Trek’s new Fetch+ 2 and Fetch+ 4 electric cargo bikes boast colossal and customisable carrying capacity.
The compact Fetch+ 2 is a similar length to a standard bike with a total capacity (rider plus cargo) of 200kg.
The long-tail Fetch+ 4 can carry up to five children in the front box and child seats mounted to the rear rack, the brand says. The maximum load is 80kg for the front box and 27kg for the rear rack. However, ferrying adults is not possible due to a 36kg weight limit per passenger.
Despite their size, Trek claims the Fetch+ bikes are stable and manoeuvrable thanks to a low centre of gravity and cable steering in the case of the Fetch+ 4.
The cable connects the handlebar and front wheel, which are separated by the box. According to Trek, this was the most agile and stable system it tested.
Both bikes are equipped with powerful Bosch electric bike motors. The Fetch+ 4 runs on a belt drive, while the Fetch+ 2 is built around a 1x drivetrain.
Priced on a par with the best electric cargo bikes, the Trek Fetch+ 2 costs £4,500 and the Trek Fetch+ 4 £7,200.
Customisable car-replacers
The Fetch+ 4 includes a front box made out of sturdy double-sided plastic. This has a weight limit of 80kg.
The box contains child seats with five-point harnesses, zero-wobble headrests and three recline angles: 'upright, chill mode and sleep mode'. It can be covered with a rain cover, which is sold separately.
An additional child seat or child bench can be added to the MIK HD rear rack. This has a maximum capacity of 27kg.
The cheaper Fetch+ 2 is also highly customisable. You can add the family pack – which includes a safari bar, backrest pad, two seat pads and two footrests – to carry two children on the back.
Alternatively, Trek says the 72kg-capacity rear rack can fit two child seats without adaptors.
Mudguards and hard-case front and rear pannier boxes (both available in four colours to match your frame) can be bought separately.
The claimed weights of the Fetch+ 2 and Fetch+ 4 are 31kg and 75kg respectively without accessories.
Bosch electric motors and smart systems
Assistance on the Fetch+ 4 comes from the Bosch Performance Line Cargo smart system. This tops out at 20mph in the United States and 25km/h in Europe, in accordance with electric bike laws.
Trek says the removable 750Wh Bosch PowerTube battery takes six hours to charge fully and reaches 50 per cent in two and a half hours. Trek doesn’t quote a range figure and points you towards Bosch’s range calculator.
The lighter Fetch+ 2 is powered by the Bosch Performance Line CX drive system and a smaller 500Wh Bosch battery. This is claimed to charge to full capacity in four hours and 50 per cent in two hours.
On both models, the smart LED handlebar remote controls the motor and a SmartPhone Grip display can hold your phone. On the Fetch+ 4, you can control the motor with your phone via the Bosch app and charge it wirelessly as you ride.
Practical features and flexible fit
The Gates CDX belt drive on the Fetch+ 4 is claimed to be quiet and easy to maintain. The Fetch+ 2 is specced with a 46t single chainring and 10-speed, 11-36t Sunrace cassette.
Each model has Tektro four-piston hydraulic disc brakes. The front and rear rotors are 180mm and 203mm on the Fetch+ 4 and both 180mm on the Fetch+ 2.
Trek claims the one-size aluminium frame on both Fetch+ models fits riders from 155cm to 190cm tall.
The Fetch+ 2 and Fetch+ 4 have dropper seatposts and adjustable stems to alter the fit, but only the Fetch+ 4 has a suspension fork.
In addition, the Fetch+ 4 has cable steering with a 1:3 ratio. Trek says turning the handlebar 65 degrees rotates the wheel 85 degrees.
Trek adds that the Fetch dual-pivot kickstand keeps both models stable while loading and unloading kids and cargo.
Integrated front and rear bike lights connect to the Bosch power pack on each model.
The Fetch+ 2 can accommodate 20x2.35in front and rear wheels with and without mudguards. The Fetch+ 4 fits a 27.5in rear wheel and 20in front wheel. Schwalbe Pick-Up wheels are shod with matching tyres.
