This question comes up frequently upon many folks' first glance at our lineup of Tern brand utility bikes (with 20” wheels). These unassuming yet brilliantly designed bikes are our best selling brand for the past 3 years. While designed for hauling cargo, kids and/or pets. They provide a great riding experience even when hauling nothing extra at all.
Small wheels = Big performance!
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Easier to balance especially when carrying kids or cargo over 30lbs. A smaller wheel makes for a lower overall center of gravity and an incredibly stable ride feel.
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Lower step over makes it easier to get on and off (especially for shorter riders)
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Easier to maneuver than a larger wheel in tight spaces (due to smaller turning radius)
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Increased efficiency climbing steep hills and getting up to speed in stop and go situations. It takes less force from you and/or the motor to get the smaller wheel spinning from a stop (or accelerate uphill.)
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Slightly wider tires along with a small front shock on most models increases the comfort and stability even further.
Their design is often imitated by cheap knockoffs with inferior motor systems and components. We don’t carry the cut rate brands of these bikes for very good reasons. The batteries will not last as long, they won’t give you efficient nor sufficient assistance on steep hills, and often feature dangerously inferior brakes just to name a few.
Tern’s lineup includes everything from small compact folding models to partially folding daily drivers, all the way up to dual battery, dual kid heavy hauling (yet easy to maneuver) machines. Three of our workers/owners commute and run errands on Tern models every day. We sell what we love to use ourselves.
To see more of their lineup of bikes and accessories, check out our Tern brand page here: .https://www.seattleelectricbike.net/tern
Better yet, test ride one today to experience the smooth and powerful Bosch pedal assistance and FUNctionality of these nifty little bikes!