Tern GSD or Yuba Spicy Curry
 

Cargo bikers,

I am sold on getting a cargo bike, and have decided that for the local terrain, I want electric assist. I think I have narrowed my search down to the two models mentioned in the title, but if you have a different suggestions I will be happy to hear it. The bike will be used to transport my 3 year old along with some groceries, library books, etc.

The bike will be used about 80% of the time by my wife, who is 5’1”. I am an 6’ and will use it the rest of the time. We have both ridden both bikes and like them both, so it is really a matter of choosing between two good choices.

My current thinking is:
Tern
Pro: more adjustable
Pro: wife may fit slightly better, though she like also says she feels comfortable on the spicy curry and she has plenty of experience with bikes
Pro: Salesman said it would be easier for my wife to handle heavier loads on the tern.
Con: slightly smaller cargo deck.

Yuba:
Pro: Slightly larger cargo deck
Pro: CX motor
Con: less adjustable fit.

Can you add any insight? Why might a smaller rider be more comfortable handling a heavier load on the tern than the Yuba? What are your recommendations?

No idea why the salesperson said that. I don't think there would be much difference. I think either one would be good.

Two other differences come to mind: One is the lower front cargo carry on the Tern since the front wheel is also 20". Not a huge deal, but if you're frequently loading up the front rack, this might be noticeable. Second is the ability to easily transport and store the Tern. It's shorter overall, can fold down to a smaller package for loading into car or other places, and can stand vertically. If these things aren't things you'd take advantage of, then they don't really matter.

Also, the GSD is also offered with the CX motor on the S00 model, which also comes with the Nuvinci N380.

We test rode both, and ended up with the Xtracycle RFA, but that was mostly because of comfortable fit -- we're both picky and fitting two picky people on one bike is even more of a challenge, although at least we're close in height/reach. (Definitely recommend the Performance CX motor, on whichever bike; as it happens, the GSD we test rode had a nicer motor than the Spicy Curry, but we were going to order the CX independently of which bike we bought.)

The GSD rear bags are excellent, by the way; we liked them better than the ones Xtracycle sells for the RFA so we finagled them to fit. In general, you might want to look at the accessory options -- they're both good bikes.

Would love to know what you picked and anything you regret or are happy you thought about. Currently in the same predicament

All Tern GSD models also have a Performance CX motor (they call it the CX Cargo or something, but same same generally speaking). I'd recommend the Tern because I totally love mine :)

It is a two year old thread so you might not get answers from the original posters but...:
GSD all the way. The Cargo Line motor is what the GSD currently has and I believe is also what Yuba is using. The only positive to the Yuba over GSD is the Bosch Kiox display and that is not any reason to buy a bike as the display on any Bosch bike can be upgraded. The GSD is a superior bike. Front suspension, dual battery capability out of the box, belt drives, same size wheels front and rear, brake lights, really excellent support, I think a lot more and some better accessories...a way better way to go. Yuba makes fine bikes but nothing I would want to spend that amount of money on. It is sort of the same bike from 2015-2016 with a few different parts some of them quite significant but nothing I did get from Tern GSD day one in 2017. There are some old reviews marked as new reviews out there for the GSD which have info from the old versions so keep that in mind but aside from that the Tern came out of the box better and is still improving while the Yuba is struggling to catch up to old GSD in a lot of places.

However the big key is test riding both bikes if you can and get a sense of them. They are both Bosch equipped so you won't go wrong on the electric side so it is just picking which one suits you best.