Tern’s GSD S00 LX Workhorse e-Bike Tops Scales in All Ways Possible (Even Price)

One company meeting the needs of distributors and families everywhere is Tern Bicycles. Since 2011 the name Tern has been whispered from ear to ear, in the process, whipping up a long and serious list of business partners, all aiming for a better, cleaner future. With offices in Taipei, Taiwan, U.S., China, and even the U.K., Tern has become one of the go-to brands for local distribution needs.

One of the newest additions to the Tern family has been the GSD collection. Among these bikes is one known as the GSD S00 LX, a (seemingly) small, powerful, and highly versatile bike. How versatile? I was surprised myself once I read about it.

One of the main discerning features of the LX, and all of the GSD bikes, for that matter, is that funky looking frame. As funky as it may look and be set up, the reason behind such a construction can only have one reason, durability.

With a maze of bars, bolted and welded together, the LX showcases a frame that’s capable of a max gross vehicle weight rating of 200 kg (440 pounds). If you do the math, that’s enough strength to carry two average adults and even a child on quite the long trip. There’s even room for a few groceries as well.

All that framework isn’t just used for strength, it also creates a very modular platform that can be accessorized with countless options to do just about anything with your LX. You can add anything from a clubhouse, which is passenger seating, cargo hold and panniers, a storm shield over the clubhouse, and countless other accessories, to carry children, animals, groceries, and even run a full-blown distribution business.

Even though this sucker weighs in at 77.1 lbs (34.98 kg) and may seem quite bulky, Tern thought the whole design through and included folding features, allowing the handlebars to drop to the side and seat post to be dropped, allowing the LX to fit in the trunk of a car.

Part two of this whole story is that the LX is an e-bike. With that, come certain obligations. Seeing as how the manufacturer destined this and other GSD bikes to become your daily workhorse, Tern called upon the expertise of Bosch, an e-bike component manufacturer with a very long history in the game.

Mounted dead center, a Bosch Cargo Line motor provides a maximum of 85 Nm (115 lb-ft) torque output and up to 400% assist. The speed of this motor is usually limited based on where in the world you’ll find yourself riding; 20 mph (32kph) for the U.S. and 15.5 mph (25 kph) for Europe.

Underneath the seat post, you’ll be able to see a battery pack. Bosch strikes again, this time with a dual-battery system that offers up to 1,000 Wh of energy, enough to run up to 128 mi (206 km). Let’s be frank, when’s the last time you rode for 128 miles in one day?

All that’s wrapped up with features including a Cane Creek seat post, Gates CDX Belt Drive, and Enviolo SP hub. Throw on a pair of Magura MT5 eStop disc brakes, and the rest of this story basically writes itself. Oh, don’t forget about the custom CNC machined hubs to take the worry out of breaking down with your precious cargo. You could even move a TV with this thing as straps are available in the accessories list.

Now, let’s say this sucker catches your eye. If it does, you’d better bring your checkbook along as you’ll be dishing out $6,499 (€5,524 at current exchange rates) just to get your hands on a base model. But remember, it’s the sort of e-bike that can basically replace your car.