Debating Purchase of Radmini Step Thru

[brewsnbikes]

Hi! I'm new to the world of electric bikes and have been doing a lot of research since riding an electric bike on vacation recently and loving it! I have heard Rad is a great company and that their bikes are solid and priced well for the quality. I went to the showroom in San Diego to test ride both the city and mini step thru models - both were great! I have been leaning towards the mini based off folding feature and versatility. Just curious if there is anything current radmini step thru owners wish they knew before they purchased, would you purchase it again knowing what you know now, any other pros/cons to this model? Thanks so much!

Briana

[SemperVee]

I had a City step thru and it was too small and made the frame wobble as expected with weight on the back rack in the form of a trunk loaded with groceries.   When I picked up my new RAD mini I made sure to get the NON ST version and very glad I did.

[brewsnbikes]

Thank you for the input, I appreciate it!

[JimInPT]

I love my MiniST 2, received back in March, and have seen several comments on various forums about non-ST owners wishing they'd bought the step-thru.  IMHO there is no downside to doing so and it comes in very handy if you have any joint issues or if you add a rack and big basket on the back, or just carry large things now and then, needing to swing a leg over with the non-ST version.  There are no structural issues; I'm not tiny and it's as solid as a rock.

Your choice of course, and the new price is pretty great - the only thing I'd do is have it checked over thoroughly by a bike mechanic if you're not one, because Rad is now forced into using substituted parts on some models due to supply shortages.  It'll still be fully warranted of course, but you want to be sure everything is aligned correctly and up to snuff.  At a minimum, check to make sure all fasteners are torqued properly.

And since you're new to Rads, FYI you should know that all current Rad models (except the new Rover 6, I presume) have a problem with the key that locks the battery in place - all of them can be unlocked and stolen with a $7 uncut blank key easily found on eBay.  Hard to believe, I know, but I carry a blank on my keyring to show to other Rad owners I come across.  That's the reason for the little U-lock on my Mini at the top of the battery.  Worth knowing if you end up parking it in crimey places sometimes; you can either add theft protection / alarm or just take the battery with you if it's concerning.  My little town is not a problem, but the engineer OCD in me insisted on addressing the problem.

Aside from a minor squeak on the front end (which Rad helped me fix over the phone when I couldn't find the source on my own), I've had zero problems.  In fact, I just checked tire pressure yesterday and after two weeks it hasn't even dropped a single PSI (but I did Slime both ends shortly after I got it).

If you buy a Rad model of any kind, be sure to hit up Ryan's discount page here on the forum to get an additional $50 referral discount (if it's still applicable) and get him a little bonus from Rad at no cost to you.

Nice little bikes, for sure.  Here's pic of mine with accessories added (except for the new GoPro addition):

[brewsnbikes]

Hi Jim,

Thank you so much for the thorough response- I appreciate you taking the time to share about your experience with the Radmini ST!

[Raxel641]

I bought 2 of the Rad Mini 4's. We love the folding feature and the riding position. I have RA in my shoulders, and the riding position is perfect for me. I also bought the Hollywood E-bike rack for our RV and it's awesome. When we use my wife's Traverse we had to find an alternative way of hauling them because we don't have a receiver hitch. We found a couple on YouTube that use a 50 gallon Craftsman rolling container from Lowe's. Once the bikes are folded, they fit perfectly in the container. Then lift it into the back of the Traverse.

[brewsnbikes]

Hi Raxel641,

Thank you for sharing your experience with your minis! I've gone ahead and purchased the Rad Mini Step Thru 2 so have been looking into best ways to store in the back of my Rav4- I'm thinking one of these containers would be perfect!

Briana