That sucks! I hope Rad responds quickly for you. If you have to replace the controller on the bike, I do have a couple of videos about that. Best wishes ~Barry
For two years I have looked for a competent dealer to fix my E bike here in Scotland. Now I have found one, in Angus. I am now looking at the Rad 6. Other dealers must be franchised and only deal with the bikes they sell.
HI Barry, Thanks for your reply below. Well I got my new RadCity 5 and assembled it myself with a few hassles but was quite pleased with myself and then turned it on... and got an Error 21 message which indicates the battery is not communicating with the hub motor. Talked to Rad Canada and they feel it is likely the battery tray and are sending me a new one and I am sure it will not be simple to install. Hey at least you got 30 miles or so before your controller got bugs--I haven't even tried mine yet to see how it feels! Wish me luck, any advice appreciated. The bike is beautifully made I must say and a pleasure to put together. Patience is a virtue as they say. Cheers, Daniel in Montreal
Hi DR - I had to remove the lower battery connector and unplug everything from the controller in order to remove the controller. That process was easy and the only trick there is to have a set of Torx screw drivers and pay close attention to routing the wires when you reassemble everything. I agree that patience is a virtue and something helpful when dealing with an ebike. I hope you are on the road soon. The Rads are a joy to ride.
@@barry_k Hi Barry. I don't have a set of Torx screwdrivers, can you tell me exactly what ones I should get for this? The tray is the first item to check--I am hoping it isn't the controller.
@@barry_k HI Barry, I am awaiting the new battery tray connector to see if that fixes things. A question to you: Right now the battery is fully charged and and will turn on with both screens and light working finr, I just get the 'Code 21' indicating no communication battery to motor. When your controller died did your screen and lights still work or did it all go dead? It seems to me my controller is working but jsut can't connect with the battery, hence the new battery tray/connector arriving in a few days. Thanks.
When my motor stopped responding I did not have any error codes on the screen. All of the displays and lights worked as they should. I just didn't have any power to the motor. I hope the new battery tray connector fixes the problem.
I just received my rad rover plus 6 ebike, I totally enjoyed putting the bike together and installed a front and rear rack. I wrapped the wires and cables that were rubbing on the front rack with hockey tape so that they don't get damaged, I'll just keep an eye on it and replace the tape when needed. After I charged the battery, I took it for a 17km ride and what a blast! I haven't had this much fun on any any bike! I look forward to trying it out in the snow this winter, great product and would highly recommend this ebike!
Check out my other videos because I went through the diagnostic process suggested by Rad. I also have videos on the repair process. I'm sorry to hear you are going through this Tracy. I hope you can get it resolved quickly. All the best.
I’ve been reading your blogs because I’m having the same issue as you. I lose my PAS and throttle after I ride for awhile. I turn my bike off and then back on and it will work again for awhile. It’s a pain to keep doing that though. Rad is sending me the wire harness and controller too. It’s a shame we spend a lot of money on a bike and have nowhere to take it when it breaks. The video they sent me to watch makes it look easy to repair. Somehow after watching yours, I don’t think so. Thanks for your videos!
You are welcome. I'm glad I can help. The hardest part was finding the screw holes once I had the controller pushed into the down tube. The trick to finding those holes is to buy two long screws, same diameter and thread pitch, and use the long screws to "fish" through the down tube to find the holes in the controller. The other trick is to make sure the cables from the controller are in the right channels. If they are in the wrong channels you will not be able to install the battery lock mechanism. I wish you the best and hope you are back on the road again soon.
I am with you I have Mokwheel ebike still trying to get it fixed. It been two weeks since I rode my ebike. Still waiting to hear from support. I have no battery as they require it shipped to them.
That's bad. I don't know what part of the country you are in but here in Michigan the biking season is rapidly closing. I hope you get this turned around quickly and back on the road. ~Barry
Most of the other components like the controller and the motors hardly ever go bad hardly ever is the problem the cables or the connectors it's still dang LCD screens I've changed them at least three times just one bike good luck to all of you hope my comments help
I have had that problem with all my bikes the screen is always bad even if it look ok so the best thing is to change for an old fashioned one that doesn't have a screen it just turns on and keeps track of battery life they sell them on line and the only cost about 15 dollars
Rad sent me the parts and gave me the name of two places they said they were affiliated with; not true according to the shop that was within 25 miles of my house.
Sadly without a dealer network buying an ebike can be a crapshoot. I have a 2018 Radcity that needed a new freewheel and chain. Finding the parts was a challenge and currently if I needed a battery I’d be stuck… on back order. I’m looking at other models for an upgrade.
Thank you for watching. Congratulations on your new Rad City 5's. They are really great bikes and like anything new, out of the box, there may be issues. Enjoy!
I would if sent the dam bike back ! For you to go through all you have I would of said I am sending it back period ! I just order one if I have that issue bike going back ! Thanks good luck !
Hi Tony - Thank you for the comment. I installed the new controller, not without a few headaches, and the bike is working fine now. I really hope you don't have to send it back -- just jump on it, ride and enjoy. ~Barry
Thank you for sharing your experience. Last Friday I got and assembly my bike, it was working fine, but after just one hour of riding and about 8 miles the problem started. My Rad City 5 plus battery is fully charged (verified by the battery gauge indicator and the charging block). However, when I turn on my bike, the LCD screen displays one blinking block for the charge, to indicate no charge remaining. The bike automatically shuts off within a few seconds. It shows error code 30. I've checked all the connectors and suggestions but nothing works. I´ve send email to RAD, not answer, called for assistance and after a few hours somebody answer and they are going to send me a new wiring harness and controller. I´m not sure if I should continue fighting with this problem or just return the bike. I'm not a handy man, and they said they are willing to pay one hour service, that I don´t think is going to be enough, mainly because I don´t find RAD authorized dealers here in Austin Texas. I´ll wait a little bit to see how your experience ends. Thanks again for documenting everything.
I did get the batter lock installed and got all the wiring routed and zip tied. The new controller did the trick for me. I will have a video out soon about installing the battery lock. I've only ridden the bike a couple of miles since I got it put back together. It seems to work just like new. I hope it stays that way after I put more miles on the bike. Let me know if you decide to tackle the repair. I'm willing to give you any advice I can from afar.
I'll be getting the RadCity 5 plus soon and I am mindful of the problems that can crop up, like yours. But I am in a big city and we have this service here that will deliver me the bike assembled and can be called on for problems after that. Their thing is to have you book and appointment and they come around with a large van that is basically a fully equipped bike shop on wheels, give you a coffee and you can watch while they fix your bike, presumably covered by warranty for the first year and watching your vids I assume you are under warranty hence them sending you the parts you need... you just needed a service like the one I will have, but I gather you are not in a large city. I am not sure I would buy a complicate e-bike without this sort of back-up service. The controller is a complicated piece of equipment, bouncing around on a bicycle frame and exposed to the elements, no matter how protected it seems to be. Good luck with your repairs! Daniel in Montreal
Thanks Daniel -- I did get the bike fixed after some frustrating moments as I detailed in some of my other videos. Yes, I would have really appreciated a bike shop like you have. I did have a local bike shop assemble the bike. We were in southeast Florida at the time the bike was delivered but heading back to Michigan shortly before the controller went bad. I didn't want to leave the bike at the shop all summer while we were in Michigan so I tackled the repair myself. We live in a fairly large metro area in Michigan and I was surprised to find that Rad had no "authorized" repair shops here. Rad just sent me the names of two bike shops that may be able to repair the bike here in west Michigan. I know you will enjoy the Rad City 5. It is really a nice e-bike and hopefully, Rad has worked out the problem with the controller. All the best.
I was seriously considering getting one of these with the step through frame. I hate the "fat tire" models and wouldn't even consider one of those. I am a retired/disabled auto mechanic, so I know how to work on things, and have plenty of tools. I was planning on getting one for throttle only use, as my legs are not strong enough to pedal. Which means if it broke down on a ride, I would be stranded. I'm seeing more and more videos on problems with RadCity bikes, and am beginning to think getting one might not be a good idea. There just aren't many options out there for a non fat tire ebike.
Hopefully, Rad has resolved the problem with defective controllers. I do like the Rad City and the skinnier tires. Fat tires use more energy to get them down the road so, battery life isn't as good. I think you will find that with the pedal assist set at 4 or 5, the weight of your legs, with little or no exertion, will propel the bike. I hope you have the opportunity to get out there and enjoy the outdoors with an e-bike. All the best.
I bought a rad bike and had a few small problems i live in ontario and yes we have lots of ebike shops in my area but non for rad finding in ontario you have on fix your own bike to me its rads biggest down side some of the bike shops would be willing to fix them but rad wont give them the work
Same here Ernie -- Rad recommended two shops but one wouldn't work on anything electrical and the other was just too far away. I ended up being my own mechanic which is something I don't have a penchant for. Thank you for the comment. ~Barry
You did a Google search for electric bike repair and found nothing in your area. make sure your GPS is on on your phone I'm in Derry New Hampshire population 35,000 I have three electric bike repair shops within 3 to 10 MI
I searched my area and we have no bike shops that specifically say they repair ebikes. I've found that a bike shop will work on your ebike but not on the electronics.
@@barry_k wow one shop is new one shop the owner is a jerk and I've never been to the shop in Manchester but they are all ebike stores an offer workshop
Thanks for posting, I was thinking of getting a Rad bike because of the service. Having had the no service from Rattan ebikes I am very careful on the service question. Will not be buying a Rad bike now. I live in Houston and there does not appear to be a Rad bike service center. About 2 million people probably 4 million counting illegals. LoL
Thanks for the update David. E-bikes, as you know, are mechanical and they are electronic. They will require service at some point and it seems a necessity to have shops that will service them, especially in metropolitan areas. I'm amazed that Rad has nothing in the Houston area. All the best with your search for an e-bike. ~Barry
I”m in the same boat as you… no place to get service locally… broken bike with NO miles on it.
That sucks! I hope Rad responds quickly for you. If you have to replace the controller on the bike, I do have a couple of videos about that. Best wishes ~Barry
For two years I have looked for a competent dealer to fix my E bike here in Scotland. Now I have found one, in Angus. I am now looking at the Rad 6. Other dealers must be franchised and only deal with the bikes they sell.
Hi Ralph - I suspect you are spot on. Most dealers only want to deal with what they sell. Thank you for the comment. ~Barry
HI Barry, Thanks for your reply below. Well I got my new RadCity 5 and assembled it myself with a few hassles but was quite pleased with myself and then turned it on... and got an Error 21 message which indicates the battery is not communicating with the hub motor. Talked to Rad Canada and they feel it is likely the battery tray and are sending me a new one and I am sure it will not be simple to install. Hey at least you got 30 miles or so before your controller got bugs--I haven't even tried mine yet to see how it feels! Wish me luck, any advice appreciated. The bike is beautifully made I must say and a pleasure to put together. Patience is a virtue as they say.
Cheers, Daniel in Montreal
Hi DR - I had to remove the lower battery connector and unplug everything from the controller in order to remove the controller. That process was easy and the only trick there is to have a set of Torx screw drivers and pay close attention to routing the wires when you reassemble everything. I agree that patience is a virtue and something helpful when dealing with an ebike. I hope you are on the road soon. The Rads are a joy to ride.
@@barry_k Hi Barry. I don't have a set of Torx screwdrivers, can you tell me exactly what ones I should get for this? The tray is the first item to check--I am hoping it isn't the controller.
You will need the Torx T-8 and T-9 drivers. Those are handy for anything you might do with your ebike. All the best.
@@barry_k HI Barry, I am awaiting the new battery tray connector to see if that fixes things. A question to you: Right now the battery is fully charged and and will turn on with both screens and light working finr, I just get the 'Code 21' indicating no communication battery to motor. When your controller died did your screen and lights still work or did it all go dead? It seems to me my controller is working but jsut can't connect with the battery, hence the new battery tray/connector arriving in a few days. Thanks.
When my motor stopped responding I did not have any error codes on the screen. All of the displays and lights worked as they should. I just didn't have any power to the motor. I hope the new battery tray connector fixes the problem.
Rad power has a great online service,but as getting parts they seem to on Back Order most of the time.Ive bought two of these Rad Rover bikes .
I just received my rad rover plus 6 ebike, I totally enjoyed putting the bike together and installed a front and rear rack. I wrapped the wires and cables that were rubbing on the front rack with hockey tape so that they don't get damaged, I'll just keep an eye on it and replace the tape when needed. After I charged the battery, I took it for a 17km ride and what a blast! I haven't had this much fun on any any bike! I look forward to trying it out in the snow this winter, great product and would highly recommend this ebike!
Hi Andrew -- Thank you for the uplifting comment. I agree, riding an e-bike adds a whole new dimension to the joy of bike riding. ~Barry
I found the video for this and it thankfully looks pretty straight-forward.
The rad service center is in Seattle Washington
Yes, but if you want to take your bike to a local Rad authorized repair shop, good luck.
@@barry_k I am not sure of there is an authorized Rad service centers in Oregon
@@barry_k my rad power bike is doing the same thing
Check out my other videos because I went through the diagnostic process suggested by Rad. I also have videos on the repair process. I'm sorry to hear you are going through this Tracy. I hope you can get it resolved quickly. All the best.
@@barry_k ok
I’ve been reading your blogs because I’m having the same issue as you. I lose my PAS and throttle after I ride for awhile. I turn my bike off and then back on and it will work again for awhile. It’s a pain to keep doing that though. Rad is sending me the wire harness and controller too. It’s a shame we spend a lot of money on a bike and have nowhere to take it when it breaks. The video they sent me to watch makes it look easy to repair. Somehow after watching yours, I don’t think so. Thanks for your videos!
You are welcome. I'm glad I can help. The hardest part was finding the screw holes once I had the controller pushed into the down tube. The trick to finding those holes is to buy two long screws, same diameter and thread pitch, and use the long screws to "fish" through the down tube to find the holes in the controller. The other trick is to make sure the cables from the controller are in the right channels. If they are in the wrong channels you will not be able to install the battery lock mechanism. I wish you the best and hope you are back on the road again soon.
I am with you I have Mokwheel ebike still trying to get it fixed. It been two weeks since I rode my ebike. Still waiting to hear from support. I have no battery as they require it shipped to them.
That's bad. I don't know what part of the country you are in but here in Michigan the biking season is rapidly closing. I hope you get this turned around quickly and back on the road. ~Barry
@@barry_k Columbia mo home of Katy Trails and MKT trails. I am retired and was looking forward to more time biking.
Most of the other components like the controller and the motors hardly ever go bad hardly ever is the problem the cables or the connectors it's still dang LCD screens I've changed them at least three times just one bike good luck to all of you hope my comments help
That may be my next challenge; the LCD screens on the bike. Fingers crossed. Thank you Jack. ~Barry
I have had that problem with all my bikes the screen is always bad even if it look ok so the best thing is to change for an old fashioned one that doesn't have a screen it just turns on and keeps track of battery life they sell them on line and the only cost about 15 dollars
Thank you Jack. That's good to know about alternative screens.
They either fix it or replace it I believe they say they are not doing any prorating it worked out good for my daughter's computer
Rad sent me the parts and gave me the name of two places they said they were affiliated with; not true according to the shop that was within 25 miles of my house.
@@barry_k yes I no I watched that video to. not Kool your having so much trouble
Anyone in Pensacola, FL can bring your Ebike to Cycle Joint. It's downtown on Palafox Street.
I love Pensacola and now even more!
Sadly without a dealer network buying an ebike can be a crapshoot.
I have a 2018 Radcity that needed a new freewheel and chain.
Finding the parts was a challenge and currently if I needed a battery I’d be stuck… on back order.
I’m looking at other models for an upgrade.
Thanks for sharing. Hope you get the issue resolved. I just took delivery on 2 Rad City5's, assembled and test rode. Everything good so far.
Thank you for watching. Congratulations on your new Rad City 5's. They are really great bikes and like anything new, out of the box, there may be issues. Enjoy!
I would if sent the dam bike back ! For you to go through all you have I would of said I am sending it back period ! I just order one if I have that issue bike going back ! Thanks good luck !
Hi Tony - Thank you for the comment. I installed the new controller, not without a few headaches, and the bike is working fine now. I really hope you don't have to send it back -- just jump on it, ride and enjoy. ~Barry
Thank you for sharing your experience. Last Friday I got and assembly my bike, it was working fine, but after just one hour of riding and about 8 miles the problem started. My Rad City 5 plus battery is fully charged (verified by the battery gauge indicator and the charging block). However, when I turn on my bike, the LCD screen displays one blinking block for the charge, to indicate no charge remaining. The bike automatically shuts off within a few seconds. It shows error code 30. I've checked all the connectors and suggestions but nothing works. I´ve send email to RAD, not answer, called for assistance and after a few hours somebody answer and they are going to send me a new wiring harness and controller. I´m not sure if I should continue fighting with this problem or just return the bike. I'm not a handy man, and they said they are willing to pay one hour service, that I don´t think is going to be enough, mainly because I don´t find RAD authorized dealers here in Austin Texas. I´ll wait a little bit to see how your experience ends. Thanks again for documenting everything.
I did get the batter lock installed and got all the wiring routed and zip tied. The new controller did the trick for me. I will have a video out soon about installing the battery lock. I've only ridden the bike a couple of miles since I got it put back together. It seems to work just like new. I hope it stays that way after I put more miles on the bike. Let me know if you decide to tackle the repair. I'm willing to give you any advice I can from afar.
I'll be getting the RadCity 5 plus soon and I am mindful of the problems that can crop up, like yours. But I am in a big city and we have this service here that will deliver me the bike assembled and can be called on for problems after that. Their thing is to have you book and appointment and they come around with a large van that is basically a fully equipped bike shop on wheels, give you a coffee and you can watch while they fix your bike, presumably covered by warranty for the first year and watching your vids I assume you are under warranty hence them sending you the parts you need... you just needed a service like the one I will have, but I gather you are not in a large city.
I am not sure I would buy a complicate e-bike without this sort of back-up service. The controller is a complicated piece of equipment, bouncing around on a bicycle frame and exposed to the elements, no matter how protected it seems to be.
Good luck with your repairs!
Daniel in Montreal
Thanks Daniel -- I did get the bike fixed after some frustrating moments as I detailed in some of my other videos. Yes, I would have really appreciated a bike shop like you have. I did have a local bike shop assemble the bike. We were in southeast Florida at the time the bike was delivered but heading back to Michigan shortly before the controller went bad. I didn't want to leave the bike at the shop all summer while we were in Michigan so I tackled the repair myself. We live in a fairly large metro area in Michigan and I was surprised to find that Rad had no "authorized" repair shops here. Rad just sent me the names of two bike shops that may be able to repair the bike here in west Michigan.
I know you will enjoy the Rad City 5. It is really a nice e-bike and hopefully, Rad has worked out the problem with the controller. All the best.
I was seriously considering getting one of these with the step through frame. I hate the "fat tire" models and wouldn't even consider one of those. I am a retired/disabled auto mechanic, so I know how to work on things, and have plenty of tools. I was planning on getting one for throttle only use, as my legs are not strong enough to pedal. Which means if it broke down on a ride, I would be stranded. I'm seeing more and more videos on problems with RadCity bikes, and am beginning to think getting one might not be a good idea. There just aren't many options out there for a non fat tire ebike.
Hopefully, Rad has resolved the problem with defective controllers. I do like the Rad City and the skinnier tires. Fat tires use more energy to get them down the road so, battery life isn't as good. I think you will find that with the pedal assist set at 4 or 5, the weight of your legs, with little or no exertion, will propel the bike. I hope you have the opportunity to get out there and enjoy the outdoors with an e-bike. All the best.
Seriously think about Rad bikes,service is Awfull
I bought a rad bike and had a few small problems i live in ontario and yes we have lots of ebike shops in my area but non for rad finding in ontario you have on fix your own bike to me its rads biggest down side some of the bike shops would be willing to fix them but rad wont give them the work
Same here Ernie -- Rad recommended two shops but one wouldn't work on anything electrical and the other was just too far away. I ended up being my own mechanic which is something I don't have a penchant for. Thank you for the comment. ~Barry
Most of the screens are fragile and faulty
That's one problem I haven't had yet .... yet. Thanks for the comment Jack.
Incredibly frustrating time-consuming
Yes! Hopefully, there are more service/repair options in the near future. Thanks for the comment. ~Barry
You did a Google search for electric bike repair and found nothing in your area. make sure your GPS is on on your phone I'm in Derry New Hampshire population 35,000 I have three electric bike repair shops within 3 to 10 MI
I searched my area and we have no bike shops that specifically say they repair ebikes. I've found that a bike shop will work on your ebike but not on the electronics.
@@barry_k wow one shop is new one shop the owner is a jerk and I've never been to the shop in Manchester but they are all ebike stores an offer workshop
Thanks for posting, I was thinking of getting a Rad bike because of the service. Having had the no service from Rattan ebikes I am very careful on the service question. Will not be buying a Rad bike now. I live in Houston and there does not appear to be a Rad bike service center. About 2 million people probably 4 million counting illegals. LoL
Thanks for the update David. E-bikes, as you know, are mechanical and they are electronic. They will require service at some point and it seems a necessity to have shops that will service them, especially in metropolitan areas. I'm amazed that Rad has nothing in the Houston area. All the best with your search for an e-bike. ~Barry