New RadKick | Thoughts?!

[Ryan]

I had no heads up on this one but Rad Power Bikes has released a lightweight electric bike called the RadKick. It's offered in a 7-speed ($1,199) or belt drive ($1,399). What does everyone think? We should get a review unit at the end of August. Should I review the 7-Speed or Belt Drive? link to RadKick: https://radpowerbikes.pxf.io/Y9Q6YK

My take: I think there aren't enough lighter-weight options out there, particularly with suspension though I wonder if 55 lbs is light enough. I previously thought under 50lbs was a good number to hit while not compromising battery and motor power too much but maybe 55 lbs is still light enough for most folks. A little bummed to see a 36 volt system and the battery is just half the size of the 15Ah batteries on other models. Is that big enough for lots of people? Not sure, range estimate is 15-35 miles per charge. Only 40 Nm torque on the 500 watt motor and a big one for me - no class 3 speeds.

It's interesting too that they now have three city oriented bikes.

[Tree]

my takeaway here is that they need to be better about the battery infrastructure.

we now have the semi-integrated, the external, and these smaller rounded off semi-integrated.

i'd be more apt to lean into one of these if they want with their regular semi integrated as i already have two of those, but not really interested in yet another battery - if i'm going that route, i'd probably opt away from a Rad.

[John Rose]

None on the Canadian site yet.

Hub Motor: Rear hub 500W, 40 Nm

What up with that?
Aren't most of the U.S. models 750W, 100 Nm?
They're still 55 pounds, which isn't exactly a featherweight.

[edit]
Oh. US$1,199 and 36V.
Good enough for the Prairies, I guess, but there must be lots of other 36V options (brands) that are cheaper and lighter.

[Naranja_CT5+]

I had no heads up on this one but Rad Power Bikes has released a lightweight electric bike called the RadKick.

From the look of it they could have just called it RadCity5 plus Lite

Should I review the 7-Speed or Belt Drive?

It said the Belt drive is a single speed. Could I make an assumption that the 7-speed are for people that likes to pedal. And the Belt drive are more for people that likes to use the throttle?

A little bummed to see a 36 volt system and the battery is just half the size of the 15Ah batteries on other models. Is that big enough for lots of people? Not sure, range estimate is 15-35 miles per charge. Only 40 Nm torque on the 500 watt motor and a big one for me - no class 3 speeds.

I am also not a big fan of one manufacturer using multiple sizes of batteries. I remembered having an SLR cameras and bought a number of spare batteries, when I upgraded to a newer model, all my spare batteries were deemed useless on the new camera.

It would be nice if the Radkick could accept the full sized semi-integrated battery. And the controller smart enough to drop the voltage down to 36v so that the RAdkick can use it for longer range riding.

I suspect RAD is targeting the city dwellers for this bike. People that will use it for commuting and short errand shopping. People that are not interested in trail riding or long bike rides.

Lastly the Radkick has not reached the Canadian RAD comparison webpage yet.

[SemperVee]

Was positive about it as my next upgrade would be for "belt drive" as higher end ebikes and lecgtric are as was my Motorcycle.    NOT at the expense of battery and less power already falsely advertised at 750 watt in reality is a 500, so is the 500 really only 350 ish?