Family Cargo E-Bike: RadWagon 4 — CleanTechnica Tested

As a first-time mother, I generally tend to overanalyze each potential baby-related merchandise that orbits my youngster’s sphere. There isn’t any evaluate I cannot learn and no rabbit gap on an organization’s Instagram web page I cannot dive down. So, when it got here time to search for a cargo e-bike that was protected, straightforward to experience, and enjoyable, I used to be pleasantly shocked that the Rad Power RadWagon 4 delivered all of the bells and whistles for my household. Rad Energy was superior sufficient to supply the RadWagon freed from cost for the aim of this evaluate. I used to be in a position to give it a whirl on the Huge Island of Hawaii, the place I reside. 

Rad Energy is just not new to the electrical bike house. Through the early days of the pandemic, the demand for e-bikes skyrocketed and Rad Energy grew to become the most important vendor of electrical bikes within the nation. Questions of safety and a recall over RadWagon’s tire alignment in 2022 landed the corporate in scorching water, so I used to be skeptical if the improved RadWagon 4 would reside as much as the hype from early adopters. I ought to be aware that in my analysis, I used to be focused by an infinite variety of e-bike firms, however nothing from Rad Energy. Of the parents-slash-friends I talked to, 4 completely different households owned a Rad Wagon.

Unboxing / Meeting

The corporate has movies of meeting directions, that are helpful for bike newbies. Rad Energy charges the meeting of this bike on the tough facet, so my accomplice assembled the bike for us. He mentioned the pre-attached traces for brakes and gears have been a time-saver, however you continue to wanted to make use of a whole lot of drive to get some elements collectively. Whereas the adjustable bike stem makes it really feel prefer it’s customized match to every rider, it loosens simply if you flip the handlebars and it wanted to be tightened a number of instances, utilizing just a few completely different Allen wrenches.

Attaching equipment like a toddler’s bike seat, operating boards, and caboose have been straightforward and didn’t require any particular software. Rad Energy has a protracted record of equipment you should buy to package out your cargo e-bike any means you need. 

The Experience Sum-Up

I selected their brightest colour for the RadWagon — a blazing scorching orange to maintain me and my baby effectively seen on the street. Whereas I could reside within the land of the Ironman World Championships, Kona is just not essentially the most bike-friendly metropolis in sunny Hawaii. But it surely matched our orange Thule Yepp bike seat, which actually fanned out my mother flare. And whereas I do contend that the colourful colour would maintain us safer on the street, it was the opposite options of the bike that justified my choice of the RadWagon 4 as a wonderful cargo e-bike choice for my household. 

The primary side I actually appreciated have been the bigger wheels that gave the bike a heftier, seashore cruiser vibe and in the end felt extra secure. I used to be snug shifting my weight backward and forward, and extra importantly, I felt sturdy even when my wiggle worm behind me within the youngster seat would transfer to take a look at each animal we noticed throughout our first experience. It additionally transitions easily if you’re driving from asphalt or concrete to grass.

The mid-step-through body and adjustable seat made going from my 5’2″ stature to my accomplice’s 5’10” peak a breeze. Its full vary for riders is spectacular: heights of 5’1″ to six’4″. Some e-bikes I researched couldn’t regulate to my peak in any respect, and those that did got here with a swoop strep-through body that was, whereas superb for me, not the primary selection of my accomplice. In spite of everything, this was a household wagon, so we each wished to make certain it was a motorcycle that we like to take a look at, in addition to experience.

One other function that I didn’t even think about at first is the double-leg kickstand. The metal kickstand is extra for a moped than a bicycle, however on condition that the RadWagon is already pushing 100 kilos, it’s good to have a hearty kickstand to carry the factor up. It retains the bike’s middle of gravity upright and is a heck of loads simpler to place my youngster within the bike seat with out having to lean to at least one facet. The one factor I’d change could be to place rubber pads on the underside to guard our storage ground and patio from the metallic of the kickstands.

And now for the tech…

The RadWagon has a strong 750W geared hub motor that tops out at 20 mph, and a 672Wh battery, leading to a variety of 45+ miles per cost. I do know there are sooner e-bikes on the market, however let’s face it, I’m clearly not going for pace. I believe any father or mother could be pleased to cruise on the tempo of a canine taking part in fetch.

There are 5 ranges of pedal help and a half-twist throttle, good for that much-need enhance to make it up a hill or when you merely select to not pedal. The show display simply exhibits what stage of pedal help you’re in and the thumb-control ranges are conveniently positioned in your left deal with.

The RadWagon boasts a load capability of 350 kilos, simply hauling my toddler round city with out concern. On one event (for evaluate functions, after all), my accomplice hopped on the again to see simply how a lot weight it might take (disclaimer: don’t do this at residence, of us!). It managed simply superb on flat terrain, however as soon as we reached the foot of our hill, the throttle wasn’t sufficient to get all of us again residence with out some mompower.  

General, the Rad Power RadWagon 4 has been a fantastic asset for our household to get round with out burning gasoline, which was, after all, another excuse we wished to get an e-bike: much less driving! Much less Co2! We’re now tricked out as an e-bike household and couldn’t be extra proud.

Technical Specs

• 25-45+ miles per cost (estimate)
• 750W geared hub motor with 80 Nm of torque
• 48V, 14 Ah Lithium-Ion battery utilizing real Samsung 35E cells
• Customized Rad Energy Bikes 22″ x 3″ tires
• Built-in headlight and tail mild with brake mild performance
• Half twist throttle and clever 5 stage pedal help
• Full LCD show together with speedometer, wattmeter, and odometer
• 7-speed Shimano drivetrain
• 180 mm Tektro mechanical disc brakes
• Complete payload capability: 350 lb (158 kg)
• Rear rack capability: 120 lb (54 kg)
• Bike weight: 76.7 lb (34.8 kg)

Check out more detailed specs here.

By Kirstina Motamedi, CleanTechnica Visitor Author

RadPower provided a RadWagon 4 to the writer of this text freed from cost for the aim of this evaluate.

 

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