The pressure for a change in urban mobility behavior towards more sustainability is increasing. Drivers for this development are, among others, climate goals and no longer acceptable amounts of air pollution. Cargo bikes are emerging as a sustainable alternative for the transport of goods in cities. Businesses and households are starting to pick up the innovation and provide first insights into specific usage possibilities. However, it is still unknown whether cargo bikes are perceived as suitable for everyday use by the general public and which barriers towards widespread adoption exist. Our research aimed to provide insights into these aspects. We conducted a survey study with 78 students of the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg during a field trial of cargo bikes. We based the survey’s variables on an extended version of the theory of planned behavior to investigate the perception of cargo bikes and the factors behind usage intentions. Furthermore, the context of a field trial offered us the possibility to test the effects of first hands-on contact on people with no prior experience. Hands-on experience is known to be a powerful influence on the perception of innovations, as it often overcomes misconceptions people have hold. Our results contain first usage impressions, an assessment of participant’s usage intentions and underlying drivers and barriers. They are helpful to policy makers and companies interested in fostering the diffusion of cargo bikes as well as researchers studying the adoption of sustainable innovations in the transport sector.