The Xtracycle RFA Electric Cargo Bike – CleanTechnica Tested

Xtracycle made a reputation for itself years in the past as one of many pioneers in long-tail cargo bikes. When it began electrifying these, it piqued our curiosity and we’ve been wanting to get on one ever since. The celebs aligned this 12 months, and Xtracycle despatched us the RFA to run via the paces.

Xtracycle has been constructing cargo bikes as no-compromise car replacements for ages now. The corporate is just not new to this area, and in reality, it helped to create among the very first long-tail cargo bikes round. Expertise is a really troublesome factor to interchange, and Xtracycle’s expertise constructing bikes was evident from the minute the RFA arrived at our door.

The RFA is Xtracycle’s “Prepared For Something” e-bike that can also be a transformer. It may be setup as both a short- or long-tail e-bike that comes from the manufacturing facility with an extended rear rack. The rear part of the bike could be reconfigured to accommodate a smaller household, match extra comfortably in smaller environments, and in the end adapt to fulfill the wants of your life as your life modifications.

The Meeting

The RFA was designed and constructed like a race automobile of the electrical bike world. It makes use of among the highest high quality supplies and parts accessible, which helps it function effectively and reliably over years and many years of use. This design ethos carries into the packaging, and our evaluation bike confirmed up in good type.

After unboxing, the RFA arrived about 85% assembled and required the attachment of the stem, entrance wheel, and some different knick-knacks that have been all very easy on paper. In actuality, the meeting was extra advanced than a typical e-bike and required an additional little bit of precision to get it good. Our RFA arrived from the manufacturing facility with the fallacious spacer setup on the fork. This required an additional journey to the bike retailer, and whereas it’s not one thing we’d count on on a motorbike straight from the manufacturing facility, it was not a serious problem.

Because of the extra precision wanted to get the bike completely assembled and tuned, I do advocate clients organize for meeting at an area bike store versus making an attempt meeting by themselves. We assemble dozens of evaluation bikes per 12 months and at first, it was counterintuitive that the upper high quality RFA was more durable to assemble and tune to perfection. It’s not rocket science, however for a motorbike of this high quality, it’s value getting it put collectively and tuned to perfection versus simply put collectively.

The Experience

Heading out on the RFA, the ahead using place is straight away evident. The geometry of the RFA’s body places the rider in a ahead leaning place that’s much like a mountain bike. For these in search of a extra upright place, you might need to take a look at buying an adjustable stem to convey the handlebars up and nearer to the seat.

On our first lengthy experience of the Xtracycle RFA, we headed all the way down to the seaside to get some hills and lengthy flat stretches in. The RFA pairs the Shimano’s STEPS e-bike kit with its extra conventional mechanical parts, together with a luxe 11-speed derailleur and cassette within the rear. The 250-watt Shimano EP8 mid-drive motor is tuned fantastically to enrich the biking expertise.

It’s like having an extra one, two, three, or 4 folks behind serving to to pedal. It’s not a loopy quantity of help that’s going to make you would like you had a throttle so you possibly can simply sit again and cruise. However somewhat, it’s a pleasant quantity of energy that helps you stand up hills, carry heavier masses, and go additional than you’ll have on a guide bicycle.

This philosophy is obvious in the truth that the RFA has an 11-speed cassette out again. This e-bike was made for pedaling, with the motor and battery there merely to enrich the general using expertise. Basically, the addition of a motor and battery lets you do fairly a bit extra along with your bike with out having to endure unnecessarily consequently.

The Xtracycle RFA was designed and constructed to be a workhorse, so we put it to make use of at each alternative. Zipping down the hill into city on the RFA was all the time a blast and felt secure because of the hefty hydraulic brakes it’s packing. These present a lot wanted stability and management when heading down hills, and particularly when carrying treasured cargo on the rear rack.

The big selection in gearing supplied by the RFA’s 11-42 tooth, 11-speed Shimano cassette was extraordinarily useful when commuting up and down steep hills day by day. It was a breeze to shift the snappy derailleur right into a tougher gear for downhill sprints that allowed me to maintain pedaling at speeds better than 20 mph the place the pedal help disengages.

On the way in which up the hill on the way in which house, shifting right into a decrease gear made it straightforward to contribute as a lot as attainable on the uphill climb. After all that is additionally the place the motor and battery come into play. The Shimano EP8 mid-drive motor places out 250 watts of steady energy, with the power to push out as much as 500 watts for brief bursts. The height energy output is vital for tackling quick steep climbs like the previous couple of blocks as much as our home.

The Shimano STEPS system on the RFA can present as much as 400% pedaling help, which is able to make anyone really feel like Superman whatever the terrain. What’s good concerning the tuning on the RFA is that integration of the pedal help is so seamless that the engagement of the motor doesn’t detract from the biking expertise, however somewhat, it accentuates it.

Whereas many American riders are used to using in a forward-leaning, mountain bike type, we might like to see the RFA come from the manufacturing facility with an adjustable stem that permits for an upright seating place. The RFA is such a versatile platform that including one thing like this may make it extra succesful and versatile, supporting much more riders with totally different preferences.

Cargo & Equipment

The Xtracycle RFA comes with foot rests and wheel skirts from the manufacturing facility that make it straightforward to throw a passenger on the again and get cruising with your mates or household. It additionally comes with a beefy center-mounted, twin leg kickstand that gives a pleasant, steady large base for the bike whereas stationary, no matter what you’ve acquired strapped to it. After all, it’s most likely not a good suggestion to go away it absolutely loaded with people or cargo whereas parked.

The RFA additionally comes with a set of full steel fenders and built-in entrance and tail lamps, rounding out the complete service commuter platform. Increase from that base, Xtracycle additionally presents a variety of equipment that make it straightforward to dial the RFA in to completely complement your life-style. For these with little children, the RFA could be fitted with two Yepp Nexxt Maxi little one seats. Be aware that these are a unique mannequin than the ever present Yepp Maxi carseats, which aren’t suitable with the RFA.

Xtracycle presents a formidable vary of rear handrails and bars that bolt onto the rear of the bike, comprising its “Hooptie” rail system. These are a good way to present children an additional sense of reassurance and safety whereas using on the rear of the bike.

As your children develop out of automobile seats, Xtracycle presents the MagicCarpet seat cushion which supplies a pleasant comfortable place on your children to park. Mixed with the Hooptie rail system and the included footrests, the RFA is reworked into the final word car to take your children down to high school for drop-off.

Xtracycle has a entrance rack that it calls the PorterRack. The corporate despatched us certainly one of these, together with a PorterPack entrance bag that rapidly turned certainly one of our favourite e-bike equipment ever. It’s the proper place to park your telephone, water bottle, keys, strawberries, children, helmets, or another swag you’re packing when you’re using.

It secures to the rack with a single hefty Velcro loop, making it straightforward to place it on and take it off if you arrive at your vacation spot. Drop a lock within the bag whereas heading all the way down to work, then swap it out for a helmet and shades when it’s time to head into work. It’s tremendous handy, and being up entrance, straightforward to entry as nicely.

General

Most e-bikes out available on the market are little greater than frivolously modified clones of what others have carried out. The Xtracycle RFA appears like a clear sheet of paper construct the place the parents at Xtracycle sat again over a 12-pack spitballing concepts for what the perfect household e-bike would appear to be primarily based on their many years of expertise on bikes. The consequence was a motorbike that was not solely constructed to final, it was designed to final.

It is ready to remodel and evolve as your life and household do through the years and many years. The rear rack can actually broaden or contract to fit your wants. A bunch of equipment could be added, modified, upgraded, and eliminated as wanted. It’s a jack of all trades and is a superb choice for these seeking to ditch their outsized 4-wheeled car in favor of a 2-wheeled electrical car that offers you as a lot of a exercise as you’re in search of whereas adventuring via life.

It was clearly designed and constructed to final through the years. Sure, it’s going to want service. Sure, it’s going to should be tuned. Sure, it’s going to final. And for those who’re fortunate, it’d even turn out to be a member of the household.

The Xtracycle RFA retails for $4,999 and is available in black and white liveries. For extra details about the Xtracycle RFA or to order one for your self, head over to its official online home.

Xtracycle RFA Electrical Cargo Bike Specs

• MSRP: $4,999
• Motor: Shimano STEPS EP8 mid-drive motor
• Motor Energy: 250 watts steady, 500 watts peak w/85 Nm torque
• Battery Capability: 630 Wh
• Body & Fork Materials: 4130 Chromoly Metal
• Weight: 60.2 lb
• Weight Capability: 400 lb
• Brakes: Tektro 4-piston hydraulic brakes
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM NX11 X-HORIZON
• Rear Cassette: SRAM GX PG-1130 A1, 11-speed, 11-42 tooth
• Max Pace: 20 mph
• E-bike Class: Class 1

Disclaimer: Xtracycle offered the RFA to the writer for this evaluation.

 

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