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Topics - JimInPT

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1
Rad Modifications / A solid sale over at Area13 until Nov 30, 2023
« on: November 16, 2023, 09:52:18 AM »
I just wandered over to http://area13ebikes.com/ to get a link to their caliper upgrade and discovered they are having a VERY nice sale on many items including both the 35A controllers and hydraulic-hybrid brake calipers for Rads.  I installed and love both of these on my 2021 MiniST2 but they'll work for most Rad models except the ones with semi-integrated batteries and hydraulic brakes:

https://area13ebikes.com/products/radkit

https://area13ebikes.com/products/juintechm1

So FYI, gang!

2
It just occurred to me to pass along a tip about a great little accessory that truly enhanced my routine 20"-rim MiniST2 maintenance.  And Ryan, I suggest you consider adding it to your list of linked accessories if you try and like it as well.

I have a Specialized Mountain Bike floor pump, a low-pressure, high-quality tire inflator that reads from 0-50 psi and was EXTREMELY hard to find with only 120-psi or so pumps out there.  The lower pressure model moves a much higher volume of air per stroke (great for giant ballooney fat-bike tires) is more accurate and easier to read for my 30 psi Rad bike.  But, it has an extremely-long flip-up locking handle to attach itself to the valve and on the rear tire it's a true pain in the butt to align and snap into place because the motor is so close to the 20" rim it's a knuckle-buster trying to flip the handle up and down to attach/detach from the valve.  So frustrating that I often just skipped adding a couple pounds of pressure when I wanted to - a bad idea.

Enter this thing:  https://amzn.to/46kQcah
  a short extension hose I just keep attached to the pump at all times.  It's very low-profile and just snaps onto the valve easily, with a 90-degree connection.  To remove, just push a little button and it pops right off, losing no pressure.

This made a vast improvement to the process and I now routinely add pressure when needed, not just when I felt like wrestling with it.  Built to last a hundred years and so it's a little pricey, but take it from me, you'll find it worth having too, if you have 20" e-bike rims.

NOTE: Jaco makes another very similar model (the S2X) that's slightly cheaper but that's because it doesn't have a 90-degree fitting, which is essential to provide more clearance.  So, double-check your order before pushing the Buy button.

3
Hi all,

FYI, just thought I'd note that after having a shopping-cart pending order cancelled on eBay and finding them NOWHERE else, including CST's own store, I was able to place an order for a pair of CST Big Boat 20x3 spare tires for my 2021 MiniST2 (and other bikes, see the Compatibility tab) directly from Rad, here:

https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/cst-big-boat-tire-20x3?variant=39441026023520

Currently US$39 each, when tax/shipping was added, two tires delivered are $96 which is a fair price for a pair of quality tires.  This is about what the eBay purchase would have cost if it had completed.

My order has been placed, billed and accepted, but no notice of shipping yet since I just placed it.  But they do show in stock, so if you've been thinking of putting spare tires into your bike's garage, this might be a good time, lest they disappear altogether.  Assuming my order is fulfilled as expected, I'll come back here to update this post from "may be" to "are".

I did click on Ryan's affiliate link (shown at the top of most forum pages) before logging into my account and placing the order, but I have no way of knowing if that works to benefit him for parts orders.

I love these tires, so if you're considering them as an alternative for your bike (assuming they'd fit), I can highly recommend this over the knobbier Kendas that Rad used to ship - much quieter, more efficient and maneuverable on pavement, concrete and hard-packed dirt trails.  They seem to wear well, too; after 2 years of seasonal riding and over 600 miles, they show little wear, no leaks and no flats (I Slimed them when I got the bike and often ride woods trails with blackberry thorns, but nothing really pointy except for the occasional broken bit of rock or tree branch) - I bought these spares to make sure I can replace the original tires when the time comes and I already have extra tubes onhand from Rad long ago once I discovered that size is hard to find.

Happy Summer!

4
Just got the following in an email, for those looking for a hitch rack and not already on their email list:

For a limited time, save 20% on the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider Rack or Hollywood Racks RV Rider Rack, or save 30% when you buy either rack with any Rad ebike.*

Save 20% on racks using code:
RADXHR2022E1

Save 30% on racks when purchased with an ebike using code:
RADXHR2022E2

Here's the product page: https://bit.ly/3vmT1a7

* Enter code RADXHR2022E1 at checkout to save 20% on a Hollywood Rack, or enter code RADXHR2022E2 and save 30% on a Hollywood Rack when you purchase an ebike in the same transaction. Oversized shipping fee of $30 applies. Code valid thru 8/29/22. Limit one code use per customer. Limit one discount code per order.

Maybe Ryan can add a posting here to maybe go to these via his referral link for a bit of forum support.

5
General Chat / Kyle from Bolton / Area 13 is quite sick
« on: July 10, 2022, 09:13:10 AM »
I'm subscribed to his channel and have bought both the  35A controller and JuinTech hybrid brake calipers from his company.  Good people, good products and apparently his branded bikes are pretty good as well.

Here's a recent vid about the problem's evolution; I had no idea he was MIA for a couple months with Guillain-Barre Syndrome:  https://youtu.be/awVF0dQrF2o

Prognosis seems to be pretty good, but he's very much out of action and it might take months or even years before he can again ride the products he's built his professional life around and currently struggles to even be somewhat productive at all.  For a young entrepreneur with a growing business, this is about as sucky as it gets.  Best wishes to Kyle.

6
I expect these won't last long, and this is a golden opportunity to get the best overall Rad bike IMHO, the Mini ST2, at a discount if you're close to a West Coast store.  Surprised to see they're available at all.  Previous model Runner, Rover and City bikes also available.

Here's the email I just got from Rad:

Near one of our stores in Berkeley, Huntington Beach, San Diego, or Seattle?  These locations have limited quantities of the following classic models, all for $200 off*, while supplies last. Come in, take a test ride, and leave with a great deal!

Remember, Rad says in-store only, no online ordering.

7
I expect these won't last long, and this is a golden opportunity to get the best overall Rad bike IMHO, the Mini ST2, at a discount if you're close to a West Coast store.  Surprised to see they're available at all.  Previous model Runner, Rover and City bikes also available.

Here's the email I just got from Rad:

Near one of our stores in Berkeley, Huntington Beach, San Diego, or Seattle?  These locations have limited quantities of the following classic models, all for $200 off*, while supplies last. Come in, take a test ride, and leave with a great deal!

Remember, Rad says in-store only, no online ordering.

8
Service & Repair / 2021 MiniST2 - correct spoke wrench size?
« on: April 29, 2022, 10:40:02 AM »
UPDATE: I remeasured it with a micrometer instead of calipers for better reliability.  Looks like these are 3.95-4.00mm across the flats, which means the SW-3 (blue) tool should be the correct size and that's what I just ordered.  Will update again if it's not correct.


Can anybody please confirm the correct size spoke wrench needed for my MiniST?  I think I've measured 4.36mm across the flats but I'm not positive that's accurate (aging eyes). 

Planning to order a Park Tool u-wrench that fits properly and not sure if it's maybe SW-2 or SW-3.

9
I originally posted this in the original thread over in the RadWagon section, but thought some Mini owners might find it useful and not notice it over there.

Update 25 Apr 2022 - revised a couple of controller settings for mo-better smoothness etc - see below
-------------------

Mine has been sitting in its box since late last year, but I finally got it installed for testing today on my 2021 Mini ST2 (did the Area 13 hydraulic brake calipers this week too; they work great), leaving all the stock equipment in place, but disconnected, just to make sure the new setup works.

And man, does it ever seem to work!  Connecting all the cables under the crank was a little finicky due to the short length of some of the factory cables on the frame and stiffness of some, but it all hooked up with a little patience and a pair of pliers to firmly hold one side of the connector in a couple cases.  All the right cables you'll need on the controller are there and the pinouts correct, so just be careful to align them properly before pushing them together and it should be fine.  The current kit includes a tail/brake light connector that functions just like the factory controller, so everything back there works normally.

I have attached below a screenshot of my initial settings (far right column), derived from the kindly-provided spreadsheet from Ray StDenis here on this forum; I started with these and it works great, but I might tweak things here and there as I gain experience with it.  Note my tire diameter of 23" for the 20"-wheel bikes and the CST Big Boat tires - I still need to compare against my GPS speed to see if this needs tweaking for accuracy within the limits of update rate and data input, this is the correct size; my GPS matches the display, but note that P1 needs to be set to 103 as well for best accuracy.  Both DIM and P1 values will change with different size wheels/tires and motor design, but these work great with the Big Boats on a Mini with the stock Rad motor.

There are several new features included with the new controller, including ambient air temp (which matches my Thermoworks calibrated thermometer), cruise control which I haven't tried yet, trip timer and a GIGANTIC feature that Rad has never yet implemented - the Trip Time and Trip Distance do NOT zero out when the display is turned off!  That was one of the first things I checked because it always pissed me off to have them clear when stopping for lunch on a ride when the display timed out; now they don't zero unless/until done manually and intentionally, although the display still times out and shuts down after 5 minutes of inactivity, which is great.  Even turning on the headlight is easier; long-press the PAS-up button instead of the two buttons needed by the Rad display.  This controller has an option to display motor temperature as well, but the stock Rad motor doesn't provide that data - if you activate the setting, you'll just see a constant 59F reading, so best to just keep this setting at zero.

And holy crap, this performs as advertised - like a booster rocket's been added under my butt.  As expected without a voltage change, top speed still maxes out at around 25 mph with the motor only (the controller's limit setting is about 42 mph), but that's fine - I wanted acceleration and uphill grunt torque, not more speed.  Have only ridden a couple miles, but ran through all gears and PAS settings, taking it up to a little over 1,500w without any complaints, and it was still climbing when I ran out of road.  Such a great improvement to my bike, just what I was expecting and hoping to see.

A word of caution: this new controller pulls immediately and strongly like a farm tractor with factory parameter settings, so don't blip the throttle unless you're on the bike, the rear wheel's off the ground or you're prepared to let off the gas and hit the brakes immediately - it literally felt like it could pull right out of my hands if I hadn't been prepared to stop it.  It seems that out of the box, the controller disables the throttle in PAS 0, but that may be just when not pedaling for safety, not sure yet, and I need to review the settings to see if this is changeable.  In PAS 1 or above, it leaps instantly when standing alongside the bike at a stop.  Update: I have set C3 (power-up PAS setting) to 0, so that throttle is not available at startup, for safety.

There is a "walking mode" just like Rad's controller, activated by holding the PAS-down button for at least 3 seconds; I tried it with the rear wheel off the ground to confirm it works, but haven't tried it on pavement yet to see if it's faster or slower than Rad's (which everybody seems to think is too fast, including me).

Aside from the display being fairly dim, but still readable in direct sunlight, I have no complaints (although playing with the C6 parameter might help that - UPDATE: it did, although just slightly, and it's now 4 instead of 3) and now have a project to remove the old display and controller from the bike and get the new stuff laced up properly for the long term.  Will probably apply Flex Shot to seal the controller seams just in case, although I avoid riding in wet weather and the Mini ST has a pretty-protected controller mount location.  The box seems to have a gasket in the seam, but Bolton / Area 13 states that it is NOT advertised as waterproof.

Overall, definitely and highly recommended on first impression.

New brakes, new rocket boost, new riding season - good to go!

UPDATE
: the chart below is revised - I left my initial settings from 23 April in there, so you can see the few changes I made today.  C5 is confusing, because as near as I can tell it does different things from 0-2 as it does from 3-10.  I changed it from 10 to 0, and this solved the problem I had of the throttle lighting off 100% immediately and a jumpy start; now it ramps up fairly smoothly and works a lot better from a full stop, more like a Rad controller.  It does NOT limit the power to the motor as settings 3 through 10 do - it still ramps up to 100%, just more gradually.  Setting it to 1 or 2 instead of 0 seems to ramp up faster.

I also tried messing with C14 (PAS tuning) which regulates how much "oomph" the motor will provide during pedaling.  Default is 1 (low) and I tried 2 (medium) and 3 (high), ending up leaving it at 1 to let me put some effort into it.  For those with weak legs or other problem who want to rely on the motor more, try increasing it to 2 or 3.

The full manual where I found these extra details can be found here:
https://ebikeescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bolton_Controller_Manual_Rad_Power_Bikes.pdf

This is linked in Part 2 of the controller-upgrade vids from forum owner Ryan and his brother.... worth watching over at https://youtu.be/fsbcY91alf0

10
For anybody interested in a Redshift suspension post, they're on sale at Amazon at the moment, which doesn't happen often, and this is as low as they ever get:  https://amzn.to/3F0K2xK

I installed the 350mm version, along with a Cloud 9 seat (https://amzn.to/31TCUF4), on my 2021 Mini Step-Thru in early summer and this combination worked great to cure my buttaches - definitely recommended, even though I paid $23 more than this sale price and thought it a pretty good deal at the time.  Extremely well-engineered and well-made product and comes with extra spring for extra-people; no other parts needed to buy.

You'll have to install/remove the seatpost a number of times to get it dialed in for your weight and road conditions (adjustment is from the bottom of the post), but once it's set up you'll never have to fiddle with it.

11
FYI to anybody interested - a few weeks ago I ordered the Bolton 35A upgrade kit for my MiniST, with expected shipments to begin for this batch in January.  Just got an email that mine has been shipped, with a USPS tracking number.  I'm not too eager to work on this now in a freezing garage and was planning to install it after my Rad warranty expires in March anyway, but it'll be nice to have it in hand for planning the swap.

A nice pleasant surprise in a time of delays and shortages, so if you've ordered one or are thinking about it, looks like they're ahead of schedule; their webpage still says January, by the way.

https://boltonebikes.com/collections/motor-controllers-and-displays/products/2019-radpower-upgrade-kit-with-tail-light


12
RadCity / Ryan, what's the deal with the new Plus models' battery lock?
« on: October 14, 2021, 11:34:17 AM »
Seems like the "Plus" model trend continues with the RadCity 5 Plus: https://ebikeescape.com/radcity-5-plus-review/

If you decide to purchase one please consider using the forums links to Rad's site prior to purchase. I'll hopefully get my hands on one soon for a full review. My quick take is it is pretty easy to justify the extra $200 compared to the other RadCity models. Curious to hear what others think.

Hey Ryan, I've got a question about both new "Plus" models.

I'm about 20 mins into your just-released full Rover 6P review and am a little confused about the new keyswitch setup.  Is the keyed lock only for locking the battery to the frame and unlocking it for removal - there is no longer an "off-locked" position as with my MiniST, where electrical power to the bike is off but the battery is still mechanically locked in place?

If so, does that mean these two new models have no way to keep somebody from just walking up to your bike, pushing the power button on and riding away with it?  I find it hard to believe that might be true, but that's why I'm asking. 

That would imply the only anti-theft methods for leaving the bike even for a minute or two are either to lock it to something with an aftermarket lock every time or remove the battery?  Stinky if true, and I'd suggest explicitly mentioning this in future reviews if it is indeed the case.

Good job on the review; thanks for it.  Still happy with and sticking to my MiniST, but always interested in new model differences and possible improvements.

13
RadMini / Rad Mini sale ends, price stays the same
« on: September 02, 2021, 07:30:09 AM »
FYI, I checked the Rad site to see if the sale on the Minis ended Sept 1 as scheduled and yes, the sale is over.

The price, however, remains at the sale price of $1,299 and seems to be the new regular price, with shipments around the end of this month into early October.   

So I expect new version(s) soon - this looks like inventory clearance to me and I bet they're feeling the heat from Lectric and other competitors in this segment.

14
(I hate to cross-post this, but I thought this forum section might be a better fit to attract the attention of bike gearheads)

Can anybody point me to a direct-replacement standard axle to replace the quick-release factory setup on my RadMini Step-Thru?  Twice now I've found mine had loosened up with use and the last thing I need is it possibly bouncing loose completely while riding.  IIRC, I've read that braking forces on the front fork assembly can contribute to this.  The quick-release feature isn't important to me, riding safety is.

Thanks!

15
Can anybody point me to a direct-replacement standard axle to replace the quick-release factory setup on my RadMini Step-Thru?  Twice now I've found mine had loosened up with use and the last thing I need is it possibly bouncing loose completely while riding.  IIRC, I've read that braking forces on the front fork assembly can contribute to this.  The quick-release feature isn't important to me, riding safety is.

Thanks!

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