As a first-time mother, I tend to overanalyze each potential baby-related merchandise that orbits my youngster’s sphere. There is no such thing as a assessment I cannot learn and no rabbit gap on an organization’s Instagram web page I cannot dive down. So, when it got here time to search for a cargo e-bike that was secure, straightforward to trip, and enjoyable, I used to be pleasantly stunned that the Rad Power RadWagon 4 delivered all of the bells and whistles for my household. Rad Energy was superior sufficient to supply the RadWagon freed from cost for the aim of this assessment. I used to be in a position to give it a whirl on the Large Island of Hawaii, the place I reside.
Rad Energy is just not new to the electrical bike area. Through the early days of the pandemic, the demand for e-bikes skyrocketed and Rad Energy grew to become the biggest vendor of electrical bikes within the nation. Questions of safety and a recall over RadWagon’s tire alignment in 2022 landed the corporate in sizzling water, so I used to be skeptical if the improved RadWagon 4 would dwell as much as the hype from early adopters. I ought to observe that in my analysis, I used to be focused by an infinite variety of e-bike firms, however nothing from Rad Energy. Of the parents-slash-friends I talked to, 4 completely different households owned a Rad Wagon.
Image courtesy Kirstina Motamedi / CleanTechnica
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Unboxing / Meeting
The corporate has movies of meeting directions, that are helpful for bike newbies. Rad Energy charges the meeting of this bike on the tough aspect, so my companion assembled the bike for us. He stated the pre-attached traces for brakes and gears have been a time-saver, however you continue to wanted to make use of quite a lot of pressure to get some elements collectively. Whereas the adjustable bike stem makes it really feel prefer it’s customized match to every rider, it loosens simply once you flip the handlebars and it wanted to be tightened a number of occasions, utilizing a couple of completely different Allen wrenches.
Attaching equipment like a toddler’s bike seat, working boards, and caboose have been straightforward and didn’t require any particular software. Rad Energy has a protracted listing of equipment you should purchase to package out your cargo e-bike any method you need.
The Trip Sum-Up
I selected their brightest colour for the RadWagon — a blazing sizzling orange to maintain me and my toddler nicely seen on the street. Whereas I’ll dwell within the land of the Ironman World Championships, Kona is just not essentially the most bike-friendly metropolis in sunny Hawaii. However it matched our orange Thule Yepp bike seat, which actually fanned out my mother flare. And whereas I do contend that the colourful colour would maintain us safer on the street, it was the opposite options of the bike that justified my resolution of the RadWagon 4 as a superb cargo e-bike possibility for my household.
The primary side I actually appreciated have been the bigger wheels that gave the bike a heftier, seaside cruiser vibe and finally felt extra secure. I used to be snug shifting my weight backward and forward, and extra importantly, I felt sturdy even when my wiggle worm behind me within the youngster seat would transfer to have a look at each animal we noticed throughout our first trip. It additionally transitions easily once you’re driving from asphalt or concrete to grass.
The mid-step-through body and adjustable seat made going from my 5’2″ stature to my companion’s 5’10” top a breeze. Its full vary for riders is spectacular: heights of 5’1″ to six’4″. Some e-bikes I researched couldn’t modify to my top in any respect, and those that did got here with a swoop strep-through body that was, whereas high quality for me, not the primary alternative of my companion. In spite of everything, this was a household wagon, so we each wished to make sure it was a motorcycle that we like to have a look at, in addition to trip.
Image courtesy Kirstina Motamedi / CleanTechnica
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One other function that I didn’t even think about at first is the double-leg kickstand. The metal kickstand is extra for a moped than a bicycle, however provided that the RadWagon is already pushing 100 kilos, it’s good to have a hearty kickstand to carry the factor up. It retains the bike’s middle of gravity upright and is a heck of quite a bit simpler to place my youngster within the bike seat with out having to lean to at least one aspect. The one factor I might change can be to place rubber pads on the underside to guard our storage ground and patio from the metallic of the kickstands.
And now for the tech…
The RadWagon has a strong 750W geared hub motor that tops out at 20 mph, and a 672Wh battery, leading to a spread of 45+ miles per cost. I do know there are sooner e-bikes on the market, however let’s face it, I’m clearly not going for velocity. I feel any mum or dad can be completely satisfied to cruise on the tempo of a canine taking part in fetch.
There are 5 ranges of pedal help and a half-twist throttle, good for that much-need increase to make it up a hill or in the event you merely select to not pedal. The show display screen simply exhibits what degree of pedal help you’re in and the thumb-control ranges are conveniently situated in your left deal with.
Image courtesy Kirstina Motamedi / CleanTechnica
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The RadWagon boasts a load capability of 350 kilos, simply hauling my toddler round city with out difficulty. On one event (for assessment functions, in fact), my companion hopped on the again to see simply how a lot weight it might take (disclaimer: don’t do that at residence, of us!). It managed simply high quality on flat terrain, however as soon as we reached the foot of our hill, the throttle wasn’t sufficient to get all of us again residence with out some mompower.
General, the Rad Power RadWagon 4 has been an awesome asset for our household to get round with out burning fuel, which was, in fact, one more reason we wished to get an e-bike: much less driving! Much less Co2! We’re now tricked out as an e-bike household and couldn’t be extra proud.
Image courtesy Kirstina Motamedi / CleanTechnica
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Technical Specs
- 25-45+ miles per cost (estimate)
- 750W geared hub motor with 80 Nm of torque
- 48V, 14 Ah Lithium-Ion battery utilizing real Samsung 35E cells
- Customized Rad Energy Bikes 22″ x 3″ tires
- Built-in headlight and tail gentle with brake gentle performance
- Half twist throttle and clever 5 degree pedal help
- Full LCD show together with speedometer, wattmeter, and odometer
- 7-speed Shimano drivetrain
- 180 mm Tektro mechanical disc brakes
- Complete payload capability: 350 lb (158 kg)
- Rear rack capability: 120 lb (54 kg)
- Bike weight: 76.7 lb (34.8 kg)
Check out more detailed specs here.
By Kirstina Motamedi, CleanTechnica Visitor Author
RadPower provided a RadWagon 4 to the creator of this text freed from cost for the aim of this assessment.
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