I think that 15 mph is plenty fast for a trike. I also would like to mention that having a parking brake is a must and I'm glad that they included it. I really think that a enclosed Basket in the back with a locking lid would make a lot more sense than what I've seen on here. The fact that it Folds in half and also that the handlebars fold down is awesome. I would like to see them make it so that you could stand it up on the back wheels as well and save even more room in your garage. The fact that it's a front hub motor seems kind of primitive. Right now I consider a really high value trike The Buzz tricycle. It has a lot of features for the price. Mine got delivered for a thousand less than this bike I'm very happy with it.
This looks like it will be a very accessible bike which is a good direction for rad to go in. Will definitely make more seniors buy their bikes. I don't know about the front wheel motor though, it probably won't be as bad with 3 wheels though.
I have had many front wheel systems and nothing is made for it like a trike. If you balance the bikes weigh forward it is great plus you can pedal the rear wheel manually independent of the motor or in tandem with the motor giving you front and rear drive. Sticky treaded tires with low air pressure work best 35 to 45 psi
82 lb. trike with no gearing means this could leave people with mobility issues islanded trying to avoid a hills they'll get stuck on. Can't imagine it climbs well.
Not true. Most roads are under 8% which is a 5 degree angle. Even a 48v 250w motor can pull a 220lb rider up that. So a 750w will have no problem. Granted it’ll suck the life out of the battery but it’ll do it fine.
@@duke9173 do you build and operate single speed bikes? If the gearing is low, it can work. And this trike likely has low gearing given the low top speed and wanting to keep the trike from tipping. But it's not rated for 220 lbs. It's rated at 415 lbs. Including bike and rider. And a front hub motor doesn't benefit from low gearing anyway. 750 hub motor is not large. They are typically less capable of creating great wheel torque than mid drives benefitting from gearing. Yes it's a geared hub, but it's not a given that it can climb long or steep hills.
@@karlInSanDiego no problem. As a point of interest I do assemble bikes for a living. I also own a 26” Cyrusher XF900. Excellent EMTB. The bike & I go about 350lb and I’ve climbed 2-3X steeper hills off road with motor only. I just didn’t want those interested to be discouraged by your original comment. My personal experience and opinion is that biking is excellent for not just physical health but also mental health. So if it takes a motor added & an extra wheel to get folks out enjoying the world then go for it.
To help with the tipping issue, I have a Eco-Voltz Flex 3 - and it really does flex! There's a 'hinge' between the rear two wheels and the seat-post meaning that the front section of the trike has a certain amount of lean to it. (There's metal stops in place to prevent you going too far over.) This makes turning much easier and, as a by product, when riding along a road with a camber to it, you are still sitting vertically just like on a regular two wheeled bike rather than on a standard trike where you end up having to angle your lower back to keep your torso vertical.
I never understood trikes, why not just give it 4 wheels at that point seeing as it will be the exact same width as a trike but with way more stability? Also having 4 wheels means it can still run if one tire goes flat so you are not completely stranded with a giant beast of a bike.
I’m using a bike with a trailer which has a recommended top speed of 10 mph so this trike is faster. Can haul more weight also. Would love to see how much bulky stuff I fit on this. That front wheel with hub motor along with the throttle, controller and battery would be a great addition to a bike that already has a rear hub or middrive motor.
Growing up in the 70s and 80s in my little Florida (retirement) town, I watched dozens of Pedal Trikes riding up and down my neighborhood streets. Such an excellent modern take on the "original" design. The demographic here has changed a bit but I think these bikes will appeal to a large swath of riders. Also, it seems well-priced....competitive with "fancy" acoustic trikes.
Micah! You never mentioned the best part which is the quarter-inch steel torque-plates on the front fork, both sides! Rad didn't HAVE to do this for a 14mph PEV that already has steel forks, but this opens up some interesting possibilites for say, a 2000W hub motor upgrade? I'd bet more than a few modders would love to get thier hands on this fork.
Obviously not for hills. Looks like they have a machine designed for Florida retirees. I'm 65 and expect to be inundated with Rad ads. Very happy with my Gazelle nl c8. Over 600 miles with no problems. My area has lots of hills, so a mid-drive is necessary.
Good for around town, but for longer distances tires and motor are too small. Most of the cost of these Chinese made trikes are for shipping. The ones I looked at cost twice as much to ship as the bike is sold for. If someone wanted to live in/around China, these would only be $600 to $800. Do you think this $368 Schwinn trike could be turned into an etrike with a 750WH motor and a large battery?
THe coster break with an additional front handbreak seems like it would be worse to coordinate than two hand breaks, especially for people who have imparements in the lower body (yes, people also have bad hands I guess). I would see the handbreak in front of my nose and go for that only with the stability issues comming with that. I hope they tested how real people use it. People with imparements will be quite easy to award large sums to if this is a bad design. Hope I am wrong.
Upright trikes are much more treacherous and difficult than bikes. People who haven't tried one think three wheels make a safer ride, but really it's the opposite.
Is this revolutionary? No. Is it the best design? No. Would I what to use it on hilly terrain where the battery might die? No. But is it affordable and very usable under sedate conditions? Yes. It's fine, and that's fine.
Flipping is why tadpole design is superior to delta design. Why aren't these things built in tadpole? The suspension and control mechanics are more complex, but the drive simplicity and system quality more than make up for it.
Agree, but Rad doesn't learn from industry wisdom. If they did, they wouldn't have spec'd 22" and now 18" tires. Honestly, those and 24" tires are ones that bike shops don't need to stock because almost no one builds bikes with those sized wheels. And this trike doesn't attempt suspension either. It's just a powered clone of a dated adult trike non-design. Can't see any innovation going on here, except maybe being compatible with modular racks, which doesn't even work with that wide rear that will need all new size options. All upright trikes are unstable, even the tadpoles, though they're better. The center of gravity is very high with the rider's weight and most don't lean so they tip instead. This looks like it'll garner the crowd of aging cyclists who either didn't learn about tadpole recumbents, or are troubled by the low approach/dismount/visibility of that design. I'm a fan of trikes but this looks like a non-revolutionary single speed heavy rig.
You hit the nail on the head in the first part: the increased complexity makes it more expensive to produce. Unfortunately the simpler driveline doesn't really reduce cost much, but that front end on tadpole trikes sure adds to it. Dual wheel steering is just much more complicated than dual static wheels in the rear.
Of the 4 ebikes I have owned, the RadTrike is by far the most disappointing. I discovered a design flaw during my first ride. The clearance between the pedals and the frame is insuffient. In order to pedal without having the heal of my shoe contnually catching on the back frame,. it is necessary that I peddle using my instep opposed to the ball of my foot. A significanf flaw in a bike lauded for being designed from the "ground up". I discovered the second flaw after a week of riding. The back chain sprocket assembly has a sprocket that, instead of being part of the bar attaching it to the bike, is a seperate, moveable part using a simple hex bolt to keep it in place using friction between the bolt and the bar. An absurd design given the bar is subject to continual vibration that loosens the bolt making it necessary to tighten it repeatedly to prevent the chain from coming off. A purchase I deeply regret.
Sucks that this company, known for poor customer service, just laid off another round of workers. Fuck Rad Power Bikes! So glad I don't buy one last month.
The RadTrike launched at $2,499 and is available directly from Rad here: bit.ly/RadTrike
Yeah, now it's 1299. Cuz it's crap.
I think that 15 mph is plenty fast for a trike. I also would like to mention that having a parking brake is a must and I'm glad that they included it. I really think that a enclosed Basket in the back with a locking lid would make a lot more sense than what I've seen on here. The fact that it Folds in half and also that the handlebars fold down is awesome. I would like to see them make it so that you could stand it up on the back wheels as well and save even more room in your garage. The fact that it's a front hub motor seems kind of primitive. Right now I consider a really high value trike The Buzz tricycle. It has a lot of features for the price. Mine got delivered for a thousand less than this bike I'm very happy with it.
This looks like it will be a very accessible bike which is a good direction for rad to go in. Will definitely make more seniors buy their bikes. I don't know about the front wheel motor though, it probably won't be as bad with 3 wheels though.
I have had many front wheel systems and nothing is made for it like a trike. If you balance the bikes weigh forward it is great plus you can pedal the rear wheel manually independent of the motor or in tandem with the motor giving you front and rear drive. Sticky treaded tires with low air pressure work best 35 to 45 psi
82 lb. trike with no gearing means this could leave people with mobility issues islanded trying to avoid a hills they'll get stuck on. Can't imagine it climbs well.
Not true. Most roads are under 8% which is a 5 degree angle. Even a 48v 250w motor can pull a 220lb rider up that. So a 750w will have no problem. Granted it’ll suck the life out of the battery but it’ll do it fine.
@@duke9173 do you build and operate single speed bikes? If the gearing is low, it can work. And this trike likely has low gearing given the low top speed and wanting to keep the trike from tipping. But it's not rated for 220 lbs. It's rated at 415 lbs. Including bike and rider. And a front hub motor doesn't benefit from low gearing anyway. 750 hub motor is not large. They are typically less capable of creating great wheel torque than mid drives benefitting from gearing. Yes it's a geared hub, but it's not a given that it can climb long or steep hills.
Ebike escape hill tested it and it climbs fine. Sorry for doubting.
@@karlInSanDiego no problem. As a point of interest I do assemble bikes for a living. I also own a 26” Cyrusher XF900. Excellent EMTB. The bike & I go about 350lb and I’ve climbed 2-3X steeper hills off road with motor only. I just didn’t want those interested to be discouraged by your original comment. My personal experience and opinion is that biking is excellent for not just physical health but also mental health. So if it takes a motor added & an extra wheel to get folks out enjoying the world then go for it.
To help with the tipping issue, I have a Eco-Voltz Flex 3 - and it really does flex! There's a 'hinge' between the rear two wheels and the seat-post meaning that the front section of the trike has a certain amount of lean to it. (There's metal stops in place to prevent you going too far over.) This makes turning much easier and, as a by product, when riding along a road with a camber to it, you are still sitting vertically just like on a regular two wheeled bike rather than on a standard trike where you end up having to angle your lower back to keep your torso vertical.
I will be checking this out. This is my biggest peave with trikes!
@@paulvild This is the same trike with a different maker's name on it - ua-cam.com/video/IyKE6EI_iy0/v-deo.html
Still kinda sad rad wouldn't ship to me but I'm loving my lectric XP even though I had to put it away for the winter
I never understood trikes, why not just give it 4 wheels at that point seeing as it will be the exact same width as a trike but with way more stability? Also having 4 wheels means it can still run if one tire goes flat so you are not completely stranded with a giant beast of a bike.
In many states four wheels would leave it out of electric bike laws and regulations, so it wouldn't be street legal.
4 wheels are also quite harder on the turning, would add weight, amount of components and price. Plent of reasons for a tricycle.
I’m using a bike with a trailer which has a recommended top speed of 10 mph so this trike is faster. Can haul more weight also. Would love to see how much bulky stuff I fit on this. That front wheel with hub motor along with the throttle, controller and battery would be a great addition to a bike that already has a rear hub or middrive motor.
Yeah, I think my trailer has the same recommendation, but I haven't paid it any mind.
You can live on this bike
Just ordered mine today. Be here in 2 weeks. Thanks for the video. Also it was on sale. 1600.00
THANK YOU for putting the Price in the start of the sentence :)
Growing up in the 70s and 80s in my little Florida (retirement) town, I watched dozens of Pedal Trikes riding up and down my neighborhood streets. Such an excellent modern take on the "original" design. The demographic here has changed a bit but I think these bikes will appeal to a large swath of riders. Also, it seems well-priced....competitive with "fancy" acoustic trikes.
Micah! You never mentioned the best part which is the quarter-inch steel torque-plates on the front fork, both sides! Rad didn't HAVE to do this for a 14mph PEV that already has steel forks, but this opens up some interesting possibilites for say, a 2000W hub motor upgrade? I'd bet more than a few modders would love to get thier hands on this fork.
Look up the RadBurro, very sad its been discontinued, I love mine
We learned a long time ago that putting the two wheels in front is much safer with a high center of gravity. Gonna be some dead bodies.
Excellent points all around wonderful review!
Obviously not for hills. Looks like they have a machine designed for Florida retirees. I'm 65 and expect to be inundated with Rad ads. Very happy with my Gazelle nl c8. Over 600 miles with no problems. My area has lots of hills, so a mid-drive is necessary.
Good for around town, but for longer distances tires and motor are too small. Most of the cost of these Chinese made trikes are for shipping. The ones I looked at cost twice as much to ship as the bike is sold for. If someone wanted to live in/around China, these would only be $600 to $800. Do you think this $368 Schwinn trike could be turned into an etrike with a 750WH motor and a large battery?
Very cool! I see a cargo bike in their future
Will the bike available in Europe?
Isn't the radburro the largest bike from rad bikes?
THe coster break with an additional front handbreak seems like it would be worse to coordinate than two hand breaks, especially for people who have imparements in the lower body (yes, people also have bad hands I guess). I would see the handbreak in front of my nose and go for that only with the stability issues comming with that. I hope they tested how real people use it. People with imparements will be quite easy to award large sums to if this is a bad design. Hope I am wrong.
Not that i expected it but I always prefer trikes with two wheels upfront
Much more stable configuration. There is good reason the US govt banned the sale of 3 wheeler trike ATVs...they were ER room record setters.
Tires are 18 by what? 2 and half or 3?
Nice E-trike. I had mobility issues and this looks sturdy. Too bad it doesn’t fold like another e-trike I’ve seen online.
Upright trikes are much more treacherous and difficult than bikes. People who haven't tried one think three wheels make a safer ride, but really it's the opposite.
Is this revolutionary? No. Is it the best design? No. Would I what to use it on hilly terrain where the battery might die? No. But is it affordable and very usable under sedate conditions? Yes. It's fine, and that's fine.
Flipping is why tadpole design is superior to delta design. Why aren't these things built in tadpole? The suspension and control mechanics are more complex, but the drive simplicity and system quality more than make up for it.
Agree, but Rad doesn't learn from industry wisdom. If they did, they wouldn't have spec'd 22" and now 18" tires. Honestly, those and 24" tires are ones that bike shops don't need to stock because almost no one builds bikes with those sized wheels. And this trike doesn't attempt suspension either. It's just a powered clone of a dated adult trike non-design. Can't see any innovation going on here, except maybe being compatible with modular racks, which doesn't even work with that wide rear that will need all new size options.
All upright trikes are unstable, even the tadpoles, though they're better. The center of gravity is very high with the rider's weight and most don't lean so they tip instead. This looks like it'll garner the crowd of aging cyclists who either didn't learn about tadpole recumbents, or are troubled by the low approach/dismount/visibility of that design.
I'm a fan of trikes but this looks like a non-revolutionary single speed heavy rig.
You hit the nail on the head in the first part: the increased complexity makes it more expensive to produce. Unfortunately the simpler driveline doesn't really reduce cost much, but that front end on tadpole trikes sure adds to it. Dual wheel steering is just much more complicated than dual static wheels in the rear.
This could be used as a mobility scooter with way more power and range.
I would only carry one of my children at a time on a bicycle. Literally don't want to put all my eggs in one basket ;)
Sort of disappointed with the reveal after they hyped it up, but I'm sure the retirerees in Florida and pedicab drivers will rejoice.
Agree...very disappointed considering all the hype. I don't see anything Rad about this thing.
Price is better understood compared to some low speed ev chinese cars or better the mini wuling ev.
The COASTER brake makes this trike a fail.
Too expensive for the market it’s aimed at. Also the coaster brake not much use to people with mobility issues. I see many crashes in the future.
Of the 4 ebikes I have owned, the RadTrike is by far the most disappointing. I discovered a design flaw during my first ride. The clearance between the pedals and the frame is insuffient. In order to pedal without having the heal of my shoe contnually catching on the back frame,. it is necessary that I peddle using my instep opposed to the ball of my foot. A significanf flaw in a bike lauded for being designed from the "ground up". I discovered the second flaw after a week of riding. The back chain sprocket assembly has a sprocket that, instead of being part of the bar attaching it to the bike, is a seperate, moveable part using a simple hex bolt to keep it in place using friction between the bolt and the bar. An absurd design given the bar is subject to continual vibration that loosens the bolt making it necessary to tighten it repeatedly to prevent the chain from coming off. A purchase I deeply regret.
Lol. No. Just no.
I see the lawsuits rolling in now. The is a very unstable platform.
Yeah turning at 20 mph even on this seems very unlikely
Extremely unstable. Just like the 3 wheel ATV trikes banned in the US years ago. Too many deaths and serious injuries.
Sucks that this company, known for poor customer service, just laid off another round of workers. Fuck Rad Power Bikes! So glad I don't buy one last month.
Rad loses a ton on this ridiculous bike.
meh.....
Good review. Badly designed wheels. Spoked wheels fold if cornered with a fatty on it
Be warned! WORST company you could ever do business with.
Do tell.
Too expensive for the market it’s aimed at. Also the coaster brake not much use to people with mobility issues. I see many crashes in the future.