Rad Power Bikes RadRover Step-Thru 1 Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by Rad Power Bikes. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of RPB products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the Rad Power Bikes electric bike forums.

Observations:

• Starting in 2020, customers in some major cities including Austin, Seattle, Sacramento, and Vancouver Canada can pay $149 to have Rad Mobile Service van deliver and assemble their bike. The company is also offering demo rides and post-purchase service, including warranty work. I got to see the van and interact with some of the Austin team members and was impressed with this unique service that blends the predominantly online presence of Rad with a local shop feel
• This is the first generation RadRover Step-Thru, but it’s based on the 5th generation RadRover product. You get the same motor, battery pack, and drivetrain hardware… with a slightly heavier black or white frame. It’s more approachable than the full sized RadRover, and the bottle cage mounting position is much more reachable, but the frame isn’t as stiff and more weight is shifted towards the rear of the frame due to the vertical battery mount
• Rad Power Bikes has a new metallic head tube badge, an updated headlight with LED light ring and focused beam, and smoother twist throttle that foregoes an on/off toggle switch. The reps I spoke with explained that this throttle is more reliable and tends to be less confusing for riders who would occasionally turn off the throttle by accident and then become concerned

Pros:

• This is one of the only step-thru fat tire electric bikes I’ve seen, and it’s done really well. Rad Power Bikes custom engineers their frames and puts a lot of attention into the details of which components are used… even going so far as to co-brand them with parter companies like King-Meter for the LCD display, Bafang for the hub motor, and Kenda for the tires. Note the longer seat post binder lever that Rad uses, it’s much easier to unlock and then tighten without straining fingers vs. a traditional shorter binder… though it does ad a little extra weight
• I love that the bike comes in two colors, black and white. The lighter color will show up easier in the early morning or evening, but you’ve still got big reflective stripes on the tires and integrated lights, so the bikes are very visible and safe in that regard. Also, Rad Power Bikes added a darker accent stripe on top of the main tube, so it won’t show smudges and dirt as much if you kick the frame when mounting or dismounting
• Rad Power Bikes really nails it with the integrated lights because they run off of the main battery, have quick disconnect points for easy replacement if damaged, and the rear light has a blinking mode as well as a bright braking mode! They’re far ahead of other similar priced products… even some higher priced ebikes!
• Excellent headlight upgrade here, you get a bright 80 lumen beam that is focused for spotting the path, and a secondary LED ring that keeps you visible as a rider. There’s even an aluminum alloy heat sink built into the top of the headlight housing to dissipate heat! At first, I thought that it was just for show, but it’s actually metal and actually connects to the internal LED housing. Compared to older Rad Power Bikes headlights, this new one is more visible from the sides.
• By default, the RadRover models come with durable plastic fenders. They’re wide enough to keep you dry (as I tested in the video review above), and they are lightweight and durable… without producing a lot of noise. I really appreciate that the company designed a rear light riser, to help boost it up above the rear fender! Furthermore, if you purchase the optional rear rack, there’s an extender cable so the light fits further back. It’s protected by the rack tubing but isn’t blocked from the sides… excellent placement
• Overall, this ebike is very comfortable and capable. The 4″ wide fat tires offer a 5 to 30 PSI range and have puncture resistant casing. I’ve tested them in soft sand and mud during a trip to Mexico, after lowering the pressure to ~5 PSI, and they worked great! The shorter stem and mid-rise handlebar on this bike are sturdy and capable, but don’t require riders to reach or lean so far forward, which I find to be more comfortable. The spring suspension fork offers enough travel and adjustment to reduce wrist, arm, shoulder, and back pain, and the bike gets even more comfortable if you purchase the optional suspension seat post
• Matching faux-leather ergonomic grips and saddle look great and provide good comfort. I’ve tested a bunch of seats, and this one is soft enough, but not so wide that it will chaff your inner thighs when pedaling. It also has a handle built into the back for easier lifting of the bike
• I like that Rad Power Bikes is using the same battery pack for all of their models now. This means you can purchase a few bikes and easily swap the pack around, or take two packs along for an extended adventure. The battery itself uses high-quality lithium-ion cells, is warrantied for a year, and is cheaper to replace because it doesn’t contain the bike controller. You can charge this pack on or off the frame, and it has three key positions for unlocked, locked to frame but powered off, and locked to frame powered-on. This helps you to deter tampering with the bike without having to take the battery pack off. For best results, store the battery in a cool, dry location. Extreme heat can damage the cells and extreme cold will stunt them and limit your range temporarily
• Even though the battery and controller box are mounted externally, this is a purpose-built electric bike with internally routed cables and wires. The black wires and controller box are more prominent on the white frame, but still well protected based on their position and surrounding tubing. Note the stainless steel torque arm on the left rear dropout that adds frame strength! This will keep the motor axle from chewing into the softer aluminum alloy frame over time
• I think the standard free shipping is a great option, and Rad Power Bikes has updated their box to include some fun artistic graphics. Note the plastic handles built into the sides of the cardboard box for easy lifting and dragging (I suggest asking a friend to help you move the box safely, because these are heavy machines)
• It’s cool that Rad Power Bikes has expanded to Canada in recent years. They specced their motor down from 750 watts to 500 watts in order to comply with local rules. Both countries offer free shipping and Rad has offices in both locations, including shops and mobile delivery service vehicles that provide assembly and test ride options
• I like the sturdy Wellgo platform pedals, alloy chain guide, and steel derailleur guard on this bike because it means you won’t slip off as easily, won’t have the chain bouncing off, and can keep the sensitive shifter parts and motor power cable from getting bent or snagged if the bike tips, is parked at a crowded rack, or gets tossed around in shipping
• In addition to the standard bottle cage mount, this bike has tons of mounting points for adding front and rear racks. These mounting points are very sturdy, especially the front mount, and Rad sells a bunch of accessories that all work well together on this and other models. There are racks and trays that can go from the front to the rear, insulated bags, waterproof panniers, a child seat from Yepp!, and a phone mount
• I love that the LCD display panel is fairly large, has adjustable backlight brightness, and a full size USB port built into the bottom. This is very convenient if you are using the optional phone mount for GPS and need a bit of extra juice for your phone on long rides
• For me, the three-button control pad that’s mounted near the left grip is easy to reach and simple to use. You press up or down to raise and lower assist, you press mode to cycle odometer and trip meter, you hold up to cycle current speed, average speed, and max speed, and you can hold up and mode simultaneously to activate the lights or hold down to activate walk mode. Walk mode is especially useful if you’ve got the bike loaded up with gear or a child seat and just want to play it safe without over-exerting yourself up a hill or through a technical section of terrain. Hold up and down simultaneously to get into the settings menu and adjust wheel size, top speed, and backlight brightness
• The RadRover Step-Thru uses a high-resolution 12-magnet cadence sensors, which makes starting and stopping more predictable. I love that they also included motor inhibitors on both brake levers (which also activates bright mode on the rear light!) It seems like they really dialed in the controller settings too, because the motor is smooth and predictable when starting vs. delayed or jerky
• The throttle setup on all of the Rad Power Bikes is perfect, in my opinion. It provides you with full power, anytime the bike is turned on. This means that you can zip around without pedaling in assist level zero, without worrying that you might activate assist by moving the cranks accidentally. It also means that you can override assist levels 1-4 with full power to climb a hill or catch up with friends… all without clicking buttons or looking down, just twist and it goes! For people who don’t want a throttle, there’s a quick disconnect cable right near the handlebar that’s easy to access
• The kickstand is adjustable, has a wide platform at the bottom to keep it from sinking in to soft terrain, and it works well if you’re loading the bike with gear. I love that the front rack is frame-mounted so it won’t interfere with steering or tip the bike sideways when parked like fork mounted racks… but it does change how the headlight is mounted, and fixes it straight vs. turning as the bike turns
• Both wheels are built with thicker 12 gauge spokes for increased durability and weight capacity support. I like that Rad chose to paint the spokes black to blend in with the rims and hubs. Note that the official max weight rating on both RadRover and RadRover step-thru is 275 pounds (~125 kilograms)
• The geared hub motor is quite zippy and powerful, more so than the RadWagon and RadCity models, which use a gearless hub motor. The geared motor doesn’t offer regeneration and it does produce some more noise, but it’s torquey enough to power through snow and soft sand, if you lower the tire PSI to the 5-10 range. The geared motors also freewheel without introducing magnetic drag
• Great drivetrain on this ebike, Rad has chosen an 11 to 34 tooth freewheel over the conventional 14 to 28 tooth design. This provides a wider range of pedal options for easier climbing and more comfortable high-speed riding. The cogs are nickel coated, which makes them rust resistant and a lot smoother to shift. The Shimano Acera derailleur is lighter and more reliable than Tourney or Altus (the two lower levels)
• The battery slide rack uses three bolts to attach to the frame. Some of the really cheap ebikes use a mount that only has two bolts. I have found that the batteries don’t rattle much and I haven’t ever seen one come loose

Cons:

• The RadRover Step-Thru is one of the heaviest ebike products now being sold by Rad Power Bikes. It weighs 71.4lbs vs. 69lbs for the high-step RadRover. I feel that they could reduce some of this weight, without compromising frame integrity, by using punched-out rims vs. the solid ones we see here
• Both the high-step and step-thru RadRover electric bikes are only offered in one frame size… and they’re very similar. If you’re especially tall, consider using a longer stem and raise the saddle, but if you’re especially short, consider one of the RadMini products, or the RadCity Step-Thru which is actually built around a smaller frame. Note that the mid-rise handlebar on the RadRovers can be swiveled forward or back to extend and shorten reach without changing any hardware on the bike ;)
• Rad Power Bikes has been using the large Shimano SIS index shifters since the beginning, and they aren’t my favorite. You have to reach up with your thumb to press the main paddle to get to lower gears, and that can require a bit of hand flexibility and even looking down for a moment. I much prefer trigger shifters, but I don’t think those will fit with the twist throttle housing, and they might not be as simple and intuitive for some riders… so I see why they stick with them
• The Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes get the job done, and I appreciate the large 180mm rotors and rubberized levers (that aren’t as cold or uncomfortable to pull as pure metal), but these brakes are definitely a price compromise. Hydraulic disc brakes would be easier to actuate and more consistent (front vs. rear brake, which has a longer cable housing and more friction). Nice hydraulic disc brake levers usually offer adjustable reach as well, which can be easier to use for individuals with especially large or small hands
• It’s great to have suspension, and I feel that Rad Power Bikes chose the best option they could for the price here, offering lockout and preload adjust. Ultimately, it’s still a pretty basic spring fork that adds a lot of weight to the frame vs. an air fork. The front axle is a standard 9mm vs. a heavy-duty 15mm thru-axle, so it’s not really designed for heavy off-road use and true mountain biking, and it would be difficult to upgrade the fork aftermarket to something lighter or tougher because they almost all use thru-axles to deal with the weight of fat-tire models like this
• The display is large and easy to read but not removable, so it could take extra weather wear and possibly get scratched at a bike rack. I appreciate that it’s well protected by the mid-rise handlebar, and that the electronics on the bike can be completely disabled by turning the key to the locked-off position (between locked-on and unlocked).
• It would be nice to have more than five bars to indicate the battery charge level. As it stands, each bar represents a 20% drop vs. 10 bars representing 10% drops, or even a written percentage such as 42%. This could really help riders to make it home without completely depleting the battery
• In recent years, Rad Power Bikes updated the rear brake caliper position to be tipped down, so dust and water won’t get into the cable housing as easily… which creates friction over time, making it difficult to actuate the rear brake. This would not be an issue if the brakes were hydraulic ;)
• It’s a minor complaint or trade-off here, but the step-thru frame does introduce more frame flex than the high-step model, especially with a loaded rear rack. It’s probably not an issue for most riders however, and I appreciate the additional metal gussets and tube reinforcements to provide stiffness and strength
• It’s a minor gripe here, but the white frame looked a bit too matte for my taste. I prefer a slight gloss or satin, especially on light colors, because it won’t get dirty as easily or show finger smudges… this wasn’t an issue with the other white Rad Power Bike models like the RadMini Step-Thru and RadCity Step-Thru
• If you opt for a front tray rack, the headlight will have to be moved onto the base of the tray because otherwise it would collide. The thing is, the light isn’t as adjustable in this position and it no longer points where you steer because the front rack is frame mounted
• All of the Rad Power Bikes use the same charger (just like the interchangeable battery packs), and it’s fairly lightweight, but it only puts out 2 amps, so charging can take up to six hours if the battery is completely drained. This would be faster if they used a 3 or 4 amp charger like some other companies have started doing, but it might raise the price

Useful Resources:

• Official Rad Power Bikes website
• Best fat tire electric bikes