Total Weight:
80 lbs (36.28 kg)
Battery Weight:
5.7 lbs (2.58 kg)
Motor Weight:
8.8 lbs (3.99 kg)
Frame Material:
Aluminum
Frame Sizes:
19.5 in (49.53 cm)Geometry Measurements:
19.5" Seat Tube, 20" Reach, 24" Stand Over Height, 106.5" Length
Frame Types:
Mid-Step
Frame Colors:
Light Grey
Frame Fork Details:
Spinner Grind OS, 50 mm Travel, Preload Adjust, 100 / 9 mm Skewer with Quick Release
Frame Rear Details:
135 / 9 mm Skewer with Quick Release
Attachment Points:
Rear Rack Bosses, Fender Bosses
Gearing Details:
10
Speed 1x10 Shimano Deore Shadow, Shimano Deore HG50, 11-36T CogsetShifter Details:
Shimano Deore Triggers on Right
Cranks:
Riese & Müller Branded FSA Alloy 170 mm Crank Arms, 17T Chainring
Pedals:
VP-191 Alloy Platform with Rubber Tread
Headset:
FSA, Semi-Integrated, 1-1/8" Diameter
Stem:
Alloy, Telescoping Height (4.5" with 6 Positions), FSA V-Drive 80 mm Length, 17° Rise
Handlebar:
FSA V-Drive, Alloy, Flat, 31.8 mm Diameter, 23.5" Length
Brake Details:
Tektro Auriga Comp Hydraulic Disc with 160 mm Front Rotor 203 mm Back Rotor, Tektro Auriga Comp Levers with Adjustable Reach
Grips:
Hermans, Rubber, Ribbed
Saddle:
Selle Royale Shadow, Gel
Seat Post:
Aluminum Alloy
Seat Post Length:
430 mm
Seat Post Diameter:
34.9 mm
Rims:
Alexrims MD30 Front 30 mm Width 32 Hole, Alexrims MD40 Rear 40 mm Wide 36 Hole, Aluminum Alloy, Double Wall
Spokes:
Stainless Steel, 14 Gauge, Black with Silver Nipples
Tire Brand:
Front: Schwalbe Big Ben Plus, 20" x 2.15" (55-406), Rear: Schwalbe Supermoto-X, 27.5" x 2.4" (62-584)
Wheel Sizes:
20 in (50.8cm)27.5 in (69.85cm)Tire Details:
Reflective Sidewall Stripe, 30 to 55 PSI, Performance Line GreenGuard, SnakeSkin
Tube Details:
Presta Valve
Accessories:
Flick Bell on Right, ABUS Shield 5650 Cafe Lock Keyed to Match Battery, SKS Plastic Fenders (65 mm Width), Custom Packster Alloy Double-Leg Kickstand, Integrated Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ Aby LED (30 Lux), Integrated Busch & Müller Toplight Mini LED, Optional Basis-Boards ($110), Optional Basis-Box ($275), Optional Kids-Box ($439), Optional Tarpaulin Cover for Basis Box ($110), Optional Dual-Battery (Mounts to Basis-Box or Kids-Box, $988), Optional Riese & Müller Alloy Rear Rack with Racktime Compatibility and two Bibia Adjustable Rubber Straps and Child Seat Approved (44 lb Max Weight, $143)
Other:
Locking Removable Battery Pack, 1.7 lb 4 Amp Charger, Maximum Rider Weight 264 lbs, Maximum Load in Loading Area 220 lbs
Gen
7 years agoI’ve been waiting to see you review this one. I’ve got one ordered (the long box with a rear rack, though no trailer, sorry!) and am anxiously awaiting it’s arrival. I’ll be using it to haul two kids + groceries and whatever else around Seattle so the high torque motor was a big seller for me. I’ll have to provide an update when I’ve had it for a little while.
One note: R&M does not make (and according to their site does not have plans to make) the child cover for the Packster 80. I’m planning to have one made by Blaq (who also make a lot of Bullitt covers) later on in the year. I’ve seen the R&M cover for the Packster 60 in person and it seems nice but is also relatively short, which can be a problem if you are putting older kids in the box.
Two questions: 1) Were you able to enable walk assist on the bike you tested? It wasn’t active on the R&M bikes I’ve test ridden. I sure wished it was when I had to push a R&M Load with two kids in it up one a pretty steep hill a few weeks ago! 2) Have you ridden the Load? We rented one for a few days and the box is too small for my needs but that bike is impressively fun to ride. It feels as smooth at 20+ mph as it does at 10.
ReplyCourt Rye![](https://electricbikereview.com/wp-content/themes/reflex/assets/images/ebrCommenter.png)
7 years agoHi Gen! That’s so exciting, I hope the Packster works well for you and your two children. It’s an amazing bike but I did not realize that the child cover only fits the 60. Would you mind sharing the name or website of the place that is making a custom cover for you so that others might seek them out as well?
I cannot confirm walk assist, we reviewed many Riese & Müller models over the course of several days and I thought it worked on some (you press walk assist then hold the + button but must be in one of the four assist levels for it to engage). Perhaps the demo models you looked at were using older firmware? Maybe this is something the shop can update for you, perhaps Chris Nolte will chime in here or you can contact him at his shop, Propel Bikes, to ask.
I have indeed ridden the Load and I loved it! The full suspension setup makes it fun regardless of carrying but I agree, it’s not as large as the Packster. Let’s stay in touch here, I’ll signal Chris to the comment so he can provide some feedback as well :)
ReplyGen
7 years agoIn the end it took 3 weeks longer than anticipated for my bike to arrive, which was a bit frustrating. It would have only been 2 weeks longer than expected but it somehow got shipped to the wrong store at first so that caused an extra week of delays. Not my favorite part of the experience for sure.
I’ve now had it for a week and had the chance for things to start to settle in. I won’t have the rain cover for another few months but thankfully the weather has been exceedingly pleasant and I’ve put about 60 miles on the bike already. I can report that the walk assist is active, so probably a firmware update on the Load that I rented previously would activate it. So far the only problems I’ve experienced are minor. Overall the bike is solid, really well thought out, and has exceeded my expectation. My kids clearly find it comfortable and are very happy to go on rides. I’ve hauled 60lbs of kids + 30lbs of groceries up a variety of hills and can report that although there are some hills here that I’m pretty certain I couldn’t tackle even with the assist it’s generally more than enough. The bike is not making any tight turns but the extra space up front is worth it for me.
Kevin
7 years agoI’ve been having a tough time deciding between the Packster and Load, so I’m really excited for the Load review to be posted. I’ve managed to test ride both, but only briefly.
http://blaqpaks.com are the folks who make the custom canopies that are popular up here in the rainy NW.
ReplyCourt Rye![](https://electricbikereview.com/wp-content/themes/reflex/assets/images/ebrCommenter.png)
7 years agoCool, thanks for the link Kevin! I’ll have the Load review soon… I hope, getting ready to drive to Arizon and then San Francisco so the editing/posting is limited. I really appreciate you sharing the link for the custom canopy!
ReplyKevin
7 years agoI was really frustrated to learn that according to Riese and Muller, the warranty on the bike won’t be honored if the bike is serviced by anyone other than an authorized dealer.
I already own a couple of cargo bikes and the only way that they get to a bike shop is either on their own two wheels, or one towing the other. This apparently leaves my options as spending an entire day to rent a truck to transport a bike 100+ miles to a dealer, or spending $400 to have a bike shipped to the dealer and back.
Gen
7 years agoIf you’ve got a car with a hitch (or access to one) you can also use a Uhaul motorcycle trailer for transport. Still not particularly simple but maybe cheaper or easier than renting a truck at least for some folks.
I’ve ridden the Load and for sheer ride quality it is amazing. Going 20 mph felt slow to me on it because everything was so smooth. But for cargo capacity and kid hauling I don’t think it could be my only cargo bike. The box is small and you can’t really expand it since it’s part of the frame. At 19 months and 4 years my kids were willing to snuggle together in there but I feel like it would be really limiting really quickly as they got older. And it doesn’t leave any room at all for other cargo in the box. I’m dying to have one eventually but for now the Packster won out for practicality’s sake.
Have you gotten to ride both?
Harald
7 years agoI’ve just tested the Packster 80, really considering buying one. I also tested the Load, which feels much more stabile and pleasant to bike compared to the Packster 80. When you tested the Packster 80, did you notice how wiggly the steering felt during the bike ride? The steering on the Packster didn’t really give any feedback and it felt like it was “loose”, something I didn’t experience on the Load. I know the Packster 80 is a much bigger bike than the Load, but still ..
ReplyCourt Rye![](https://electricbikereview.com/wp-content/themes/reflex/assets/images/ebrCommenter.png)
7 years agoHi Herald! I should have done more riding and loaded the Packster with cargo to really get a feel for it… but I do agree that the Load is more stable feeling and fun to ride. Where did you test ride the Packster? I wonder if maybe the steering needed to be adjusted or something? How did my video of the steering look compared to how it felt on your test ride?
ReplyHarald (pronounced Harold in english)
7 years agoHi Rye. I tested the Packster 80 (though without the Nuvinci) in Tromsø at this local dealership. It was properly vicious that day I tested the bike, with lots and lots of rain, but still the bike was fun to ride.
Anyway. I’ve read a blogpost from a family in San Francisco where they bought themselves a Packster 80, though with one modification: They changed the steering to something that seems more ideal for the Packster and you can read about it here.
I noticed you did the same “wobbling” as I experienced with the Packster. And I think it has something to do with the fact that the steering is too far off and you need to stretch your arms. I don’t exactly have arms like a monkey, so the distance affects the steering stability. If you watch carefully, you can see in your review the wheel goes quickly left and right, and you adjust your left hand a lot to keep the bike straight. I’m quite aware that you are holding a camera, so therefore you don’t have both of your hands on the bike, but you’ll get that wobbling soon enough as you speed up (with out without the camera).
The reason for the wobbling is due to your arms being stretched so far that you can’t hold the steering in position as you pedal. That’s what I think. I don’t think it’s all about adjusting the seat and the steering in this case. I’m going borrow the Packster 80 again from my dealer and figure out if I’m nut or not about this.
Harald (again pronounced Harold)
7 years agoI forgot to mention about the stability overall. I got to test the bike fully loaded with boxes and stuff. The bike is really stabile, but I had a few “woah woah woah” moments since the bike felt heavier and I wasn’t sure how it handled yet. It was weird to use the whole road when I was turning right at a intersection, I’m sure I could have cut the corner more but my confidence pretty much screamed “Shit shit shit ..”. Breaking was also interesting, since the breaks sounded like a freight train passing by each time I used them.
Your review was very accurate about perfomance in general. I’ve previously bought an Cube Hybrid SL 27.5 based on your review on it which was spot on (I love the automatic shifter, not to mention the belt drive!). What I would added into the review for the Packster, is showing how the bike performs with a heavy load, because this bike is stabile and it’s worth showing that with tight corners and other situations. If I buy the Packster 80, I’ll most likely get the basis-box, it would be interesting to see something like that tested. The Packster 80 basis box is huge compared to the Load.
One thing that you probably can’t replicate: Winter. In Tromsø we have snow, that’s either slippery or wet (we call it slaps, it feels like you are going through mud) plus we got a lot of hills. You can perhaps look at Tromsø as an arctic version of San Francisco. I have had a hard time finding review of a Packster being tested in the artic. There’s a guy in Canada who has also tested the bike, he even threw in a camera angle where you can watch the steering here, you can see the same wobbling there.
Harald
7 years agoI’ve just borrowed the same Packster 80 Touring which I tested a few weeks ago, I waited a bit for the dealer to get the Tarpaulin for the Basis-Box so I could get a basic idea of how I’d use the bike if I ordered one myself.
This is the second time I test the bike, so I made sure the ride height was comfortable, otherwise I’d be wobbly and the bike in general will not feel comfortable. The turn radius is not great but doable.
One major issue with the version of the bike I’m testing, is the Performance line engine, it struggles for its life on steep hills (which there are a few of in Tromsø). The bike comes with the Shimano 10-speed deore gear, so in comparison to a Nuvinci setup, the bike should have enough umph to get 100 kg (just me and the bike) up a hill. The engine basicly dies on the steepest hills, even walk-assist had issues. I can only imagine how this bike setup performs during winter time.
I didn’t get to go up hills the last time I tested the bike, so that’s why I didn’t notice the lack of performance in the engine. Hopefully a CX engine is a lot better.
Gen
6 years agoHarald, Probably a bit late for you but in case anyone else has the same concern, I can definitely say with confidence that the CX motor is much better on hills than the regular Performance Line. I’ve met very few hills in Seattle that the bike can’t handle, even with a full load of kids + cargo. I am planning to switch the cassette out for one with a bit lower range when the time comes for a new one, but just to make it easier to pedal without assist if needed and to make starts on steep hills easier. I haven’t ridden a Packster with the regular Performance Line motor but I have ridden several other cargo bikes with it and the difference is definitely noticeable. You just don’t get the same push out of the regular Performance Line that you do out of the CX when you drop a few gears and ask it for more power.
As for the wobbliness in the steering, R&M have added a dampener in the headset on the current generation of bikes that I think helps that issue. It’s more noticeable with more weight in the front of the box. Once you’ve been on the bike a while you learn to not let your hands wiggle during turns and it becomes less of a problem. I’ve never had it actually cause any sort of dangerous situation but it’s definitely my least favorite aspect of the handling of the bike and I’m hopeful that they’ll be able to reduce the problem as they refine the bike.
Replycourt![](https://electricbikereview.com/wp-content/themes/reflex/assets/images/ebrCommenter.png)
6 years agoWonderful and insightful comment Gen, thank you so much for taking the time to share with us and help Herald :)
David
7 years agoWe have had our Packster 80 HS for almost 3 months now. We got the version with the Nuvici drive, which makes life easier when cycling a lot downtown Lund (Sweden). The bike takes our two kids, a 7-year old and a 4-year old to school and goes on to work into town from the countryside, on the way home it picks up the kids and sometimes groceries. It a road which starts with gravel roads and potholes and ends with cobblestones in central downtown. All in all it is a daily trip of about 20-25 km. So far the bicycle has performed very well and we have traveled 1700 km so far. We have ordered a tailored rain canopy from our dealer i Copenhagen but it will be another few weeks before we have it. Nevertheless, the children love it, rain or no, and are very disappointed if we for some reason opt to go by car.
It a strange feeling to almost fly given the weight and size of this thing when fully loaded. We tried the Load version but it was too small for our children. The Packster is a bit more like a cruiser, not as fun to ride but feels secure and solid even at high speed. All in all we are very happy with it but a bit worried about how it will handle a Swedish winter.
ReplyCourt Rye![](https://electricbikereview.com/wp-content/themes/reflex/assets/images/ebrCommenter.png)
7 years agoHi David, what a wonderful comment to read. Your rides with kids sound very fun, a highlight in their day and special memory to be sure. Perhaps one day, they will be riding their own bicycles together with you. I agree that a snowy winter could put a limit on riding some days, but I used to ride my own bike to school in the wet slush and even packed snow as I grew up in Colorado. My ancestors are from Norway, Germany, and Russia so I guess I am adapted for snow to a degree. Thanks again for sharing your experience with the Packster and why you chose it over the Load for your kids :)
Reply