Specialized Globe Haul ST Review

The Haul ST is a Class 3 (or Class 2) electric cargo bike with a 772 Wh battery and 700-watt hub motor. The Short Tail aluminum frame rides on wide 20-inch wheels with high volume 3.5-inch tires. With a low, 20-inch step-through height and wheelbase just shy of 43 inches; the bike is very user-friendly. The versatility and carrying capacity of 419 lbs come with a curb weight penalty of 80.5 lbs before adding accessories.

Since we first tested the Haul ST, there have been relatively few hardware changes with the bike. A testament that Specialized nailed the design and consumers continue to be happy with the bike. California has recently passed a law that restricts any bike with a throttle from going faster than 20mph. While the Haul isn't sold with a throttle, many users opted to add one and the bike straddles the line of Class 2/3 compliance with its 28 mph top speed. Specialized just pushed out a software update that limits the speed of the Haul line up to 20mph. It's unclear if users will be forced to upgrade their software or not but new models bought through retailers will almost certainly have the new software installed.

Ride

The ride quality of the Haul ST is quite good; it performs predictably and doesn't falter when fully loaded. Its high-volume tires provide some shock absorption but can't escape the physics of rolling on 20" wheels. The bike reacts to uneven pavement and rough trails with very little flex coming from the frame and small wheels below. Its short wheelbase is incredibly maneuverable and easy to get around on but can exacerbate the bumpy feeling when riding the rough stuff, especially at higher speeds. It's more stable than any other 20" or 22" wheeled bike we've tested, and trading some bumps for its nimble nature is worthwhile. The bike ships as a Class 3 e-bike, and the addition of a throttle, available through Specialized, gives it Class 2 capabilities. Installation is straightforward and requires checking a few boxes in the Globe App to activate.

The components spec on the Haul is superb. The massive 1.5" quill stem seems like an odd throwback, but considering its 160mm of vertical adjustability, it makes perfect sense. 80mm of rise in the handlebar gives the Haul an upright seated position, while its telescoping seat post provides over 13" of height adjustability. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, equipped with 203mm rotors, are smooth and effective, even when the bike is fully loaded or riding in wet conditions.

A Microshift drivetrain offers 9 speeds to choose from, and its shifter is low-profile and ergonomic, featuring an under-bar trigger. 160mm crank arms stay off the ground in all, but the sportiest situations, and the Haul's drivetrain is centered around a stout 100mm bottom bracket shell. The bike includes plastic fenders, an ultra-bright 1500-lumen headlight, tail light, a rear rack, and a center stand.

The plush 3.5" Carless Whisper tires have a raised, smooth center for quiet cruising with low friction, while the taller shoulder knobs engage while cornering or on softer terrain. The tires feature Flak Jacket flat protection and reflective sidewalls. These are our favorite tires amongst all that we've tested on cargo bikes.

The Haul ST is an urban ninja; it fits in tiny spaces, has traffic-racing speed, and carries four times its weight. Add in its impressive range and ability to fit such a wide size of riders, and it's easy to imagine these everywhere. The advertised height range of 4'5" to 6'4" is impressive, and while we didn't have testers at the extremes of this range, it fit everyone we put on it quite well. The handlebar grips and saddle are well-designed and caused no complaints, even from non-cyclists. The plastic pedals, however, gave up on us by the 100-mile mark; that said, we're never easy on our test gear, and the alloy pedals we replaced them with are confidence-inspiring.

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On a cargo bike, features and accessories have a huge impact on your experience. The features we've covered are mostly fantastic and set this bike apart from a crowded field of quirky models. The accessories felt less user-friendly from a design and installation perspective. While the assembly of this bike was amongst the easiest of any bike we've ever assembled, adding the accessories was a bit more involved.

The foot pegs and rear wheel covers require removing the rear wheel, which isn't a simple procedure, even with the included tools. Installation of the wheel protectors that partially integrate with the fenders utilize 14 velcro straps and 4 zip ties. It took us longer to install these than to assemble the bike. The foot pegs are basic BMX-style and not designed specifically for this bike. Given its short wheelbase and the peg's proximal location to the back of your legs, riders should be cautious not to let the pegs contact their legs when putting their feet down.

The passenger handlebar installation requires T-nuts in the rack, as there is no fixed mounting point. Utilizing T-nuts provides a bit of flexibility, but the size of the passenger seat restricts the range of mounting locations to a very limited extent. Once mounted, the handlebar functions effectively, but users should check for interference between the handlebar and the saddle. The flex in the telescoping seat post creates a pinch spot for little hands if you're not mindful of the clearance during setup.

The Coolcave Panniers are effective and useful, but because of their rigid shape, they extend the bike's footprint. Something I found disappointing is that the panniers don't mount to the custom rack but require adding $100 pannier adapters. The rack can accept an MIK adapter plate to mount compatible baskets, or you can utilize the rack customization kit and mount your own basket, crate, or art piece. While we love the bike and find it a good value, adding all the accessories adds almost $1000 to the price, and none of the accessories we tried felt as impressive as the bike itself.

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Range

The Haul ST wowed us with its significant range. Our standardized range test includes rolling hills and uses throttle only to eliminate the variable of pedal assistance. In this test, we rode 31.9 miles with over 1500 feet of elevation gain, averaging 16.2 mph.

The downtube-mounted 772Wh battery, which has IPX7 waterproof rating, provided full power until the final mile, at which point our speed was limited to 10 mph. We're confident this bike could achieve its stated range of 60 miles with moderate pedal assistance.

Power

The 700W hub motor is technically less powerful than the 750W we find on most Class 2/3 bikes today, but those numbers don't tell the whole story.

The Haul shot up to 19.9 mph in just 7.9 seconds from a standstill. In the uphill test, we maintained an uphill cruising speed of 19.1 mph and slowed to only 16.8 mph in the steepest sections. The Haul felt more powerful than many other bikes we've tested with higher-wattage hub motors, and never felt short on power or torque.

There are five pedal assist (PAS) modes. Mode 1 creates a subtle assist that feels like a gentle tailwind, while Mode 5 utilizes your pedal input to quickly accelerate the bike beneath you, requiring almost no effort from the rider. The Haul is geared with a 50-tooth chainring, allowing you to pedal to speeds well above the 20mph assisted maximum. At 28mph, the screen displays an error message and stops registering speed, so if we reach speeds above that, the bike isn't telling us.

Cargo Carrying

Despite its small stature, the Haul can seriously, well, Haul. With a maximum load of 419 lbs, including the rider, not much will fit on the bike that you can't carry. The 15.5" long rear cargo rack was designed specifically for this bike, and it provides some versatility but mainly serves as a place to bolt accessories and adapters. T-Channel aluminum rails on the top and sides of the rack allow users to bolt not just milk crates to the top but get creative and customize for their needs.

Having to add $100 pannier adapters to a rack is unfortunate, but for the most part, it enhances the bike's usability. If you want to carry a child or passenger, the handlebar and seat attach to the top of the rack, with the handlebar using T-bolts and the seat using Velcro. To further enhance your hauling capabilities, Specialized offers a front rack and basket that attach to the head tube, as well as a smaller basket that attaches to the handlebar.

As with other electric cargo bikes, consider the cost and availability of accessories. Most cargo bikes on the market today offer accessories separately to unlock their maximum potential or carrying capacity. Compared to other bikes and manufacturers, Globe accessories and upgrades are numerous, offering various ways to carry your cargo. With a short 43" wheelbase, the Haul ST feels less like a cargo bike than many others. The shorter wheelbase will allow it to fit a standard bike rack, but only a few can handle its 80-plus-pound weight. If you plan to move the Haul on a bike rack, look for one with a loading ramp. (Our bike rack review can point you in the right direction.)

Interface

The e-bike interface that Specialized chose for this bike is an all-in-one screen and control unit located next to the left handlebar grip. While we prefer a centered display, we found no issues getting the necessary info from this display. The buttons to increase and decrease PAS levels are a quick thumb reach away, and a tiny little power button is nestled between them. A broad push with the thumb or fat finger wasn't the right pressure to power the bike on and off; instead, we found a fingernail or corner of a finger to do the trick.

If you want the full dashboard experience, you can mount your phone to the handlebars and use the Globe app, which shows a wide range of info and controls. You can use the app to change PAS and headlight settings, view battery level, projected range, and an odometer. You can also lock the bike with the app, it won't prevent someone from riding off on it, but it will prevent them from being able to use any of the powered functions. A power button on the app allows you to turn the bike off, but not on.

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On the side of the display, a USB port allows you to plug your phone in and keep the Globe app dashboard running. The rest of the bike controls are ergonomic and well-placed. On the handlebar's right side, you have an included bell and switch for the incredibly bright headlight. It has several modes, including a strobe and an impressive 1500-lumen high beam.

Assembly

This process could not be smoother. Specialized did their homework to make consumer-direct bicycle assembly straightforward, easy, and non-intimidating. When purchasing the bike online, you can have it sent to a bike shop and assembled for an extra $100. For those even slightly mechanically inclined or able to follow directions, this is easy to do yourself; mounting the accessories is far more challenging.

Assembling the Haul ST is an absolute joy. The large 100-plus-pound box arrived with clear instructions on the outside. Twist the lock knobs at the bottom of the box and lift the top off. Inside is an almost completely assembled bike with clear, easy-to-read numbered steps marked with big yellow numbered stickers. All tools, including torque wrenches, were included with the easy-to-follow instructions. Assembling the bike did not require lifting it out of the box; it simply rolled out onto its center kickstand when ready. The total assembly time was 17 minutes! As someone who has assembled thousands of bikes from boxes over the years, the consumer-friendly aspect of this bike very welcome.

Should You Buy the Specialized Globe Haul ST?

We highly recommend the Haul ST if you're looking for a user-friendly cargo bike that can do the heavy lifting of replacing some car trips with a small footprint. The bike offers great ride quality, tremendous range, and versatility; it's also fun to ride. If you need to haul more than one kid/passenger or need a bike, you can carry it up the stairs; the Haul will not be the right bike for you.

What Other E-Bikes Should You Consider?

If you need a little more passenger room, the Blix Packa Genie and RadWagon 5 both provide that extra real estate at a good value. Both bikes have significantly larger footprints as a tradeoff. If you like the size and versatility of the Haul ST but want something a little more value-oriented, check out the Aventon Abound SR. I really liked how well the SR handled, and with Specialized's massive price increases, the Abound is a better deal than ever.