Electric bikes: The ultimate guide
Review in brief
The RadRunner electric bike from Rad Power is, overall, a practical and unique e-bike. You can't go wrong choosing a Rad Power electric bike.
- A superb fun and well-equipped electric bike
- Small bike with big carrying capacity
- Huge battery
- Heavy to lift with weight also affecting range
- Brilliant fun to ride
- Seat and mudguards are options – why not standard as they are so useful?
About Rad Power
Rad Power is a mightily successful direct-to-consumer US firm that now sells its excellent-value e-bikes to UK customers via a base in the Netherlands, so if you do buy one there is a bit of basic assembly work involved.
Because an electric bike from Rad Power is ordered direct from Europe, UK prices can vary depending on the £:€ exchange rate.
About the RadRunner electric bike
The RadRunner is a very practical and unique compact e-bike, unusual in a couple of respects:
• A cargo bike
First, the RadRunner is a step-through cargo bike with 20-inch wheels which is a rare combination and, second, its rear rack is rated to carry a mighty 54kg.
• Designed for carrying a child
It is specifically designed to be able to take a small passenger up to 54kg as RadRunner sells an optional extra ‘Passenger Package’ or padded, bolt-on seat to you and me, which allows a pillion-style ride.
• A powerful electric motor
That carrying capacity makes great use of the powerful rear hub motor and the large 672Wh battery.
This combo means you can take heavy loads or passengers a decent distance, too (though its 30kg weight means maybe not as far as you might have figured – bear this in mind, too, if are needing to carry it at all).
• Very stable and safe to ride
The beefy 20in by 3.3in tyres and upright riding position makes for a very stable ride even at speed and on unsealed surfaces.
• Well equipped with many accessories
There’s also built-in lighting including a brake light and a kickstand, but you need to pay extra for mudguards or any of the intriguing- sounding range of carrying accessories like huge bespoke pannier bags or insulated delivery bags that will keep your takeaway pizza hot!
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