FAQ: How does the Mundo handle going up hills with a passenger?
Great question! Unfortunately, it’s a complex answer. It depends on several factors, including (in order of importance): the grade of the slope; the length of the slope; the length of the ride with the passenger; the fitness of the rider; and the time of day you encounter the slope (riders tend to have more energy in the morning than after a long day of work). All of these factors will effect the outcome of your trip.
Taking all this into consideration, there are definitely lighter bikes than the Mundo, but unfortunately most can’t handle awkward/heavy loads. Also, if you’re carrying a child, most child seats max out at 40-45 pounds, except the Bobike Junior. Of course, a custom seat would also be an option. You could build-up an Xtracycle that utilized an aluminum-frame bike; this would reduce the weight quite a lot. That being said, Xtracycles flex a good deal if you’re pumping out of the saddle –that’s a big downside to the Xtracycle. A Kona Ute may be a better fit as it could handle the Bobike seat and provide enough room for a set of bags.
That being said, the big issue surrounding the answer to this question is what else do you think you’ll haul with your bike? The Kona Ute is at its best when hauling panniers, especially as part of a daily commute, anywhere from 2 to 20 miles. But if you plan to use your bike to haul large, awkward and/or heavy loads, there are fewer options. The Mundo trumps them all for load capacity and out-of-the-box handling of awkward loads, but it comes at a price: weight. There’s no doubt that the Mundo is a heavy ride, trumped only by the Bakfiet for overall weight, but it takes a heavy grade frame to handle a wide variety of loads.
You can always add more gears to a Mundo, add a new freewheel with lower gears, or setup more advanced crank options. This is a relatively easy/affordable way to add increased ’spinning’ capability, enabling you to handle steeper grades.
Tags: bobike, child, children, gears, hills, passenger, ute