Electric Assist Bicycle

[Bobbie54]

At the rate the technology is improving I think I'd rather replace a Rad bike in five years than pay twice as much for what is now a better bike, if it is. I rode my first Mini about three and a half years ago and this one has had some improvements. More will come with all the ebikes entering the market.

[gbaglo]

Major issue with buying an electric vehicle is depreciation. With rapid technology advances, nobody wants a two year old vehicle, or cell phone, or digital camera.

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by Farther

The Rad bike looks promising and I have not met a dissatisfied customer yet. There are a lot of Trek electric assist bikes here in Port Townsend but they are 2-3 times more expensive than the Rad however the frame may be better but not a better "value" in my opinion.

You get what you pay for. I have a Trek dual sport purchased ironically, from the Broken Spoke in PT. The significant difference between the Treks and the Rad bikes is the Treks use the Bosch crank drive motors instead of a hub drive. With the crank drive you only get an assist if you are peddling. You always feel like you are riding a bike. The Rad bikes are hub driven with a throttle and are like you have an electric scooter that you also peddle. A very different experience.

The Bosch system monitors the amount of torque or power you apply to the pedal and adjusts the assist accordingly. With the controls you can select up to 4 levels of assist. But the bottom line is you always feel like you are riding a high quality bike. It allows this lifelong avid cyclist the joy of riding again even though my advanced years can’t do the hills anymore on a regular bicycle.

There is nothing wrong with the Rad bikes if that is the experience you want. But just like picking the right trailer and options for ones camping style, one should be aware of the differences in electric bikes and what style of rider you are.

[elongest]

The Rad can be ridden as a manual pedal bike. It has a pedal assist mode (class 1) which you select the amount of torque to assist while peddling. (5 levels) It also has selectable a throttle on demand mode where it is completely powered by the motor. The max speed is programmed to 20 mph to meet class 2 requirements. By having a 750 watt motor and max speed of 20 mph or less it is classified as a bicycle. It looks like the Rad functions just like the Trek it just has a different motor location. The big difference in the ride is the fat tires and with the Rad Mini the short wheel base.
Eddie

[Bobbie54]

Yes, the throttle is an option and has an on-off switch now so doesn't have to be used at all. It's very useful for things like starting from a difficult spot (on a hill, on gravel, etc.) Putting pedal assist on level 1 makes the bike pretty much the same to ride as a non-electric that weighs much less and has regular tires. For perspective- our hill (to get off our dead-end street) requires me to put it on level 5 and at one point also add the throttle. (A lighter, stronger rider could probably do it with less.) It's an 8% grade with bits that are steeper (where I used the throttle).

The short wheel base bothered me when I first rode the Mini but I got used to it. The mini is much more substantial than a typical folding bike, too.

[Bobbie54]

I'm finally learning that if I want to choose something and be happy with it, I don't have to try out every option and make sure I have the best one. I guess I'm working on being a "Satisficer" rather than a "Maximizer". Too many choices make decisions so much harder. So I tried only one other ebike before deciding on a Rad (I tried an ELux, which is similar, I forget which model.) I think if I were using it as a daily commuter or a lot of long rides I'd have considered others, too.

[RicVic]

My buddy and I both have escaped and Rad Mini. They hard to beat, particularly for the price.

[MyronL]

I've been looking at electric assist bikes and this one may be in my future. Really like the really fat tire feature. Biggest problem for me is being 6'7" and will that cause me pain. That seat and handle bars will only extend so far. Anyone have something similar?

[RicVic]

Myron, Check with the different manufacturers to see if they have one listed for your size. My buddy is about 6’5” and rides a Quiet Cat without any problem. Another thing you can try is talk to your local bike shop and see if they can replace the neck and seat post to make the bike even larger.
There should be something out there that will work for you.

They are sure a lot of fun. Good luck

[Bobbie54]

I am regretting not bringing my Rad Mini on this camping trip as I keep thinking this would be fun to bike! Next time but I'll have to try folding it first.

I hope you find one, Myron. The Rad City has one that goes to 6'6" but depending on where your height is (legs or torso) that might or might not work.

[John in Santa Cruz]

tall folks who have proportionally long torsos often fit very well in Specialized bikes, as they tend to have a longer 'cockpit' (seat to bar distance). you still, of course, have to get the suitable size frame for your leg length. folks with proportionally short torsos do well with Kona and Trek bikes, as they tend to have a shorter cockpit.

I'm of the long torso type, I'm 6'0 tall but only have 32" inseam... My current (non-E) bike is a Specialized "Globe Vienna' hybrid that I extensively customized, with different bars, stem, and cranks to fit me the way I like to ride. I'm thinking of adding a pedal assist system to it, replacing the crank assembly with this kit, https://www.amazon.com/TSDZ-Version-.../dp/B01MYRB6Q6



catch-22 with those fat-tire bikes, the big tires have a lot more rolling and wind resistance, they slow you down quite a lot, sure e-assist helps, but they use more power to go the same distance, so the battery life is a lot shorter than it would be on something like an ebike conversion of my hybrid above...

[Fox hunt]

yes i have the RAD mini, The mini is the only one they had that will work for someone 5'2" . Their new one is nicer has a lower middle bar easier to step over to get on the bike also batteries improve every year.... but for the price i think the RAD is a very nice bike. it fits on my rear bike rack i bought fat tire supports for my rack.

[MyronL]

Zinn Cycles in Colorado builds custom bikes to fit anyone, particularly those of us who are very-very vertically un-challenged, and they have a size chart you fill out. I did it. $9 thousand bucks is not going to happen for me.

1. Specialized, Rad, etc., also priced for more than I am willing to pay, for a stock bike.
2. Found no electric bike wheels larger than 26 inch diameter.
3. Found out most bike stores will raise the handlebars but the big limitation there is the cables are also raised and then lose their slack.
4. No way I buy an electric motor kit and do-it-myself.
5. Feeling no affordable alternatives are out there, so pedaling with slightly bent knees and a hunched-back looks like the deal.

[Paul S.]

Check out the Giant Fathom E+. I have one and love it. 27.5"+ wheels, great range and a mid-drive motor. I'm 6'-1" so fit is not a problem and the price of $3200 Canadian or about $1200 US (Lol!!) is great for an e bike with decent components.

[John in Santa Cruz]

indeed, 29ers are the largest standard bicycle wheel, and 26 are still the most common, especially in cheaper 'mountain' bikes and cruisers. 29" are actually a fatter tire version of the common 700C rim used on touring and racing road bikes, my hybrid uses 700C with a medium size tire.

hub motor e-bikes are the cheapest, but they have some major issues. its harder to change the back tire or fix a flat because you have to deal with the wiring harness coming out of the back wheel axle. hub-motors tend to NOT use torque sensing cranks, so the power assist is arbitrary and somewhat unnatural, and typically kicks in based on the speed you're cranking the pedals around at, they usually have 3-5 power settings you can tweak with a pushbutton on the handlebars.

the battery pack is the largest part of the cost of an ebike, bigger battery gives you more range per charge, and more available power, but also weighs more and costs more. I built a hub motor ebike for my wife, using a 1000W rear hub motor and a 860 watt-hour 48V battery, I've since tuned it down to 500-700W as the 1000W was just too much and it overheated rather quickly and throttled itself way down.

this is the ebike I built from my wife's 26" 'comfort bike'. she's vertically challenged, so needs a step through. with this she can ride up fairly steep hills with just light pedalling in a fairly high gear. I've ridden this thing as far as 20 miles at max speeds, and up a steep mile long hill and still had 25% power left.



the 1000W rear hub motor ebike kit cost $300, and the battery pack was $500. this was a $200 bike when we bought it as a new-old-stock model on ebay clearance a few years ago.

IMHO, the best ebike riding experience is with a mid-drive system that has torque sensing, as these apply the e-power proportional to how hard you pedal. pedal lightly, very little power, pedal harder, more power, so its totally natural and even. you can still tweak them up or down to find the power level you like best.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

catch-22 with those fat-tire bikes, the big tires have a lot more rolling and wind resistance, they slow you down quite a lot, sure e-assist helps, but they use more power to go the same distance, so the battery life is a lot shorter than it would be on something like an ebike conversion of my hybrid above...

For me the other plus besides power assist for the hills is the fat tires allowing me to hit gravel or lousy shoulders without a problem.

[Eggscape]

Voltbike has one with a 27.5 inch wheel called the Outback and it is well priced. I really like the quality of my Voltbike Mariner that I have had for over a year now.
The price in the photo is Canada but they do have US pricing and a warehouse they ship from in the US. I think shipping is still $49 and you get a free real motorcycle helmet.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Voltbike has one with a 27.5 inch wheel called the Outback and it is well priced. I really like the quality of my Voltbike Mariner that I have had for over a year now.
The price in the photo is Canada but they do have US pricing and a warehouse they ship from in the US. I think shipping is still $49 and you get a free real motorcycle helmet.

yeah, $1700 US.... but phew, 61 lbs for that Outback, thats a really heavy bicycle. my hybrid pedal bike weighs 23 lbs or so. Lifting a 60 lb bike onto a roof rack is nearly impossible, and even putting it on a hitch rack on the back of your Escape, ouch. I know this, because my wife's formerly 25 lb step through now weighs about 60 lbs, with its 1000 watt hub motor and 48V 18AH (864 WH) battery pack

[MyronL]

Escape 19 rear hitch weight limit is listed as 150 pounds. A sturdy motorcycle hitch rack with a gang-way ramp weighs 75 pounds. I think those numbers will work.

[padlin]

how much of the 60 lbs is battery? are they not removable?