Product news / Cargobike: With the Specialized Porto, the Californians' first cargo bike appears in this country. With a well-thought-out concept and a wide range of uses, the new bike is not only interesting for families.
A Specialized cargo bike? Hardly anyone who has looked into the Californians' portfolio in recent years will be really surprised by this. Of course - the US cult manufacturer is still deeply anchored in two-wheel sport and is present across the entire spectrum, from the peaks of the Tour de France to the breakneck courses of the Downhill World Cup. But especially in the last five years, the range of everyday and touring bikes has continued to expand. A cargo bike is the logical consequence - that's probably what Specialized thought and presented a corresponding model about a year ago with the Haul, which was, however, reserved for the US market. Now, the Specialized Porto is the first “real” and globally available cargo bike from Specialized, which the Californians, as usual, confidently describe as a game changer.
Not all cargo bikes are the same: With the continued popularity and increasing spread of universal cargo bikes, numerous different interpretations of a cargo bike have become established in the recent past. The Specialized Porto fits best in the “Long Tail” drawer: Here, a particularly spacious rear luggage rack offers plenty of space for a wide variety of loads. Thanks to compact wheels (24 inches at the front, 20 inches at the rear on the Specialized Porto), the dimensions of the bike itself remain absolutely within limits and are hardly larger than conventional wheels. This type of cargo bike is particularly popular in large cities and metropolitan areas thanks to its relative compactness.
Specialized Porto: A real cargo bike?
Although the Specialized Porto is on a par with modern (e-)MTBs in terms of dimensions, it deserves the name “cargo bike”: This is shown by the generous payload of 160 kg, which means the maximum permissible total weight of the basic version is around 40 kg heavy bikes are a remarkable 200 kg.
Rear luggage rack
The heart of the Specialized Porto is its generous rear luggage rack, which can be loaded with up to 60 kg and thus takes on most of the possible load. Care was taken to make it as universal as possible and not to limit it too much to one area of application. In its “naked” basic version, it is equipped with three (!) MIK HD profiles and therefore offers plenty of space for compatible accessories - from up to two child seats to a wide variety of bags.
front rack
At the front, the standard luggage rack can be loaded with a further 20 kg. Tension straps are available for securing this or you can use the MIK profile that is also available here.
Accessories: benches and transport options
Of course, at the start of the Specialized Porto there are also a number of accessories and structures available to equip the bike according to the individual area of use.
Porto passenger seat
A seat cushion with a water-repellent cover optimized for the dimensions of the rear carrier. Ideally, it should be combined with the safety rails and the running boards or footrests.
Postage security rails
The safety rails offer the passengers at the rear support and some protection, and they also make it easier to attach bulky goods to the rear carrier, for example with tension straps. The rails do not cover the MIK HD profiles and can therefore also be combined with conventional child seats, for example. Nice feature: Thanks to mounting points for bottle holders, the passengers' drinks find their place directly at the rear.
Postage running boards
The running boards provide comfort and safety for rear passengers and can be locked in two height positions.
Porto footrests
As an alternative to the running boards, footrests can also be installed. This leaves a little more space on the side of the rear, for example to mount a bicycle bag or one of the Coolcave baskets.
Postage side pockets
The side pockets specially developed for postage offer a whopping 44 liter volume and a load capacity of up to 25 kg. Inside the weatherproof polyester bags you can not only store purchases; Thanks to the padded laptop pocket, they are also practical for the way to the office.
Coolcave bicycle baskets
The hard plastic baskets are practical everyday companions and offer a volume of 19 liters. They take up about half of the rear rack and can therefore easily be combined with a seat cushion or a child seat.
Postage luggage platform
If you want to transport particularly large items on the postage, you can use the luggage platform. It is made of aluminum and, like the rear carrier itself, can be loaded with up to 60 kg. Special tension straps are used to secure the load.
Accessories from other manufacturers
Of course you are not limited to the specific accessories from Specialized. Since the rear and front carriers are equally MIK HD compatible, all compatible accessories can be found here. Other child seats also fit at the rear, Specialized itself cites the Thule Nexxt as an example.
Drive: 90 Nm torque and 710 Wh
A Specialized 2.2 Cargo motor ensures sufficient propulsion regardless of the load. This is based on the Brose Drive S Mag, but comes with specially adapted software including the Californians' usual convincing operating concept. With its maximum torque of 90 Nm, it should have enough power reserves even for a full load.
The battery integrated in the down tube has a capacity of 710 Wh and can be easily removed downwards for charging. It is also secured with a lock.
The most important information can be displayed on the Mastermind TCD screen; if desired, the individual screens can also be customized using the Specialized app.
Well thought-out overall concept
As is common with almost all bikes in this class, the Specialized Porto only comes in one frame size. What is a no-go on sporty bikes is more of an advantage on a family and everyday bike: thanks to the adjustable stem and two-stage adjustable seat post, the postage can be adjusted very quickly to suit different riders.
Nice details on the Specialized Porto include, for example, the generously designed rear wheel arch, the mounting point for bicycle trailers integrated directly into the frame and the bag attached to the frame behind the bottom bracket. The postage also comes with an Abus frame lock as standard, keyed in the same way as the battery.
Specialized postage: features and price
When it comes to models and equipment variants, the Porto is maximally minimalist: one color, one equipment variant, one price: at 6.500 euros, it is in a range in which comparably equipped bikes from competitors can also be found.
In addition to the electric drive mentioned, Specialized installed a continuously variable Enviolo shift hub in conjunction with a carbon belt on the Porto. It's good that the powerful motor can compensate for the rather limited bandwidth of the circuit. The Enviolo is very comfortable when shifting, and the belt is a very low-maintenance system.
Cargo bike-specific TRP Dorado brakes with 203 mm discs at the front and rear ensure that the Porto comes to a safe stop even when fully loaded. Since Specialized does not use a suspension fork, the large-volume 2,8-inch Pathfinder tires from its own company are responsible for dampening shocks and vibrations. Of course, there is also a lighting system and mudguards on board - these are pleasingly long at the front and should ensure dry feet even on wet roads.
A very special feature is the standard Garmin radar system. This monitors the area behind the bike and quickly approaching vehicles are displayed directly on the Mastermind TCD screen. A useful safety feature, especially in the hectic and often confusing everyday street life of big cities.