RadWagon anybody?
 

Hi everybody,

We're interested in purchasing a RadWagon e-assisted family bike. Reviews are pretty good online and the pricetag of a Xtracycle just work for us.

Does anybody have any experience with this bike?

Thanks.

Heard nothing but good things about the company; extended review on endless sphere AFAIR. Plus they're somewhat local --- home run.

I purchased a RadWagon at the end of April and I have been nothing but happy with it and the company. Shipment to Utah was quick(2-days) and set-up to no more than an hour using their video as a guide.

As for ride, we love it! I use it to take my 6 and 8 year old to school and then ride myself uphill to work. I have a 533 ft gain in elevation each day with it being about 6.1 miles. The rad makes hauling 130 pounds of kid around super easy and has cut 10 minutes off my car commute times with me not having to sit at red lights an stop signs. And no, I don't run red lights and stop signs. I can take routes through parks and the university campus where there are bikes paths and no streets.

This weekend my 210 pound neighbor made the journey to our local pub to fill our growlers and it had no problem with the load. Since April 28th we have ridden it 141 trouble free miles. My goal is 300+ in June when school is out and I can ride the kids to camp everyday.

All I have added to the bike are seat cushions and will order the front basket as soon as it is available.

They are a good bike for the money. see the "Trek or Genze" thread for my comment on the RAdwagon. There is a Portland, OR shop that still has a few pre production models @ $1499: 52v in Stock Bafang BBS-02(01) kits 750-1300w Electric ebike Don

I bought a Radwagon in February and I am overall very happy with the bike. I use it to commute to work for 6 miles each way with a monster hill and I am setting it up to carry my kids (2 and 3 year olds). I found it reasonably easy to set up (I am no bike mechanic!) but had an initial issue with a bent in transit or defective fork. I emailed the company and sent them some pictures and they were very responsive sending me a new fork on the mail.

I'm also thinking of purchasing the Radwagon. I don't need a cargo, just like the power and looks. Atxmarmot, are you still satisfied with your purchase? Any issues? Thanks.

RadWagon Cargo Bike Accessories
 

What happened to this thread ? I am planning on ordering the RadWagon soon, hopefully this week .....

I would like to know how people are enjoying their RadWagon ..... and what modifications have you done .... like adding water bottle holders .... racks ... baskets ... trailer ... lights ... and more .....

I just got mine a few weeks ago. Already did the bolton upgrade. I feel it's worth it being a very heavy guy. Thing is built like a tank. getting handlebar extension today as the stock just doesn't give you any mounting options at all. I would like to get the front mount but haven't ordred yet.

Before getting any Rad bike, I strongly suggest you talk your LBS/wrench. Mine advised me against Rad Bikes. He told me they're inexpensive because they cut corners and have many low-quality components. My understanding is that Rad doesn't even service their own bikes.

That seems to be quite the opposite of what current owners are reporting. I am not questioning your bike mechanic's ethics or anything like that but I would question his motives and quietly do the research on your own and come to your own conclusions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any e-bikes made by Rad Power nor have any financial interest in the company. I am however considering one of their bikes for a future purchase much later in the year.

I don't know much about the RadWagon specifically, but he's worked on many other Rad bikes. Many of his customers bought their Rad bikes in Seattle and since Rad won't fix them they bring them to him.

Rad bikes are only a little more expensive than comparable standard bikes. That in and of itself is highly suspect. To get the price that low they probably need to cut-corners. Any prospective buyer should understand what maintenance entails and if their LBS can fix them before buying one.

Points well taken however we need to remember that Rad Power is a "direct to consumer" sales model. They don't sell wholesale to bike shops which would then raise prices to those levels that maybe you might feel that it is no longer "suspect". The bikes are so affordable not because they use "cheap parts" but because of this business model and by-passing any middlemen.

Truthfully, if someone is completely alien to performing the most basic bike assembly and maintenance, then they have two options. If they buy a Rad Power bike, they can take it to a bike shop to have it assembled and for any subsequent maintenance and repairs, or they can simply buy another brand that is sold by a bike shop and be willing to shell out the higher prices. I have no problem in recognizing that the second option may be the best for many people. Oh, and I just remembered that Rad Power does have a partnership with Velofix which can assemble and deliver the bike to the buyer.

And one last thing, if I am not mistaken, anything that is defective or broken at the time the bike was received is replaced by simply contacting customer service.

I know this post sounds like a plug for Rad but I assure you that I have zero connections to them. I just happen to like their mission and product line. I might actually never wind up buying a bike from them but it wouldn't be because I felt they sold inferior products.
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Haven't ridden the wagon, but did ride a rover. What a hoot to ride!

Bikes with cadence sensors usually feel like cheap bikes but interestingly the rover did not. Power ramps up very smoothly and the top speed of 20 mph feels plenty fast enough. It's exhilarating. Standover is limited but other than that, it's really tough to nitpick this bike. Even the mechanical disc brakes worked surprisingly well.

Anyway, that doesn't give you much intel on the wagon, but I know for a fact that at least one of their bikes is fun to ride.

I have the Mini 4 I purchased early this spring, have a few hundred miles in 10 mile trips, and it has been flawless. Bike feels more expensive than what it is, and all the systems work great. The quality and fit/finish are better than some of the couple thousand dollar bicycles I have purchased recently. I think RAD is just suffering from inventory issues like a lot of the bike suppliers. I have adjusted the bicycle stuff on mine and it was pretty easy, the electronics are plug and play and would be easy to replace if needed. I'm curious on what issues the bike shops have been working on? I would buy another bike from them no problem.

Even considering those points they seems suspiciously cheap, not to mention ridiculously heavy. 60+ pounds is absurd even for an ebike. I also don't like hub-drives. I understand they're reliable and serve a purpose, but they're heavy and don't provide a natural ride-feel.

If someone just wants basic relatively short-distance transportation I suppose Rad Bikes are OK. I want something a little more refined and enjoyable.

I suspect they keep the costs down by standardizing most of the components, and the powder coat is only in 3 basic colors (which is OK for me),kinda like the Ford model T concept. I have not ridden lightweight high end e -bikes yet, but the RAD I have gives a very plush ride in urban areas, with real world holes and bumps, I get spoiled from it when I ride my high pressure thin tire bicycles where you feel everything. The thing is so reliable it reminds me of a powertool, I don't adjust anything on it anymore, it is in fact heavy, but last I looked on the odometer I got 39 miles on a charge and it had a few bars left. It looks like they beefed up that Radwagon even more, reminds me of a SUV of an e-bike. I'm glad I got my Mini early in the season, they are popular.

The weight seems like a major disadvantage to me. Amtrak and airplanes have a 50 pound weight limit and even loading a Rad on a bus rack can be problematic.

If you like your Rad then you might not want to try a decent mid-drive bike. The better ones ride basically ride like an enhanced version of a standard bike. On declines and level terrain it's doesn't do much, but steep grades are so much faster it's a blast.

I'll have to test ride one of the high end bikes, the extra 2K-5K had better be buying some great performance.

You don't need to spend that much. There are good 20mph mid-drive bikes in the $2-3K range and 28mph models in the $3-4K range. Certainly not cheap, but reasonable if used as a car-replacement. Conventional bikes can be converted for about $1000-1500.

1) IMO, the problem bike shops have with bikes like those produced by Radpower is they didn't make any money on them. Every bike shop owner has complained about DIY too.
2) It's ridiculous to talk about taking an e-bike on a plane since the batteries (unless < 100 wh) are illegal.
3) I have a Haibike for off road as well as a Diamomdback with $200 direct drive system for errands. The hub drive is perfect for road riding as long as you're not dealing with San Francisco's steep hills.

1) It depends on the shop. I'll probably get an ebike in the Fall and am currently figuring out options with my LBS. If I opt for a conversion he said he's happy to do it. Most ongoing profits are from labor so as long as people keep getting their bikes serviced they'll be fine.

2) Batteries can be ground-shipped a few days ahead. I'm mostly concerned with the 50pd Amtrak limit and other issues with public transit.

3) A Haibike trekking model is one of my top considerations, though they're still pretty heavy. As I said, while hub drives are functional I just don't care for them. I don't like accumulating stuff, so want a good model that does many things reasonably well.

We'll see what the new ebike offerings are in the Fall. I'll probably get either a Raleigh Redux IE, 28mph Haibike trekking model, or get a Kona Sutra frame and build it up with a Banfang kit. Right now I'm leaning towards the conversion since I won't be wedded to an ebike if I ever want to use it as a standard bike.

I have a Veego Semi-Fat which is similar to the Rad mini step thru. I also have a Specialized Como. I have handled the mail order bike by doing most fixes and maintenance myself with some help from local bike shop. I have seen a lot of Rad bikes.

Components on Rad are lower end but usable. The cable actuated disc brakes are less than optimal. They need a lot of adjustment. A lot of people end up switching to hydraulic brake systems or calipers. The hub motor with cadence sensing is fun to ride if you want quite a bit of push. My Veego has a slightly less powerful motor and it still feels a little moped like. My Como cost 3.5 times what I paid for my Veego. Absolutely, inarguably a better bike. Very stable yet responsive ride. Feels very natural to pedal. Mid motor gets mor mileage. Power is more controllable.

Is Rad worth the money. Yes I think it is but you need to self service or have a shop that will help you. I’m sure Rad will help you over the phone if parts break. I think Rad offers interesting bikes for the price. My Veego has been ridden over 3000 miles in less than a year and I really don’t think those bikes hold up great to a lot of use. I would be concerned about the Rad Wagon bike brakes. The Tektro mechanical discs will need a lot of adjustment. If I got the bike I’d put some hydraulic brakes on it. Specs don’t say which Shimano derailleur but since it is 7 speed it is bottom end. The shifter is OK but not built for wear and will be prone to not catching the gear. I think you can have a lot of fun with a Rad bike. Brakes are easy to upgrade.

Katysax,

That's pretty much my impression. Rad makes cute bikes that are decent for the money, but as I wrote before to have the price so low many components are really low-end. I'd rather spend more for a bike that can do many things reasonably well rather than one that is just OK for a few things.

Well. As a general rule you get what you pay for. But I think you can have a lot of fun with a Rad bike. Not everyone can spend $4-5000 on a bike. And the rear wheel hub bikes can be ton of fun to ride. The feel of each both of my bikes is different. But they are both fun. I think that people who want to put a lot of mileage on a bike will end up wanting higher quality components But you can upgrade as things wear out.

If anybody cares about the $50K fine for shipping Lithium batteries improperly:
<100 wh can be by air or taken on a plane
<300 wh can be shipped ground
>300 wh need to be shipped through a HAZMAT broker, or be certified.