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Messages - JimInPT

#751
Service & Repair / Re: Bike won’t turn on
July 19, 2021, 11:01:15 AM
When you changed out the harness and controller, did you also replace the display and/or switch on the handlebar?  I seem to recall the Rad City might have the same separate switch/display as my Mini - a failure in one of those might kill it, but I'm not a Rad repair expert.

Failing that, perhaps the key switch in the battery has failed?  That would be pretty easy to test if you know another Rad owner; just swap in their battery for a couple minutes and see what happens.

Just tossing out ideas for what I'd check next.  You may already be at the point where Rad should either send out one of their service vans (if they have them where you are) or authorize a repair by an e-bike shop under warranty.  If you've gone to the trouble of already replacing the controller and wiring harness, I think you've done more than could be expected of an enduser unless they insist on doing the fix themselves.
#752
General Chat / Re: Bike Odometer
July 15, 2021, 11:39:37 AM
If you're already carrying a phone, I'd recommend trying out the OsmAnd app, which is free to use with single-region updates.  They run 50% off sales for registration once or twice a month, which opens up unlimited regions with monthly updates and on sale it's only 10 bucks one time.  For cycling lunatics, there's a monthly subscription mode with all sorts of stuff, but I'm far more casual about my riding and don't need all that.

Takes a little getting used to, but it'll not only give you your mileage, but helps to find roads, trails and routes if you put it into Cycling mode and will store your rides to overlay on the map if you wish.  I like it a lot and for what it does it's pretty inexpensive.  Trying it for free may help you decide whether it's enough for your needs.

Yes, I think you'll want the 20" setting for your Rad Runner (I think if you cheat it with 16" you can actually get motor assist to higher speeds since it thinks it has to spin smaller wheels for the same speed, but I'm fine with boosting the limit to 40km/hr and leaving my RadMini at 20".)  Note that the Rad's odometer (which counts wheel rotations) differs a bit from OsmAnd, which uses GPS.
#753
Rad Modifications / Re: Rear view camera
July 15, 2021, 11:29:08 AM
I absolutely love useful gadgets, but this seems like a solution in search of a problem.  More stuff to charge, more stuff to break or be stolen.  I have twin $15 Mirrycle mirrors that work fine; no batteries needed.
#754
General Chat / Re: Battery lock
July 11, 2021, 09:33:15 AM
A deflopilator; of course, I should have recognized it.  I think my '71 Pinto had one of those.

A cable might do the trick; as long as you can restrain the battery from moving forward it's tough to steal, as you know.  I hope you can come back to this thread to update us on your solution(s); I'm curious to know.
#755
General Chat / Re: Battery lock
July 11, 2021, 09:13:36 AM
Quote from: esotericist on July 11, 2021, 09:04:16 AM
yeah, i was actually eyeing one of those, and i think it's a great idea and i'll probably get one, but the major grocery store i'll be going to most often only has two places to chain up a bike:

  • a tiny bike rack that isn't actually anchored to anything and weighs substantially less than the radwagon.
  • and the cart return corral. it's actually pretty robust, something sensible to chain up with that's secure, but i wonder if someone returning a cart might set off the sensor. i could (and probably will) test it, but it seems a likely issue to me.

I think if you use a long U-lock or robust chain/cable to tie your ride to the rack or cart corral with a gap between it and the bike, you should be ok, as any vibrations in those from carts banging around shouldn't get transmitted to the bike frame to set off the alarm.  You might have to experiment with sensitivity settings, but it's inexpensive to try out the idea.  My guess (recovering mechanical engineer) is that unless your bike frame is touching the rack, it'll be fine.

I have a very long U-lock for a similar reason; I don't want the nice Rad paint job to get all banged up by rubbing and bumping against a rack.

Hey, as long as I've got you here - what in the h#$l is that spring thingie between the front fork and lower downtube that holds the battery?
#756
General Chat / Re: Battery lock
July 11, 2021, 08:49:27 AM
Quote from: esotericist on July 11, 2021, 08:04:47 AM
yeah, that's totally valid (and a nice looking bag!), but i'd have to solve the getting-the-battery-from-bike-to-bag-without-dropping-on-asphalt part. which, if it comes down to it, i'm willing to do, but i worry that'll require me to void my warranty adding a handle or something. plus stores around here get really wiggy about carrying zipper-able bags into them, which is frustrating (more than one store i frequent explicitly disallows backpacks, no exceptions. you might imagine how that makes me feel given my hand situation, and how much easier it is for me to wear a backpack than carry bags.)

How about adding a decent motion-sensitive alarm to your bike, so that you wouldn't have to remove the battery unless you're in a really skeevy part of town?

After hearing a number of people recommend it, and watching video reviews, I got one of these:  https://amzn.to/3i1Lzeg The main reason I was hesitant was the price; it's too cheap!  But the bulk of the reviews were so good that it wasn't much to lose if it was junk, so I ordered it.  However, it's built very well, is water-resistant and is annoying as hell when it's triggered - very, very loud.  If you try it out when removing from the box, keep the remote handy to shut it off, because you'll be startled by how loud it is.  But it has a harsh, short warning growl when first disturbed; it will lose its mind if moved again within a minute or two, but the warning should suffice most of the time.  Motion sensitivity and alarm volume are adjustable.

Here's one video review; there are many others to be found by searching on "wsdcam".  https://youtu.be/dn8CPJmANDU   There are also other alarms, but this is the first one I tried and I love it so I stopped looking.  You can buy them in sets of two, with two remotes instead of one, and other configurations.

I mounted mine upside-down, strapped to the underside of the rear rack, just above the fender, with zip-ties; it fits neatly in the square area designed to attach kiddie seats and is invisible down there; your bike probably has that in its rack too.  I will have to cut and replace the zip-ties to change the batteries, but I replaced the factory cheap batteries with new Duracells before installation and have heard that they'll last a long time.  I don't set it very often, so I'm probably good for a year or so before having to change them out.

Highly recommended if an alarm would work for you, and cheap to give it a try.  Just don't forget to disarm it before climbing back on!
#757
General Chat / Re: Battery lock
July 11, 2021, 07:38:59 AM
Quote from: esotericist on July 10, 2021, 10:08:00 PMthe obvious answer of "just take the battery with you" is problematic, as i am disabled with impaired hand mobility, and while it's possible for me to remove the battery, it requires an exceptional amount of effort to do so without dropping the battery. i'd prefer another answer, if at all reasonably possible.

Aside from your difficulty removing the battery, I just created a post for a carrying bag that makes it a LOT easier to stow and carry a Rad battery, here:  https://www.radowners.com/index.php?topic=1165.0
Perhaps this bag might be useful to you.
#758
I found a reference to this on a forum post somewhere (might have even been this one) and gave it a try - if you'd like something to protect a Rad battery and make it easy to carry when off the bike, this is it!

https://amzn.to/3iKKO8r

As I'd heard, this fits current batteries like a glove, as if it were made for this purpose, right down to following the curves at the top of the battery.  Padded, well-made and sturdy with a strap handle.  Not expensive, and you might get lucky - I got mine "Used-Like New" for only US$14.95 and it looked brand new.  Highly recommended if you need something like this; you might want to snag one before Rad buys up the production and rebrands it at twice the price.   ;)
#759
RadMini / Re: New bike pic's
July 09, 2021, 01:32:30 PM
I like your afterburner fan - is that wired into your bike?
#760
Group Rides / Re: Quimper Peninsula, WA
July 09, 2021, 01:26:04 PM
Quote from: Hehateme on July 09, 2021, 09:31:14 AM
You must be right. I live in Washington and still didn't know what the heck that was.

Dan's right.  I figured anybody in the Quimper Peninsula area would know.
#761
Quote from: Diane Reynolds on June 29, 2021, 12:13:09 PM
For the first time in 4000 miles, I removed the battery due to traveling in extreme heat with the bike in the hatchback of the car.  Took it in at night to motel.  Arrived at destination and cannot for the life of me, figure out how to "slide" it back in.  Can anyone help me?  It seems to get stuck on little plastic tabs on the way down.

That's smart to pull it inside to room temp if it's very hot outside.  I think Tony has the best idea for the first thing to check - if that pin is sticking out on the back, it means you put the key back into the "locked" position before removing it from the battery.   Set the lock to "unlocked" at the very end of the travel and that'll fix it.

If that's not it, let us know which model bike you have, since the batteries are mounted differently.
#762
Group Rides / Quimper Peninsula, WA
July 07, 2021, 01:38:38 PM
I'm in PT, exploring the trails I never knew were there - happy to look into connecting with others in the area.  Older and slower than my motorcycle heyday, but not as slow now after getting the Rad Mini.
#763
Quote from: Ryan on July 06, 2021, 12:28:47 PM
Curious if anyone else has solutions here. With our RadWagon 4 and the front rack I'm wondering if I should even bother trying to put on the premium headlight or stick with the stock one.

Ryan, you might get some benefit from my reply #6 in this thread, which meandered onto headlights: https://www.radowners.com/index.php?topic=1132.msg5687#new
#764
Quote from: jbfoster on July 05, 2021, 01:51:39 PM
Quote from: Kenzo35 on July 04, 2021, 11:18:07 AM
Try 2 months waiting for headlight upgrade that was said to be in stock. No tracking number. Was told they'd notify me when shipped, nothing beyond that.

Don't get to excited for the headlight upgrade. I got it and it kinda sucks. No way it's worth $49.

I absolutely agree!  It's bigger and looks better in proportion to my Mini ST, and it's brighter than the little stock light, but the beam just sucks - it's a very bright and tightly-focused little rectangle thrown out ahead of you, surrounded by darkness so that you can't see to either side or near the bike to avoid stuff on the road or see potholes, animals, signs or people up ahead.  It's actually dangerous on a dark night unless you're riding very slowly.  Awful design, unlike many Rad things - the lens designer and product manager should be fired for putting this on the menu as-is.  I wrote a well-mannered owner's review about this (no "sucks") on the product's web page and it was never posted - scrolling the list of reviews seems to indicate they're only posting the 4 or 5-star reviews, which IMHO are undeserved.

I kept the "premium" light in place as a backup/running light and because it's not wimpy-looking like the stock unit, but added a Planet Bike 800 SLX light to an add-on accessory bar (was running out of level horizontal room).  Now THAT is a great bike light; nicely-shaped beam that lights up everything ahead without annoying oncoming drivers, very bright for absolutely-dark country roads, with two dimmer modes and a very nice pulsing (not strobing, although it can do that too) daylight visibility mode.  Pic below.  Absolutely love that PB800 and wouldn't have ordered the Rad "premium" light if I'd done better homework.

#765
Good video; thanks for the link.  The Lockpicking Lawyer YT site ( https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer/search?query=kryptonite ) is also pretty interesting - he gets through anything, including Kryptonite and ABUS, pretty quickly.  Fortunately, most criminals aren't as skilled as he is.

I've read a number of comments on forums about how Kryptonite weasels out of almost every single one of their "bike replacement guarantee" claims.  Ended up going with an ABUS Granit U-lock and finally figured out how to efficiently mount it to the outside of the basket on the back of my Mini StepThru, along with an ABUS cable.  I live in a peaceful rural area, so don't have to use either one (I turn off the battery and set the alarm if she'll be out of my line of sight for any length of time) but wanted them available if I ever need to lock up the front wheel, in a big city, to a tree, in a sketchy area etc.