Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail Review: Final Takeaway
Overall Rating: 4.9 / 5.0
(Ratings are based on both performance and price)
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Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail – What We Liked
- 750W hub motor produces 100Nm of torque, making it powerful in climbing and acceleration
- Mid-step frame is stiff enough to handle well and is easy to mount
- The new Safe Shield battery is certified to UL 2849 and 2271; further, each cell is surrounded by a thermal-resistant resin to keep the battery from heating up
- The accessory package has all you need to start commuting; it includes a stout rack, front and rear fenders, front and rear lights / turn signals, and a kickstand
Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail Pro’s
- 750W hub motor produces 100Nm of torque, making it a spirited climber
- The 720Wh Safe Shield battery is the safest battery we’ve tested and gave the Radster Trail 75.5 mi. of range
- High-quality 6000-series aluminum, mid-step frame
- The 3-in.-wide tires gave plenty of cushion but improved this e-bike’s maneuverability when compared to e-bikes with fat tires (4 in.)
- The new display is easy to read and we love the security fob that locks and unlocks the e-bike
- 370 lb. total weight capacity; rider max weight is 290 lbs., making this ideal for people who want to take their e-bike shopping
Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail Con’s
- We would like to see battery charge level expressed as a percentage of total charge so that we have a clearer idea about range
- This is super-nit-picky, but a thicker rotor (2.3mm instead of 1.8mm) would improve brake power a bit
My Experience Riding The Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail E-Bike
Ride Quality Rating: 4.7
Generally, when I get on an all-terrain e-bike, I know what to expect. They are fun on undulating terrain and handle well on trails that aren’t too technical. They tend to have a pretty squishy ride—think 1970s Cadillac. The Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail has a very comfortable ride but offers a more nimble feel than we get with most all-terrain e-bikes.
Accelerating the Radster Trail up to 28 mph, even with a torque sensor, which makes me work a little harder, is not difficult. I’ve tested plenty of e-bikes that lacked either the motor power or gear size to reach 28 mph. Rad Power Bikes nailed the gear selection with the Radster Trail. It’s easy to cruise at top speed.
I wasn’t sure about the 3-in.-wide tires at first, but there’s no doubt that it made this e-bike more nimble. It’s not as nimble as the Radster Road, but it handles very well for an e-bike with wider tires.
Its solid-all-around handling is due to more than just the tires. The BMX-style bar was a fitting choice, and the 80mm of travel from the Suntour fork mellows out those trips you take off paved paths nicely. The mid-step frame was designed to retain stiffness while making getting on or off the saddle easier. None of these were ground-breaking, but the sum of the parts was a nice fit and ride experience a lot of people can appreciate.
Range
Range Rating: 4.8
Estimated Range (from Rad Power Bikes): up to 65 mi.
Real World Range Test Results (from ElectricBikeReport): 75.5 mi.
With 3-in.-wide, knobby tires I didn’t expect that I would see huge range numbers from the Radster Trail. I expected them to be good, i.e., more than 50 mi., but exceeding their estimate by roughly 15 percent was a very pleasant surprise.
Again, I know some people would prefer to see 4-in.-wide tires on this e-bike, rather than the 3-in.-wide ones it is spec’d with, but those wider tires are significantly heavier. Accelerating them up to speed draws more energy from the battery and the more someone starts and stops, the more that cuts into an e-bike’s range as well. That the Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail covered more than 75 mi. with a 3-in.-wide, knobby tire blows me away.
Also helping the cause, Rad’s inclusion of a torque sensor. Not only does it make for fairly smooth motor engagement, but it’s more efficient. It dishes out power based on need as sensed by how hard you push the pedals. You can typically expect better mileage from a torque sensor than a cadence sensor, with all other things kept equal.
720 watt hours is also a nice step up from the comparable RadRover 6 Plus. It has a 672 Wh battery, so are getting good value for your spend where range is concerned.
Power (Motor & Battery)
Power Rating: 750W, 100Nm of torque
When I discussed the Radster Trail with the folks at Rad Power Bikes they were adamant that this is still a 750W hub, and does not exceed that output. However, they increased the torque this motor produces. Previously, their 750W hub motor produced 65Nm of torque, but now it churns at 100Nm, a 54 percent increase.
While the increase in torque was noticeable any time I accelerated, it was most noticeable when I was climbing hills. People who ride lots of hills will love this e-bike, especially anyone who will be riding on dirt roads.
The new Safe Shield battery from Rad Power Bikes makes them the leader in e-bike battery tech. Each of the cells in the Safe Shield battery is “potted.” That is, the cells are surrounded with a thermal resin that absorbs heat, helping to keep the battery cool and significantly reduce the chance for thermal runaway. This battery is certified to UL’s 2271 standard for batteries and the entire electronics system is certified to UL 2849 as well. This is as safe an e-bike as we’ve seen.
The new Safe Shield battery from Rad Power Bikes makes them the leader in e-bike battery tech. Each of the cells in the Safe Shield battery is “potted.” That is, the cells are surrounded with a thermal resin that absorbs heat, helping to keep the battery cool and all but eliminating the chance for thermal runaway. This battery is certified to UL’s 2271 standard for batteries and the entire electronics system is certified to UL 2849 as well. This is as safe an e-bike as we’ve seen.
The torque sensor in combination with the 8-Speed Shimano Avera drivetrain work nicely too for more dialed-in motor output. I thought the range was large enough to accommodate 28 mph speeds, and the motor dished out appropriate amounts of help based on how hard I was pushing.
Components
We like the Tektro HD E350 brakes that came with the Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail. It’s a reliable hydraulic disc brake and it has solid stopping power thanks to 180mm rotors, front and rear.
It’s one of the most common brake systems on e-bikes at or below this price. Our one criticism of the brakes, and this is truly a minor point, is that the braking power would be a bit greater if they swapped out the 1.8mm rotors for thicker (2.3mm) ones. Performance-wise it’s been good so far.
The 8-speed Shimano Acera drivetrain gives riders a wide range of gears for riding in hilly country. The combination of a 50t chainring and an 11-34t cassette gave me gears for getting up hills with ease. The rapid-fire shifters were appreciated too, especially for a bike intended to see some level of off-road use.
Screen / User Interface / App
The new color LED display is a nice step up for Rad Power Bikes. The first thing you notice is that after turning it on, you unlock it with a security fob. It functions the way chipped credit cards do with the new readers. This adds an additional layer of security for riders.
The numbers are big enough to be easy to read, though we would like to see battery level listed as a percentage of total capacity. It also includes turn signals that use the rear light to inform anyone nearby of your intentions.
When in the settings it is easy to switch between Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 modes. Also, riders have two choices for Class 3 performance: a 25 mph max assist or a 28 mph max assist.
Is The Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail Worth It?
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There are a lot of good quality fat-tire e-bikes, so how does the Radster Trail feel like a standout in a busy crowd?
I’d say definitely! It has speed and power on par with many of its competitors by easily climbing hills and hitting 28 mph speeds.
It is more nimble than most similar full size fat tires though (diameter at least 26”) by going with the less-wide 3” width. It retains a lot of the stability of fatter tires but just makes the ride feel more agile as a whole. I felt like I could explore far, but explore a bit more easily.
The commitment to safety with the Safe Shield battery tech will likely see copy cats. UL certifications aren’t on all e-bikes yet. Rad’s already taking next steps here.
Round it all out with a nice-looking frame and paint job, solid-to-good spec sheet, wide-ranging use cases for where you can ride it, and just a solid fun factor, and the Radster Trail feels like its worth recommending if it’s caught your eye
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