£4,390.00 GBP

Bike43 Short

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Model

Motor & Gear

Bike43 Short

The Bike43 Short is the compact end of the range – a longtail that carries one or two children yet measures just 173 cm, barely longer than a standard bike. That length is the whole point. It threads through traffic, locks up in an ordinary bike space, stands upright against a wall, and lifts onto a car rack without ceremony. Underneath the everyday manners is a proper family bike: a low centre of gravity from two 20-inch wheels, a Bosch Performance Line motor, and the patented Footbox that tucks a young child's feet safely under the saddle while keeping the whole bike shorter. Carrying one child today but suspect that won't last? The Short shares its frame with the Mid, so it can grow a size when you need it to.

Bike43 longtail electric family bike for 2 kids

At a glance

Carries: 1–2 children
Length: 173 cm – within a hand's breadth of a normal bike
Frame: aluminium, modular (converts to the Mid), 7-year warranty
Motor: Bosch Performance Line, 75 Nm
Wheels: two 20-inch, for a low, planted feel

Who it's for

The Short suits families at the start of cargo-bike life: one child on the school run, perhaps a second on the way, and a city that doesn't leave much room for a big box bike. It's for anyone weighing up whether a longtail can really replace the car for the daily round – drop-off, the shop, the park – without taking over the hallway. Because it rides so much like a normal bike, it's an easy one to feel confident on from the first ride, which counts if you've not handled anything this size before. And where two adults of different heights share one bike, the adjustable handlebar makes the swap quick.

Build & technology

The Short is built on Bike43's modular aluminium frame – designed in-house, assembled in Brussels, covered by a 7-year frame warranty. Two 20-inch wheels keep the load and the battery low, which is what gives the bike its stable, unflustered feel when loaded. The Bosch Performance Line motor (75 Nm) handles London's hills and headwinds without fuss, and a Shimano Nexus internal hub lets you change gear at a standstill – useful at every set of lights – with no exposed derailleur to knock or maintain. A Gates carbon belt drive is available if you'd rather never think about chain oil again. The patented Footbox protects the first child's feet and shortens the bike by around 15 cm; a pivoting bench, child seats, footrests and a rain canopy let you build the back end around your children's ages. A suspension fork, hydraulic disc brakes (with a four-piston upgrade for fully loaded stopping) and integrated lights are part of the package – and the height-adjustable handlebar drops down so the bike stores upright in a flat or hallway.

Specifications

Bike43 Short

Motor: Bosch Smart System Gen5 Performance Line, 75 Nm / 600 W
Battery: Bosch PowerTube, 540 Wh
Gears: Shimano Nexus Inter-5E, 5-speed internal hub
Brakes: Shimano hydraulic disc, 2-piston (4-piston available)
Tyres: CST Brooklyn Pro 20 × 2.44" (two 20" wheels)
Frame: Aluminium, modular (converts to the Mid) – 7-year frame warranty

Bike43 Short accessories

Not sure which Bike43?

Carrying two children most days, or expecting to soon? The Bike43 Mid adds 13 cm of rear deck on the same frame. Already thinking three? The Bike43 Long is the steel-framed bike built for it. Still comparing longtails with box bikes and trikes? Our family bike guide walks through the trade-offs.

At Flying Dutchman

We keep Bike43 bikes at Flying Dutchman and ride them ourselves, so the advice is grounded in real use around London. Come and try the Short loaded – that's when its manners make sense – at any of our three shops in Camden, Notting Hill and Hackney. Our workshop services these bikes, your first service at 500 km is on us, and the Short is eligible for the Cycle to Work scheme. See the full Bike43 range.

FAQs

One or two. Its 173 cm length keeps it close to a normal bike, and the patented Footbox lets a young child tuck their feet under the saddle so two seats fit one behind the other on the rear deck. If you expect to carry two or three regularly, look at the Bike43 Mid, which shares the Short's frame, or the Bike43 Long. Bring the children to a test ride and we'll set the bike up around their ages.

It's 173 cm overall – only a little longer than a standard bicycle, and shorter than most longtails. It locks into an ordinary bike space, stands upright against a wall, and is light enough to lift onto a car rack. For London homes with a hallway, shed or bike hangar to work around, that compactness is often the deciding factor. Measure your tightest doorway or turn and we'll tell you honestly whether it'll work.

Yes. The Short and Mid are the same modular aluminium frame in two lengths, so the rear section extends to add about 13 cm of deck and turn a Short into a Mid as your family grows. The Bike43 Long is a different, steel-framed bike and isn't part of that conversion. If you're between the Short and Mid, talk it through with us at Flying Dutchman.

The Bosch Performance Line, delivering 75 Nm – well matched to a compact, light longtail and ample for London's hills with children aboard. Bosch's drive systems are widely supported and serviceable, and Bike43's interface-plate design means the frame isn't tied to one motor for life. We can talk you through it on a test ride.