How a Cargo Bike Transformed Sophia’s Everyday Life

What if I told you, the biggest thing stopping you from riding a bike wasn’t fitness, infrastructure or even the hills - but simply believing that eBiking wasn’t for you?

That was the case for Sophia.

For around five years, Fully Charged founder Ben had been trying to persuade his friend Sophia Hilton to try a family electric cargo bike. She’d never really considered herself a cyclist. In fact, she’d spent years telling herself that she wasn’t coordinated enough to ride a bike at all.

Then she finally gave it a go.

One week later, we joined Sophia and her son Hendrix in Brighton to see how they were getting on with their new Tern GSD - and discovered that the transformation had happened remarkably quickly.

“Hills aren’t a problem for me anymore”

Within her first week, Sophia had already started using the GSD for the journeys cargo bikes do best: taking Hendrix to summer school, heading to the shops, visiting friends and simply getting around.

And one of the first things she noticed was just how much easier an eBike makes everyday cycling.

Brighton isn’t exactly flat, but with electric assistance the hills that might once have made cycling feel intimidating suddenly weren’t much of an issue.

That doesn’t mean there’s no exercise involved either.

An electric cargo bike still requires you to pedal - you simply get to decide how much assistance you want. Drop the assistance down when you fancy a workout, or turn it up when you’re carrying a child, tackling a steep hill or just want to arrive without breaking a sweat.

For Sophia, it meant cycling could become part of her everyday exercise rather than another thing she needed to find time for.

A different way to experience your city

Perhaps the nicest part of our ride wasn’t really about the bike at all.

Heading out of Brighton Marina and up towards the cliffs, Sophia found herself riding along paths and discovering places she hadn’t even realised existed.

That is one of the things we love most about eBikes.

They’re not simply an alternative way of getting from A to B. They can completely change the way you experience the place you live.

Routes that might feel too far to walk become easy to explore. Hills become manageable. Traffic becomes something you ride past rather than sit in. And suddenly a school run or trip to the shops can become one of the most enjoyable parts of your day.

As Sophia put it during the ride, she’d never considered herself particularly sporty or outdoorsy.

A week with the bike was already beginning to change that.

Choosing not to own a car

Sophia splits her time between Brighton and London and hasn’t owned a car for around 15 years.

For her, that’s a deliberate decision.

In both cities, congestion can make even relatively short journeys by car frustrating. With the GSD, she can carry Hendrix, do the shopping and make the everyday journeys that might otherwise tempt a family into buying a second car - without actually needing one.

And with improving cycling infrastructure in both Brighton and London, many of those journeys can be made largely using cycle lanes and quieter routes.

There’s an important point here too: the best cycling route isn’t necessarily the quickest route you’d take in a car.

Spend a little time finding quieter streets, parks, cycleways and traffic-free paths and a journey can become safer, calmer and considerably more enjoyable.

The stories we tell ourselves

When Ben asked why it had taken five years to convince her, Sophia’s answer was simple: she’d always told herself she wasn’t a cyclist.

But after just a week on the GSD, that story had changed. She was confidently carrying Hendrix around Brighton and already wishing she’d made the switch sooner.

That’s what cargo bikes can unlock. Beyond the practicality of carrying kids, shopping and avoiding traffic, they bring freedom, joy, exercise and a new way to explore the places around you.

Sometimes you don’t need to be a cyclist to get an eBike — the eBike is what turns you into one.