Long John

Long john is the first of its kind, a class-defining all-terrain longtail cargo bike designed from scratch and hand-built to order right here by Veto in Alexandra, NZ. It is fast, rugged, versatile and extremely easy on the eye, like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Scarlett Johansson’s imaginary lovechild. Put bluntly, it’s the only bike you’ll ever need, handling like a trail bike and hauling like a Clydesdale. The perfect blend of performance, durability and class. No more heavy, dorky, jarring rides, no this is the Porsche of cargo bikes. Unlike a fancy car however, this will actually save you money and help you to live more free.

You and your cargo will have a blast standing out from the crowd on this flying work of art, and be supporting a 100% local NZ business while you do it. Our goal is to get as many bums out of cars and on to cargo bikes as possible so you can enjoy all of the advantages they have to offer. So come join us, and be the change!

Here’s the specs:

  • Motor: powerful CYC Photon mid drive motor capable of delivering 110 N.m. of torque, 30% more than the Bosch Cargo Line
  • Battery: huge 800Wh lithium ion battery pack, 60% more than a lot of the competition
  • Cargo capacity (rear rack): 1-3 children, max load of 155kg including the rider. Any more would be silly
  • Colour: you choose! So long as it’s light, talk to me about what you like. Light vibrant colours work best
  • Frame: one size, compression moulded carbon fibre and aluminium
  • Rider suitability: will suit riders approx. 1.6m to 1.95m in height
  • Weight: finished bike is 27kg, incl. the rear rack and kickstand, excl. other accessories
  • Wheelbase: 1.37m
  • Rear rack: 0.65m long, 0.55m high. Integral with the frame, it’s low and plenty strong
  • Suspension: RockShox Judy Gold RL fork with 120mm travel
  • Seat post: SR Suntour NCX suspension seat post
  • Brakes: Tektro Dorado 4 pot hydraulic disc brakes and 180mm rotors front and back. Tons of stopping power
  • Drivetrain: 38t chain ring and 11-38t cassette on the rear with a MicroShift Advent derailleur and shifter specially designed for 20 inch wheels
  • Front wheel: 27.5″ rim custom laced on a 110x15mm boost hub
  • Rear wheel: 20″ rim custom laced on a 148x12mm boost hub
  • Tyres: Schwalbe Pick-Up, built for cargo bikes. Excellent strength, grip, and puncture protection
  • Stand: double-legged centre kickstand

Price: $9,200 incl. GST (payment plans are available, please get in touch to discuss)

What’s included?

  • Obviously all the essentials like wheels and brakes and stuff
  • Kickstand
  • Integrated rear rack

Optional extra’s

Saddle

  • It’s a busy bee really; gives the kids something to rest on, stops water from flicking up, and keeps little feet out of the dangerous stuff
  • Great canvas for our motto (or your business branding)
  • Weighs in at only 1.6kg
  • $850 incl. GST

Rest’n’Rails

  • Keeps the kids and cargo on the saddle
  • Handy hinge and push button release on the left side rail for clambering on and off
  • Comfy front and back rests for the shorties to laze against
  • $450 incl. GST

Front basket: currently in development, watch this space!

FAQ’s

  • Only 9-speed? Why? Because a 9-speed cassette allows for a wide range of gear ratios without too much gap/step in between while also allowing for a good solid chain to handle all the power being put through it.
  • No gearbox or belt drive? There’s a good reason why derailleurs are so common. They’re simple, affordable, efficient, lightweight, easily serviced, and… was there anything else? Oh yeah, easily serviced.
  • Why does it cost this much? I can buy a car for that! That’s true, you can buy a car for $10k. But then you’ll be stuck having to pay for repairs, maintenance, insurance, registration, petrol, parking etc. So what’s the true cost of that car? A whole lot more than running a bike! But to answer the original question, a large portion of the price is dictated by the high capacity motor and battery, which together come to over $2.5k. Add to that all of the other parts and materials and it doesn’t leave much. Sure I could be using cheaper parts, but bikes need to be fit for purpose, safe, reliable, and above all else fun to ride, so no more cheap junky parts. Think of this as an investment!
  • Why the CYC Photon? I deliberately chose to use a bottom bracket mounted mid-drive motor because I don’t want the frame to be locked in to a specific motor. As a way to improve the frame lifespan and ultimately reduce waste, a bottom bracket mounted motor can easily be replaced with any other aftermarket mid-drive conversion motor in the unlikely event that there is an issue. So let’s say in 10 or 20 years time the motor finally becomes unserviceable and needs to be replaced, that can be a simple process with plenty of options to choose from. It also leaves the frame able to adapt as technology evolves, so should motor technology improve significantly it can be upgraded without fuss. No more being restricted to proprietary technologies!
  • Can I have a test ride? Absolutely! I’m thinking about facilitating test rides in Alex, Cromwell, Wanaka and Queenstown at some point in the near future, so if this would suit you please let me know so I can factor this in.
  • What is the lead in time for a new bike? At this stage, lead in time is approximately 5 weeks.
  • What colours are available? Any! You choose, though light colours work best. Literally look at any colour chart (this one is pretty useful: https://rgbcolorpicker.com/) and write down the RGB code. The reason I say “so long as it’s light” is because lighter colours will keep the frame cooler in the harsh sun, improving its performance and longevity. It really is incredible how hot dark colours will get when left out in the sun.
  • How safe is a carbon fibre frame? While carbon fibre frames are typically optimised to be as lightweight as possible, and therefore incorporate relatively little factor of safety, this frame is designed to be bomb-proof. That is to say, I’ve taken no chances and engineered a lot of redundancy into the frame to ensure the rigors of everyday cargo bike life won’t exceed (or even come close to) the point of causing damage.
  • Can carbon fibre be recycled? Well, the short answer is no, it’s very difficult to recycle effectively. However, I’ve engineered this frame and its attachments to be exceptionally strong and durable, thereby maximising their service life. This translates to less waste in the long run. Buy once, buy right. What’s more, significant thought has gone into ensuring all parts including the motor and battery are non-proprietary and easily upgraded. As technology evolves, this bike will evolve with it. It’s the only bike you’ll ever need, in perpetuity.
  • Why should it be light weight? It’s a cargo bike, who cares how heavy it is? For a starter, this bike is optimised for strength and durability, not light weight (that’s a fortunate consequence of material selection). Moving on, weight does matter for a cargo bike. Think of when you’re trying to park it, turn it around, lift it up steps, servicing, low speed maneuvering, or maybe putting it on a bike rack. In all of these examples, being light weight can make that job easier, safer, and more enjoyable. Finally, it means that it can make a great trail bike; just whip the cargo attachments off and away you go! Or leave them on, whatever floats your boat.