I have TWO brand new RadCity 5+ bikes, one with precisely your problem, the other stuck in an Error 21.

I am currently embroiled in a back-and-forth with Rad (it took them almost 2 weeks to respond to my first request for help) about returning the defective bikes.

It can take 4 to 5 months to get replacement controllers.

They offer zero support from certified technicians and want me to perform the dismantling of electronic parts on each bike.

It is so beyond unreasonable, and it is the worst consumer experience of my life. I spent $4,828 on the bikes (I'm in Canada).

My CC company agrees and has issued chargebacks on the bikes. I want my money back.

Quote from: Tree on June 24, 2023, 07:35:11 AM

Quote from: cssshb on June 19, 2023, 01:23:17 PM
I am now on day 12 of waiting for a response from Rad regarding a bike that arrived DOA.

that's the mistake right there.

don't wait 12 days.

call EVERY day.

You can't "call every day". They don't operate via phone anymore. Try, you'll just get a recording and nothing else, click. It hangs up on you. It's all email. That's it.

Quote from: JimInPT on June 19, 2023, 01:54:29 PM

Quote from: cssshb on June 19, 2023, 01:23:17 PMMy CC company says they cannot do a chargeback on the one that was functioning for 5 days. 1 out of 2 ain't that bad, I guess. I'll take what I can get at this point.

I would also call the CC company back and ask again.  If you get the same answer, try using the magic CSR phrase "Please escalate me to your customer-service management."

It worked. I got them to do chargebacks on both bikes. I've been told by the CC company that Rad will likely reach out to me very quickly now. We shall see...

Quote from: JimInPT on June 19, 2023, 01:54:29 PM

Quote from: cssshb on June 19, 2023, 01:23:17 PMMy CC company says they cannot do a chargeback on the one that was functioning for 5 days. 1 out of 2 ain't that bad, I guess. I'll take what I can get at this point.

That may end up being the case, but it doesn't sit right with me, since if the manufacturer won't communicate about a quickly-failed product, the CC company is the only real leverage you have left and they can unilaterally take your money back from Rad's CC accounts I think.  When I signed my company up to take the various cards, the contract always had words like that in it.  But others have suggested making a stink on Rad's Facebook and other social forums to get attention; apparently that seems to have worked for others.

I would also call the CC company back and ask again.  If you get the same answer, try using the magic CSR phrase "Please escalate me to your customer-service management."  Everybody answering the phone at larger companies is somewhat limited, but always under the watchful eye of supervisors with more authority.  It could be that front-line people don't have the authority to override a policy like that and they're trying to avoid such situations. 

One other card you might consider playing is the safety-card - that might wake up the CC company's liability lawyers - or Rad's lawyers if you ever get through to a human there.  Something like "Look, the bike is dead and I don't know why but it looks like an electrical problem and I'm getting concerned it might trigger a lithium-battery fire depending on the problem that Rad won't talk to me about."  You certainly don't want to be exposed to an immediately-defective product that might start a fire, especially after you've made every effort to get it fixed up by the OEM.  If the CC company then is able to get your money back from Rad, you'd have some resources to have the bike and/or battery safely disposed of.

Just cogitating here about what I might do in your situation and hoping you can get it worked out to your satisfaction.

Great advice. I will call my CC company again. It was early in the morning when I made the call and was glad to get through so quickly. The agent was very patient in listening to me, and I did pushback when she said she would only do one chargeback. I'm going to give it another try.

I am now on day 12 of waiting for a response from Rad regarding a bike that arrived DOA.

I bought two. The second one is not working after 5 days of casual use.

Both are the RadCity 5+ Step-Thru model.

I was able to get a chargeback on the one that wasn't working out of the box. It's up to Rad to now contact me.

My CC company says they cannot do a chargeback on the one that was functioning for 5 days. 1 out of 2 ain't that bad, I guess. I'll take what I can get at this point.

Ultimately I want to return both bikes and I want all my money back.

Whatever the case is, Rad is in crisis and if you have a brand new bike form them, I advise getting in touch with your CC company to see if you have any recourse.

Quote from: oldtexasdog on June 19, 2023, 12:34:52 PM
Keep us posted on your journey returning the bikes. Do you have both the delivery box's. What did you tell your CC folks ? Poor product with no response? Please excuse my curiosity but I fear I will be in the same boat here in a couple of days.

I had a Velofix tech tell me "keep both boxes for returns... it happens". I think he knew it was inevitable. So both boxes are here with me.

My CC company has put a chargeback on the one bike that was DOA. Because I told them I was able to ride one for 7 days before it died, they said they cannot do a chargeback on that one, they said that it is up to me to wait for Rad to respond regarding the second bike. That is something I am contemplating disputing with the CC company as I may well be stuck with a useless dead bike and zero communication from Rad. The CC company wanted to know everything. The person I dealt with is now well-versed in Rad Power Bikes customer service woes.

Rad has a few days to respond to the chargeback.

Quote from: handlebar on June 18, 2023, 07:59:59 PM
I wonder if quality control and customer service went down the toilet because vital employees got fed up and left.

If you read about Rad, you will learn that they recently went through a few rounds of layoffs, and their customer service department recently let go of something like 80 employees.

I think this is a combination of growing way too big, way too fast and shipping a massive amount of bikes plagued with faulty parts.

On June 9 I purchased two RadCity 5+ bikes. One for me. One for my wife.

One was DOA, useless out of the box. One seemed fine.

9 days later, both bikes are now dead.

Since the executives at Rad have made the decision to abandon their customers, I am left opening a dispute with them via my credit card company.

I want my money back. Rad can arrange to get their useless bikes.

Quote from: Jay West on June 16, 2023, 08:34:49 PM
I haven't installed it yet but I have been exploring some avenues.  The 2 possibilities I have come up with are mounting it on the front of the seat post (interferes somewhat on the step thru, I have a step thru also) or mounting it on the side of the seat post.  The other possibility is move the rear fender rearward by using two 3/4" or 1 inch stand offs (spacers).  In doing this the controller would fit between the seat post and the fender. It is too wide to fit with out doing this alteration.

This would require new fender bolts perhaps 1 1/4" to 1/1/2" long and moving the small junction wiring box to the side of the seat post.  This perhaps would work if after doing this this it not interfere with the removal of the rear wheel.

Still pondering the best solution.

Thanks for the information. I think when my controller arrives I'll put it on the front of the seat post. I just want to get the bike rolling and am okay with sacrificing the step-thru feature if it means I can actually just get the bike on the move.

Quote from: Jay West on June 10, 2023, 03:28:21 PM
I don't have any pics.  There just isn't enough room between the seat post and the fender to install the controller without making some alterations like moving the fender rearward. The controller is too thick to fit the space.   I was looking for someone who had made this install so I could get some ideas before I began the install on my Rad City 5 +.

Thanks
Jay

Did you manage to get the 35a controller installed on your RadCity 5+ Step-Thru?

I have ordered the 35a controller for my RadCity 5+ Step-Thru as I am getting desperate to get the bike rolling. I am wondering how your experience has been.

Quote from: Adams on June 15, 2023, 01:38:41 PM
I am just amazed at the number of complaints of DOA bikes.  You'd think Rad would test them before shipping (or are they being damaged in shipping?).

I have read on other forums that it seems Rad has shipped faulty controllers with new models. The controller is inside the frame of the bike so it is highly unlikely it is damaged in shipping.

One post I read indicated that someone was told by Rad that the controllers were being "redesigned" and they would replace the faulty controllers that shipped with the new models.

The major problem with that is the time it will take. It is months and months away from being remedied.

It is remarkable how many people are in the same situation as I am.

RadCity 5+ Step-Thru, DOA.

I would never have bought this bike had I read these forums.

Because Rad has entered a customer service vacuum, I am now stuck buying after-market components and learning way more than I ever thought necessary to operate this bike.

I can't even get a return process started on the bike. I'm literally out of a couple of grand I spent on the bike. This is the most disappointing purchase experience I've ever had.

Quote from: Radio Runner on June 14, 2023, 10:54:10 PM
This all sounds so bizarre to me. E-bikes are booming and have been for years. They are the only model of bike to make a good return at bike shops in the last few years.

How can Rad be going out of biz? Doesn?t make sense. Did they over invest in wireless design changes nobody asked for? Did that trike totally flop?

This is all weird for such a market leader.

Perhaps it is a combination of the recall on the wagon model costing them more than they could ever admit, and components on brand new models being so poorly made that the failure rate is off the charts, crippling the customer service that apparently has recently experienced major lay-offs.

I am starting to think that the only people who will enjoy their Rad bikes are the ones who can modify them with after-market components.

Quote from: oldtexasdog on June 15, 2023, 06:56:50 AM
I wonder if they are just trying to sell all the inventory as fast as they can before they shut it down?

I am wondering this too. They won't even respond to my request to return my DOA RadCity 5+ Step-Thru.

Quote from: Jay West on June 03, 2023, 06:44:23 AM
This is the one you need for the Rad City 5 Plus.
https://electrobikeworld.com/products/rad-power-6-upgrade-kit.

Will this work with the RadCity 5 Plus *Step-Thru* model?