Hey Dylan, welcome to the Rad gang here.

If you really want to ride a small e-bike in the 40 mph range, I would be thinking of getting a bike factory-designed, tested and equipped for that, with suspension, frame, lights, tires and especially brakes to match.  No telling what the handling and stopping characteristics of those Rad bikes are like at that speed, although I suspect somebody on this forum has been there with them and could comment.  I've taken my MiniST2 up to slightly over 30 downhill with the factory setup and thought it was getting a little squirrely.   And do you really want to ride one past a cop at 40 mph?

I've ridden my Honda ST1100 close to 140 mph, so not too intimidated about higher speeds on two wheels per se, but am older and slower now; I'm cool with 25-30 on my MiniST but the 35A controller upgrade I bought for it is to bump up torque, not speed, for climbing hills.

Quote from: Tony on February 16, 2022, 05:12:55 AMMy front and rear tail light have now failed.  Brake light and flashing light still work.  We have now opened up the KT 35 amp controller to find a small circuit board has burned. The controller still powers the bike fine but not the lights. I was running with standard Rad lights which pull really minimum power . I have now heard a few other people with this problem so it seems like a fault with the KT 35 amp controller.

I'm interested in any updates if you have them later on; I have the Bolton 35A upgrade, delivered in December so recent production, ready for installation when the weather warms up the garage a bit.  Have you contacted Bolton about a warranty replacement?  I think this is the only thread about problems with this kit that I can remember.

Quote from: rama_nichana@yahoo.com on February 15, 2022, 10:17:18 AMoh! well another issue i see  , i can't slide the battery out without moving the seat height adjustment lever. bad mount. want to turn it around a bit. but don't know the correct tool for it.  RAD delivered tools didn't match.

I removed my factory quick-release seatpost lever months ago and replaced it with a regular clamp with anti-theft bolt (to help prevent easy custom seat and seatpost theft), so I'm not sure...... but as I recall I think if you fully loosen the quick-release clamp, you can just rotate it on the tube to any angle that's convenient for you.  I think I did that soon after I got the bike, for the same reason as you, removing the battery easily.

And I agree with Eric to start slowly with just very few miles at a time, to get used to the bike, make sure everything is working properly and most importantly - so that you can discover what needs to be adjusted to fit you better.  It makes a big difference to adjust the seat height, angle and setback on the seat rails - then there's adjusting the handlebar and grip angles and height.  Took me a few miles to figure out what was starting to hurt, and why.  Then by making the adjustments it became comfortable and pain-free.  I was moving the seat forward/backward and up/down about 1/2" at a time near the end of the process, and could feel the difference - same with handlebar height and angle. 

You don't want to head out 10 miles from home on a new unadjusted, unstressed/tested bike and have problems, as Eric said.

Quote from: rama_nichana@yahoo.com on February 09, 2022, 08:16:33 AMbut calibration needs another gauge, but  don't have.

This is a very good and accurate pencil gauge for not a lot of money and quality-made in the USA; fits well in my bike's tool bag and I bought another one that clips to the pump for quick access to check pressure in the garage:
https://amzn.to/3heJ2fc

I've bought this same gauge for years to put into the door pockets of various vehicles; they're pretty good. 

Quote from: Veggyhed on February 15, 2022, 04:10:43 AMI believe the plus is 3 in longer than the mini and it kind of feels like that on the road.

Thanks for all your Runner Plus insights!

According to the specs on the webpage, the Runner Plus is 0.6" longer wheelbase than the Mini, so just a little longer.  The chainring is set further forward; maybe that contributes to the handling feel.

One little trick I used when comparing models last year still works well - open the webpages for the Mini(s) and the Runner(s), one bike each in separate tabs, then make sure they're scrolled all the way to the top.  Rad has laid in the photos in the same position on each page, so you can just click back and forth between tabs for a quick before/after side-view comparison of the overall designs and geometry.  Helps to eyeball and comprehend the differences quickly and easily.

Cheers.

Quote from: Tony25123 on February 14, 2022, 05:45:50 PM
Was worried about supply chain issues so I pulled the trigger... ordered 2

There ya go - have fun!

Quote from: Jay-Ryan on February 14, 2022, 04:24:00 PMLike JimInPT said...  I take into consideration how applicable a given law is and act accordingly...   And by accordingly, I don't mean flaunting my disrespect for authority, but quietly sneak by inconspicuously...  Just because you have 1000w with 40A controller doesn't mean you should go down a sidewalk at 50kph (30mph)!  Ghost pedal, limit to 15mph, and 'ding' your bell as you ride up on pedestrians.

Discretion is key!!

Cheers!

Bingo!  I completely agree and even hung one more big bell and an electronic horn on my MiniST for quiet woods, the shoreline trail and street traffic; there's no reason to be a jackass as you go through life nor reason to mess with others' enjoyment of it.  And don't scare the horses.  But within those and a few other rules for civilized living, I try to adapt myself and my stuff to achieve my goals without feeling a need to check with strangers first to see what they might think about it.  I'm a little too long in the tooth now to hotrod around in any serious way, but I got 130 mph motorcycling and flying at somewhat higher speeds done and out of my system when I could; now 25-30 max on a 90-lb e-bike is about what my strength and reflexes can reliably deal with if I'm not taking the truck out and I just want to haul my fat ass up the steep hills with a little expediency and self-respect. 

As they say.... better to ask forgiveness than permission, right?

Quote from: rama_nichana@yahoo.com on February 14, 2022, 11:17:48 AMmoved my phone mount from right to left. now it covers the PAS selector.  but ok ... as pas mode is shown in the display ,  and i keep the thumb on it. don't really have to see as.

will order that seat S9 .. wow i like it. good choice you made. comfort on the bottom is needed to be on the bike for long.
--

if ok to share pls share on .. farthest you traveled in one stretch on your bike .. curious as it looks comfy and all set to go Tokyo from NY.  all the way one full charge can take you ?

I like my phone on the left and it was originally where yours is now, covering up most of the PAS but that was ok since I didn't need to see it to use it.  But I added another louder bell next to the original bell (and later an electric horn to cut through traffic noise as well, on the accessory bar) so that's when I bought that accessory bar to move the phone.  All is well now and room for a good headlight and GoPro as well on that bar.

My Cloud 9 seat (the second C-9 model I tried) is this one: https://amzn.to/3HP4kMo which for me fits better and relieves butt pain better than this one: https://amzn.to/33lL5ed but keep in mind this is my preference; a flatter wider seat works better for me, but maybe not for you.  Other people like Bikeroo and other models also, so try different ones if you can.  The "best" seat is different for everybody and there are endless discussions about it.  Like buying shoes; get what fits you best for your needs.

My seat is far more comfortable than the stock seat, which my butt could only take for about 10 minutes, but I don't know why it has such a long nose that seems unnecessary and made me have to modify my mount/dismount moves.  Got used to it, but I still don't like that long nose in the way.  It's comfortable for me, though; I can ride 60-90 mins now, but that's also due to the RedShift Shockstop suspension post - a fantastic design.  Between the front suspension, the seat upgrade and the RedShift upgrade, it's no longer a bone-rattling ride on the trails.  I can't imagine riding a rigid-frame bike now.

I'm not a long-distance rider; my longest single ride has been maybe 23-25 miles or so round-trip, and my battery typically ends up on the charger at around 28-30 miles from starting at 100% - but I am careful to not let it drop below 2 bars before charging, to improve battery life and number of charge cycles.  I'm waiting for Peanutbutterpope to finish up his batch of custom charging controllers, so I can have it stop automatically at 80% charge for almost all cycles, again to lengthen battery life.  If I start with 100% and end up back at home nearly empty, I should be able to get about 40 miles out of it, riding hills and pedaling as much as my knees will let me.  But that's not my typical usage and I'm not a lightweight.  I'll be adding the Bolton 35A controller and display upgrade to get more torque as needed; we have one or two monster hills that cause my poor Mini heartburn with just 17A on tap.  But for the first year I've been able to ride 98% of the routes I want to without any changes to the factory design, so I regard it as a good one.

I live in a rural area, blessed with lots of little trails in the woods and along the water as well as streets, so there's a lot of variety just outside my door and I'm not a distance rider, so it's a good fit for me.  I also use it for almost all errands when the weather is decent; last summer my car was parked for up to 3 weeks in a row, so I had to recharge its battery to get started.  YMMV, as they say.   

Quote from: Eric7 on February 14, 2022, 10:25:38 AMAlso, if I have a visitor of various sizes, they can all ride the bike for fun. Sometimes I ride a regular bike and my spouse or a kid rides the step thru so there is a lot of flexibility there.

JimInPT, regarding your Bolton controller, more power to you!!  Sorry.  Can't resist making the joke.  I respect your opinion and input as always.

Heh-heh, thanks!  You make an excellent point - my sister and a couple others have tried out my MiniST and while it's very specifically set up for my geometry and old fatass, they were able to hop on and ride with no problems or adjustments needed, even if it's not optimum for them in my settings.  Of course, the Runners have the same advantage, also being low lift-over stepthroughs.

I think I've seen others hack on a rear seat and pegs to the Mini's back rack, but it's not nearly as purposed for passengers as the Runner or Wagon - that's the best case I can think of for those models.  But aside from little kids, how many people ever ride two-up, no matter what the advertising photos show?

Re: the controller upgrade, I've been making a few rough measurements and eyeballing all the possibilities and I think the install on the MiniST should be no sweat, with the controller in place of the original, but might have to use some heavy-duty velcro and zipties if I can't mod the factory mounting points.  Unfortunately, the plastic controller-enclosure box I got for about $15 probably won't fit in the current controller location - it "might" squeeze in once I try it, but I'd have to lose the U-lock I added to secure the battery so I probably won't bother.  (You guys know that the entire lineup's batteries, except for the very latest new models, can be unlocked, turned on, or stolen with a blank uncut key from eBay?)

I don't think the upgrade will be a big deal at all, but I think I'll just do a temporary lashup with the old controller/display left in place at first and just moving the wires over to the new stuff to check it all out.

Quote from: Eric7 on February 14, 2022, 10:09:43 AMI urge you not to break the law.

You're a nicer guy than me; for the last 20 years or so I urge people to consider the sanity, practicality and sensibility of the law in question - we had enough laws to run a civilized society 100 years ago, most of them now are just purchased from politicians by lobbyists of one stripe or another to benefit one special interest or another.  Put enough coins into the machine, laws come out.  And now, it seems, even longstanding laws intended to prevent damage to persons and property through fraud and/or violence are routinely ignored by those sworn to enforce them.

Hence my soon-to-be-installed Bolton controller upgrade.   

Quote from: Veggyhed on February 14, 2022, 10:04:33 AMNow my wish is for the backlight to default to blinking.

This was my solution for the same; I kept forgetting to toggle the rear light to blinking:  https://amzn.to/3rXOF85

It's motion-sensitive for on and off, so I never touch it except for recharging, and it lasts many hours in blinking mode on a single charge.  Has several modes and is VERY bright even in daylight; I strapped mine to the underframe of my Cloud 9 seat where it's above the rear rack/basket combo and slides in/out easily while remaining secure when mounted.

Definitely recommended.

This is purely my personal opinion of course, but I've never seen any reason to buy a Runner instead of a Mini StepThru.  The Mini gives you 7 speeds, a front suspension, fenders and a folding option.  Unless you really need the frame design or a specific accessory of the Runner for some reason, why pay the same (quite a bit more, in the case of the Runner Plus) and get a lot less?  Those extra gears would also help a bit with the Canadian power-restriction oppression when climbing hills, although you might be able to add a Bolton controller/display upgrade.

I'd be interested to hear from Runner owners who considered a MiniST as well and why the Runner is preferable; maybe I'm missing something significant.

Here's my tarted-up choice from last March after considering the Runners and others in the Rad lineup:

Quote from: Tony25123 on February 14, 2022, 07:25:18 AMHaven't seen anything on this upgrade yet, haven't read every post.  Is that from Rad? What's the specs?

https://boltonebikes.com/collections/motor-controllers-and-displays/products/radpowerkit

Yep, you missed a great deal that expired around Thanksgiving, especially on a pair of them - $1,150 each if buying two bikes.

Anyway, it's a great bike; love my MiniST bought last March and awaiting a controller/display upgrade to boost the torque once the garage warms up a bit.

Quote from: rama_nichana@yahoo.com on February 13, 2022, 07:45:33 PMone inconvenience i had was, the phone mount,GUB PRO-3 Phone Mount , was on right and my large phone, 6"x3", covers the gear changer. not sure what can be done.

any suggestion on bottle holder ?

I added one of these accessory bars for my phone, headlight and GoPro; works great: https://amzn.to/3uNo2Ez

For bottle holder(s), I used one of these: https://amzn.to/3GQehb9 and two of these https://amzn.to/3sD0z6o it keeps the bottle away from feet and legs, works great, a little expensive but there are other similar brackets for a little less.

For seat, I had to go through 4 or 5 of them (along with a RedShift seatpost) to get a comfortable ride, including 2 different Cloud 9 models, the second of which is my keeper.  Amazon was good about returns; buying a new seat is like buying shoes - you have to find one that fits YOU.  I'm sure you'll hear suggestions from others as well.

See pics below for my setup.