Tern Orox bike review
So much potential for both fun and utility if you dare to test its limits.
A go-anywhere, do-anything beast of burden
Words and images by James Huang, N-1
I’ve ridden a lot of fat bikes. I’ve also ridden a lot of cargo bikes. And yep, at this point, I’ve also ridden a lot of e-bikes.
But an e-cargo fat bike? That combination is far more unusual, but that’s exactly what Tern has cooked up with its outlandish Orox, which features a longtail cargo frame mated to huge 27.5x4”tires and a Bosch mid-drive motor system. It’s a curious looking thing, but also an insanely capable beast that promises to go anywhere, do anything, and bring everything.
Is this a bike for everyone? Absolutely not. But while the appeal is pretty narrow, wow, is it really, really fun.
The rear rack is a massive base for cargo.
I’m not sure if the Orox is more cargo bike, e-bike, or fat bike since it’s arguably equal parts all three. But since I’ve got to start somewhere, let’s talk about the cargo part first.
The Orox’s robust TIG-welded 6061 aluminum frame features a fairly conventional longtail format, with a rather normal-looking front triangle mated to an extended rear end topped with a massive bolt-on cargo rack. Carrying capacity and load flexibility are the main goals here, and there’s also an optional front rack that’s similarly beefy.
Taken in total, Tern says the Orox is rated to carry up to a whopping 210 kg (463 lb) of rider and cargo when riding on-road, or 180 kg (397 lb) when riding on trails. Maximum rider weight alone is a generous 130 kg (287 lb).
The experience of riding the Orox would be very, very different without the help of the Bosch e-assist mid-drive motor.
Helping you push all of that mass around is a Bosch Performance Line CX mid-drive e-assist motor system, with up to 85 Nm of torque and 600 W of power output. With the optional dual Bosch PowerPack 725 Li-ion battery packs fitted, the Bosch Kiox 300 full-color LED display shows up to 190 km (118 miles) of range in Eco mode.
And finally, hauling all of that stuff around solely on paved or dirt/gravel roads doesn’t come across as terribly exciting, right? Never fear, the Orox is outfitted with all-conditions backwoods adventuring in mind, including 27.5x4”-wide tires mounted on 70 mm-wide (internal width) tubeless-compatible double-walled aluminum rims, a Shimano Deore/Deore XT 1x12 drivetrain, and four-piston Magura MT5 hydraulic disc brakes matched to 203 mm-diameter rotors.
Taken in total, Tern says the Orox is rated to carry up to a whopping 210 kg (463 lb) of rider and cargo when riding on-road, or 180 kg (397 lb) when riding on trails. Maximum rider weight alone is a generous 130 kg (287 lb).
Tern has earned a reputation for having a particularly expansive accessory ecosystem for its cargo bikes, and the Orox is no exception. Rear panniers? Front panniers? Want to carry one kid? Two kids? Raincovers for the kids? An adult? Your dog? Need stabilizer extensions for the dual-legged kickstand? Wheelguards? Rack top bags? Carrying crates? You get the point. If you can imagine it, Tern probably offers it.
