Quote from: Eric7 on March 23, 2022, 02:59:29 PM

Quote from: Smackums on March 23, 2022, 07:29:08 AM
One question I had - how hard is it to change a bike tire yourself? Should I just take it to a shop, or is it pretty simple for an average person with some basic tools to do? I'm thinking of getting some extra CST tires just in case.

It can be easy on a good day or extremely difficult on the side of the road, in tall grass, with the sun beating over your head or in the rain.  The tools required are just some tire irons and strong hands and a good wrench to remove the nut holding the rear wheel to the frame.  If you drop and lose a lock washer or a lock nut in the grass, you are so messed up.

Do you have a bicycle? Practice doing it on a bicycle wheel first in the air-conditioned or heated comfort of your home.  Buy plastic "tire irons," maybe 2 sets because they are cheap.  The metal tire irons scratch your rims.  Then just follow instructions on youtube.  If you mess up, then all you damage is a cheaper bike tire/wheel which you can bring to the bike shop to fix.

If all goes well, practice on the ebike.  I think this is the best way to proceed.

I would not take my bike to any bike shop unless I know they are competent.  For some models like the Rad Wagon, you are relying on the locknut and washer being in the right place.  A bad bike shop will damage your bike if they are not careful.  E.g., if the friction nut washer is not properly installed, if the torque arm is not right, power to the wheel may cause slippage and the rotating axle will turn and I could imagine it will do a job on our electric cable.  Also, in connecting and disconnecting the electric connection to the drive wheel, you can damage the connector if you force it.  I don't know what or how the Expand5 wheel is attached.  If the battery is attached, an accidental screwdriver/brake cable on the connector can short the battery and maybe the controller.  A competent bike shop would remove the battery.  But you should never underestimate the creativity of incompetent people.  Most bike shops have fine folks - I am just protective about my bike.

Thanks! I don't have a spare bike, but it's ok I'll just do my best with the ebike. And I agree about being a bit paranoid about bike shops - although there are a few in my area that are "partners" with Rad in the sense that when you buy a Rad you can pay $200 to have it sent to that shop and they will build it for you. It doesn't guarantee anything beyond that, but it does give me some comfort that they have experience with ebikes, and Rad bikes specifically. I do tend to be protective of the bike too, so I'll learn as much as I can and do what I can myself.

Boy am I glad I got the Mini4 and ST2 a few weeks ago! I was expecting an Expand5 Plus for 1500, I never imagined they'd just bump the price of an inferior product like that. There may still be a Plus for like $1700 with suspension back, but I agree, that gives competitors a lot of wiggle room to provide the bang for the buck.

One question I had - how hard is it to change a bike tire yourself? Should I just take it to a shop, or is it pretty simple for an average person with some basic tools to do? I'm thinking of getting some extra CST tires just in case.

Oh yeah I love the CST big boats too! We decided not to get the 4" knobbies - I didn't run into anything the CST can't handle, and if I do, it's probably a place I typically wouldn't ride anyway like wet mud or pure sand or icy snow or something. I haven't lost traction anywhere, but I also ride it the same way I'd ride all-season tires in the snow - I don't accelerate/break/turn suddenly when in slippery or loose ground situations, I let momentum and a steady pace carry me safely through.

But I also really like the pavement performance (smoothness of the ride, easy on the battery, low resistance), and I think a lot of trails we will be going to will be at least partially (or fully) paved, because a lot of those trails will be "road bike" trails with beautiful views of the ocean and other nature, and not necessarily a mountain bike type situation, although the CST's didn't have any trouble with the latter either. So I love that they're basically like all-season tires - they're good all rounders, no real weak points, just don't expect them to be *fantastic* at any specific thing, and that's ok.

The cool thing is you actually can control a lot of that with how much you inflate them. So if I plan to have a specific terrain that day, I inflate accordingly and bias the tires towards performing well in those conditions. Most of the time I think I'll just keep them around 25psi or so, I think.

Edit: Also good point NaturallyRC - if I wanted a mountain bike, I probably should've gone for a mountain bike! If I wanted a road bike, well, there's the RadCity etc. But I like my bike because it's a great all-rounder, and the CST's I think are a good complement to that.

I had a chance to ride the Mini4 and Mini ST2 this past Sunday on trails, and also around town on some of the other days. I'd say they ride the same, I didn't notice a difference in feel/performance. I do notice that the little metal loop thing under the center of the frame (under the pedal area), which is designed to protect the bike's sensitive bits from touching the ground when folded, is lower on the ST2. It clipped the stairs a bit when I was wheeling it down a short flight, but no biggie. The bikes both fit perfectly into the craftsman 50 gallon tote from Lowes. They both also fit perfectly into a subaru impreza hatch, but so far we couldn't fit both bikes into the same car. The distance between the wheel wells just barely allows for the 2 empty totes to fit side by side in the cargo area, but no luck when the bikes are in the totes. Mostly it may come down to figuring out the handlebar situation, because those hang off the side of the tote. But it's not a huge deal, that would just be the icing on the cake if it works.

We did get wide aftermarket seats because my gf and I both didn't like the narrow/rough stock seats. The throttle is the greatest thing ever - as soon as you want some speed, or to quickly take off from standstill, or to get over a sudden climb/challenge in the road, the throttle is your best friend. In fact, I largely ignored the gears - just kept mine at 7. The only time I think I'll need gears is if tackling a prolonged steep hill, or a challenging off-road trail full of unpredictable obstacles and stuff. Basically the PAS and throttle essentially are my gears in a pinch, and way less clunky than having a chain readjust every time you need a boost of power!

My gf is 5' and was nervous/unhappy about the bike before riding it because she couldn't firmly plant her feet on the ground while sitting on the seat. She only has the balls of her feet/toes reaching the ground. It's a heavy bike and fully reaching the ground would make her feel more secure. However, after giving it a chance and spending a few hours riding all sorts of trail conditions, she quickly got comfortable and got over her fear. I should mention I cut the seat post by about an inch for her. At the shortest seat position the ST2 (not mini4, however) still had about an inch of the seat post protruding, which meant I could lower the seat by another inch. It helped a little but didn't fully bring her feet to the ground, so ultimately she needed the trail outing to become comfortable.

Which of course made me happy because I didn't want her to avoid the bike and never ride with me! So now we're both excited and will be exploring more and more trails and challening ourselves and the bikes!

The bikes are heavy but not so heavy that a single person can't lift it if needed. 2 people are better of course. But if you have to fold and place it into a tote and put the tote in the car yourself, you can do it (my gf can do it), unless you're really petite/weak, then just plan accordingly.

Oh and for the fun stuff - the thing hauls ass. It's a beast. It tackles paved and unpaved, it goes over grass, over tree roots, over any damn thing. It goes up hills, even ones with loose gravel on them, and it feels smooth and effortless when doing so. It's so much fun to ride I absolutely can't stay away from it - I wanna take it out somewhere every day if I could, even if it's just up and down my street just to get the day's stress off of me after work (and what a de-stressor it is!). I would highly recommend a mirror (which we will prolly get) if you're going to ride on the streets, however.

Quote from: NaturallyRC on March 16, 2022, 06:25:18 AM
When he states, with lack of irony, that the Mini has 'served for years' I have to laugh. Have product cycles become as short as that? I mean, I've been enjoying the Big Mac since 1970.   

Quote from: NaturallyRC on March 16, 2022, 06:14:11 AM
Works for me. Thanks. Makes me glad I bought my mini when I did.

Quote from: Smackums on March 15, 2022, 05:49:38 PM
Actually it wasn't an ad. Just go to their fb page and go to the post announcing Expand5 and read the comments. I attached the pic of the relevant comment

I know what you mean, I don't know how long regular bike models stick around, but with e-bikes, due to the tech, they can get away with more frequent iterations. Like a new iPhone every year. It seems Ebikes were at 36v batteries for a a while before all making the move to 48v and above. Battery technology improves yearly as well - more WH packed into smaller space, more cycles, safer designs, etc. Displays can change too, although Rad is using display tech from around 1995 so that doesn't apply here lol. Motors and controllers maybe less frequently, although the mid-drive is a relatively new thing (Doesn't apply to Rad either).

But a new model may not even always include upgrades - I think customer feedback and supply chain and other costs can force changes - like the Mini tires went through like 3-4 different iterations in a few years. 4 inch, 3.3, now 3, and the original 4 inch are now Kenda Krusades but used to be something else I believe.

I'm glad that Rad is supporting parts for a number of years though - people probably won't be upgrading to a new model with very small iterative changes, so it would suck if battery size (physical dimensions) changed every year and Rad didn't stock the older ones.

My next upgrade would have to feel like an upgrade. Basically battery or controller/motor improvements. I much prefer folding bikes so my options will be somewhat limited, and no one makes Uber powerful folding bikes yet.

Actually it wasn't an ad. Just go to their fb page and go to the post announcing Expand5 and read the comments. I attached the pic of the relevant comment

Quote from: NaturallyRC on March 15, 2022, 07:36:35 AM
Rumours of the Mini's death are greatly exaggerated, maybe. One of the top ebike Youtubers says the Expand5 is meant to "augment" the Mini, not replace it. Possible that he missed an obituary somewhere (??) but I can't find evidence either. Cheers.

Quote from: JimInPT on March 14, 2022, 07:55:19 AM
That's true, but Rad has discontinued BOTH Minis in favor of the Expand5. 

I saw a Rad Expander5 ad on Facebook (because it knows I've been looking into ebikes), and the Rad Power representative did say in the comments that the Expand5 is meant to replace both mini's and that they are just getting rid of the inventory at this point. They also hinted at other folding options down the line without being specific. I can only assume it will be an Expand5 Plus or something with the Suspension and better screen back, basically a new version of Mini ST. I wish I took a screenshot of the answer, but didn't think of it at the time!

Quote from: JimInPT on March 14, 2022, 07:55:19 AM

And, theoretically, no Class 2 bike in the USA is allowed to be sold with a controller delivering more than 750 watts, because our Rulers know better than we do about what we want/need.  At least we're not strangled with only 500 watts like Canada or as little as 250 watts in parts of Europe, which is monumentally lame.  My Mini's stock controller handles 95% of my town's hills (and a couple of those, just barely), but the Bolton upgrade I'm about to install will knock out that last 5% with ease.

You're right about the Rover; CitizenCycle's YT channel has a hill-climbing test between a Rover and a Mini, the latter made it up and over without too much strain, the Rover couldn't make it to the top.  Same motor, controller, torque output and battery in both, and they both weigh about the same in stock configurations, but force applied at the tire surface is greater for a smaller-diameter wheel, assuming the same torque output from the motor.

I heard that nominal power has to be 750w but the "loophole" is the peak power, which can be achieved with a controller having higher amps without increasing motor typical wattage, and somehow the law is just not specific enough to address that so bike companies get away with it. Which means you can have that extra boost for hills while technically following the regulation. At least that's how most bike companies seem to interpret it and why most 750w bikes have a peak that goes beyond that without having legal issues. It's possible that RAD is just playing it safe in case some lawsuit shuts down that loophole for everyone and Rad won't have to do a recall!

Also I don't think anyone is going around enforcing this (pulling people over checking their bike wattage) - most companies limit things in software to be technically in compliance while allowing the customer "at their own discretion/risk" to unlock it in the settings menu and get the full power of their controller. Often it's simply to switch from Class 2 to Class 3, but in rare cases it may go beyond that. I agree the whole thing is stupid - I can buy a Corvette and drive it at 55mph - let me be responsible for following legal speed limits like a big boy. It's the same as forcing car manufacturers to limit all their cars 65mph or whatever - there would be riots in the streets if that suddenly happened!

250w in Europe is basically like having some e-baby stroller, those people should've grabber their pitchforks years ago!

I agree that Expand5 seems to be a step back a bit, but it also bridges the $500 price gap between the radmission and mini's which may work for many peeps. They needed a cheaper folding option, but I think they could've gone even cheaper to give Lectric a run for its money. For me personally a real upgrade would be a Class3 option with improved controller + bigger battery. I think the Rover really needs more power, especially given its $2000 price tag. It's weaker on hills due to its wheels.

If they gave us a $2000 folder with a controller that could peak at 1300 watts and say a 17.5ah battery (840wh), I personally would be all over that option, even if I had to mow some lawns to pay for it lol. The fact that Bolton has an aftermarket controller+screen upgrade for $200 or so (which doesn't neatly fit all RAD bikes!) means RAD could technically do it too, and do it better, and throw in a bigger battery while they're at it!

Actually look at BPM Imports F-15RZ and F-15RS bikes - the specs are amazing for $2000. The company is MIA when it comes to customer support, so I had to go with RAD. But I want those specs from RAD! I'd pay a premium for sure.

I'll definitely share my impressions! My main criteria was folding + 750w motor + decent battery + great company, so RAD checked all the boxes on paper. My gf and I also both have Subaru Impreza hatchbacks (hers is 2014, mine is 2018), and we will be testing to see if/how we can get both bikes into the same car. Going anywhere is always more fun when you're in the same car, because the drive (and stops for coffee/snacks) is half the fun. We also have about 6-7 steps to get to our porch in our duplex so I'll be experimenting with the best way to get the bike up - maybe wheel it before folding, we'll see!

Also, I'm really curious what it feels like to ride these bikes manually with no motor help - something impossible to tell from youtube videos and you really gotta try yourself.

My next ebike purchase will be much more informed and with experience for sure. After I get the feel for my Rad, I'll find a bike shop with some mid-drive bikes and rent them to see how they compare. I'll also see if I can get my hands on a torque-sensor equipped bike to see what that's like as well. Although finding those in a foldable frame and fat tires is currently unlikely without making your own essentially!

Thank you! That's definitely something to think about! I think I'll go ahead with the order as is for now, feel both of them out, and see if I really prefer the ST. There's a 14 day trial period, and worst case scenario I can just sell it locally for a small loss, which wouldn't be too bad. The decision for mini4 was based really on the website's recommended rider height more than anything - I'm 5'9 and the ST2 says it tops out at 5'10, so I didn't want to be close to the max height for the bike. I have no idea how it will work out in practice though, so I'm definitely going to test both out!

And the bikes haven't even shipped yet but I'm already eyeing that 35a controller upgrade over at Bolton lol

Quote from: JimInPT on March 10, 2022, 09:19:31 AM

Quote from: Smackums on March 10, 2022, 06:33:56 AM
I'm about to purchase 2 radminis, so it was surprising to see expand5 show up just as I was going to finalize the purchase forcing me to stop and re-evaluate. I actually prefer the 4" knobby Kenda tires, but I also want the fork suspension (plan to be more off-roady with it). Rad forces you to pick one or the other. So the obvious choice is to go with the radmini and just purchase the knobby tires as a separate purchase, which of course will cost more, but I can have the CST Big Boats are backups so they won't go to waste.

I am REALLY hoping for a Expand5 PLUS as others mentioned - give me the 4" knobbers, give me the suspension, the good display, combined with the new frame with a THICC connector in the middle - basically the best of both generations. There's gotta be someone in RAD who can tell me if I should just wait a few weeks or so because a PLUS model is coming... I don't want to have buyer's regret if I go with the original mini

I'd guess that a "plus" version of the Expand5 would just be a Mini with a rack, knobby tires and somewhat-different handlebar geometry.  We know now the next-gen "Mini" has the same battery and motor as the current model (including the ability to unlock and steal the battery and/or bike with a blank uncut key), which is a good thing for future parts availability. 

Your plan is a good one IMHO; get the MiniST2 and order some knobby tires and a rack.  But try the Big Boats first; I was surprised at how good they are.

Sorry if this stings a bit, but I can't resist mentioning that 2 Minis could have been bought for $1,150 each in October and November during a Rad promotion ($1,300 price at that time, less $300 discount for buying two bikes at the same time).  I tried telling everybody I know who was interested in mine after trying it, and I don't think anybody took advantage of that deal.  Broke my heart, LOL.   

Please Note: if you decide to buy any of the Rads, consider using Ryan's purchase link to get him a bit of revenue to operate this site, at no additional cost to you.

Ok I made the plunge! Just ordered a Mini4 and Mini ST2 (for myself and gf). I spoke with an agent and she gave us some coupons to take the $ sting out of the knobby tires which we wanted to buy anyway, which she totally didn't have to do but she is awesome and so is this company! Also we got the rear racks as well (they have a promotion at the moment if you get 2 bikes the racks are free). So all in all we paid $3,185 total which is 2 bikes, 2 sets of extra knobby tires (separate from the ones already on the bikes), and 2 racks, plus tax. I'd say that's not bad at all, despite lack of the Oct/Nov deals.

The knobby tires are out of stock at the moment so we will have to wait for them to be available, and will be using the CST in the meantime, so I'll definitely be seeing how far I can push them and whether the knobsters are even necessary!

Also it goes without saying - we've never had an ebike (or a bike, not since I was a kid), so I'm literally giddy like a kid right now (I'm 37). I absolutely cannot WAIT to ride my ebike, and I'll be exploring every trail I can get my hands on with it. Haven't felt so excited about a purchase in a LONG time!!

I'm about to purchase 2 radminis, so it was surprising to see expand5 show up just as I was going to finalize the purchase forcing me to stop and re-evaluate. I actually prefer the 4" knobby Kenda tires, but I also want the fork suspension (plan to be more off-roady with it). Rad forces you to pick one or the other. So the obvious choice is to go with the radmini and just purchase the knobby tires as a separate purchase, which of course will cost more, but I can have the CST Big Boats are backups so they won't go to waste.

I am REALLY hoping for a Expand5 PLUS as others mentioned - give me the 4" knobbers, give me the suspension, the good display, combined with the new frame with a THICC connector in the middle - basically the best of both generations. There's gotta be someone in RAD who can tell me if I should just wait a few weeks or so because a PLUS model is coming... I don't want to have buyer's regret if I go with the original mini