Estarli L20 2.0 Longtail E-Cargo (2026 – ) review

Practicality is the sole purpose of an e-cargo bike. They are by design, a great alternative to a car – to a degree, of course. You’re not going to be taking it for laps of the Nürburgring, for instance. But for short journeys with stuff to carry it’s a no-brainer. And the Estarli’s versatility is compelling. Our test bike came with the Family Pack Loaded Cocoon option, which includes a front and rear rack, rear seats, footrests, and a cocoon, which is essentially a giant bag and waterproof cover for storing stuff in the rear. If you’re not ferrying kids about or trying to entice your 60-something mother to test out the passenger ‘compartment’ the cocoon is a fantastic place for loading stuff. Indeed, the L20 2.0 can carry up to 250kg – but it’s important to note that the figure does includes bike, rider and cargo. That’s true of all cargo bikes when brands state those figures though, so Estarli’s L20 is still class-leading. The rear rack can handle up to 110kg depending on rider weight and the accessories on the bike, but to be honest that’s likely more than enough for most user cases. The L20 is also easy to setup, the instructions were simple to follow and the racks and accessories were easily secured.

There’s no getting away from the fact this is a big bike, and storage wasn’t the easiest. But, if you’ve got an outbuilding or somewhere on a ground floor it’s simple enough to manoeuvre. Plus, the bars actually fold down, so you can save some space.

The L20 2.0 uses an Estarli Cycle System mid-drive motor rivalling some of the bigger names in terms of sheer numbers. It offers 110Nm of torque, which might seem excessive. But try and set off from standing when you’ve got a fidgety passenger on the back it feels just about right! The drivetrain itself is a non-traditional gear hub system powered by Enviolo. We love these for the sheer simplicity, and the fact you can change gear when stationary. Simply move the grip shift to see the little rider move up or down and see roughly whether you’re in an easy or harder gear. It also means there’s far less maintenance than on a traditional drivetrain, though the amount of torque and weight going through the hubs might hurry the maintenance schedule along somewhat.

It also uses a belt drive rather than a chain, so you’ve got no chain oil to get on your leg, and an excuse not to wash your bike when it’s miserable weather. Being picky we’d rather it had more powerful brakes, though. The standard Tektro hydraulic disc brakes are proven components but with this much weight we’d like a bit more bite. But that is an upgrade you could make post-purchase if need be.

The bike uses 20-inch wheels and wide Schwalbe tyres as well as a short travel suspension fork up front for maximum comfort. Does it need these luxuries? Actually, yes. This for the fact you want a bit of ‘give’ when carrying people and the last thing you want is to hit a pothole and look back and see your cargo flying out the back of the bike.

The handling proved a pleasant surprise, too. Once you get going it rides just like a regular length bike with less adjustment than you might think for the bigger turning circle. Plus, it’s comfortable. Maybe not for a 50-mile sportive, but for short journeys it’s fantastic and the suspension takes the edge off of the British roads.