Quote from: alykat2 on April 08, 2022, 08:21:17 PM
Wondering if anyone has experienced that it is almost impossible to pedal Rad City 4 at power level 0!  It is like the brakes are on, and you really have to exert a lot of effort to keep the bike moving.

As someone says check to see if the wheels freely spin when the bike is off the ground (by hand with the bike turned off of course).  I can pedal my RadCity 5 just fine with power level 0 on flat ground. Also it depends on what gear you're in as to how easy it will be. 

I think it's also relative to you and your strength and weight.  I'm a 250 pound guy that's out of shape so with the heavier Rad bike I'm pushing about 325 pounds vs 280 pounds on my regular bike.  On flat ground that's not a huge difference.

Quote from: JimInPT on April 09, 2022, 10:44:14 AM

Quote from: Slowrider on April 09, 2022, 10:38:34 AMI think as e-bike riders we should try to show people that yes it can be dangerous but with the proper knowledge that danger can be minimized making it a fun activity.

Yep, agreed; I've been through this with motorcycles and airplanes too.  Best to just not be a jerk about it and learn how to ease new people into the idea if they're receptive - never insist.

I even have three bells on my Mini - the cheerful little dinger that came on it for quiet woods trails, a bigger and louder bell for the beach trails that tend to have surf/wind noise and a blistering electronic one to cut through a rolled-up car window on the rare occasions it's necessary.  Moderation and proportion in all things works pretty well.

I've thought about buying another bell for my RadCity 5.  Hmmm I wonder if anyone makes something comical sounding just for when you're slowly coming up on pedestrians but don't want to startle them.  A bell unlike a horn is sort of neutral but if there was a funny noisemaker that would be more positive and get a more cheerful response.  Of course you could only use this for situations where you didn't need them to move out of the way really quickly. 

Quote from: Tree on April 09, 2022, 07:53:06 AM
we do need to get it together as a group - i know that when i'm on a shared trail, i'm extra courteous and cautious, slow down considerably especially around bends and such - but like any group, there are going to be idiots and jackasses.

You're right that it's important to be extra courteous and cautious.  Unfortunately if a pedestrian gets passed by ten courteous people just like you and almost ran over by one jerk guess what one he's going to remember?  It can be a losing battle but I think it's important to try.  I would like to see the big e-bike manufacturers like Rad put on more educational displays for the public. It's a win win for them because yes it would cost money but it's going to make people want to buy the bikes.

Quote from: JimInPT on April 08, 2022, 07:04:43 PM
People have been trained to not only be fearful but to enjoy being afraid as their first response to anything new.  This is not good for e-bike acceptance or life in general.

You're 100% right that people tend to be fearful of something they don't understand.  Maybe it's a primitive survival mechanism IDK?  People were fearful of the automobile when it first came out.  It's not good to be blindly oblivious to danger but knowledge can make people feel and be more in control so they can reduce risks.  I think as e-bike riders we should try to show people that yes it can be dangerous but with the proper knowledge that danger can be minimized making it a fun activity. 

Quote from: jrnelsonla@gmail.com on April 02, 2022, 08:20:27 AM
I don't know if tempting is the right word because I definitely let off a few cuss words after I did it the second time.

The key to unlock the battery from the frame and the charging port are probably an inch or two apart on the same side of the bike.  The prior model it looks like they were on alternate sides of the bike.

So if you're not really paying attention you just stick it in the slot and find out it was the wrong slot.

To limit this in the future, I've done two things.

One I leave the key in the bike because I don't leave my bike anywhere.  If I do, of course I'll remove the key.  At least I hope I will.

The second thing I've done is add red electrical tape above it to bring my attention to it and then after that I bought some yellow electric symbols from Amazon and put those around the charge port. 

Not the prettiest thing in the world but hopefully it will bring my attention to it being the charge for it and not put key in there.

I just thought about something.  You don't have to use the key unless you're taking out the battery.  You can charge the battery while it's connected to the bike so you can basically forget about the key if you wanted to do that.  I guess you might stick the charging plug in the keyhole doing that though.  I'm not sure if that would do anything because I think the hot wire is in the center but I'm not going to test it either 😂

If you want to know what the non bike riding general public (The vast majority of people) thinks of e-bikes you should read some of the responses to the Pinellas County Trail survey.  I feel as a group we really need get it together and do our very best when it comes to representing e-bikes to the public.  This is a relatively new technology and peoples first instinct is fear. 

https://www.opentownhall.com/portals/255/Issue_11723

Quote from: Amocat07 on March 30, 2022, 12:45:31 PM
What's been wrong, failed power assist controller, front rack mount welded on crooked, must adjust derailleur throughout most rides, seat post to short - advertised up to 6'5" - I'm 6'2" and had to buy seat pot extension, battery key cylinder will not open, at 200 lbs, I easily bottom out front forks. I'm just over 600 miles.  The shop that assemble the bikes did not have derailleur or brakes properly adjusted and did not mention problem with front rack alignment or issues with the key cylinder

What happened to your controller?  Did the bike just stop working?  I'm having an issue with my speedometer so they think a new controller will fix it.

That's crazy with the front mount welded crooked.  Is it something you can see with your eye or have to use a measuring device?  Mine looks straight but I haven't did any measurements.  You should have returned it for this problem since there's no way to fix this.  At least I don't see how you could.

What do you mean the battery key cylinder will not open?  The key won't unlock the battery from the bike?

I'm about 260 lbs and haven't bottomed out the front fork.  Of course I take mine on pavement.  If it's just bottoming out from small bumps on pavement there's something wrong with it.  it should be fine on mostly smooth trails but if you're taking it on mountain bike trails I would be careful.  I wouldn't trust the fork to hold up to that because it's not strong enough.  It could snap if you go down on the front wheel hard.

I assembled it myself and maybe I got lucky because the derailleur was adjusted perfectly from the factory.  It sounds like whatever bike shop you had do this isn't very good because that's an easy thing to adjust.  It's not e-bike specific so any bike shop should be able to get this right.

Were you able to get anything sorted out yet?  Even though you're probably outside of the return period this weld issue seems to be a defect and you're surly still under warranty.  I've been working with Rad customer service and while I can't say they've been able to fix my issue yet they have been working hard to help and are very polite.

Quote from: seanerino on April 03, 2022, 06:23:29 AM
Thanks for this post. Really helpful to read about your experience.

I just ordered the Rad City 5+ and now I'm just waiting for it to ship. I was wondering about the battery balancing. You mentioned that you did the 3 rides with 12 hour charge to balance the bike, but the manual and supplemental material on the website says that the semi-integrated battery doesn't require balancing:

https://radpowerbikes.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4406497553819-Semi-Integrated-Battery-Q-A

What are your thoughts on your battery now? How's it holding up? What's your range been like?

I did the balancing but you're right I looked into it and it seems unnecessary.  I think if you did it there would be no downside but maybe it wouldn't help.  I hate to say but I haven't ridden as much as I should have and I haven't drained the battery all the way down so not exactly sure on range.  I know it's more than 35 miles.  I think it depends on if you're pedaling and at what assist.  I ride for fun and exercise so not in a hurry to get anywhere but I still go 15- 20 MPH.  I pedal a lot and usually keep it on PA 2-3.

The only problems I've been having is my speedometer goes to 0 when there's no power going to the motor.  If I stop pedaling or let off the throttle I can coast but it shows I'm going 0 MPH.  Rad has shipped me a new controller so waiting to see if that fixes the issue.  I really hope so.  I can still ride it because the speedometer doesn't really stop it from working.

If you get the old style charger with the black cord instead of the orange one it gets hot.  I put a small fan on it but maybe that's not needed.  I would suspect you will get the new one though.

Quote from: FL-GK on April 01, 2022, 04:20:38 AM

Quote from: Slowrider on March 31, 2022, 12:31:43 AM
Okay latest update.  I replied to the email letting them know I still had the issue and about 10 days later they replied back asking if I could take a video showing the issue.

I replied saying I already took a video but would take another if he needed me to.  I figured they needed some recent proof of the problem for warranty. 

A different person replied back saying to check the connections for damage.  At this point I'm thinking I bet they don't have a record of the problem or the guy didn't look it up because I already did that as the first step a while back but what the heck I'll do it again.  I was planning on doing it today but before I could reply they send me another email saying they are sending a new controller.  I feel like they're playing a game of guess what part is next.  The first person said the motor (didn't replace (yet?)) but by the time the second person got the request it was the display and now the controller. 

If it's the controller I'll be happy but IDK if it is.  Do you guys think the controller could cause this?  This looks like it's going to be a pain to replace so I really don't want to do it if it's not the problem 😢

I had to replace mine because i was getting an "Error 30" so I can't speak for your fix but it's actually not that hard to replace. Make sure you have the right tools (I have some nice stubby hex keys) makes it easy to remove the parts under the battery. The other thing i was concerned about was lining it back up for the screw holes but just push it up against the one side with one screw in and it will "find" the hole (when you do this what I'm saying will make sense if it does not now).

I need to buy a good set of hex keys.  Hopefully it fixes the problem 🤣

Quote from: LarryM on March 30, 2022, 06:35:55 PM
My experience:
For my riding on the Phoenix East Valley pathways and roads, the RadCity 5Plus standard 2.0" smooth tread tires, are inadequate.  The 2.30" knobbies I installed (58-584) made a great  improvement in handling and tracking.  Per Rad Customer Service, 2.30" is the largest tire that can be mounted on the rims.  If you're considering knobby tires, beware of tires that have large knobs on the outer edges (like eRubans).  These cornering knobs interfere with the fenders and fender support brackets.  With modifications though, such tires can be made to work.  Hope someone finds this knowledge useful.  ((No, I didn't want a fat-tire bike))

I guess if you need to run on dirt or gravel trails and really dislike the Rover then it's an option.  I wonder if there's a middle ground between the stock high efficiency tires and knobby MTB tires?

Okay latest update.  I replied to the email letting them know I still had the issue and about 10 days later they replied back asking if I could take a video showing the issue.

I replied saying I already took a video but would take another if he needed me to.  I figured they needed some recent proof of the problem for warranty. 

A different person replied back saying to check the connections for damage.  At this point I'm thinking I bet they don't have a record of the problem or the guy didn't look it up because I already did that as the first step a while back but what the heck I'll do it again.  I was planning on doing it today but before I could reply they send me another email saying they are sending a new controller.  I feel like they're playing a game of guess what part is next.  The first person said the motor (didn't replace (yet?)) but by the time the second person got the request it was the display and now the controller. 

If it's the controller I'll be happy but IDK if it is.  Do you guys think the controller could cause this?  This looks like it's going to be a pain to replace so I really don't want to do it if it's not the problem 😢

Quote from: MatthewK on March 07, 2022, 11:41:58 AM
Video you linked isn't for the 5 plus. There was a video out there but it has been taken down. I did it to mine and it works, however I don't recall how to do it so I stuck with the 25mph setting, I guess there are worse things . If anyone does recall how to, please post up. I would like to know how to switch it back to factory setting just because. Thanks

Sorry I posted the wrong video... You can only increase the speed to 25 MPH from 20 MPH so if you're asking about going above 25 MPH that's a power limitation of the controller (I think) so not possible with the stock setup.

Here's how to do it

Press the assist down arrow and the light button till you get to program mode.  It will flash a P.

Then hold assist up, assist down and the light button until the screen switches from there you can edit the top speed.  It's in KMH so I think goes to 40 KMH (About 25 MPH).  I did not change it on mine to test but I have no reason to think the setting won't work.


I'm going to add a WARNING... Even the 5 MPH speed increase significantly increases your chance of serious injury or worse in a crash.  Every 10 MPH the impact force in a crash doubles so if you do this be aware of the risks.  I won't do this because I know I would crash and 20 MPH is plenty fast for me.  You have to decide what works for you though.

Quote from: NaturallyRC on March 23, 2022, 04:42:05 AM
I was unclear. My battery doesn't get hot to the touch; the charger gets hot. The fan cools it down considerably (surprised me how much, actually). A cool charger is a good thing. Cheers.

Quote from: Slowrider on March 22, 2022, 06:25:41 AM

Quote from: NaturallyRC on March 21, 2022, 07:42:37 AM
I use a room fan to blow air on it. I assume the heat is why they don't recommend leaving the charger on after the battery is full. Probably has more to do with not cooking the charger prematurely than protecting the battery, which is no longer getting juice.

Quote from: Ddaybc on March 21, 2022, 07:39:37 AM
I asked Rad about the heat of my charger for my RW4. They replied it's normal for it to get about as hot as a fresh cup of coffee in a paper cup. I wasn't comfortable with the heat and the base was getting, in my opinion, too hot so I turned my charger on its side while charging. It must be an airflow issue as it keeps it cool enough that I'm ok with it now.

Once the battery is charged it doesn't get hot.  At least mine doesn't.  I really wish they put a fan in it though

Yes that's what I meant too.  No heat from the battery.  It seems to stay cool even when charging.  I would be scared if it got hot.

Quote from: NaturallyRC on March 21, 2022, 07:42:37 AM
I use a room fan to blow air on it. I assume the heat is why they don't recommend leaving the charger on after the battery is full. Probably has more to do with not cooking the charger prematurely than protecting the battery, which is no longer getting juice.

Quote from: Ddaybc on March 21, 2022, 07:39:37 AM
I asked Rad about the heat of my charger for my RW4. They replied it's normal for it to get about as hot as a fresh cup of coffee in a paper cup. I wasn't comfortable with the heat and the base was getting, in my opinion, too hot so I turned my charger on its side while charging. It must be an airflow issue as it keeps it cool enough that I'm ok with it now.

Once the battery is charged it doesn't get hot.  At least mine doesn't.  I really wish they put a fan in it though

Quote from: HokieInIdaho on March 20, 2022, 06:25:24 PM
Given the age of another post with similar topic, it was suggested by the 'bot to create a new thread.

I've charged both our RR6+ and our RC5+ST exactly 1 time now.

Same battery rating, same charger rating, except 2 different types of chargers that came with bikes.
RR6+ was charged inside house at 72 degrees ambient temps, and the charger was barely warm. Charged for several hours.

RC5+ was charged in garage at 62 degrees ambient temps, and was so hot I could barely pick it up. Also charged for several hours.

Attached photos. RR6+ charger on left with orange cord.
RC5+ on right with labeling.

Both rated 2A, 120W.

I'm not a fan of the hot charger.

Yes the one with the orange cord is the new version.  I have the old version with my RadCity 5 and it gets very hot.  What I do is set it on top of an air filter I have and it blows air on it.  Perhaps get a small fan to blow on it. 

Quote from: Tomster on March 13, 2022, 07:31:47 AM
I didn't realize that the Canadian models had the wattage limited to 500W...ugh.

So I am 6'5" and 230lbs. Any thoughts on whether 500W will be too underpowered for me. Not going up 15% incline hills but there are a fair amount of hills in my area. I expect most times I will be around the level 2-3 pedal assist as I am fit and do a lot of regular biking.

Oh and I realize I am at the top of the size chart for Rad bikes.

Thanks

I'm 250 lbs and while not 6' 5" so perhaps I'm more aerodynamic 🤣 I don't have any issues getting up hills in my area with PA4 and that maxes at about 500 watts if I remember correctly.  You might need PA5 to get 500 watts on your bike. 

I think it's limited by the display or at least that's different in US models because my display is marked "US version".  At least you're not in Europe where it's 250 watts