To add to this discussion i went out for a very controlled 10 K ride last night.  All the way outbound, which is mostly uphill, there was no rubbing noise and i braked very little. As i returned, the noise did as well.  It's mostly downhill, a lot of rear braking only, through several 40 kph downhill sections.  Then i used both front and back brakes. The rubbing noise has to be the brakes.  It only occurs when i brake a lot, like on the downhill sections, especially it changes when i hit a bump, becoming louder or quieter unpredictably. 

I did not assemble the bike so i am thinking brake misalignment, grit around the brake pads, or both. 70% of my 12 route is fine gravel. There is only 400 km on the bike so i assume that the pads are not worn out yet. Now to get that beast off its wheels so i can check and resolve.

I have a 2023 RADRover5 with about 450 km on it.  It has cable operated brakes. Over the last 100 km i have been hearing rubbing noises that i cannot locate or pinpoint to front, centre or rear by just listening.  It can be heard within 5 minutes of setting out for a ride. It rubs once for every wheel rotation when i am coasting or pedaling so it is not the pedals or chain. It must be associated with the rotation of the wheel(s).  I think it is both the front and back brakes but when i lift the wheels off the ground and give them a spin there is no noise. Also, when i apply the brakes, the noise is drowned out by the sound of the brakes being applied but it doesn't change noticeably. I did not assemble the bike myself. Is it a common problem to have the brakes rub?  And wouldn't i be feeling resistance when i pedal if it was the brakes? Is there an easy and safe way to get one of these heavy bikes supported so i can test?  If it was a normal bicycle i would flip it unto its seat and handlebars, and then rotate the wheels to test the brakes.  This bike is so heavy the weight may damage the controls it i flip it upside down.  How do others get the weight off the wheels for adjusting brakes, cleaning and so on?

I have adjusted the derailleur by carefully changing gears one at a time, waiting for the noise and mis-change. I sorted that out and i am now satisfied with the gearchange performance. I think this discussion topic is exhausted. Thanks for your contributions. I am going to start another one about rubbing noises.
Geoff

Naranja CT5+ - i am also over 60 and find the size and weight of my Rad Rover 5 a bit intimidating.  I have not yet had a fall but i have prepared myself (and my wife) for the day i come home with gravel in my knees and palms. I am getting used to it and tried a little rough trail lately.  The bike was surprisingly good on the narrow grassy trail covered with roots. At the very end of the trail i met a melon-sized rock that refused to move.  The fat tires absorbed the shock well and glanced off. My slow speed allowed me to recover without a fall. I rode an 18 speed road bike for years but not for 10 years now; I am enjoying getting back into riding. My typical ride is 15 kilometers on pavement and gravel. Even with the hilly terrain and my 190 pounds it takes 2 or 3 rides to deplete the battery 1 bar.  I am doing a lot of the work!  G

Thanks for those responses. I have another 100 km experience with my RAD Rover 5 and have learned more about the gear shifts.  I understand there is no "automatic transmission" but i was curious if the gears were set up to sense tension and shift on their own because under stress my gears would sometimes change. I have adjusted the derailleur in and out to fine tune it and now it doesn't happen as often.  It sometime will jump 2 gears when I change but that is easier to deal with then unexpectedly shifting to a higher gear when hill climbing.  ANd everything is hill-climbing around here. Leaving my house i have a 1.6 km climb to get to the trail.

Now i have a rubbing noise that is coming from somewhere between the pedal hub and the rear wheel. It doesn't sound like the derailleur.

I just bought a used RAD Rover 5 with no charger. I ordered the proper one from RAD and received it in 2 weeks as quoted in the purchase.  I had no concerns about the bike being stolen because it came with 2 sets of keys and the owner had just moved and misplaced the charger.  She also wrote me a receipt for the payment.  No worries buying a used bike sans charger here!

I recently purchased a lightly used RADRover 5 (105 km).  It came with one manual that doesn't explain anything about riding the bike or how it works.  My gear cluster on the rear wheel chatters sometimes after changing gears and other times when i change pedal assistance the gears will sometimes change without me operating the controls.  With regard to the chatter i assume i can adjust it out of the derailleur.  But is the bike supposed to automatically change gears when i increase or decrease the power assistance?  It's a bit disconcerting going up a hill to have the gears change on their own and interrupt my rhythm.  I live at sea level in a very hilly area and everywhere is up from here.

I JUST bought a very lightly used RAD Rover5 (105 km!) and it has no charger. It is not stolen - it was lost in a move.  As i read the manual i see that it is probably best to use a RAD charger because it is designed and optimized for the RAD battery. SO i am buying the $70 one from RAD, i guess, if i have to...

I have seen lots of chargers online for sale but what specs should i look for?  Watts, amps, volts, plug coniguration?  I have a 2022 RadRover5 Stepover.