Nice detailed review. Looking to buy a ebike in the next 90 days or so and these type of reviews help. I would definitely go with the step through model.
I bought a Rad City about two years ago. It's been really great. If I were to buy a new one, I would probably get the step thru. I love the new sleek look. :-)
Hey Todd! Yeah, these guys tend to make a lot of little updates ongoing, and lead the pack of more affordable bikes in terms of design improvements. This is actually a huge update in my opinion. I suspect they will stick with this battery design for some years and we will see it on other Rad models to be cross compatible.
So disappointed to see they left the same flaws I dislike about my Rad City 4 and took features I bought mine for in the first place. Top to bottom, front to back; The bell is different. Not a deal breaker but the old one integrated in the left brake lever was a trigger, not a flick, and has a much more pleasing tone. Very easy to use with gloves in the previous model. No integrated horn like I had hoped, a feature I would like since I spend a lot of time around traffic on my Rad City 4 I prefer the older, simpler display. the new one looks nicer, but I don't feel it's worth the clutter. Separate light control is neat, but I was hoping for a High-Low toggle and turn signals. Hand signals are always available, but keeping both hands on the bars in traffic would be preferable, especially at speed, and it seems many drivers don't understand hand signals anymore or even look for them. Changing the Pedal Assist speed seems absent in this one too. Being unable to run it to 25 MPH is an absolute deal breaker, being able to easily keep up with traffic in my town is a major safety feature and if this one can't I won't recommend it. If that's the case I hope the Rad City 6 is a class 3 with a 20 MPH throttle. (As pointed out, this is still possible. It's just hidden a bit further in menus. A Class 3 Rad City would still be welcome though) The included headlight looks like the 80 lumen basic light, rather than the 500 lumen upgraded light. Odd not to have that on a "Plus" model. The new battery is attractive. Much better looking than the previous model. Can you leave the battery locked in place but the bike set to the "Off" position? That's another safety feature in my book as it's another layer of theft protection on top of a café lock and U-bolt. The saddle appears to be a new design. I replaced mine only a two hundred miles into my time with the Rad City 4. This one looks nice. I appreciate a removable rear rack. I've rarely used mine and slimming the bike down a bit would be welcome if it wouldn't be taking the bigger of the two tail/brake lights with it. I'm not sold on the hydraulic brakes, as the Rad City 4 has regenerative braking so the motor itself adds to your stopping power (while giving a trickle more battery power back, which is reassuring if not particularly useful for charging), with three points of deceleration your emergency stops, of which I had a few, are very short! The 5 Plus does away with the brushless Shengyi direct drive motor and I feel that's a bit of a downgrade as it's a super smooth motor. The hydraulic breaks should make up for the loss of the Shengyi's addition to stopping, so I suppose it's evened out there. I would miss the gentle coasting to a stop that the regenerative breaking offers though. And Court, you know already what I'm gonna harp on next, that 7-speed freewheel retains the gearing from the Rad City 4 and I just don't like it. It's the worst part of my Rad City 4 as the jump from first to second gear is such a stretch, necessitating a twist of the throttle any time I shift up from first or else I have to break my cadence. The small number of gears after that means that occasionally I come across moments where I can't find a comfortable gear for my cadence. For a Plus model I would want a more comfortable spread of gears, At least 8 speed but preferably 9, both available in Shimano's lineups and with the same fantastic range. Availability has definitely been problematic, perhaps on the Rad City 6? The motor, I mentioned that I felt it was a downgrade. This one is noisy! High torque is hardly something I feel needed on a city bike and the magnetic drag isn't very noticeable at all if left on a minimum of pedal assist while cruising through town. But the noise! That would seriously degrade the enjoyment I have in my commute. Lastly, I have a little note on the charging dongles, I don't like them and I feel like they're unnecessary clutter. Using a power bank in the old setup already offered a means to plug in a couple things at once and even allowed charging while off the bike and taking a lunch break at one of Western Washington's fantastic parks. I had previously considered the Rad City 4 an 8/10. Good, almost great, and an amazing amount of quality for the price. That opinion hasn't changed, I've almost hit a thousand miles on mine and I'm sure I'll put another thousand onto it next year. The Rad City 5 on the other hand, is a 7/10 for me (I originally posted 6/10, but the speed limiter issue thankfully wasn't as initially expected). Really missed the mark; an increase in price with a loss of features, and with the identical components with the Rad Rover 6 Plus it really looks like Rad Power is putting some cookie-cutter fixtures in their bikes instead of letting them stand out from each other. I recommend skipping the 5 Plus unless its features really appeal to you, the Rad City 4 is the better bike for the money.
Wow! That is a lot of information, and detailing it in multiple paragraphs is great. I appreciate your breakdown of what hasn’t been improved and in some cases made worse than the better Rad City 4 which should be a no go for anyone considering the Rad City 5. I’m sure, or at least hope they address the mistakes they made with this model as charging more for a downgrade is ludicrous. Thank you.
It looks like someone figured out how to unlock higher speeds: ebikeescape.com/rad-plus-models-top-speed-unlock/ thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on the new model, your detailed comment provided a lot of good perspectives :)
@@buffalomind6838 Thank you! I'm happy to share my experience. I do wish to say that I really like Rad Power, I feel they're a great company that has a lot potential to offer to cyclists. What I think is the case with these bikes is mostly due to availability of components; The parts just aren't out on the market recently. In short, despite my criticism here, I'm very hopeful for the Rad City 6.
@@Kattbirb I do hear great experiences with Rad Power bikes as people have made forums dedicated to the brand and helping others with Rad Power related products. I agree as mentioned in the video that “All” companies especially in the e-bike world in particular there are shortages, and withholding on containers asking companies to pay several times on top of the normal rate only to still not be able to promise a date. Smh COVID is a real thing effecting everything in its path. We will survive and be better in the future when the next tragic thing occurs.
On the RAD city 5 plus can I use the throttle while in PAS mode. Say I'm in PAS3 mode and I come to a stop. Can I take off using the throttle or do I have to put it on pas0 mode to use the throttle?
So I watched someone else’s vid on this bike and they had run the battery out at 2 different power levels so we can know the actual range of the battery - more or less. That’s important info when buying an ebike. You might consider doing that. Thanks for the videos.
I filmed this many months ago and put both the step thru and high step live on my site at the time (which is where Rad got the link and embed), they did not pay for these reviews. Most of my reviews 80%+ have been free since 2012, but there was a period when I did charge a fee (and mentioned it in the video intros) to help pay for travel and some team members. That approach didn’t work out, those reviewers left and became competition, so now I just review everything for free again. I try to be as objective and honest as possible.
I saw this video via the Rad page when I first got the notice from Rad about the new version. At that time, I could not access video or a written review on the EBR page. I was just remarking on this at the time. I enjoy EBR and I check it almost daily for new reviews and the forum. Court seems like a good guy.
It looks like the battery to these bikes slides into a tray built into the frame. What happens if it rains on the bike? Does the water seep down into the tray where the battery sits? If I go to a restaurant and take my battery in to charge while I'm eating, again, what happens if it rains? Does water fill up the battery tray?
Yeah, the trade off means less weight and drag on the new system, but no recoup (which kind of offset the drag) and increased break pad wear. The new motor produces a bit more noise (as all geared motors do), but offers improved low speed torque.
Yeah, I’m a fan of the lighter weight and efficient freewheeling of planetary geared. I feel that the regeneration was negligible, but it did reduce some brake pad wear. It seems like most companies have gone to geared, but Mac may have a new motor that is geared WITH regen, and maybe we will see something like that someday. I got to try a custom build with this motor recently (on a bike my friend made for fun, not Rad) and it did reintroduce the drag. Always a trade off… anyway, I like the choices made for the new RadCity, feels like an improvement over the gearless motors and I’m surprised it didn’t come sooner ;)
I bought a RadCity 5 Plus recently and I got error 24 and 30 alternating. I got a replacement bike and now I got error 21. I don t now how to get rid of these errors because following the troubleshooting guide didn't help.
I think as long as everything is modular, even from last year to the short-term future, parts should be accessible in modular form, just like in the automotive industry… That would make them ROCK!
Oh man! I think the resale value on these is pretty good, if you wanted to switch. I do like the step thru models that we are getting from many companies lately. They look pretty good and are still fairly stiff. In any case, I hope you enjoy your bike Reynold!
Most Ebikes I see use 1x drivetrains, so only one chainring but a cassette at the rear. Seven speeds isn’t much, but Rad uses a wider spread of 11 to 34 tooth freewheel vs many competitors that only have 14 to 28 tooth spread. I’d say it’s above average for this price point.
Thanks for your video - Question does the RadCity 5 Plus or the Radrover 6 have the Tannus Armour already installed when the bike is purchased new from Rad ? Thanks
I tried this bike here in Vancouver. I really like it, but like you, I would prefer trigger shifters that operate with thumb/index fingers. Do you think it would be possible to upgrade?
Hi Patrick! I do think it’s possible, but many Shimano parts are backordered right now, and you could run into some positioning challenges due to the twist throttle on the right (since the housing may prevent triggers from extending towards the grip).
It sounds like you can, although I was not able to do it during these reviews and I don’t know how… here are the instructions ebikeescape.com/rad-plus-models-top-speed-unlock/
I still think RAD has the best bikes for the money but I will stay wit my 2017 model that I have over 16,000 miles on. Don’t like the battery can’t up grade to a bigger one, the rack doesn’t need to be removed, the tire size is better as 26in. Much more common, less travel on the forks is bullshit and I like my gearless hub. I’m glad I got the one I have. No no no leave well enough alone. By the way I have replaced a lot of parts on mine due to wear but I still have the original display , controller and hub.
EBR do a good sales pitch for these bikes but often downplay flaws or actual downgrades on new models. Are the reviews sponsored? Rad bikes have increased their prices by a significant amount, their optional extras are unnecessarily expensive. I think potential customers should be given a more balanced review.
The bias probably comes from me appreciating their mobile service, good track record, and cross compatibility for parts. I do my best to express and list all of the considerations that I see (had 12 for this model), and I welcome critical feedback. Here are my cons: electricbikereview.com/rad-power-bikes/radcity-5-plus/
Electronics and breaks are exactly the same. Difference is in the wheels, geometry, and cargo capacity. The only question you really need to ask: do you want a fat rough terrain bike or a bike that's designed for the urban environment and cargo?
With a lot of the changes they've made since the Rad City 4, the RC5+ is only a difference in geometry. The Rover 6 Plus should serve you about as well as this would.
Haha, I just ordered a RadCity 4 this weekend! What great timing 😅 Although frankly the 5’s upgrades don’t seem worth returning the one I ordered + paying an extra $200, WDYT?
the new battery makes all the difference to be honest. I personally have a radmission and I'm considering selling it to buy a rad city 5 just because of the battery and the motor.
I’d keep the 4 because it takes so much time and energy to ship and wait if they are backordered. You have the same battery capacity (just not as easy to remove), you have a USB port for free, and performance is very similar. I like how the new ones look, but at the end of the day, both are fun to ride!!
I did decided after a long thinking to cancel the Radcity 5 plus order as they kept postponing the shipping date. Last update they gave me was shipping "BY"mid December. Now they say cant cancel it because the bike is been shipped to the warehouse. I asked them again for a definite deliver time and they say they still cant tell for sure. Its is really frustrating. Very disappointed with Radbike. I was told their customer service is excellent. That was my reason to go with them. May be i have made a mistake there. just want to post this so other buyers will be aware of this.
I have no use for baskets. They are ugly and as EBR says, they can affect your steering and your balance. I totally love my Burley Travoy for my cargo needs.
This bike has been a nightmare for me owned it for 2 weeks and the throttle no longer works. The rubber that closes the battery hole does not close poor design.
While you can make the argument that an ebike can get by with a 7-speed transmission, the choice of this cheapy drivetrain with a FREEWHEEL is a turnoff for me. Freewheels are inherently less capable of coping with e-bike stresses. Even a good freewheel (from the golden age of bikes) would not be a good choice on an e-powered bike that is targeted at least partially to a load carrying consumer (rear rack, optional front rack). Maybe they could spec an upgrade package for people who are going to be carrying loads on their bikes.
Most ebikes are kind of heavy... I think Rad is about average, but they have decent hardware for the price and good customer support in my experience. Here's a category of lighter ebikes I've reviewed: electricbikereview.com/category/light/
The Rad bikes are ok just nothing special. Aventon, Lectric, Sondors, Juiced, all seem to offer more interesting and better looking bikes at similar price points.
Gr8 review Unbranded component in the brake system Raising flags in my head Thanks for covering the bases Bike Week HOBO Here in Upper Bucks County Pennsylvania 🛵🌄🛴
Hey Braxton! I think we he unbranded stuff with Rad and others has been due to supply chain constraints and some parts being backordered but also because they want to remove labels to look nicer or even make their own proprietary stuff that be unique. Hope you’re having a good week!
Greetings, Please forward this to your management, which is in dire need currently of providing customer service. Based on my current service I applaud the customer service Reps but as a person with an excess of 50+ years of experience, I say Shame on you!” to your managers. Warn you right now, I am a very blunt, B/W person, and if you do not want to hear/read the truth as I am experiencing it personally, delete this now. • Not having phone support at the very least is one of the poorest support things can imagine and can only guess be due to: 1. Choice / poor judgment 2. Bad vendor 3. Don’t care. I know likely the same as #1 The shipping experience is less than optimum. I order from the internet; hmm desire to pick It up, but will only allow it to be shipped, and items missing. Ok, so I drove 40 miles to the Seattle office to try to resolve this, told the order was scanned, and no recourse but to wait for it. Hmm, this appears to have happened 2 hours after I was at the store: Then I was sent an email stating that it would arrive the same day as FedEx reported it was picked up: OK so now appears I have been lied to or at best been deceived by your company. My luck FedEx ended up delaying order as well but did get it almost 2 weeks later, So, Tuesday I drive it to the Seattle store for assembly as cannot physically spend the approx. hour to do it myself and add couple accessories, front basket and mirror, cell phone holder on back order and told may take 7 days which is frustrating, but it is what it is right? Which leads me to next question would answer to is delay to: 1. Backlog of service jobs? 2. Incompetence, sincerely doubt that one, the associates have been great I have talked to. 3. Lack of sufficient technicians available? 4. Don’t care about customer service at the management level? To sum it up, your front-line associates are doing a wonderful job and my suspicion is that they get little or no support from the management staff who do not really care about customer satisfaction or the damage caused by word of mouth. BTW recommended two of your potential customers to my previous bike maker Blix. Well on Tue 7/11/2023 8:25 AM, I dropped the bike off at RadPower Bikes at 1128 NW 52nd St in Seattle for assembly and a front basket. Sadly, told me would be a week, that was nine days ago and today support emailed me that “order #1140382 has been fulfilled a few days ago at our warehouse and it is now just waiting for a courier to come pick it up and deliver.” Even though when dropped off told them to call me and would pick it up. Wow as of next Wednesday, this whole purchase will have been going on for a full month, and still nothing but bills and receipts to show for it. Apparent to me now is that following a simple customer request is not a realistic expectation from this company. Full documentation is available for the lawyers if required.
Great review as always! The timing when Tom took off up that hill and that 2stroke engine going off in the background was hilarious!
Nice detailed review. Looking to buy a ebike in the next 90 days or so and these type of reviews help. I would definitely go with the step through model.
How about a head-to-head comparison with the Aventon Level?
That would be fun, maybe in the future!
@@ElectricBikeReviewthis e-bike or the surface 604 colt?
I bought a Rad City about two years ago. It's been really great. If I were to buy a new one, I would probably get the step thru. I love the new sleek look. :-)
Glad you’re enjoying it! I also like the step thru models :)
Love my RCST3, and I love that they're making updates so I can have something to look forward to in a few years when it's time to replace it :D
Hey Todd! Yeah, these guys tend to make a lot of little updates ongoing, and lead the pack of more affordable bikes in terms of design improvements. This is actually a huge update in my opinion. I suspect they will stick with this battery design for some years and we will see it on other Rad models to be cross compatible.
So disappointed to see they left the same flaws I dislike about my Rad City 4 and took features I bought mine for in the first place.
Top to bottom, front to back; The bell is different. Not a deal breaker but the old one integrated in the left brake lever was a trigger, not a flick, and has a much more pleasing tone. Very easy to use with gloves in the previous model. No integrated horn like I had hoped, a feature I would like since I spend a lot of time around traffic on my Rad City 4
I prefer the older, simpler display. the new one looks nicer, but I don't feel it's worth the clutter. Separate light control is neat, but I was hoping for a High-Low toggle and turn signals. Hand signals are always available, but keeping both hands on the bars in traffic would be preferable, especially at speed, and it seems many drivers don't understand hand signals anymore or even look for them.
Changing the Pedal Assist speed seems absent in this one too. Being unable to run it to 25 MPH is an absolute deal breaker, being able to easily keep up with traffic in my town is a major safety feature and if this one can't I won't recommend it. If that's the case I hope the Rad City 6 is a class 3 with a 20 MPH throttle. (As pointed out, this is still possible. It's just hidden a bit further in menus. A Class 3 Rad City would still be welcome though)
The included headlight looks like the 80 lumen basic light, rather than the 500 lumen upgraded light. Odd not to have that on a "Plus" model.
The new battery is attractive. Much better looking than the previous model. Can you leave the battery locked in place but the bike set to the "Off" position? That's another safety feature in my book as it's another layer of theft protection on top of a café lock and U-bolt.
The saddle appears to be a new design. I replaced mine only a two hundred miles into my time with the Rad City 4. This one looks nice.
I appreciate a removable rear rack. I've rarely used mine and slimming the bike down a bit would be welcome if it wouldn't be taking the bigger of the two tail/brake lights with it.
I'm not sold on the hydraulic brakes, as the Rad City 4 has regenerative braking so the motor itself adds to your stopping power (while giving a trickle more battery power back, which is reassuring if not particularly useful for charging), with three points of deceleration your emergency stops, of which I had a few, are very short! The 5 Plus does away with the brushless Shengyi direct drive motor and I feel that's a bit of a downgrade as it's a super smooth motor. The hydraulic breaks should make up for the loss of the Shengyi's addition to stopping, so I suppose it's evened out there. I would miss the gentle coasting to a stop that the regenerative breaking offers though.
And Court, you know already what I'm gonna harp on next, that 7-speed freewheel retains the gearing from the Rad City 4 and I just don't like it. It's the worst part of my Rad City 4 as the jump from first to second gear is such a stretch, necessitating a twist of the throttle any time I shift up from first or else I have to break my cadence. The small number of gears after that means that occasionally I come across moments where I can't find a comfortable gear for my cadence. For a Plus model I would want a more comfortable spread of gears, At least 8 speed but preferably 9, both available in Shimano's lineups and with the same fantastic range. Availability has definitely been problematic, perhaps on the Rad City 6?
The motor, I mentioned that I felt it was a downgrade. This one is noisy! High torque is hardly something I feel needed on a city bike and the magnetic drag isn't very noticeable at all if left on a minimum of pedal assist while cruising through town. But the noise! That would seriously degrade the enjoyment I have in my commute.
Lastly, I have a little note on the charging dongles, I don't like them and I feel like they're unnecessary clutter. Using a power bank in the old setup already offered a means to plug in a couple things at once and even allowed charging while off the bike and taking a lunch break at one of Western Washington's fantastic parks.
I had previously considered the Rad City 4 an 8/10. Good, almost great, and an amazing amount of quality for the price. That opinion hasn't changed, I've almost hit a thousand miles on mine and I'm sure I'll put another thousand onto it next year. The Rad City 5 on the other hand, is a 7/10 for me (I originally posted 6/10, but the speed limiter issue thankfully wasn't as initially expected). Really missed the mark; an increase in price with a loss of features, and with the identical components with the Rad Rover 6 Plus it really looks like Rad Power is putting some cookie-cutter fixtures in their bikes instead of letting them stand out from each other. I recommend skipping the 5 Plus unless its features really appeal to you, the Rad City 4 is the better bike for the money.
Wow! That is a lot of information, and detailing it in multiple paragraphs is great. I appreciate your breakdown of what hasn’t been improved and in some cases made worse than the better Rad City 4 which should be a no go for anyone considering the Rad City 5. I’m sure, or at least hope they address the mistakes they made with this model as charging more for a downgrade is ludicrous. Thank you.
It looks like someone figured out how to unlock higher speeds: ebikeescape.com/rad-plus-models-top-speed-unlock/ thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on the new model, your detailed comment provided a lot of good perspectives :)
@@ElectricBikeReview Yes, I'm glad to see that. Thank you. I've amended my review on the other video, I'll do so here as well.
@@buffalomind6838 Thank you! I'm happy to share my experience.
I do wish to say that I really like Rad Power, I feel they're a great company that has a lot potential to offer to cyclists. What I think is the case with these bikes is mostly due to availability of components; The parts just aren't out on the market recently. In short, despite my criticism here, I'm very hopeful for the Rad City 6.
@@Kattbirb I do hear great experiences with Rad Power bikes as people have made forums dedicated to the brand and helping others with Rad Power related products. I agree as mentioned in the video that “All” companies especially in the e-bike world in particular there are shortages, and withholding on containers asking companies to pay several times on top of the normal rate only to still not be able to promise a date. Smh
COVID is a real thing effecting everything in its path. We will survive and be better in the future when the next tragic thing occurs.
Great review! I have one coming in a few days, pretty excited.
Awesome! I hope it arrives soon for you. Should be fun :D
They need to put a rad dealership here in Redding California there’s a lot of e bikes here
On the RAD city 5 plus can I use the throttle while in PAS mode. Say I'm in PAS3 mode and I come to a stop. Can I take off using the throttle or do I have to put it on pas0 mode to use the throttle?
Wish the step over bar was straight to hang on my bike rack
The problem with wheel screw
So I watched someone else’s vid on this bike and they had run the battery out at 2 different power levels so we can know the actual range of the battery - more or less. That’s important info when buying an ebike. You might consider doing that. Thanks for the videos.
Strange this is live on Rad's page before it's live on EBR's page. Seems like Rad is very tight with a lot of reviewers.
Obviously Rad paid for review
I filmed this many months ago and put both the step thru and high step live on my site at the time (which is where Rad got the link and embed), they did not pay for these reviews. Most of my reviews 80%+ have been free since 2012, but there was a period when I did charge a fee (and mentioned it in the video intros) to help pay for travel and some team members. That approach didn’t work out, those reviewers left and became competition, so now I just review everything for free again. I try to be as objective and honest as possible.
I saw this video via the Rad page when I first got the notice from Rad about the new version. At that time, I could not access video or a written review on the EBR page. I was just remarking on this at the time. I enjoy EBR and I check it almost daily for new reviews and the forum. Court seems like a good guy.
Thinking of getting an E bike. This was a excellent and through review.
It looks like the battery to these bikes slides into a tray built into the frame. What happens if it rains on the bike? Does the water seep down into the tray where the battery sits?
If I go to a restaurant and take my battery in to charge while I'm eating, again, what happens if it rains? Does water fill up the battery tray?
No mention of Brake regen on this improved model RC5+? Did Rad do away with regen? I have a 4 and the regen feature is a great asset on hilly rides.
Geared hub motor = No regen
Sadly yes, and this one will be noisy. I'm keeping my 4 as well.
Yeah, the trade off means less weight and drag on the new system, but no recoup (which kind of offset the drag) and increased break pad wear. The new motor produces a bit more noise (as all geared motors do), but offers improved low speed torque.
so they ditched the direct drive on the rad city? Anything to say on that end?
Yeah, I’m a fan of the lighter weight and efficient freewheeling of planetary geared. I feel that the regeneration was negligible, but it did reduce some brake pad wear. It seems like most companies have gone to geared, but Mac may have a new motor that is geared WITH regen, and maybe we will see something like that someday. I got to try a custom build with this motor recently (on a bike my friend made for fun, not Rad) and it did reintroduce the drag. Always a trade off… anyway, I like the choices made for the new RadCity, feels like an improvement over the gearless motors and I’m surprised it didn’t come sooner ;)
I bought a RadCity 5 Plus recently and I got error 24 and 30 alternating. I got a replacement bike and now I got error 21. I don t now how to get rid of these errors because following the troubleshooting guide didn't help.
I think as long as everything is modular, even from last year to the short-term future, parts should be accessible in modular form, just like in the automotive industry… That would make them ROCK!
I just got my RC4 this weekend ...and I kinda would like the 5 with the lower bar for my legs 😅
The Rad City 4 seems to be the better bike overall though.
Oh man! I think the resale value on these is pretty good, if you wanted to switch. I do like the step thru models that we are getting from many companies lately. They look pretty good and are still fairly stiff. In any case, I hope you enjoy your bike Reynold!
How efficient is a 1x7 compared to a 2-3 chain set upfront? I thought the chain works better if it is not crossing too much?
Most Ebikes I see use 1x drivetrains, so only one chainring but a cassette at the rear. Seven speeds isn’t much, but Rad uses a wider spread of 11 to 34 tooth freewheel vs many competitors that only have 14 to 28 tooth spread. I’d say it’s above average for this price point.
Thanks for your video - Question does the RadCity 5 Plus or the Radrover 6 have the Tannus Armour already installed when the bike is purchased new from Rad ? Thanks
I tried this bike here in Vancouver. I really like it, but like you, I would prefer trigger shifters that operate with thumb/index fingers. Do you think it would be possible to upgrade?
Hi Patrick! I do think it’s possible, but many Shimano parts are backordered right now, and you could run into some positioning challenges due to the twist throttle on the right (since the housing may prevent triggers from extending towards the grip).
I can't wait to get this bike, I am still saving for, I am pretty close :)
What's the max speed on the new version? Can you go into the menu and adjust it like you could with the old City?
It sounds like you can, although I was not able to do it during these reviews and I don’t know how… here are the instructions ebikeescape.com/rad-plus-models-top-speed-unlock/
@@ElectricBikeReview Thank you, good sir.
25mph throttle and pedal assist 5
I still think RAD has the best bikes for the money but I will stay wit my 2017 model that I have over 16,000 miles on. Don’t like the battery can’t up grade to a bigger one, the rack doesn’t need to be removed, the tire size is better as 26in. Much more common, less travel on the forks is bullshit and I like my gearless hub. I’m glad I got the one I have. No no no leave well enough alone. By the way I have replaced a lot of parts on mine due to wear but I still have the original display , controller and hub.
Great Review!
Thank you so much Brad! I did my best, it was actually a challenging one :)
EBR do a good sales pitch for these bikes but often downplay flaws or actual downgrades on new models. Are the reviews sponsored? Rad bikes have increased their prices by a significant amount, their optional extras are unnecessarily expensive. I think potential customers should be given a more balanced review.
In spite of a slightly biased tone, the reviews are still quite good.
The bias probably comes from me appreciating their mobile service, good track record, and cross compatibility for parts. I do my best to express and list all of the considerations that I see (had 12 for this model), and I welcome critical feedback. Here are my cons: electricbikereview.com/rad-power-bikes/radcity-5-plus/
If I threw studded tires on this thing, do you think it would be a decent commuter for Calgary winters?
You might be better off with a Envo snowbike
I have the 6 plus on order. How does this compare to the that ?
Electronics and breaks are exactly the same. Difference is in the wheels, geometry, and cargo capacity. The only question you really need to ask: do you want a fat rough terrain bike or a bike that's designed for the urban environment and cargo?
With a lot of the changes they've made since the Rad City 4, the RC5+ is only a difference in geometry. The Rover 6 Plus should serve you about as well as this would.
Haha, I just ordered a RadCity 4 this weekend! What great timing 😅
Although frankly the 5’s upgrades don’t seem worth returning the one I ordered + paying an extra $200, WDYT?
the new battery makes all the difference to be honest. I personally have a radmission and I'm considering selling it to buy a rad city 5 just because of the battery and the motor.
Keep the RC4, by the looks of it it's the better bike.
I’d keep the 4 because it takes so much time and energy to ship and wait if they are backordered. You have the same battery capacity (just not as easy to remove), you have a USB port for free, and performance is very similar. I like how the new ones look, but at the end of the day, both are fun to ride!!
The Rad City 5 Plus is a great bike. I can't speak on the 4 but the Plus model can go 25mph top speed when u change settings.
@@TwoWay-xX would you mind sharing how to change the speed setting?
I did decided after a long thinking to cancel the Radcity 5 plus order as they kept postponing the shipping date. Last update they gave me was shipping "BY"mid December. Now they say cant cancel it because the bike is been shipped to the warehouse. I asked them again for a definite deliver time and they say they still cant tell for sure. Its is really frustrating. Very disappointed with Radbike. I was told their customer service is excellent. That was my reason to go with them. May be i have made a mistake there. just want to post this so other buyers will be aware of this.
Bottom mounted batts are highly susceptible to damage.
I have no use for baskets. They are ugly and as EBR says, they can affect your steering and your balance. I totally love my Burley Travoy for my cargo needs.
There is a way to get more power out of these just don’t tell Rad about it
As of December 29, 2021, the price on this increased by $200. No good reason. Rad waited until the bike was reviewed, and then hiked the price.
Yeah, I noticed that they raised all of the prices and decided to update them on the titles and reviews for the current generation.
I bought the RadCity4 because the motor is direct drive no noise at all and has enough power. This motor whining on the 5 sounds annoying.
Hey Summer! Good think you got that one then, I don’t think any of the Rad products use direct drive gearless anymore.
This bike has been a nightmare for me owned it for 2 weeks and the throttle no longer works.
The rubber that closes the battery hole does not close poor design.
Have you tried customer support?
While you can make the argument that an ebike can get by with a 7-speed transmission, the choice of this cheapy drivetrain with a FREEWHEEL is a turnoff for me. Freewheels are inherently less capable of coping with e-bike stresses. Even a good freewheel (from the golden age of bikes) would not be a good choice on an e-powered bike that is targeted at least partially to a load carrying consumer (rear rack, optional front rack). Maybe they could spec an upgrade package for people who are going to be carrying loads on their bikes.
All Rad bikes are just too dang heavy…they need to work on this
Most ebikes are kind of heavy... I think Rad is about average, but they have decent hardware for the price and good customer support in my experience. Here's a category of lighter ebikes I've reviewed: electricbikereview.com/category/light/
The Rad bikes are ok just nothing special. Aventon, Lectric, Sondors, Juiced, all seem to offer more interesting and better looking bikes at similar price points.
Agree 100%! Rad bikes are too boring and industrial looking, exact opposite of Aventon bikes, a nice, sleek and modern design
Rad city 4 much better the 5
Why so?
*“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” - Thomas Jefferson*
I do not want an integrated head lamp. They should offer an model without one at a slightly reduced price. Ugly and yet moar wires. meh
horrible timing with truck horn going off every 30 seconds most of the video .
Gr8 review
Unbranded component in the brake system
Raising flags in my head
Thanks for covering the bases
Bike Week HOBO
Here in Upper Bucks
County Pennsylvania
🛵🌄🛴
Hey Braxton! I think we he unbranded stuff with Rad and others has been due to supply chain constraints and some parts being backordered but also because they want to remove labels to look nicer or even make their own proprietary stuff that be unique. Hope you’re having a good week!
Greetings,
Please forward this to your management, which is in dire need currently of providing customer service.
Based on my current service I applaud the customer service Reps but as a person with an excess of 50+ years of experience, I say Shame on you!” to your managers.
Warn you right now, I am a very blunt, B/W person, and if you do not want to hear/read the truth as I am experiencing it personally, delete this now.
• Not having phone support at the very least is one of the poorest support things can imagine and can only guess be due to:
1. Choice / poor judgment
2. Bad vendor
3. Don’t care. I know likely the same as #1
The shipping experience is less than optimum. I order from the internet; hmm desire to pick It up, but will only allow it to be shipped, and items missing. Ok, so I drove 40 miles to the Seattle office to try to resolve this, told the order was scanned, and no recourse but to wait for it.
Hmm, this appears to have happened 2 hours after I was at the store:
Then I was sent an email stating that it would arrive the same day as FedEx reported it was picked up:
OK so now appears I have been lied to or at best been deceived by your company. My luck FedEx ended up delaying order as well but did get it almost 2 weeks later,
So, Tuesday I drive it to the Seattle store for assembly as cannot physically spend the approx. hour to do it myself and add couple accessories, front basket and mirror, cell phone holder on back order and told may take 7 days which is frustrating, but it is what it is right? Which leads me to next question would answer to is delay to:
1. Backlog of service jobs?
2. Incompetence, sincerely doubt that one, the associates have been great I have talked to.
3. Lack of sufficient technicians available?
4. Don’t care about customer service at the management level?
To sum it up, your front-line associates are doing a wonderful job and my suspicion is that they get little or no support from the management staff who do not really care about customer satisfaction or the damage caused by word of mouth. BTW recommended two of your potential customers to my previous bike maker Blix.
Well on Tue 7/11/2023 8:25 AM, I dropped the bike off at RadPower Bikes at 1128 NW 52nd St in Seattle for assembly and a front basket. Sadly, told me would be a week, that was nine days ago and today support emailed me that “order #1140382 has been fulfilled a few days ago at our warehouse and it is now just waiting for a courier to come pick it up and deliver.” Even though when dropped off told them to call me and would pick it up. Wow as of next Wednesday, this whole purchase will have been going on for a full month, and still nothing but bills and receipts to show for it. Apparent to me now is that following a simple customer request is not a realistic expectation from this company. Full documentation is available for the lawyers if required.