Top 5 things we like about Specialized's new Globe Haul LT e-cargo bike
The new Haul LT is claimed to be the electric bike workhorse designed to replace your car
The Globe ST was released in March this year and can carry cargo up to 190kg for 100km on a single charge. Specialized also launched the Turbo Tero X around the same time, a full-suspension e-bike branded as an SUV of the bike world, able to carry luggage and cargo with ease while delivering a comfortable and confident ride on all terrains. The brand now adds to its Globe Haul and cargo e-bike range with the Globe Haul LT, with additional rack space over the ST, and with a brand new accessory range specially designed for the LT. Specialized say it will make the Globe LT more customizable than ever, and a workhorse that could replace your car for around the town errands. We had a look over the new model and here are our five stand-out features that caught our eye...
1. Plenty of capacity
Specialized says they have kept all the Haul features loved from the ST and extended the back end on the LT (Long Tail). This gives increased carrying capacity and a rear rack double the size – so you can carry more into it than ever before, up to a claimed 200kg. The increased capacity means there is a host of additional accessory mounts, allowing users to fine-tune the LT to suit their own needs. The LT can take up to six panniers, two seats for passengers or a combination of both. There are also new customizable cargo rails and running boards, which they say make for better passenger stability.
2. Ample motor power
As mentioned, the new Globe Haul LT can carry up to 200kg, including the rider, which gives this e-bike some serious cargo-carrying capacity. Power to carry more comes from a 700-watt rear hub motor, limited to 28 mph (subject to e-bike restrictions) which Specialized says provides up to 100 km of range from its high capacity 772Wh battery. There are also five assist levels available and a nine-speed drivetrain. There is also the optional extra throttle that can allow the LT to keep rolling up to 20 mph without pedaling (if legal where you live).
3. Life-proof design and warranty
The Haul LT frame comes with a lifetime guarantee as Specialized say it's a 'tool for life' and they have developed the Haul LT the same way they would a Tour de France race bike, and back it up like one. So the one-size-fits-all frame is covered should the worst happen. There is also a two year e-system warranty. Daily protection for the bike comes with the full-coverage fenders and rear wheel covers helping keep riders, cargo and the bike clean and protected from road debris.
4. One size fits all
Specialized says their LT frame is unique, and based on its Retül bike fit database, the single-size frame will fit riders from around 4’5” up to 6’4”. The telescopic seatpost has over 13 inches of adjustability, and the quill stem can also extend almost 6 inches for additional fit fine-tuning. They add it will provide a comfortable ride for almost everyone. The Retül database is Specialized's bike fit technology used to collect and analyze data to increase comfort, prevent injuries and improve performance.
5. Low and stable ride
When carrying big loads, the user needs to be confident that the bike will stay upright, and the LT has twenty-inch diameter wheels to help give a low center of gravity. The extra wide 3.5-inch tan walled semi-slick tires should provide comfort and traction on any terrain and feature a 3-ply casing for superior puncture protection. There is an extra-wide center stand to make loading and unloading cargo safe and easy. Each mounting point has its own maximum weight limit which they say helps the distribution of cargo evenly around the bike – assuming you carry scales or know the weight of your cargo of course.
Specialized Haul LT pricing and specifications
The new Haul LT model is available now and comes in a Gloss White Mountains colorway, priced at $3,500. Currently its only available in the US, Specialized says it intends to distribute the bike worldwide "eventually".
Accessories like running boards, cargo bags and panniers are sold separately with more information at Specialized.com.
- Frame: Haul LT Premium Aluminum
- Fork: Globe Steel, fender/rack mounts
- Motor: Globe custom tuned motor, 9-speed
- Battery: Globe external battery, 772Wh
- Rear Derailleur: microSHIFT, 9-speed
- Shifters: microSHIFT Advent
- Stem: Globe, 150mm quill stem
- Bar: Globe, alloy, 700mm
- Crankset: Alloy arm, alloy chainring guard, 160mm
- Seatpost: Telescoping, alloy, 525mm
- Saddle: Specialized Body Geometry Comfort Gel
- Brakes: Tektro HD-T535, 4 piston caliper, 203mm
- Wheels: Double-wall alloy
- Tires: Globe Reflect, Tan Sidewall, 20x3.5
- Sizes: One size only
- Weight: 40kg
- Price: $3,500
Paul Brett joined BikePerfect as a staff writer in 2022. He has been an avid cyclist for as long as he can remember, initially catching the mountain biking bug in the 1990s, and he raced mountain bikes for over a decade before injury cut short a glittering career. An award-winning photographer, when not riding a bike, he can be found at the side of a cyclocross track or a downhill mountain bike world championship shooting the action. Paul was the founder, editor and writer of Proper Cycling magazine, and he's traveled the world interviewing some of the biggest names in mountain biking and writing about some of the biggest cycling brands.
Current rides: Canyon Inflite, Specialized Diverge, Marin Alpine Trail 2