Tern HSD

Compare the Tern HSD range for one-child family riding, everyday carrying and city trips


The Tern HSD is a compact electric family bike built for everyday city life. Smaller than the Tern GSD, it is still designed for carrying one child, one adult passenger within the bike's load limits, shopping, work bags and everyday cargo — all in a package that is shorter than a regular bike.

The Gen 3 HSD arrives in September. The new S9i, P00 and P5i bring updated Bosch motors that run quieter and more efficiently, a maximum gross vehicle weight raised from 180 kg to 190 kg, and a rider fit widened to 130 kg and up to 205 cm on the S9i — more accommodating for taller riders, and for households sharing one bike between adults of different heights. New frame geometry, a longer wheelbase and a lower centre of gravity make it steadier under load, and Magura cargo brakes are fitted across the range. The S9i steps up to the Bosch Performance Line PX at 90 Nm with wireless eShift. Frame and fork are certified to EN 17860 at the full 190 kg.

The current Gen 2 range — P10, P5i and S00 — remains available to order now, with 20-inch wheels and Bosch Performance Line support up to 75 Nm. Both generations share an 80 kg rear rack, flat-fold for storage and park vertically.

Compare all six models below, or book a Tern HSD test ride in London to see which setup fits your routine best.

Which Tern HSD model should you choose?
Tern HSD S9i Gen 3

Tern HSD S9i Gen 3

From: £5,800.00
Motor: Bosch Performance Line PX
Torque: Up to 90 Nm
Drive: 3x3 NINE 9-speed with Bosch eShift and Gates Carbon Drive belt
Display: Bosch Kiox 300 with LED remote
Battery: Bosch PowerPack 545Wh
Rear rack: 80 kg
Max vehicle weight: 190 kg
Tern HSD P00 Gen 3

Tern HSD P00 Gen 3

From: £4,700.00
Motor: Bosch Performance Line
Torque: Up to 75 Nm
Drive: Enviolo Heavy Duty stepless hub with Gates Carbon Drive belt
Display: Bosch Purion 200
Battery: Bosch PowerPack 545Wh
Rear rack: 80 kg
Max vehicle weight: 190 kg
Tern HSD P5i Gen 3

Tern HSD P5i Gen 3

From: £4,400.00
Motor: Bosch Performance Line
Torque: Up to 75 Nm
Drive: Shimano Nexus 5 hub with Gates Carbon Drive belt
Display: Bosch Purion 200
Battery: Bosch PowerPack 545Wh
Rear rack: 80 kg
Max vehicle weight: 190 kg
Tern HSD P10

Tern HSD P10

From: £3,600.00
Motor: Bosch Performance Line
Torque: Up to 75 Nm
Drive: Shimano Deore 10-speed
Display: Bosch Intuvia 100
Battery: Bosch PowerPack 545Wh
Rear rack: 80 kg
Max vehicle weight: 180 kg
Tern HSD P5i

Tern HSD P5i

From: £4,400.00
Motor: Bosch Performance Line Smart System
Torque: Up to 75 Nm
Drive: Shimano Nexus INTER-5E
Display: Bosch Intuvia 100
Battery: Bosch PowerPack 545Wh
Rear rack: 80 kg
Max vehicle weight: 180 kg
Tern HSD S00

Tern HSD S00

From: £5,200.00
Motor: Bosch Performance Line Smart System
Torque: Up to 75 Nm
Drive: Enviolo Heavy Duty hub + Gates belt drive
Display: Bosch Kiox 300
Battery: Bosch PowerPack 545Wh
Rear rack: 80 kg
Max vehicle weight: 180 kg

Built and tested to carry safely

The HSD is shorter than a standard bike, but it is engineered as a cargo bike first. A long wheelbase and a low centre of gravity keep it composed with a child or a full week's shopping on board. The Gen 2 frame is stiffer than the generation before it — around 15% at the head tube and 39% at the bottom bracket — which means less sway once loaded. The Gen 3 goes further again, with new frame geometry, a longer wheelbase and a lower centre of gravity.

Maximum gross vehicle weight is 180 kg on Gen 2 and 190 kg on Gen 3. Gen 2 frames and forks are EFBE-tested to the full 180 kg; Gen 3 frames and forks are certified to EN 17860 at the full 190 kg. Across both generations the Bosch drive system is UL 2849 certified for electrical and fire safety — the figures that actually matter when you are carrying people rather than parcels.

The rear Atlas H Rack is rated to 80 kg on both generations — enough for one child or an adult passenger — and sits low to keep the weight close to the frame; on Gen 3 it is ISO 11243:2023 certified at that figure. Tern's Passenger System sets out the five things a safe setup needs: seating, a handhold, foot support, foot and leg protection, and a dual-leg kickstand for stable loading. Hydraulic disc brakes give dependable stopping power fully loaded and in the wet, with Magura cargo brakes fitted across the Gen 3 range, and the frame-mounted Combo Mount carries up to 20 kg of lighter cargo at the front, clear of the steering. Come in and we will set the bike up around who and what you actually need to carry.

Tern HSD at a glance

Best for
One child or one adult passenger
Passengers
1 kid / 1 adult
Rear rack capacity
80 kg
Max gross vehicle weight
180 kg (Gen 2) or 190 kg (Gen 3)
Motor
Bosch Performance Line up to 75 Nm, or up to 90 Nm with Bosch eShift on the Gen 3 S9i
Wheels
20-inch
Rider fit
Broad fit, easier to share between adults — Gen 3 spans 150–200 cm, or 153–205 cm on the S9i
Models
Gen 3: HSD S9i, HSD P00, HSD P5i · Gen 2: HSD P10, HSD P5i, HSD S00

How people use the Tern HSD

One child and daily family riding

For many families the HSD works as a one-child family bike: nursery runs, school runs, short trips across town. The Clubhouse Mini carries one child in or out of a child seat; the Storm Box Mini keeps them dry. Gen 3 updates both: the Clubhouse Mini Gen 2 gains a side latch that lifts one of the bars, the Storm Box Mini Gen 2 a side zip door. Ask us what fits which generation.

Safety and day-to-day confidence

The HSD is designed to feel stable and reassuring when carrying a child, passenger or everyday load. Its 20-inch wheels help keep weight lower to the ground, while the compact frame makes the bike feel easier to manage than a larger cargo bike.

Maximum gross vehicle weight depends on generation: 180 kg on the current Gen 2 range, rising to 190 kg on the new Gen 3 models. The 80 kg rear rack capacity is the same across both — enough for one child, an adult passenger within limits, or a substantial amount of cargo. Gen 2 frames were tested by EFBE Prüftechnik GmbH to their stated load; Gen 3 raises the bar further, with frame and fork independently certified to EN 17860 at the full 190 kg. Across both generations, the Bosch e-bike system is certified to UL 2849 for electrical and fire safety.

Bosch Performance Line and everyday tech

The HSD range is built around the Bosch Performance Line motor. Gen 2 and most Gen 3 models deliver up to 75 Nm of torque — enough for hills, headwinds, loaded starts and everyday family riding — while the new Gen 3 S9i steps up to 90 Nm with the Performance Line PX motor and adds Bosch eShift, wireless electronic gear changes that suit a loaded rear rack in stop-start traffic.

Every current HSD model uses a Bosch PowerPack 545Wh battery, and connectivity runs through the Bosch eBike Flow app across the range. The differences between models are mostly in drivetrain, maintenance level and riding feel — see the model comparison below for the specifics of each.

Tern HSD accessories

Child-carrying accessories

Child seats, passenger support and compact rear-rack setups — including the Clubhouse Mini Gen 2, which carries one child in or out of a child seat, and the Storm Box Mini Gen 2 for the Gen 3 range.

View all Tern HSD accessories →

Deciding between the HSD and GSD?


If you are mainly carrying one child, start with the Tern HSD. If you need to carry two children regularly, the Tern GSD is usually the better fit.


Compare the Tern GSD and Tern HSD →

Book a Tern HSD test ride in London


The real question is not just whether the HSD can carry what you need, but whether it feels natural enough to become your everyday bike. Riding it is usually the quickest way to understand whether it fits your home, your route and your family.


Book a Tern HSD test ride →
Tern HSD electric family bike for one child Tern HSD electric family bike for one child
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FAQs
Can the Tern HSD carry two children?

The HSD — across both Gen 2 and the new Gen 3 range — is designed for one child or one adult passenger, with an 80 kg rear rack rated for that purpose. It can take two very small children in some configurations, but it is not rated or tested for two-child carrying in the way the GSD is. If carrying two children is a regular requirement, the GSD or the Quick Haul Long D9 is the better starting point.
What is the difference between the Gen 2 and Gen 3 Tern HSD?

We currently stock both generations of the Tern HSD, and both are strong choices — the difference is mainly capacity, power and rider fit.

The Gen 2 HSD — P10, P5i and S00 — is available to order now. It uses the Bosch Performance Line motor (up to 75 Nm) and carries up to 180 kg gross vehicle weight on an 80 kg rear rack, with three drivetrains: chain-driven Shimano Deore gears on the P10, a Shimano Nexus 5 hub and Gates belt on the P5i, and a stepless Enviolo hub and belt on the S00.

The Gen 3 HSD — P5i, P00 and S9i — is the newer platform, arriving from mid-September. It improves almost everything: up to 190 kg gross vehicle weight, new, smoother Bosch UFI motors, and a taller handlepost and stronger seatpost that fit riders up to 130 kg and up to 205 cm on the S9i (150–200 cm on the P00 and P5i). The P5i keeps the clean Nexus 5 belt drive, the P00 moves to a stepless Enviolo belt, and the top S9i adds the Bosch Performance Line PX motor (90 Nm) with wireless Bosch eShift, a Kiox 300 display and a Bosch Connect Module offering GPS tracking and an anti-theft alarm with a Flow+ subscription — a 12-month trial is included.

If you want a bike now, the Gen 2 is ready to ride away. If you can wait until September, the Gen 3 adds capacity, power and a wider rider fit. Book a test ride and we'll help you choose.
Is the Tern HSD easy to store in a small London flat?

Yes — storage is one of the main reasons families choose the HSD over a larger cargo bike. At around 170–175 cm long, depending on generation, it is shorter than many standard bikes, and it parks vertically on its rear end, taking up a footprint close to a potted plant. The folding handlepost lets the bike sit more compactly for storage or transport, on both the current Gen 2 and the new Gen 3 range. If a full-size cargo bike would not fit through your front door or up to your flat, the HSD usually will.
Can the Tern HSD carry an adult passenger?

Yes — on both Gen 2 and the new Gen 3 range. The 80 kg rear rack is rated to carry one child, up to a medium-sized adult passenger, or a substantial cargo load. With the Captain's Chair Gen 2 fitted, the rear rack becomes a comfortable seat for an older child or adult. For households that occasionally need to carry a second adult across town, it is one of the more genuinely useful things the HSD does.
Can I test ride the Tern HSD in London?

Yes — we have the current Gen 2 HSD available to test ride at our London shops now, with the new Gen 3 range joining it once first UK stock arrives in September. It is worth riding loaded to feel how stable the bike is with a passenger or cargo on the rear. If you are also weighing up the larger GSD, we can set up a back-to-back ride so the difference in size and capacity is easy to judge. Find your nearest Flying Dutchman shop to book.