RadRunner 1 Year Review

 The Rad Runner...... 

 I purchased my RadRunner in January 2021, after literal years of self debate asking myself... 

Is it worth it?, Do I need it? Will it do what I want it to? 

 These among other questions held me back from buying an Ebike since 2015. I needed a commute alternative for my 20 km commute one way through rural New Brunswick. 20 km isnt actually that far however cycling to and from work with a 12hr factory shift in between was ... Less than appealing. So the hunt was on for the best "Bang for my buck"

 I started looking at all different brands but they all had one thing in common, they were EXPENSIVE.

 I found that Rad Power Bikes had a really nice formula of price/performance which they achieved by sharing components across alot of their models, Driving cost down. 

 I chose the RadRunner for the Utilitarian nature of the frame. It had some drawbacks however, Single speed, heavy overall weight, odd tire size. These drawbacks however were outweighed by the upsides for my specific use case.

 I needed something that was durable, had enough range for a round trip commute and enough torque to pull me up this one particular hiil on the way home.

 The RadRunner check all the most important categories for me, despite it's (personal opinion alert) ugly style. The BMX style handlebars left lots of room for accessories and felt natural to me. The THICK frame screamed durability which was very important to me as well. Even the single speed had it's upside, low maintenance. All at (at the time of purchase) for $1599 CAD (Now $1799).

 The Specs:

-500w motor (750w US, 250w EU)

-48v 14ah battery 

-Mechanical disk brakes with motor inhibitors

-Headlight and working brake light

-Step thru design 

(Full specs at bottom of page)

 So after 1 Year and approximately 4000 km of daily commuting what do I have to say about the RadRunner?

 The build quality surprised me, when you compare the specs to price of other ebikes you would expect them to of sacrificed something to get that price down. I can assure you they didn't the rigid steel fork, the thick tubed frame, the custom made seat are all some of the best quality bike parts I have ever used. The range at full pedal assist is around 55 kms over varying terrain, and 40 kms on pure throttle alone. The torque is definitely a nice bonus as it has zero problem pulling my 210 lbs plus gear around. 

 The tires that come stock are great and kevlar reenforced so no punctures yet. The electrical components are also very well made as more than a few times I have left it out in the rain and snow and never had any kind of water related issues. 

 For all the positives there are negatives as well. The brakes though strong enough to stop the bike it would really benifit from hydrolic brakes. The seat is also not very comfortable and if you want to replace the seat you need to purchase a seat post as well, as the one that comes stock is proprietary to the stock seat. I also wish that the rear light control (blinking or solid) had a dedicated control on the handlebar. 

 I could write for days about the little details but I tried to keep it short here. If your looking for best valued Ebike look no further, the RadRunner will scratch that itch at a fair price. It is what I would call a "Mid Range" Ebike where it's got all the performance you may need but not all the bells and whistles that you may experience on a more premium Ebike. 

FULL SPECS

• Electronics

  To ensure uninterrupted shipping, some parts may differ from those listed. Rest assured, our engineers rigorously test each component to guarantee quality and compatibility.

  Battery

  672 Wh

  Charger

  48V, 2 Amp Rad Power Bikes smart charger, operates on 100V-240V AC power outlets

  Controller

  48V, 500W

  Display

  Intuitive LED display that shows battery charge level, pedal assist level, and light indicator

  Hub Motor

  500W brushless geared hub motor with 80 Nm of torque, 5:1 planetary gear reduction

  Lights

  Front: LED headlight
  Rear: Integrated taillight with brake light and flash mode

  Pedal Assist

  Intelligent 4 level pedal assist with low profile cadence sensor

  Range

  40-72+ kilometres per charge (estimate)

  Throttle

  Half twist throttle

  Wiring

  Water resistant connectors and wiring harness

• 
  

 Brake Calipers

Tektro Aries (MD-M300)

Brake Levers

Aluminum alloy comfort grip levers with motor cutoff switch and integrated bell

Brake Pad Material

Organic compound

Brake Rotors

Tektro 180 mm front and rear

Chain

Z7

Crank Set

53T, 170 mm forged alloy, dual-sided aluminum bashguard

Derailleur

Single speed chain tensioner

Fenders

Optional

Fork

Rigid steel

Frame

6061 aluminium

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