Why drive when you've got this? RadRunner E bike review
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Why drive when you've got this? RadRunner E bike review. Do you ever find yourself going somewhere and it's just a little too far to walk, but close enough that driving seems like a waste. Or, you just want to get a little more exercise out in the fresh air but jogging is too ambitious? Enter the Electric bike. I haven’t ridden or owned a bike in over 25 years … unless you count a stationary bike. So what made me suddenly decide to pick up a Rad Power RadRunner E bike for myself, and should you consider getting an E bike, too?
This video is not sponsored. Bike bought and paid for with my own money.
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Going electric is kind of awesome. I've also got a review about going electric with my lawnmower here: ua-cam.com/video/BXSbxUZZmXk/v-deo.html
Undecided with Matt Ferrell I
Re: lawnmowers--I don't know why people don't use the mechanical, push rotating blade mowers. If you have a small'sih, flat'ish lawn with "normal'ish" grass, they work fine.
It's kind of like bicycles vs E-bikes. Most people don't REALLY need an E-bike, when a regular bike would be fine.
Love your videos, BUT:
At the end you really have to turn the music's volume up, just as in the intro.
And leave a few seconds with the links and "inspirational" shots of that video technology.
I've never seen you do a product review 😅
Glad to see you have joined the ebike community. I’m 77 and have had an ebike for the last 20yrs. Since a friend of my mom’s passed his on when he got a Segway. I just ordered a SONDORS XS. I’ve previously had two other SONDORS. One of the Originals and a Fold-X. I Optioned front suspension and I like the Fat tires. The XS comes standard with front suspension and a sprung seat post. Also a gel seat. No lights though. Anyway, it gives me exercise and I can put my dog in the basket when she has gone far enough. I also have an electric dirt bike but got this one for the dog and the exercise. Welcome to the club.
Thanks! My big regret is not getting one sooner.
An alternative viewpoint . Rad power bike I consider my most fun and best purchases.
I just did 30 miles today and love it! I have done over 3500 miles on these bikes. I consider them inexpensive and easy to work on. Not perfect but that’s not how life is. I have two batteries and can count on a minimum of 20 miles per battery. I don’t try to save power usually running on power 3 of 5.
So very, very, happy. I have purchased 3 total and one was stolen from a security building. (Inside Job)
Planning to purchase another in Amsterdam. My #1 happy purchase.
Hope this Help’s the undecided. Not perfect, but I’m planning my next purchases. Downside you cannot ship batteries due to restrictions, but that’s life.
Best of luck!
i got the Rad Rover about 2 years ago. I love it, great bike. it's just plain fun! You will get out and explore things you haven't seen in years.
Finally, a truly comprehensive report, you answered all the questions I had and couldn't find. Thanks dude
I got a rad runner a month ago and still watch review on it.. that’s how much I love my runner
👍
I envy you. I’m still waiting for my ariel rider. My friend owns a tour company that uses electric bikes and i got hooked on those things. I also plan to build my own ebike-it’s gonna be fast as hell
I got mine 4 mo.s ago and doing the same thing! Lol
Rode my friend’s Radrunner today here’s an authentic review. I’m 5’9”, 190lbs, a strong cyclist and live in a hilly neighborhood.
Cons:
- It’s severely underpowered and performs like a 500 watt motor or less.
- On hills it has a very hard time.
- Steering is dangerously unstable. - its seat is too high.
- The cockpit is short/cramped.
- It has too little slack in the stem/handle bars.
- The handlebars aren’t wide enough too keep the front wheel straight.
- I could barely the get it’s single speed gear up a hill, even when I have it set to its top speed and pedaling
- It has 5 speeds and 2-4 feel the same.
- Does not ride like a bicycle.
Pros:
- Rides like a scooter.
-The tires are cushy.
I don’t recommend the Radrunner at all.
FYI: When test riding, don’t put a kid or first time rider on it until you figure out the quirks because they will tip over or go over the handlebars.
I posted this because on UA-cam there are only ads disguised as reviews. Hope this better informs your decision.
Thanks for the tips. Do you have any e-bikes you prefer?
I have the Rad Rover and my wife has the Rad City. I'm surprising my two older daughters (12 & 10) this weekend with the Rad Runners! Can't wait to see their reactions!!
I could be your son
Dad, it's me, your long lost son
@@mikealnes8658 hahaha I'm on it!!
Like all your videos, this one is great! I just bought an e-bike and love it. I've been riding a bike for years, but the e-bike is a whole new experience. The pedal assist and throttle are great, especially for a 78-year old.
What kind did you get and what do you think?
@@aurora571000 I bought an Avention Pace 500. I enjoy the bike very much.
Thanks, Steven!
Appreciate the metric conversions for the more scientific minded audience (and outside the US). I checked whether I wanted to buy an e-Bike (no car) and allow for easy daily commutes. I settled with a much more affordable e-Scooter (11-12km real range), because: You can take it with you everywhere, unlike a bike. Bikes get stolen and have a larger footprint. Also, decent bikes may cost more (although they offer more, too).
e:/ How does it do in the rain? That is also a major thing regarding warranty etc.
Things to consider:
- Space & Storage
- COST
- Fit in s/o trunk (car) if need be
- take inside supermarket?
- Store at work (in the office)
- weight
- battery life/range (scooters with longer range cost twice as much etc and get into e-bike range)
liked the review, the removable battery (get a second one for twice the range?) and the assembly kit, wrenches etc. Some will not need it, i would have needed it, better than a single adjustable wrench in any case.
I have an eBike. I am an expatriate living in Sweden. We have dedicated bicycle/ walking paths in nearly every community. People here ride bicycles (or walk) as a first choice. It's nice to hear that more attention is being given to this way of thinking in the good old US of A.
It's always a bit dishonest when you hear people comparing other countries to the US. Take the 2nd Amendment for example: in lots of European countries the police are not very far away and come at a moment's notice, but in the US you often need to rely on yourself in the rural areas, from other humans, or animal attacks. The same goes for transportation, in urban cities where everything is close together it may be more possible to just ride a bike - if you live there - but people often drive their cars for 30 plus miles to get to work, so it's not honest to apply Swedish or any other standards of living to the USA. I may ride a bike for fun or exercise, but ultimately I will be depending on my car for transportation.
@@inertia1113
Sweden and the nordics have fewer armed crazy people then America. In America, It even legal to bring a gun inside the state building in Michigan and even bring them to the legislature viewing booth. That is such a fu@# up concept. You seem to have a mass shooting every month, yet you can bring a gun to a state capital building. Maybe those same people who planned to kidnap the governor were the same ones who showed up armed at the state capital earlier in the year. There are vast reigns in Sweden, Norway, and Finland were a law enforcement coverage is very spare.
I had a Radrover back in 2018.I had bought it used for $400 but it was missing the Lithium Ion battery pack.
No Problem I had a beefier 52 Volt 17.5 AH one a higher voltage and a higher storage capacity in Ampere Hours.
Where I lived it rained a lot.
No problem either.
I had two Veltop attachments (comes from France) which is a windshield with a cover kind of like a convertible car.
I learned the trick to get speeds up to 28 MPH and my state had just made this speed legal as a Class III e bike.
The most distance that I rode was 45 miles in one trip .
I had so much fun and I rode it almost daily for a year getting over 4,000 miles off of it.
Then the unexpected happened one sad day. I went on a trip and had a crosswalk signal so I went forward.
All of a sudden looking at my left I see a pickup truck and couldn't see the driver barreling through a red light towards me.
I pedaled as fast as I could. If I hadn't done that I would have likely been killed.
As it was he he hit my bike on the rear wheel wrecking my e bike.
There were witnesses but no one got his license plate number and it was a hit and run.
He (or she) sped off not caring if I was injured or killed. Lesson here if you get a ebike be sure to get something called velosurance so if you get hit your covered by insurance.
The police never caught the hit and run driver and I was lucky I wasn't killed or injured horribly.
There are a lot of hit and run drivers out there,people distracted driving,drunk driving and others on terrible illegal drugs that just don't care.
They don't care about you and only care about themselves. Other than that I hope someday to get another ebike but this time I will get insurance.
I just received my Lecrtic XP E bike today. I will probably unbox it this weekend. Thanks again for another 👍 well covered topic.
@@DylanFowler ?
I've got to say E-bikes really made a big change in this fat guys life. I didnt ride a bike before, they were too hard for me. Hurt my knees and i'm not a fan of exercising in general. Then work offered me an incentive not to commute. My E-bike paid for itself in a summer because i gave up my parking spot. Fast forward 2 years and I barely ride the ebike because i've come to love other electric rideables. I'm outside more than ever and i barely use my car because it's just not as fun. Not to mention the excercise.
"come to love other electric rideables"
..such as?
Yes, 'other ridables' I'm intrigued!
@@MorganMadej electric skateboard...
Then get a popsicle and start sliding down some handrails!
@Shaq GasEngine gfy
On the knees, try keeping up a 90+ pedal RPM in a lower gear to do the same speed. Each person has a sweet spot RPM wise. It ca be as high as 120 RPM. You are trading less force per revolution for more revolutions to do the same amount of work. It makes it much easier on the knees. Less force is transmitted through them. It is also the secret for riding long distance. The lowered amount of force allows one to keep in the aerobic part of one's ability. That makes you more efficient at using the sugars in your body. I was taught it when I was 14 or 15 by a bicycle delivery guy in NYC. I went from having bad knee pain and having a hard time doing 20 mile rides to doing 50+ with ease in just a few months. My knee pain also slowly went away. It took awhile to grind out the striations I'd ground into my knee cartilage using too much force at sub 60 RPM. Also drink enough water and eat enough food, both carbohydrates and proteins, before and along the way. Drink before you are thirsty, eat before you are hungry or tired. Look up the book "Effective Cycling" by John Forester. Once I was able to maintain a 17 MPH pace on my own, I did a 600 km brevet in less than 24 hours of on the bicycle ride time using these techniques. That was riding alone, no drafting of anybody, and beginning and ending at the same place. My average on bicycle speed was close to 15.75 MPH. Starting pace was 16.25 figuring I'd slow some. Instead it was pushing too hard in the mountainous part of the course that dropped my pace. That caused me to use up my anaerobic reserve too early.
My wife and I took my dad’s rad cycles (cargo wagon and fat tire) out this weekend and we did a 42 mile loop on assist 2,3/5 through 3 different small towns to do geocaches and ice cream. She loved the exhilarating speed and said she liked it even more than being on her gas scooter because it was just the right speed to take in the scenery and get exercise for four hours.
Okay ... that sounds like a fun day.
I own a 2020 Rad Runner with passenger package. Took 2 months of back and fourth with technical support sending videos, pics, and replacement parts but it finally works now. If someone had just tested the bike before shipping this never would've happened. I also got a petty flat tube within the first 75 miles, picked up a different brand from a local shop and now its solid. There are better quality and priced accessories elsewhere than their website (besides some proprietary). The battery likes it when you help pedal to get to get it started and the throttle does take over without draining too much. I also put a piece of electrical tape on the 'white' wire to motor connection to disable the "governor". Overall I am very satisfied with the purchase and what you said about commuting is no joke, this thing can get me across town just as fast practically. Wisconsin represent.
I Built My Ebike Recently And The Total Cost Was About £ 350 . 00 . Aluminium Saracen X Cell Frame That Is Super Strong And Sexy !
I've Built Two Battery Packs That Cost Me Virtually Nothing Just A Bit Of Time And Effort
I Hope Ebike's Do Catch On Because Of Their Versatility And Silence
Bless Up Earthling
Nice!
I scrolled through to find a full picture of the bike and couldn't really see any. That's the first thing I want to see before I watch a video. The link under the video helped.
I bought 2 RadRunners 1 for me and 1 for my wife. The seat and shock absorbing seat post are the 1st, best upgrade. 2nd fenders Deluxe Headlight, and pedals. That’s what my wife got. I also added the storage center console, folding baskets on each side, & speedo/upgrade to mine.
I’ve noticed a lot of people mouthing the handlebars swept back. For your height they should be straight up or about 1 notch forward. We are loving our E-bikes. We’re not afraid to go riding into the wind or up hills any more 😎
I have a RadMini AND a 2018 Tesla Model 3 AWD LR. I routinely put the RadMini in my M3 to drive to the park, lake etc. I remove the battery and the seat. Fold the handle bars and front wheel back to minimize the bike profile. I then lay a rug on the trunk rim, hoist up the front of the bike, onto the trunk rim. Then grab the back and slide it into the trunk. It’s not a light bike but doing it in steps works for me. Adequate room, in the trunk, for other items as well. Enjoy your Rad, you will not regret your purchase. Plus, they have great resale value when/if you change models.
With bad knees my Radrunner allows me to enjoy riding again❗️
I have good knees, I'm just fat and prone to back pain
If you’re hesitating on and ebike, GO FOR IT! I got one last year at the start of lockdown and haven’t stopped using it since. I find myself looking for excuses to ride!
Hey ! Just made the switch from an Hybrid car to an Electric Bike. Car is sold, and now I do all my errands by bike and public transport (EU here). So far so good, I feel better physically, I actually go out more often, and my bank account thanks for me every single day. I can invest more of my money in my house and get a better overall return on investment. Cheers !
I've owned a Rad Mini for over a year now and I got it for the same reasons you listed. It's been great. It's a great middle ground between walking and driving. I've set it up for cargo for groceries and errands and am really satisfied with it.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
I own a radpower bike, and it is one of the best purchases of my life.
Is it how is it to deal with rain and winds?
Electric bicycles are more dangerous than motorcycles, there are many reasons why, from road presence and cars hitting you to the speed people travel in town with nothing more than a bicycle helmet. If you plan to buy one of these deathcycles, consider buying a motorcycle, it is better in every single way.
I agree. Best purchase I've ever made.
@@Evirthewarrior Think you better do more research on that!
@@gavinbitz2563 going 30mph with a bicycle helmet, minimal lighting and basically no protective gear on city roads? If you somehow think that is safer than a full sized motorcycle going the same speeds in a city with full protective gear and a proper helmet, you are delusional.
I am a year ahead of you on this one. I too saw a need for short-distance transportation and exercise and, in my case, a little assist because I live on a hillside. I researched e-bikes and selected a Specialized Vado 4. It is a 10-speed power assist bike with the electric motor in the pedal sprocket. It has three levels of assist and is rated Level 3 with a 500 WH battery. The bike has an app that connects to the bike (like a Tesla) that allows me to monitor the bike's performance, plan trips, and track my trip on a map. The bike comes with an LED screen as a standard. It has an adjustable seat that goes up and down and back and forth. I too am 6' 1" tall and the adjustments allow me to pedal properly. The bike comes will all the features your bike has and many add-on options. The big difference is the price. My bike cost me $3,500.
I have been following the e-bike trend and there are a lot of new manufacturers getting into the business. Like electric cars, this product is evolving rapidly. The Dutch have been particularly innovative with the Royal Dutch Gazelle line leading the way for recreational and commuter use.
This is a product where the buyer has to really think through why they want one and what will it be used for. If you are going to use the bike to commute to work every day, it is wise to spend the money and get a well-built bike from a manufacturer with a strong bike making history.
Really great points, John. Especially like the last point about everyone needing to determine how it will be used before buying.
The first thing I ask myself, when considering an ebike is, "Will it outrun an angry dog?"
Yes. At worst you'll match their speed, at best you'll laugh as you get away.
or a bear, in some places!
No! Bears need to eat too! 😁😁😁😁
I smoked 1 the other day!
Or Big Foot
Love my Radmini 4! If you assemble your own bike, be sure to double check the front cup/cone hub bearings.. they often come adjusted improperly from the factory. If ridden too far while out of adjustment, the hub can be damaged. It's also a good idea to re-tension the spokes, especially on the rear wheel. they will need adjustment, especially as they wear in.
Thanks for the review. I am about to press 'go' on an order for two Radrunner 1s after a couple of trips on hired rad 1s in ny area of the UK We were able to test then out on beach [aths marsh tracks, roads, paths, bridleways, steep and long slow hills. I am still a little bit unsure whether or not we need gears but decided that for the price and based on our projected use (we live at the bottom of a long slow hill) we will adjust to the best way of using the power assist. The build of the bike is great, the position comfortable. Even the saddle, I did 20 miles on Sunday and have been pretty inactive for the last two years with an auto-immune muscular condition (PMR) which stops me walking far so I haven't cycled that far for a ling time - and no residual bum-ache - though I am sure the saddle could be improved. these are hire bikes we have been riding so no mods - which has convinced me (and my normally skeptical husband). We are both 66 and have used bikes all our lives but recently I have been thinking twice before tackling the hill and quite often choosing my car instead which i don't want to get into the habit of. A couple of days test riding convinced me that a Radrunner is fun enough to get me riding out again. I didn't notice any need for gears uphill, only possibly downhill when you feel you want to pedal (but I just rolled instead)
Thanks for doing that review. Im getting my 3rd Ebike. This one will be for guests
This is a really good review of the RadRunner. You answered one of the key questions I have had that has been deferring my decision to order one. Actually there is now a "Limited Release" RadRunner Plus that I believe is a very good value.
My main concern tho is that these models have the cadence type sensor which detects when you are pedaling. Some reports say bikes with this system (As opposed to a torque sensor on the rear chain sprocket,) can be kinda jerky or abrupt when you start pedaling & the motor cuts in and applies power. You say that your bike is "very smooth & not jerky or alarming at all" when the power cuts in. That is exactly what I wanted to hear. I believe the software/controller somehow has a way of ramping up the power.
Not all cadence style bikes are created equal, a lot can be done with software and the way the controller itself is designed to output power.
I'm very interested in the RadRunner Plus. As a 1st time ebike buyer and with no way to do a test drive, I really wanted know about this before buying and it isn't a point that a lot of reviewers cover in other videos. I guess if it works well & doesn't give ppl any grief or surprises then it likely isn't something reviewers feel a need to talk about. But you took the time to mention this which has gone a long way to eliminating the biggest concern I had about buying this bike. I think I'll get my order in real SOON! Thanks again, greg
OldKingCole - you don't say where you are based but I am debating the same and managed to find an e-bike hire place near me (Suffolk, UK) and we were able to hire two Radrunner 1s which we did on two separate Sundays which enabled us to properly test them, do a bt more research and then go back and answer some of our own questions. Still slightly uncertain about 1 or Plus but think overall we decided that the gears aren't vital and there are several things we prefer about the Rad 1 (eg centre stand and lighter weight, not to mention price) so I think we are going for a brace of Rad 1s, in green with passenger packs and frnt baskets (free on a special offer). Very tempted t upgrade the display but will probably stick with LED and see how we get on. One big reservation - how easy is it to change PA level with gloves on as I found I was using the PA like gears and changing a lot
I got the radwagon, few hundered more, but has more storage area as it is a cargo bike and has 7 speeds. 1500 miles this last year and enjoying it.
Bicycles make life and cities better.
Cities need to do more to encourage people to ride bicycles by providing protected bike lanes.
Older adults and children need to feel safe when riding. Electric bicycles are helping bring back older adults to cycling. It makes hill climbing much easier. Bicycles are healthy exercise, fossil fuels free transportation and great for social distancing. Ride to work, school or for fun. Children to be able to ride a bicycle to school and get out of the minivan. Support bike trails in your community.
All is well until rain, snow, bitter cold and scorching temperatures send people back to their cars.
Which is the reason I have a car as well as a new e bike.
So where's the benefit of millions spent on bike lanes that no one uses in inclement weather?
I can see 3 unused bike lanes come winter from my downtown apartment.
We even have a bike share system that's broken here.
Jerry Oswald
Guess it depends on the city/state
Here in south Florida it would be great. But the bike systems are incomplete and drivers are horrible.
People walk everywhere
They would use the bike lane if they could
Also japan wants to know your location
@@자시엘-l1s Florida from my memory is warm and humid most of the year (also every September is hurricane season ). I couldn't see biking in mid summer in Texas or New Mexico either,
The northern states ( Canada as well ) are extremely cold and snowy as well as heat waves in the summer.
The point of my original post was to decry the massive expense cities pay to appease the minority users (usually the loudest and most obnoxious city councillors ).
@@oswaldjh
Why should I pay for widen expressways, that destroy my neighborhood. Why should I pay for public charging infrastructure that only benefits one EV brand. Super charging in a public lot. (The local government got sued over super chargers and went with Electrify America) the obnoxious ones are the Tesla driver's lobbying the local government here to be granted rights on the BRT lanes.
@@Frank71 Maybe because cars can be used in ANY WEATHER.
Do handicapped people use bikes? Do people that need to stay dry for work use bikes? Do people that want to carry anything more than a bagged lunch use a bikes? Do people that don't want to smell up the workplace with sweat use bikes? Do people that need pick up kids or groceries use bikes? Do people that feel safer on four wheels than two ride bikes?
No, no, no, no, no and no. Best to build the automotive infrastructure. It's what is used by the vast majority of people.
You can't force the future you envision, the laws of physics still rule.
Thank you for disclosing you purchased with your own money because you did a wonderful “commercial”. Keep up the good work 🎈
Funny I just converted my full suspension mountain bike. Santa Cruz blur from circa 2003. Used to ride quite a bit. Not so much recently. I still prefer the off road. And love full suspension. I love the conversation. I opted for a bafang bbshd mid drive. The only difference I'd probably make is honestly don't need or use all the power. Typically don't go beyond 4 and I have 9 power assist levels plus thumb throttle. The less powerful version is also lighter and plenty of power for my needs. Without the removable battery I can lift it up onto my 3. I have the roof racks from Tesla and a yakama bike rack. Oh the current build is around 48 lbs. Removing the battery removes about 10 lbs. Oh and if it makes a difference was my Birthday present to myself just turned 67. Cheers from California.
USB programming cable is very nice to have, if you dont like how it responds or how much power it puts out, tweaks galore.
Matt I just bought one of these it’s been on back order but I can’t wait to get it any day now I have had a few back surgeries and had to stop riding about 11 years ago I just had a new surgery in June
And fell good enough to try and ride again plus if I can’t peddle I can just ride I think bikes are going to be great for people with disabilities I think it’s great that people can start riding again I haven’t been able to I’ll let you know how it goes once I get it great video as usual keep up the good work talk to you soon JH
Good video review. I got Rad Runner Plus a week ago. Very nice. Bike seat, however, needed to be changed immediately.
Can’t stress enough how much the seatpost and seat upgrades are absolutely necessary.
Me too, working from home, sold my car, bought a Honda Grom, but recently bought an ebike, now the Grom just sits
2020 GROM BASE MSRP: $3,399 Tooltip Asterik
..not bad for a new motorcycle!
@@1MinuteFlipDoc Where they get you is in the freight and setup fees, throw-in sales tax and you will have a hard time finding a deal that will let you out the door for under 4K
In your video the lights were not flashing. I like my vis360 that goes on my helmet. The fact that it is up high and visible helps. Also I can look at a car approaching from the side and I know my light is pointed at them. Thanks for the review, enjoy your bike!
Bought the Radrunner a few months ago, and immediately I liked it, despite a disappointing lack of power going up medium grade hills. To solve this, I bought a controller/programmer upgrade kit for about $260. Using recommended settings off UA-cam, the bike's uphill torque is almost doubled, which improved the bike from fairly useful to VERY useful. Also I removed the pedal assist top speed, which means I can eggbeater the pedals to get the bike up to about 26mph, or let the motor drive it as fast as 22mph. Truth is, I have no desire to go that fast. I just want to get up hills and across intersections without getting in people's way. With the upgrade kit, the Rad gets me, my fat butt and my two milk crates up most hills with no problem. Mission accomplished for under $1800.
Note: Be ready to buy an extra thick inner tube for the rear tire, and be ready to adjust the brakes once every couple weeks.
Nice! Thanks for sharing.
They aren't good in the winter when there is snow out and you're freezing cold; however, they can be good in warmer places.
Had my Radrunner for a year but decided to sell it. Liked the concept but my knees prevented me from pedaling at all. Decided to go with a Honda scooter which is working better for my uses. Specifically I wanted something to take with when camping with more range.
I have a Mate X folding electric bike that I use mostly for rail trails. I live less than a mile from a couple of trail entrances but my house is several hundred feet above those trails. After a long ride, the last thing you want to do is bike up a long hill to go home. So before I got my eBike I would have to attach my roof rack, load my bike, drive to the trail entrance, unload, etc and do the reverse going home. Not a HUGE hassle, but enough of a hassle to make me think twice about going out for a ride sometimes. Now with my eBike I just bike from home to the trails and back. Each time I go riding I reserve enough battery to help me easily make it up the final hill to my house. This is the main reason I bought the eBike and it has certainly made it easier to go for a ride.
However I've learned a few other benefits. With the pedal assist you can get the same workout, but travel faster/farther. I had previously thought I'd use the motor only to help when I needed a boost (like uphill or when I was over-exerted) and that using the assist would be cheating myself out of a good workout. But I can still pedal as hard and as fast as I want for whatever level of workout I wish to push myself toward -- and also use the motor simply just to go faster and cover more distance. Now if I have limited time to ride, I can kick the assist up so I can get to the interesting areas further down the trail. Similarly the other night I realized at the turn around point that I was going to be late getting home for a meeting, so I just turned up the boost and was able to trim enough time off the return trip in order to arrive on time.
The other benefit (which I had considered but did not expect to be as big as it is) is the fact that the electric motor can help get you back into shape. During the pandemic my gym closed and I got out of shape and lazy really fast. I couldn't bike like I used to. No biggie though. I just let the motor do more of the work for me initially and as I get back in shape I set goals for using less and less motor.
One last benefit is my ass. :) Longer rides have always taken a toll on my derrière. The best way to help alleviate/prevent some of this pain is to get my butt off the seat for brief periods of time. Standing up while pedaling isn't hard but I'm not a big fan of it. Now when I stand up I have the option of not pedaling and letting the motor keep me going via the throttle.
Only downside of the eBikes is that they are considerably heavier. This isn't a big deal for me when riding as the extra weight just means more workout potential, plus the motor can be used to offset the weight. The problem is if you plan to carry it up and down stairs or load it into/onto your vehicle. Then you feel over bit of that weight. Again... not a big deal if you're looking for some strength training and can handle 65 pounds...
Thanks for sharing!
Should be noted that the stock controller/ display is not waterproof. One good rain and the controller went haywire. The upgrade is waterproof. Recommend the display. I do love my radrunner. It's a super bike!!!
Matt, Based on your final good say, I ordered a Radrunner on Friday. They gave a shipping date of August. See what you can do!! Lol
How has been the experience so far?
Agree with most points. Love my ebike but get one with more power if you can and with suspension. A small bump doesn’t feel small when going 30mph
I'V HAD ONE FOR 3 YR'S NOW...BAD ASS...23 MPH AND GOOD POWER. CLASS 2
I have 500 miles on my RadWagon. Wife bought a RadRover a little while ago. They're awesome bikes. You'll probably need to do some tweaking on the bike to make everything work right but it's a great price and super useful.
I purchased a RadRover 5 a few weeks back. They were on back order, but hopefully it will show up soon. This should get me by for a while, so we don't have to buy a second car.
other manufactures why sit and wait unless bike is not made in China but made location ur own country
@@arthurdewith7608 US-based company (which is important to US customers) and the support of RadPower outdoes the other competitors at the same price point.
They do have some interesting E-Bikes at prices I look at and say why do my own? The electronics and motor drive systems are commodity parts sold to many companies and end users. Only reason to do my own is my incredibly stiff and well known to my body Cannondale ST-500 that has an impossible to fit rear fork width. It's sidelined waiting on a reasonable priced hub, or I can afford one of the few that fits. I'm partial to RoadRunner's step through folding E-Bike. Looks like it would stow well on a boat or in a van. Also folding bikes are easy to secure at a bike rack or suitable post. A thick cable lock that also secures a heavy Kevlar drawstring bag over the whole bike.
Nice review. The frame construction sold me. Very solid and can carry 350 pounds I think.
It does feel like a quality bike
I commute daily to work on an Ancheer E-Bike. They are cheaper (mine was about $650). It's been a great bike and i feel good being a one car family :) When it does get bad weather i work from home. My work is flexible with that. Once a year i have to buy a new battery for about $265 because how often I ride it (4-5 times a week). Having an ebike is great because i can control how much effort i put into my commute and I can get a decent workout without sweating a lot if at all.
I’ve had my RadRunner about a month and put a couple of hundred miles on it. Like you the only thing I don’t like is the seat, which I replaced. I didn’t get the shock absorbing post however. So 5 miles without a break is about my limit so far. I’ve done a couple of plus 20 mile rides. Use the iPhone app - CompCycle for speedometer / odometer / map tracker. Great app. Great ebike.
I bought one the day it was out in the uk 🇬🇧 September 19, Yes the seat is a massive downside, I have a gel seat cover for now, I’ll fit a new seat like your if I can find one..but the biggest downside for the European model is the puny 250W motor and 15mph(25kmh) top motor speed, and only peddle assist,no throttle😝,so with only one gear there is no way you’re going up any gradient of hill on this think. All in all I love riding it I just wish it was the original 750w motor, he says online it still has the 80Nm motor, obviously a lie or a typo...
Ps. Love your videos, as you seem a little less American sounding then others, that’s a good thing.😉
Is nice...but I'd want shock absorption at least at the front forks. The flexion of the tires is not enough.
I guess some problems arise due to not trying it out in a bike store first..! Sometimes having a bike store has its advantages, you might pay a few £$ more, but if it fits....Priceless
Agreed. If I had tried this at a bike store I would have known about the seat ... but in the end it was easy to remedy.
Looks like a great seat post and seat. Ordered both.
Hi Matt, I always enjoy your informative video's & when I saw the rad power video WOW WEE, I had to see this one ASAP. I too bought a rad, but I'm still waiting for mine, July delivery... Ugh. I bought a fat tire step through..glad you like yours & really happy you feel it's a quality purchase. Perhaps do a video on charging this battery & see if it's worth getting a smart charger to set it to 80%,90% charge. Keep up the great work. Glad you went Rad! Steve S.
Yes my friend you will love it mine is very reliable at nearly 700 miles no problems just bought a new tire for the rear I learned keeping more air in the tire is better for them as less air breaks them down faster. I bought a frame air pump in case I want to change tire pressure due to to road.
conditions.
But this is the best advice I can give you.
WHAT IS THE ROMANS ROAD?
Simply put, the Romans Road shows the path to Heaven. It uses points from the book of Romans in the Bible to explain God’s gift of salvation. At each stop we learn something new about why we need salvation, how God has provided for it, and how we receive it.
As you look at each of the six points outlined here, take time to reflect on what God’s Word has to say. Remember that the book of Romans was written to people just like you and me: people living in a busy culture, trying to make sense of what is true and what is most important in life.
The Romans Road describes the only way to Heaven. Study it, learn it, and follow it!
1. EVERYONE NEEDS SALVATION
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
2. JESUS DIED FOR OUR SALVATION
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
3. SALVATION IS A GIFT
The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
4. WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. (Romans 11:6)
5. SALVATION COMES THROUGH FAITH
To him that … believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)
6. GOD SAVES ALL WHO CALL UPON HIM
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)
The Bible says there are two roads in life: one is the way to eternal joy in Heaven, and the other leads to eternal punishment in Hell. Which road are you on?
Follow the Romans Road to salvation today. Recognize that you are a sinner and that your sin must be judged by God. See that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sin, but that you must choose to accept His provision. Understand that you cannot earn your way to Heaven through good works or religious activity. Now turn to God and put your faith in Jesus Christ who died for you and rose again.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9,10)
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 King James Version (KJV)
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures
God bless friend enjoy your new ride.
Thx for the km and kg translations
Sure thing. You can thank one of my Patrons over at Patreon for that. He’s constantly reminding me to include that (rightfully so).
@@UndecidedMF its great he reminded you and you included that! without the km and kg this video would be a pain in the a** or not very informative for me, thanks!
Meter Paffay It’s in the username :)
I just love learning both at the same time honestly!
I agree with you I really appreciate measurements given in metric. The vast majority of US UA-camrs just talk in inches, feet, lbs etc. Today only a very small part of the world uses those units.
What a cool review - looks great! Something I may consider for myself in the future. Thanks!
Just retired and bought a Bulls E45 Lacuba. Big battery, torque and (unfortunately) price. Class 3, no throttle which I preferred cuz I want exercise. Hope I don't regret it.
Great video! New sub.
I ordered mine last month and am eagerly awaiting my Rad Runner! Looking forward to possible ongoing reviews! 👍
Thanks for the sub!
5.40 Exactly. For many years for bikes and furniture. Don't use the junk hex sticks they give you unless you've fingers of steel. I got a ratchet set, and it's all a breeze. Just try tightening up a new saddle without 1. Or unscrewing an old rusted bolt out...
Matt I love your channel you should be the guy on the world stage that helps bring green energy to the world by that I mean you can sell it for you don't come off as a bias person you seem genuine in your love of change for the betterment of human advancement you show and explain new technology and the pros and cons your great walk tall knowing your on the right path in life subscribe keep up the good work
I am thinking of buying one (RudRunner) . Probably will. I just wish it had a mid-drive with torque-detection
Awesome Matt! My wife and I got some Rad's a few months ago. I guess now I need solar like you since we are the same on everything else (Model 3 and EGO lawn equipment).
Ha! That’s awesome.
Great presentation not sure if the company sent you the bike to promote it, but I'm going to buy an e bike from Walmart under $700.00 as a first timer. Gotta make sure the e bike is legal in your area to avoid law enforcement to take them away from you.
First time watching you, the review was so good. Thank you!
Just got a Volt... but this makes me ponder an e-bike this summer
Thanks for ebike review. I've been looking at ebikes for years. First one I rode was a company started by Lee Iococca, and that was 2005. I just bought my first ebike. Lectricebike is the name. Sub $1000, and basically the same as Rad, except not a hauler. Can recommend.
I have an Electra townie go step over frame. Bought it 3 years ago. Great ride.
Huh, I searched UA-cam for "radrunner trunk" and your video came up second. It turns out you did mention "trunk" in the video, but not in a positive light.
I ordered the Lectric XP 2.0 ($999) for the folding aspect of it, but I'm still waiting for it to be shipped. I was looking for excuses to go for a non-folding bike, but I'm still afraid for that one time that I might need to fit it into someone's trunk. Maybe it's a spontaneous trip with a friend or a breakdown where I need to Uber myself to a bike shop or a planned long-distance bus trip to a bike adventure destination. I do envy that larger battery capacity of the Radrunner though, but I'm thinking I can just buy a second Lectric XP battery to swap out mid-ride if I really need to.
I bought myself a nakto ranger e bike, 350w 10amp battery. 48lbs so a lot lighter than this one...with throttle. I am loving it! Unfortunately as of this writing they are sold out. And it's $200 less than the radrunner.
I've had a RAD City for 6 months and have put about 1400 miles on it. They make a great product at a reasonable price. I added the large basket on the back. It's perfect for my daily commute. (8 miles each way) It's great fun and I always look forward to riding it. :-)
Great review! This is the e-bike for me. Thanks!
Check out the wide boy seat with suspension and a reflector built in.
Just ordered a special edition with 7 gears. Can’t wait!
RETURN IT! You don't want their motor, it uses plastic gearing.
@@BretBowlby plastic isn't always equal to bad quality, plastic is sometimes even better. Bosch motors also use nylon gears (note that nylon is very strong) and these are renowned german engineered motors.
Delta5511 German craftsmanship yeah!
Then you also have front suspension.
I hope you get better. Good luck.
Hi Matt thanks for the review, Nice to see that you use footage of my country (The Netherlands) where everybody use a bicycle. Never Deen this one in our country, I use a normal bicycle without anything. Take care an enjoy bicycle and I hope more people Will do in The future. Greeting Marc
Thanks for watching! This is another one of the “America lagging behind the rest of the world” again examples.
Undecided with Matt Ferrell, Thanks take care looking forward for you new video
There is a massive amount of talk always about electric cars, but the real transport revolution is e-bikes. Here in Europe I think this is more apparent but this will come to the USA. The e-bike makes cycling appealing to a much wider range of people. It is vastly more economical than running a car, electric or ICE. Although people debate whether an electric car has less environmental impact than an ICE car, there is no doubt that an e-bike has less impact.
Something people might consider is a bicycle or e-bike and membership of a car club. That's what I do. I use a regular bicycle for 90% of journeys but I'm in a car club so when I want to do a longer journey I simply go in a car from the club. It is so much cheaper than keeping a car sitting only to be used occasionally.
My wife and I just pre-ordered the Rad Runner Plus. We cant wait for them to arrive! (October ). I have issue with the stock seat as well. I know the suspension seat post is just over $100.00, How much was the seat upgrade you got?... Thanks, In advance for your answer.
m
looks decent but tekro wire disc brakes are not high end
The bike is a great deal for the price, my only complaint is the lack of a top tube, I really don't like the look of step through frames.
Getting an e-bike was the best decision that I have made in the last 20 years,...
even better than my Model Y (which is an incredibly high bar).
I cannot wait for the office to reopen cause then I get to commute the 20 miles into work :)
Sounds good, but I think you may find 20 miles is a long commute on a bike ?
I just got one of these. I has helped me get thru all of this. Its nice. get a real seat and post for it and you are good to go.
Thanks for sharing. Totally agree ... new seat and post and it's golden.
I have no problem with the seat - some do.
Thanks for the review on the Rad runner. I am thinking to buy one but also can't decide whether I need a mid-drive motor.
You definitely need a mid-drive motor especially if you need to deal with hills. Hub motors are fun on flat surfaces but not that good on hills. Check most of high end e-bikes are using mid-drive motors.
@@richardrivers25 It's a geared hub and fine on normal hills. I ride 2 up all the time and have a blast. Chew a chain on a mid and you're not going anywhere.
So weird that ebikes have all these power limitations but Skateboards the sky is the limit! I'm probably going to go for the Skateboard for dual 1500 Watt motors and none of these regulations
Can a person get an extra battery and if so how much for one? Be nice to have an extra fully charged battery on hand.
I wish you can review Ariel Rider D-Class. That looks like the Ferrari of ebikes
Yeah I am looking for review of D-Class too. That dual set-up is very appealing but not sure about range of the bike
I am definitely interested in review of D-Class too.
I think X-Class will be better for him.
I liked the look of Rad Power bikes but wanted scooter style seating and a full suspension so went with a Juiced Bikes Scorpion. Hoping it will replace both my bicycle and my 50cc scooter, allowing me to not only run errands but also range further afield than my bike, as I've gotten bored of the exercise routes I can reasonably reach under my own power. Should arrive next week.
fast padding speed (means less force) is protective for your knees. It is usually recommended to go at 90rpm and use gears to adjust speed. I believe that’s where their design comes from
👍
I owned an electric bike for a year. I was so excited to buy it. Unfortunately, the battery drained going up any significant hill. (I weigh 190 pounds). And in winter, forget about it.
Looking at this bike I can understand why Rad is now operating from the Netherlands as well as the US. It's definitely a bike for cargo and transport.
Beware, RadRunner rarely publish real customer reviews. I know, I've subitted the following every week fo six weeks.... We Bought two Radrunners and multiple accessories. We were surprised not any assembly instructions. Instead watching multiple UA-cam videos, that in a few cases were not up to date or detailed enough. For instance, the video explains handlebar assembly and makes no mention of the tiny black piece of plastic in the hardware kit, by the time I guessed that in goes in the goose neck hex bolt I had already misplaced the one for the first bike. I started by installing fender kits on both bikes, one bolt was so tight that I actually stripped the allen wrench that was provided but found another in my personal toolkit that worked. Second came the front racks, these both came with a black light mount that’s screw hole was too small to accommodate the screw. The video also shows you splitting the cables around the rack, but this didn’t seem appropriate with what we were provided and would make the Velcro case un-usable. I also installed the back seat assembly and shields and another rack on one without a hitch. Lastly came the $89ea pannier bags. Larger clips were supplied for the Radrunner, but when removing one of the four clips one encased nut kept rotating until I removed part of the bag assembly to hold it. The entire project took me (a retired shipyard worker) about five hours.
Our first ride! The bikes showed four lights on the handlebar monitor, so I assumed they were fully charged. We rode about a mile and returned, then I loaded up my 70lbs grandson and went two miles down the road. On the next mile the gauge dropped to two lights and the bike started to roll to a stop. I shut the bike off and walked 2 miles while I called my wife to bring me her battery. Before she arrived, I turned the bike back on (four lights) and it worked. When she arrived, she took the grandson and gave me the battery. Subsequently I rode the bike about 4 miles (solo) back home using the pedals some to maintain my 15mph. Finally exchanged batteries and took the grandkid for another mile-long ride. The batteries have been charging since we left the beach, so it will be interesting see how they hold up after a real charge. BTW I weigh in at 225 and on all flat surfaces I’m considering buying a spare battery, but I’ll make up my mind after my next ride (next month).
This is the ebike I’ve decided on. When the stimulus comes in I’ll be placing my order. It’ll be my first ebike so I’m pretty pumped.
Looking for a lightweight Foldable E-Bike in NYC? Any recommendations? Many that I look at . . . are Not Available in USA. Very informative video.
I want to get one of these at some point this year 😍 Thanks for doing a review of this
You’re welcome 😊
This is a thorough review, nice!
Thanks!
@@UndecidedMF You're welcome!
I've got an electric skateboard and a OneWheel and those things make me want to build an electric trike for the day-to-day like getting groceries.