MADSEN CYCLES FAQ

Call or text us at 800-206-0941, email us at info@madsencycles.com. We also do our best to answer all your questions via Website Chat, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We are always happy to connect with you!

Click for YouTube How-Tos

Tip to tip with wheel forward : 91Lx27Wx44H
Turned Handlebars (to fit in an elevator) : 79Lx27Wx44H
Turned Handlebars with front rack : 84Lx27Wx44H

36Lx27Wx21H

The inside of the front rack measures 15.25Lx12Wx11H

From the seat, the head-room at its lowest point is about 24 inches. It arches up like a tent, so at its highest point in the middle the head room is 29 inches. My 13-year old son has to lean forward just a bit or his head will touch at the low point.

271 kilograms, or 600 pounds – this is rider plus cargo.

The tire sizes are standard, and can be found online or at your local bike shop.
Front tire = 26" x 1.95"
Rear tire = 20" x 1.95"

The major differences are that starting with the 2019 model, the design has an improved braking feel and response, and is excellent for the option of adding an electric assist:

Front and rear Tektro Aquila 160mm disc brakes

Front and rear thru-axel hubs

New rear CNC thru-axel dropouts with integrated router mount (so sweet!)

A new thru-axel fork with CNC precision alignment creating an amazing braking feel and response

No. The bucket only fits onto a MADSEN bike, which it is specifically designed for.

We operate on a direct sales model only at this time. If you live in Utah, we would LOVE for you to stop in at our warehouse and test-ride a MADSEN. We also have awesome MADSEN owners all over the country! Check out the MADSEN MAP on our homepage to connect with a local owner near you! We also can help locate one for you if you are having any trouble at all. MADSEN owners are the BEST. Email info@madsencycles.com if you would like us to help locate a MADSEN owner in your area.

Yes, you may purchase a bucket for $250 plus shipping charges. Contact us via email for a shipping quote and to help you place an order.

Yes, you may mix and match bucket colors on the bikes, as long as we have them in stock. You can let us know when we call you to confirm your bike order. You may also email info@madsencycles.com or call and let us know if you prefer a different colored bucket than the one your bike comes with.

We do not. The 2 keys that are sent with the bike are your only keys for the front rim lock / cable lock. Be sure to keep one in a safe place in case one is misplaced. You can order blank keys from our website and have duplicates made at your local key shop if you are concerned about losing both keys. IF BOTH KEYS ARE LOST, YOU WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE LOCK. Replacement Wheel Locks are available on the website in the event that both keys are lost.

If you purchase an electric MADSEN, you will also receive 2 keys for the battery. The same applies here; we do not keep copies of your keys, so keep the spare in a safe place.

In the continental U.S., we ask that you allow 6-20 business days for the bike to arrive at your home. This time is largely dependent on the shipping transit distance to your location. You will receive a phone call from our office once your order is placed to confirm all the details of your order. You may expedite this process by calling us at 800-206-0941 during business hours. You will receive an email confirmation with tracking when your bike leaves our shop, and a phone call from the shipping company to set up an appointment for the delivery.

Yes. Select local pickup at checkout, and you are eligible to receive a local pickup discount. Our warehouse is located in Murray, Utah. 4650 South 148 West, 84107.

Check out this YouTube Link For Simple Instructions on Setting Up Your Bike:

Your MADSEN will arrive fully assembled, with a complete tune-up and test ride from the mechanic at our shop prior to packaging. All you have to do is attach the front wheel and fender. You will also want to adjust the seat and handlebars to your liking.
Tools needed are: 4mm, 5mm and 6mm hex wrenches. These are included with your bike. You will find them attached to the front wheel.
First install the fender: using the 4mm and 5mm hex wrenches, remove the 3 hex bolts on the front wheel fork - two 4mm bolts on opposite sides of the fork and one 5mm bolt behind the wheel lock.
Put the fender through the fork and install the bolts.
Make sure that the brake rotor/disk on the wheel is on the left side (same side as the brake caliper on the fork).
Lift up the front of the bike and line up the fork dropouts above the wheel hub, at the same time making sure that the brake rotor/disk fits into the brake caliper.
Carefully lower the forks onto the hub. Insert the thru-axle bolt through the right fork dropout, through the hub and into the left fork dropout.
Tighten the thru-axle bolt with the 6mm hex wrench.

This is a difficult question, as it depends so much on the ability of the rider, but for someone who is comfortable riding a regular upright bicycle, the MADSEN rides in much the same way. Most customers are very pleased with how much easier it is to ride than they first imagined. Tight corners and turns as well as dismount may take some adjustment for some people. For someone who is hesitant, we recommend riding the bike alone (without any kids or cargo) a few times before adding weight. That said, as our reviews will tell, most people have no problems at all riding the MADSEN!

Not necessarily. The bike has 9 gears, which help on any inclines. If your bucket is loaded with kids and you are carrying a lot of extra weight, a hill will be more of a challenge. Our custom MADSEN Electric Assist Kit can be added to your bike at any time, which makes any hill a breeze!
Our custom e-kit is compatible for MADSEN bike models 2011 - current, to add to your current MADSEN bike. It is MOST compatible with 2019 and later models, as major upgrades to the brakes happened at this time to accommodate the electric option. (It can fit older 2009/2010 models with modifications.)
With the e-assist, you will be able to add power when you want it. Your Electric bucket bike will allow you to easily cruise up hills with 4 kids, a pet and all of your gear in tow.

Custom MADSEN Electric Assist Kit Installation Video (2019), if you order a kit after you already own a bike:

The MADSEN is designed to fit a very large spectrum of potential riders/sizes. The step-through frame and upright Dutch riding style of the MADSEN allow for riders of many heights to ride the bike comfortably. The seat is easily adjustable to fit the rider's leg length. Several 5-foot women have purchased the bike and ride comfortably. We also have a customer who is 6'10" with a 39" inseam, who rides the MADSEN comfortably. The height of the seat in its lowest position from seat to pedal is 28"/710mm. (There are a few other little tricks we can use in the rare case that the rider's legs are not tall enough - so let us know when you purchase!). The measurement of seat in its highest position to the pedal in its lowest position is 41".

The bucket width is no wider than the width of the handlebars, so anywhere you feel comfortable fitting through with the handlebars, the bucket will just follow.

No.

Yes, there are nine gears. These are very helpful on the hills.

Great question! This is the design of the lock. You remove the key while the bike is parked, which locks the wheel in place. When you are ready to use the bike, just put the key in and unlock the wheel. THE KEY WILL STAY IN while you are riding (kind of like a car) and until you are ready to lock the wheel again.

Any color of bucket will get hot if you leave the bike in the sun for an extended period of time. The black will get slightly more hot than the others if left in the sun. We haven’t noticed much a difference with a black bucket or lighter colored bucket while riding in the sun. The air moving is sufficient to keep it cooled down.

Many customers have had success with a 4-bike trailer-hitch bike rack, which will hold one MADSEN bike and one or two smaller bicycles (check your car's hitch and rack weight limits). You may also use a tandem bike roof rack, but we recommend you remove the bucket and put it inside the car to decrease weight on the roof. The bike also fits inside most SUV's and minivans, with the rear seats down.

Most bike racks are made to be pretty adaptable for carrying any bike. The 4-bike trailer-hitch rack (or bigger) works well because of the width of the bucket, making it farther away from the car. The racks that carry the bikes by the frame, rather than by the wheel are best as the Madsen wheel base is very long. We also recommend to use extra tie-down straps to secure the bike/handlebars/tires better than just the rack attachment, to prevent swaying and movement while driving. If you decide on a rack and want some peace of mind that it will work, please don't hesitate to send us the information on it and we will run it by our mechanics.

Yes, the bike comes stock with a 38-tooth front chainring. If you prefer higher gearing, we suggest using a 44-tooth front chainring instead.

Hours of usage from the e-assist depends a lot on how you use it. It's like gas mileage - if you ride fast, with heavy cargo, and up a lot of hills, it won't last as long as if the terrain is flat or downhill and your cargo is light. It also depends on how much you pedal and how much wind-resistance is present. So it can get anywhere from three to ten hours, depending on all of these factors. Our customers have been very happy with the length of battery charge - and it’s safe to say if charged at night, you will be good to go on most all of your daily adventures. If you plan to bike many hours in one day, an extra battery on-hand is not a bad idea.

Yes, there is a 6V 500mA output connector from the controller which can be used to hook up after-market lights to the motor (the lights we sell are currently battery-powered)

The battery, motor, charger and wires are all individually UL compliant, or certified. We are currently working on UL certification specifically for the MADSEN E-bike as a whole. We are confident our E-bike system, including the battery, is safe. However, all lithium batteries have the potential of being dangerous. Always properly replace any damaged battery, use the correct charger and wires to stay safe. Safety is our top priority.

We participate in the Call2Recycle program that allows MADSEN owners to recycle their batteries and dispose of them safely. Visit https://www.call2recycle.org to learn how to properly recycle your battery.

Great question! Jared tested both engines extensively and ultimately decided on the BBS02 as the best fit for the MADSEN.

If you decide to purchase a Bafang kit from another vendor, we recommend that you order the BBS02 vs the BBSHD. Here are a few reasons why:

To take full advantage of the Max torque of the BBSHD you would need to pedal (cadence) 140 RPM. A comfortable pedaling cadence is 60-80 RPM. At a normal/comfortable pedaling cadence, the two motors are almost producing the same torque. Comparing the two motors side by side during actual riding conditions is quite a different thing than comparing the two motors on paper. The BBS02 and BBSHD have the same max-speed, although the BBSHD will accelerate faster. That faster acceleration will also eat up your battery more quickly. It can be compared to a car with a big souped-up V8 engine jammed in under its hood. The BBSHD is like that big V8. It will work, it will burn some rubber, use a lot of gas and you are sure to dominate your neighborhood drag race. But that same car works fine with a stock engine in it, getting you anywhere you would want to go while using less gas and putting less wear and tear on the drive train, brakes, tires, etc. The BBS02 is like the stock engine.

The BBSHD is physically quite a bit bigger. The Q-factor is significantly wider than the BBS02. Q-factor is how far apart your pedals are from each other, or how far apart your feet will be as you pedal. A small increase in Q-factor makes a big difference. Pedaling the BBSHD forces your legs into a bow-legged position. Imagine trying to pedal a horse.

The MADSEN bucket bike is designed to be ridden at practical speeds by an average person who can produce somewhere between 100-250 watts. The BBS02 gives you 750 watts on top of that and the BBSHD 1000 watts.

The BBSHD 1000W is not street legal in many states: content/uploads/2017/12/Ebike-US-Reg-AppendixA-updated-11_2017.pdf

Please Note: A kit purchased from vendors other than MADSEN Cycles may not come with brake sensors or the custom MADSEN battery mount. Using a kit other than a MADSEN e-kit will void the warranty on anything that has to do with the kit, battery or drive train (ie: bolting a heavy battery to the water bottle attachment, etc.). Feel free to reach out with any questions!

Jared Madsen goes over some simple motor maintenance for your electric MADSEN bucket bike in this video