With Burley hauling 25 pounds of discarded carrots, pumpkins and bits of coffee, the ride was impressively smooth and seamless, even over rough, patched-up side roads. Since the MG Doble is not an electric bike and may not be allowed on bike paths depending on the municipality, I rode it on city streets as if I was driving a car.
That’s when I realized how small the MG Doble is compared to a garbage truck. That’s when I realized that, on the road, to keep up with the speed of traffic, I had to be at the highest power level possible, going at 20 mph. Restarting in power level three after a stop sign, I found that the twist-grip throttle was sensitive and would jump forward.
On the way home, with an empty trailer, I took the MG Doble up the steepest road that is near my house and has about a 16 percent grade. At full speed, the digital speedometer topped out at about 12.5 mph — enough to get me up the hill, but surprisingly slow for a bike that feels like a Bronco running on the flats.
To test its dual-carrier capability, I took Brian out for a joy ride after work one day. It took me a few blocks to get used to balancing the other body on the back. After a few miles I put it in high, stopping at a busy road intersection. When the traffic cleared, I twisted the throttle once more and the bike turned into a crash wheelie.
Brian slid off the back, while the bike continued forward until I took my hand off the throttle – a counterproductive action since I was trying to avoid falling as well. It was funny at the time, because it was my first motorized wheelie and neither of us were hurt, but it was also scary because if I had done it in front of an oncoming car, we both would have been wrecked.
good and bad
Photograph: Steph Pearson
The MG Doble has many practical uses that will make life more fun, such as carrying a surfboard to the beach through busy streets; carrying plucked apples to the garden; riding to a bucolic school or work campus with few cars; Or throw it on your RV’s bike rack to use as a campground vehicle.
But there are some reasons to pause before shopping. If budget is an issue, the accessories that make this bike so functional add up fast. Without any paddling, the MG Doble doesn’t provide the slightest exercise. And since the Dobble isn’t legally an electric bike, it’s a big challenge to ride it legally on a bike path in many cities. If you have to walk on city streets, it is up to you to deal with the risks that come with them.