Decathlon Btwin R500E 2023: New Features for the Cargo Bike!

Decathlon’s Btwin brand success, the first R500E cargo bike will correct many flaws and offer new colors this year.

Btwin is doubling down on bikes. Never before has the brand been so dynamic, with several new products in recent months, including the high-end electric bike LD 920E. But the very recent Decathlon R500E is also not resting, and will even evolve in 2023.

An already very interesting first draft

The R500E is Decathlon’s first cargo bike. Btwin started from a blank sheet to design this model, under the direction of Herman Van Beveren, product manager we met in Lille. The guiding principle for this elongated bike was clear: to offer a good transportation tool for those wishing to ditch their car, at a reasonable price. We know how quickly elongated bikes can become expensive, often exceeding €4,000. But here, Decathlon R500E made a strong impression, with a complete standard product priced at €2,799.

Our test was quite encouraging, with good road handling (without exceeding 150 kg load), solid suspension, and a measured 60 km in intermediate mode. But as its first creation of this kind, this bike for families is not free of flaws. Our review highlighted aspects such as the frame being too high for some sizes, without an adjustable suspended saddle like the Moustache Lundi 20. However, some minor issues will be addressed in future updates.

A refined Decathlon R500E 2023

The Decathlon cargo bike will evolve with several details. Firstly, a new bolted stand instead of a screwed one has been used on current bikes for the past few weeks, and will be included on the new model.

The other major update is battery management (BMS for insiders), which will no longer cap power below 40% energy. This was a key flaw, according to Frédéric Jung, Btwin product manager. The R500E will thus retain its most powerful mode regardless of battery level—still equipped with a 672 Wh capacity—but will lose some range. The charger will remain the same, reaching full charge in less than 5 hours. Decathlon claims faster chargers exist, but these high-amp chargers are too expensive, which is not their approach.

The front basket is also changing, becoming wider and longer, allowing larger objects to be transported. However, it remains rated for 10 kg, no more. At the rear, the seat and footrest wood will be varnished to prevent deterioration but should be treated regularly. Btwin is also relocating the rear wheel lock, which is less practical with children or luggage, to the front wheel, and a small plastic cover will absorb chain noise at the tensioner.

Decathlon cargo bike finds colors, but at what price?

Finally, the Decathlon R500E will have new colors each year. In 2023, it will be available in two standard colors: beige and green, replacing the light blue launch color, as well as a limited edition red. Btwin justifies this by the desire of customers not to be in traffic or at school pick-up with the same color as their neighbor.

Bad news, all these updates come with a price increase. Decathlon told us that the price of the R500E will go up, and that happened quickly, as it just increased from €2,799 to €2,900 in recent days! But it still remains very affordable compared to the competition.

Read also: Gaya Cargo: our review of the cheerful family bike