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Old 05-09-19, 07:17 PM
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Nightdiver
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Seems like you already have a good understanding of the differences. GSD wins if you're tight on space, either at your home or the places you need to take your bike. It also wins for riding more like a normal bike and being more agile in general. Also if you intend to share the bike with someone else, both because of it's range of fit and also because anyone can hop on and ride, whereas the Bullitt has a learning curve.

Bullitt wins for carrying ability hands down. Nothing beats a box bike for carrying kids, especially in the rain. Add a Blaq canopy and it's a true all weather bike that your kids will feel comfy in. Also wins for stability while riding and while parked. Lower load and WAY better kickstand support. You'll generally never worry about your kids climbing into the Bullitt by themselves.

However, the box bike solution is only as good as the box you put in front, and here is where the Bullitt is lacking compared to some other options like Riese and Muller Packster 80/60, Cetma Largo, Urban Arrow, Douze, etc. Bullitt's own passenger kit is really quite narrow, which works fine for two smaller kids, but as they get bigger, and/or they want to add a friend to the mix, the Bullitt's box is just too small. It's also quite short compared to other options. There are some third party box makers who make a wider box, but these have their own pros/cons. R&M Packster, Urban Arrow, etc all offer larger front box options which allow for more room as your kids get bigger, which means you can either haul much larger kids, more smaller kids (up to 4), or a combo of kids and gear.

What city are you in? There are dealers for every brand I've listed (minus Cetma) in both Seattle and Portland. I'd really recommend trying all of them, looking at how much space is left over with both your kids loaded, and imagine how that space will look in another 3 or more years.

Also, are you okay with the step over height of the Bullitt? That was a deal breaker for me personally as I highly prefer low-step for city use, especially with loaded bikes, and also wanted the flexibility to put larger loads on the rear rack (kid's seat, etc). Riding geometry is also quite different between the bikes. Bullitt is fairly sporty (which I love), while Urban Arrow is Dutch style relaxed, so not great if you have hills. GSD is somewhere in between, but maybe a bit more towards the Bullitt.

GSD wins over the Bullitt if the double battery option is something you are considering, although this is something R&M Packster offers too.
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