Yes, the new Porto is the first cargo bike from Specialized — another big player after Cannondale that no longer wants to ignore the trend towards practical transportation bikes. And yet it is not quite the first bike from the American company: as we have already reported here, the Globe brand has been revived for the domestic market. Globe already offers two compact cargo bikes that score points with their simple technology, fun design and affordable price.
Under its own name, however, the company is now getting serious: the design of the new Turbo Porto is much more performance-oriented, the technology is in the high-end segment and the price is also in completely different regions 😉
Cargo bike with longtail design
With its long luggage rack behind the saddle, the Porto is also one of the longtail bikes that have a rather compact overall size despite a large loading area. At just over 2 meters in length, it is barely longer than a regular bike, but with its integrated luggage rack, it offers storage space at the front and a loading area at the rear that can accommodate two kids or a luggage platform measuring 73 x 46 cm.
For a low center of gravity and easy access for kids, the rear wheel has a small 20″ format, while the front has a larger 24″ wheel, both with very wide 70 mm tires. Provided you have the right air pressure, you should hardly miss a suspension fork with these tires. You won’t find a suspension seatpost either, but at least it is easily adjustable in height. The same applies to the stem, which can be flexibly adjusted to suit users of different heights.
710 Wh, 90 Nm: the Turbo Porto impresses with its performance data
There should be no shortage of power in particular: with 90 Nm of torque, the Specialized 2.2 Cargo mid-drive motor outperforms other popular drives from Bosch and Shimano (albeit only slightly), and is also supported by a powerful and removable battery with a capacity of 710 Wh. Power is transmitted via a Gates belt drive to the rear hub, which is the Heavy Duty continuously variable hub gear from Enviolo. This offers a range of 380 % and is fully capable of handling the full power of the motor.
Of course, there is also a permanently installed lighting system on board: the Lezyne E500 headlight with 500 lumens at the front and the cool Spanninga Commuter Glow XE rear light with brake light function at the rear. But it gets even better: Garmin radar is also installed at the rear, which shows vehicles approaching from behind on the central display on the handlebars. For even more safety, a rear-view mirror is also installed on the handlebars to keep an eye on what is happening behind you in the classic way.
Equipment, accessories and price
In addition to the features already mentioned, the Turbo Porto also comes with a small frame bag for stowing small items. The standard equipment includes the large front carrier, while the rear carrier is compatible with the MIK-HD system, which allows child seats or boxes, for example, to be attached with a simple click.
Further equipment can be found in the extensive list of accessories: this lists a grab rail for transporting children for 220 euros, matching footboards cost 200 euros. Alternatively, there are small footrests for 50 euros or a simple seat cushion for the same price. The large luggage platform for securing cargo with lashing straps costs 190 euros, while a matching side bag is available for 130 euros.
Depending on your equipment requirements, this adds up to quite a tidy sum, which must be added to the price of the Turbo Port. And at 6,500 euros, this is also at a rather high level — no big surprise for Specialized.
