub gears to create a “peerless and ultra-smooth ride quality”, combined with voluminous 2.8in-wide Specialized tyres. 

Specialized includes a Garmin Varia rearview radar bike light as standard on the bike.

Specialized Turbo Porto on a road
A Garmin Varia light is integrated at the rear. - Oscar Huckle / Our Media

Specialized is keen to stress that because the Porto is about the same length as one of its Turbo mountain bikes, it fits wherever you want to park it. 

Cargo-tastic power 

Specialized Turbo Porto on a road
Specialized specs its tried-and-tested 2.2 motor. - Oscar Huckle / Our Media

The Porto is built around Specalized’s own 2.2 electric bike motor, which can produce up to 90Nm of torque and a 710Wh peak output. Specialized claims the 710Wh battery provides up to five hours of ride time and can be removed easily for charging inside. 

The bike is compatible with the Specialized app, with the Micro Tune function enabling you to customise power levels in 10 per cent increments.

The Porto has an integrated wheel lock and, when not in use, you can use the Specialized app to disable the bike’s motor and activate the motion sensor alarm. Once locked, the motor cannot be enabled again unless it’s by the owner. 

Specialized Turbo Porto accessories

Specialized Turbo Porto on a road
Both racks can take a serious amount of baggage. - Oscar Huckle / Our Media

The Porto’s included front rack is rated to carry up to 20kg and comes with bungees and MIK (Mounting Is Key) sliding points to mount accessories. The long-tail rear rack is rated to carry up to 60kg. 

Specialized has released a host of accessories that are optional extras for the Porto. 

Porto Passenger Seat 

The Porto Passenger Seat is made of high-density foam and uses rubber feet to lock into the rear rack, which Specialized says enables a stable and comfortable ride for all your passengers. The water-resistant cover can be paired with the Porto Safety Rails, Porto Foot Platforms and Porto Foot Pegs.  

Porto Safety Rails 

The Porto Safety Rails are constructed from aluminium with a soft foam cover for extra protection. Specialized says they provide the perfect frame for either a child seat or for housing a Eurocrate. The Safety Rails can fit up to two passengers or child seats, in addition to two mounts for bottle cages or a lock. 

Porto Foot Platforms 

The Porto Foot Platforms are designed to help keep passengers grounded while the bike’s rolling. They're adjustable for two positions, with room for two passengers’ feet. They’re also constructed from aluminium and designed specifically for the Porto.

Porto Foot Pegs 

Specialized describes the Porto Foot Pegs as the little sibling of the Porto Foot Platforms. These are non-slip aluminium pegs attached to dedicated mounts. They also allow for compatibility with the Coolcave pannier.

Coolcave Pannier

While images of a drinks chiller may come to mind, the Coolcave is a 19l open-top pannier made from rigid plastic and designed for carrying everyday essentials. Originally introduced as part of the brand's collaboration with Fjallraven in 2022, Specialized says it’s easy to clip on and off the bike for easy transportation. 

Porto Side Bag 

The Porto Side Bag enables you to carry up to 25kg in a 44l oversized pannier, constructed from ultra-durable 1000D polyester canvas. It includes an adjustable folding closure and a padded internal laptop sleeve to keep your gear safe from the elements and it’s compatible with the Porto Foot Platforms and child seats. 

Porto Cargo Base 

Specialized Porto Cargo Base
The Porto Cargo Base can hold up to 60kg. - Specialized

Rounding out the range is the Porto Cargo Base, a heavy-duty aluminium rear cargo platform for a Eurocrate, cooler, bags or anything else you can think of. It’s rated to hold up to 60kg, with three bungee cords included.