I would like to thank you for your review. I think it was well done and fairly concise. I do have to mention something that does concern me though. At about 6:27 in the video you show something that if followed, could (and has happened many times to unknowing owners) cause the bike to fail. The battery charge port should NEVER be accessed by using the key. The rubber cover should only be opened with your fingers. If you use the key and accidentally touch the plug contact, it WILL blow the internal fuse. This will cause the battery to stop functioning until the fuse is replaced. The fuse on these semi integrated batteries are not easy to replace and has caused much consternation with owners who don't possess the skills to fix it. I am not sure if you can edit the video (or add a warning to the video at that point in the review) so that viewers (who don't read the comments), follow your advice in the video, and end up causing major problems for themselves. Keep up the fine work.
Oh wow, good to know! I wish some of these charge covers were easier to remove, I've used keys for it many times, didn't know I was tempting fate all along 😬 I'll pin your comment and add a note at that section, thank you!
i just ordered 2 of these for wife and I. really like your video going through different types of trail and all the knowledge about how cyclist really ride. as a big time bike packer, used to heavy bikes, I can see I could ride this bike many miles without the battery, then use it when getting tired and needing to finish the route. Thank you!
I hope these four new/updated models do well for Rad. They’ve addressed the lackluster motor issue while keeping them well within legal restrictions. I’m not aware of any other 100Nm hub motor that does it while keeping peak power draw at 750W. And they went beyond almost all other brands as far as battery safety with ternary lithium chemistry. I think Luna is the only other brand to pot their batteries. And they went through the effort and expense to obtain both UL 2271 for the batteries and 2849 for the entire e-bikes. As far as the Trail, I think the front fender is too short. I use a clip-on fender that provides more coverage and it still works well when riding off-road. However, I’m glad they went with tires skinner than the typical sluggish 4in. All that said, you sure seemed to enjoy riding the Radster Trail! Bummer you got tossed off the natural trails though. One characteristic almost never mentioned about torque sensor e-bikes is how much control they give you in slow twisty stuff. Cadence sensor e-bikes are very likely to make you lose control, if not fall off the bike, due to the jerky on/off nature of the motor assist (especially ones with speed-setting PAS), so you have to navigate that stuff without power or get off and walk the bike through it. When you mention you don’t notice a drop-off in performance when the battery is half-depleted due to how well the BMS manages power, I wonder if their electronics (in the battery or controller) are regulating voltage supplied to the motor while monitoring the actual battery voltage. It could be a side benefit if they’re capping power supplied to the motor at 750W by regulating voltage at the high end - they can also boost and regulate it when the battery drops below that regulated voltage. If that’s what they’re doing, they should advertise it as voltage sag impact on performance is noticeable with most e-bikes.
I was quite concerned about Rad and the future but I'm happy they had the capital and leadership to put out this one and the other 2 new models, they are a real solid choice for a company that was lagging behind.
I am taking delivery of mine tomorrow. I just found this video looking at the assembly video, looks like a made a good choice. I like the fact you can change the class.
Heat-absorbing is the term Rad uses. It’s to pull conduct heat away while providing both protection from and to contain mechanical shock (external or a cell whose own fail-safe didn’t prevent thermal runaway if the BMS didn’t prevent it) and additional protection against water intrusion and corrosion from condensation.
Another great review, Tyson! Your review of the Aima Big Sur was a major deciding factor for me when I bought the bike, and I've been very happy with it! And I didn't know that you live in Fort Collins, what a great place to ride bikes, my sister lives nearby in Wellington!
Thank you! That's awesome to hear 😁 I really like Aima's stuff. Me and a friend used the Big Sur in a fun "Top Ten" competition video for a different channel and it great: th-cam.com/video/U1BCm0S2jU0/w-d-xo.html And yes, I'm in Fort Collins! I've lived here since 2003, love it and the cycling friendliness is a big part of that. Especially now that I do reviews, it's a perfect home base for me.
I really enjoyed your video. I love the area that you rode. There aren't any walking/biking paths next to the roads where I live in Ohio. That is nice.
That's a bummer there aren't any good paths there! It's one of my favorite things about living in Fort Collins, even after living here for over 20 years I'm still finding new places to ride.
I imagine Rad will roll out similar updates to their entire lineup... otherwise no one is going to buy the other models. The new ones are just too good!
@@MicromobilityIndustries They updated the Mini with better steering and then changed the name. It seems the Rover could very well remain their most popular with these same upgrades. Hope so.
Test rode one 2 days ago. The throttle lags then lunges when you first take off. That felt abnormal. The ride was really smooth and felt very safe. Felt very safe at 27 mph. I thought it would have more power. I'm going to test ride one again as they allow for 45 min's in my area. Will try steep hills. Will post my thoughts after that. Oh, got some looks from peep's. Looks quite cool, imo.
Very nice, detailed review. Really appreciate the ride testing! I'm trying to choose between this bike the Ride 1 Up Rift. The 750w limitation on this bike is the one thing that sticks out to me. Really wish they would allow it to peak up to 1000w. Really like the 100nm of torque though, but the Rift has 95nm of torque, so I think they are pretty similar in this area.
The biggest differences are torque vs cadence sensor and the sturdier rear rack and fatter tires (I personally prefer 3in vs 4in tires, but it depends son where you intend to ride) on the Rift.
Great review and ride test, thank you. Can you remind me how tall you are? And how was your leg extension while riding? (During the on-road, one handed riding it looked like perhaps your legs were still fairly bent when at “full” extension, but you tell me.) I’m 6’2” with a 33” riding inseam and I want to ensure the large version of this bike isn’t too small.
I'm 6'3" with a 34" inseam and wasn't quite at full extension, but close enough that it felt pretty good. Should be a good fit for you and you could always upgrade to a slightly longer seatpost 😁
Unfortunately I haven't ridden on the Level2 yet, so I can't say 😬 I definitely prefer the Radster over the original Level... but I'm sure Aventon made plenty of upgrades for version 2.
In looking at it, it looks like it would be too wide for tires that small, however, they do have the Radster Road, which has all the same great features, but has a 29'x2.2" road tire, with sidewall reflective stripes that might fit the bill!
I like the Radster better because it feels a lot more nimble, I love the 3" wide tires. Both are great bikes though and pretty similar in terms of build quality. Please note I haven't spent a ton of time on the Big Sur yet... but I did get to ride it in this comp I helped run for a different channel: th-cam.com/video/U1BCm0S2jU0/w-d-xo.html
I have a 5+ ST and the torque deficiency and general feel of lacking frame rigidity is off putting so I'm going to upgrade. have not ridden this one yet to see if they improved enough to consider. I still can't figure out what sort of sorcery they used to get 90 nm out of a 750 hub. I enjoyed your review but I really wish there was a national publication like there is for cars where bikes were put on a dynamometer. Area 13 is the only reviewer I know with a dyno. That's the only way to really know if manufacturers claims are accurate.
Yes, you can change the top speed of the Rad Power Bikes Radster by changing its motor class setting. The Radster comes with a Class 2 ebike, which has a top speed of 20 mph and can accommodate additional speed when going downhill. However, you can change the class setting to Class 1, which limits the top speed to 20 mph and only allows motor assistance while pedaling.
Depends on the sand... if it's really soft and loose then it will probably struggle, you'd need a 4"+ fat tire for that. Medium to hard packed will be fine 👍
Great review. Does anyone know if you can unlock the bike to class 3 in Canada? I have a 2023 Radrover 6 plus in Canada and the advanced settings let you bring the bike up to 40km/h. Wondering if the same can be done with this bike?
I think so but it does depend somewhat on personal preference and how you'll be using it. Here's why I like the Radster: - available in different sizes so easier to get a good fit - feels more agile thanks to the smaller tires - torque sensor - NFC unlock is awesome Overall the Radster feels a bit more polished and premium. However, the XPeak can go on more terrain (including sand and snow) thanks to the fat tires. And I think Lectric is doing the "get a free extra battery" deal still, which is pretty darn good value.
I think it's a spring fork with hydraulic lockout, where the primary suspension is from the coil spring, but then hydraulics control the total movement/lockout aspect. I might be wrong though... I'm not an expert in suspension technology 😬
I'm with you, belt setups are awesome. Unfortunately it would probably also mean a price increase in order to keep the bike a multi-speed; would either have to be a mid-drive motor (to put the gearbox in the rear hub) or a pinion-style gearbox at the bottom bracket. Of course they could make it a single speed belt drive and keep everything else the same... but that wouldn't work for a trail bike.
![ว้าว!ลุงบีมแบกทองมารับขวัญหลานกันยกบ้าน [cc] แดนแพทตี้ SS2 | EP.49 |](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Osihq1OAs-4/mqdefault.jpg)
I would like to thank you for your review. I think it was well done and fairly concise. I do have to mention something that does concern me though. At about 6:27 in the video you show something that if followed, could (and has happened many times to unknowing owners) cause the bike to fail. The battery charge port should NEVER be accessed by using the key. The rubber cover should only be opened with your fingers. If you use the key and accidentally touch the plug contact, it WILL blow the internal fuse. This will cause the battery to stop functioning until the fuse is replaced. The fuse on these semi integrated batteries are not easy to replace and has caused much consternation with owners who don't possess the skills to fix it.
I am not sure if you can edit the video (or add a warning to the video at that point in the review) so that viewers (who don't read the comments), follow your advice in the video, and end up causing major problems for themselves.
Keep up the fine work.
Oh wow, good to know! I wish some of these charge covers were easier to remove, I've used keys for it many times, didn't know I was tempting fate all along 😬
I'll pin your comment and add a note at that section, thank you!
At over 65, I could do that. I have 2 ebikes, I do all kinds of weird stuff.
i just ordered 2 of these for wife and I. really like your video going through different types of trail and all the knowledge about how cyclist really ride. as a big time bike packer, used to heavy bikes, I can see I could ride this bike many miles without the battery, then use it when getting tired and needing to finish the route. Thank you!
How has your experience been with the bikes so far?
I hope these four new/updated models do well for Rad. They’ve addressed the lackluster motor issue while keeping them well within legal restrictions. I’m not aware of any other 100Nm hub motor that does it while keeping peak power draw at 750W. And they went beyond almost all other brands as far as battery safety with ternary lithium chemistry. I think Luna is the only other brand to pot their batteries. And they went through the effort and expense to obtain both UL 2271 for the batteries and 2849 for the entire e-bikes.
As far as the Trail, I think the front fender is too short. I use a clip-on fender that provides more coverage and it still works well when riding off-road. However, I’m glad they went with tires skinner than the typical sluggish 4in.
All that said, you sure seemed to enjoy riding the Radster Trail! Bummer you got tossed off the natural trails though.
One characteristic almost never mentioned about torque sensor e-bikes is how much control they give you in slow twisty stuff. Cadence sensor e-bikes are very likely to make you lose control, if not fall off the bike, due to the jerky on/off nature of the motor assist (especially ones with speed-setting PAS), so you have to navigate that stuff without power or get off and walk the bike through it.
When you mention you don’t notice a drop-off in performance when the battery is half-depleted due to how well the BMS manages power, I wonder if their electronics (in the battery or controller) are regulating voltage supplied to the motor while monitoring the actual battery voltage. It could be a side benefit if they’re capping power supplied to the motor at 750W by regulating voltage at the high end - they can also boost and regulate it when the battery drops below that regulated voltage. If that’s what they’re doing, they should advertise it as voltage sag impact on performance is noticeable with most e-bikes.
I was quite concerned about Rad and the future but I'm happy they had the capital and leadership to put out this one and the other 2 new models, they are a real solid choice for a company that was lagging behind.
What brand would you consider better?
Same here! All the new bikes seem to be moving in a very positive direction!
I am taking delivery of mine tomorrow. I just found this video looking at the assembly video, looks like a made a good choice. I like the fact you can change the class.
Heat-absorbing is the term Rad uses. It’s to pull conduct heat away while providing both protection from and to contain mechanical shock (external or a cell whose own fail-safe didn’t prevent thermal runaway if the BMS didn’t prevent it) and additional protection against water intrusion and corrosion from condensation.
Appreciate the insightful info here!
Another great review, Tyson! Your review of the Aima Big Sur was a major deciding factor for me when I bought the bike, and I've been very happy with it! And I didn't know that you live in Fort Collins, what a great place to ride bikes, my sister lives nearby in Wellington!
Thank you! That's awesome to hear 😁 I really like Aima's stuff. Me and a friend used the Big Sur in a fun "Top Ten" competition video for a different channel and it great: th-cam.com/video/U1BCm0S2jU0/w-d-xo.html
And yes, I'm in Fort Collins! I've lived here since 2003, love it and the cycling friendliness is a big part of that. Especially now that I do reviews, it's a perfect home base for me.
Great review. I’m buying one
I really enjoyed your video. I love the area that you rode. There aren't any walking/biking paths next to the roads where I live in Ohio. That is nice.
That's a bummer there aren't any good paths there! It's one of my favorite things about living in Fort Collins, even after living here for over 20 years I'm still finding new places to ride.
That was an excellent review. Hoping the Rover gets the same upgrades in the near future. I need the fat tires where I ride.
I imagine Rad will roll out similar updates to their entire lineup... otherwise no one is going to buy the other models. The new ones are just too good!
@@MicromobilityIndustries They updated the Mini with better steering and then changed the name. It seems the Rover could very well remain their most popular with these same upgrades. Hope so.
Test rode one 2 days ago. The throttle lags then lunges when you first take off. That felt abnormal. The ride was really smooth and felt very safe. Felt very safe at 27 mph. I thought it would have more power. I'm going to test ride one again as they allow for 45 min's in my area. Will try steep hills. Will post my thoughts after that. Oh, got some looks from peep's. Looks quite cool, imo.
Very nice, detailed review. Really appreciate the ride testing! I'm trying to choose between this bike the Ride 1 Up Rift. The 750w limitation on this bike is the one thing that sticks out to me. Really wish they would allow it to peak up to 1000w. Really like the 100nm of torque though, but the Rift has 95nm of torque, so I think they are pretty similar in this area.
It honestly felt like it must be peaking higher than 750W. Haven't ridden the Rift so I can't compare, but the Radster is quite peppy!
The biggest differences are torque vs cadence sensor and the sturdier rear rack and fatter tires (I personally prefer 3in vs 4in tires, but it depends son where you intend to ride) on the Rift.
3 inch tires are the best for all applications all-around.
I like the handle bars 🍸
They're pretty rad. Big fan of BMX style, so just a hint of that vibe here was cool to see.
nice work
Thank you! Cheers!
Great review, I have ordered a Rad Rover 6 plus 2024. But I now wonder if this model might have been a better choice.
Hard to say 🤷🏻 They're both great bikes! I like the Radster better... but my dad prefers his Juiced RCS which is pretty similar to the Rover.
Great review and ride test, thank you. Can you remind me how tall you are? And how was your leg extension while riding? (During the on-road, one handed riding it looked like perhaps your legs were still fairly bent when at “full” extension, but you tell me.) I’m 6’2” with a 33” riding inseam and I want to ensure the large version of this bike isn’t too small.
I'm 6'3" with a 34" inseam and wasn't quite at full extension, but close enough that it felt pretty good. Should be a good fit for you and you could always upgrade to a slightly longer seatpost 😁
Hi, pretty interesting, im hesitant between this Radster trail and the Aventon Level2 , what would you recommend?
Thanks
Unfortunately I haven't ridden on the Level2 yet, so I can't say 😬 I definitely prefer the Radster over the original Level... but I'm sure Aventon made plenty of upgrades for version 2.
Are the rims narrow enough to mount skinnier 2.3 tires for pavement commutes?
In looking at it, it looks like it would be too wide for tires that small, however, they do have the Radster Road, which has all the same great features, but has a 29'x2.2" road tire, with sidewall reflective stripes that might fit the bill!
Would you happen to know the inner rim width of this e-bike's wheel? This will show me how narrow and wide I can install a tire on this bike.
They have the Radster Road, which has a much smaller tire, and a smaller rim as well.
Do you like this or the Aima Big Sur more?
I like the Radster better because it feels a lot more nimble, I love the 3" wide tires. Both are great bikes though and pretty similar in terms of build quality. Please note I haven't spent a ton of time on the Big Sur yet... but I did get to ride it in this comp I helped run for a different channel: th-cam.com/video/U1BCm0S2jU0/w-d-xo.html
I have a 5+ ST and the torque deficiency and general feel of lacking frame rigidity is off putting so I'm going to upgrade. have not ridden this one yet to see if they improved enough to consider. I still can't figure out what sort of sorcery they used to get 90 nm out of a 750 hub. I enjoyed your review but I really wish there was a national publication like there is for cars where bikes were put on a dynamometer. Area 13 is the only reviewer I know with a dyno. That's the only way to really know if manufacturers claims are accurate.
And he is great! We're working on getting a dyno ourselves, because we also would like to put the advertised claims to the test.
Heavily considering picking one of these up. Quick question, with polarized sunglasses are you able to see the display?
Yes, my googles are polarized and I could still see it pretty well.
Does it have a usb port? Most of my riding is slower through the woods looking for game etc. How is the bike at slower speeds?
The Radster Trail and Radster Road both have USB-C ports, which is pretty interesting.
Can you change the top speed like in other rad bikes
Yes, you can change the top speed of the Rad Power Bikes Radster by changing its motor class setting. The Radster comes with a Class 2 ebike, which has a top speed of 20 mph and can accommodate additional speed when going downhill. However, you can change the class setting to Class 1, which limits the top speed to 20 mph and only allows motor assistance while pedaling.
I wonder if those wheels and tires would fit my RadCity 5 plus?
I put 2.3 on my city 5+ and had to modify fender front and rear to keep them.
@@palmerfralick Okay. Thank you.
@@palmerfralick 2.3 wide 29ers? Or 27.5? I was thinking they might fit if I took off the fenders.
@@michaels9926 I put on Schwalbe Johnny Watts 365 27.5 X 2.3 on city 5+
with fender mount mod
How well do you believe the Radster Trail will do on sand at the beach?
Depends on the sand... if it's really soft and loose then it will probably struggle, you'd need a 4"+ fat tire for that. Medium to hard packed will be fine 👍
Great review. Does anyone know if you can unlock the bike to class 3 in Canada? I have a 2023 Radrover 6 plus in Canada and the advanced settings let you bring the bike up to 40km/h. Wondering if the same can be done with this bike?
Not sure about Canada, but you can unlock the US ones to go 28MPH, which is Class 3 speeds down here.
Would someone 5'-5" be able to ride the large size Radster Trail 🚲 comfortably❓️
Probably not, Rad recommends 5'7" to 6'4" for the large frame. The medium frame size fits 4'11" to 5'8".
is this better then Lectric Xpeak ?
I think so but it does depend somewhat on personal preference and how you'll be using it. Here's why I like the Radster:
- available in different sizes so easier to get a good fit
- feels more agile thanks to the smaller tires
- torque sensor
- NFC unlock is awesome
Overall the Radster feels a bit more polished and premium. However, the XPeak can go on more terrain (including sand and snow) thanks to the fat tires. And I think Lectric is doing the "get a free extra battery" deal still, which is pretty darn good value.
There should be an option to get a bigger battery! 14 Ah is a thing of the past.
What should I look for 20 amp, Im not narrow down my search, going on circles
Would love to see that option here!
It really depends on your needs. So, let's start there! What do you need the bike to do?
Does it have a throttle?
Yes, half-grip twist throttle on the right. The throttle is speed-capped to 20mph
I think it is supposed to be a hydraulic fork, not spring
I think it's a spring fork with hydraulic lockout, where the primary suspension is from the coil spring, but then hydraulics control the total movement/lockout aspect. I might be wrong though... I'm not an expert in suspension technology 😬
The video transitions are annoying. This bike competes with the Velotric Discover 2 and costs $200 more and the half-twist throttle is unsafe.
Thanks for your feedback regarding the transitions. Can you share any specifics about why you don't like them?
where can I see your reviews?
where can I see your reviews with proper transitions?
Pretty good, but it should have a belt, instead of a chain and derailleur. Less maintenance means more reliability.
I'm with you, belt setups are awesome. Unfortunately it would probably also mean a price increase in order to keep the bike a multi-speed; would either have to be a mid-drive motor (to put the gearbox in the rear hub) or a pinion-style gearbox at the bottom bracket.
Of course they could make it a single speed belt drive and keep everything else the same... but that wouldn't work for a trail bike.
Yeah and I should be driving a Tesla but there is. that price thing