I understand

1.  The trike can go backwards on electric power alone.
2.  There is not much drag on the trike going forward if you do not use electricity - indicating a ratchet system.
3.  The power hub is a geared hub - not a direct drive.

I am wondering how this is done.  I understand geared hubs only go forward with a ratchet system so it can only turn one way. That way, when the motor is not running, the motor is not a drag force on the rotation. 

So how does a geared hub with a ratchet system go backwards?  Maybe my assumption is incorrect and the geared hub engaged 100% of the time with no ratchet system?

Has anyone bought insurance for a bicycle and then have the bike stolen, and then successfully gotten money from insurance?

How much did you get?  And was the trouble of getting insurance and getting reimbursed worth it?  What did you have to do to get the money - did you have to have a police report?  Was a sign of forced entry needed?

Have you been denied insurance money after the bike is stolen?

Thanks for sharing.

Not directly related to Rad products.

I have a Burley bicycle trailer (I think a famous brand) with plastic wheels that takes 20 inch tires.  I have been running 30 psi forever and never had any problems.  The other day, I noticed that the tire states the maximum PSI is 45 pounds so I pumped it up to 45 pounds and the tires promptly blew out after sitting fine in my driveway for about 10 minutes undisturbed after inflation. 

I put in new tubes and tried again and the same thing happened - a blowout after sitting 10 minutes on the driveway while I was fixing a bike.

My conclusion is that regardless of what the tire says, some rims are not made to handle all that pressure.  I think the plastic rim is too small - making it easy to change the tires but easy to blowout too.  The rim does not appear to be damaged. My conclusion is that you have to keep the instruction manual and follow it.  The recommended inflation is 30-35 PSI.  At 45 PSI (Max Sidewall Printed Pressure) there is a blowout.  Seems to me that the margin of error is low.

Maybe it applies to bicycles and bikes too.

The front spokes on my Rad Mini ST2 are very loose.  I can pinch the spokes with just my thumb and index fingers and I can move where the spokes cross by 2 mm. I don't own a truing stand.  <added.  I checked a few, and all the ones I checked were loose> The front wheel does not make any sound.  It seems fine.  Maybe the steering is not as precise - but I am not sure.

So my question is?  What should I do?

I am thinking I would just go around the wheel and tighten each spoke half a turn. 

Any advice?

When I fall, I tend to bang up my brake levers.  Therefore, I think if I get a butterfly handlebar, it would also serve as protection for my brake levers which would be mounted in the rear. Maybe this would be good because the levers take forever to find and are expensive - especially if I decide to upgrade to hydraulic and ebike compatible levers with motor-cutting capabilities.

Also, I have the stem reversed.  With a butterfly handlebar, maybe I don't have to because it brings the handlebar back.

Has anyone tried a butterfly handlebar?  Any recommendations?

My $120 bicycle stand rated for 55 pounds.  This is about the range of movement my body and the bicycle stand can handle.  Good enough for me.

Sharing my measurements.  I measured the threadless stem on the Rad Mini ST.  It is a 1 1/8 inch diameter threadless stem.  The top of the frame, where the stem comes out is 31 inches above the ground or about 79 cm off the ground.

I plan to replace the steering stem because it is too high off the ground even at the lowest setting.  I'll probably get a 5 inch or 6 inch extension and put it about 36 or 37 inches off the ground.

Mini Step Thru.

I lifted the rear wheel off the ground by holding the handlebar and with the kickstand down, tilting the bike to the left.  With a full battery, I engaged walking mode by pushing the down button 3 seconds.

Regardless of PAS setting, the speed on walking mode was 4.9 mph shown on the display.  Wattage was not shown.

Regardless of PAS setting, if I try to slow the rear wheel with my shoes, the bike will try to get back to spinning the rear wheel to 4.9 mph.

On PAS 1, in walking mode, I can stop the rear wheel with my foot.

With increasing PAS, it gets harder and harder to stop the rear wheel with my foot and the rear wheel tries to maintain speed with more and more power.  That is, the rear wheel has more power to maintain 4.9 mph with increasing PAS.

At PAS 5, I cannot stop the rear wheel with my foot.  Note I was tilting the bike, standing on my left foot, and rubbing against the rear wheel with my right foot.  While I feel I was putting a lot of pressure down, I could have done more if I had more leverage.

Wore a few millimeters off my sandals.  Meaning, at PAS5, there was substantial power to the rear wheel.  I suspect it was the full 750 watts - but I don't know.

I did not see the watt output.  There was none on the display.

You can easily replicate my experiment.  It would be interesting to see if other bikes have different settings.

I have been thinking, PAS1 provides about 65 watt of power.  Would adding that level of power onto a rad make the rad similar in performance to a really good non-electric road bicycle?  Would 65 watt make up for all the weight, higher wind profile, more upright riding position, non-racing tires, etc.

Assuming the rider in both cases is the same person.

If not, how about PAS 2 ?

1.  I would buy the rear rack if I don't have one already.  The current rear rack appears to be made specifically for the Rad Mini ST2 - I say this because it appears to be level of the Rad Mini ST2 and tilted on the Expand.  In the future, when the Rad Mini and Rad Mini ST are both discontinued, the rear rack may be adjusted to be more suited for the Expand 5.  I have not heard any news about the non-ST being discontinued so this is just speculation.  <<added by edit.  My Rad rack is flat on my mini ST2>>

Anything else?

Just got an email from Rad.

"We're sorry to break the news to you: the RadMini Step-Thru 2 is almost sold out online. So if you had your heart set on riding the ebike Electric Bike Review named "Best Folding Electric Fat Bike of 2021," you'll need to act fast. Order yours now for shipping in April.

...

We expect the final shipment of the RadMini Step-Thru 2 to sell out quickly. Don't miss your chance—get yours before they're gone.

Stay Rad,

The Rad Power Bikes Team"

Does anyone have a recommendation of one of these tires to replace CST Big Boat 20 inch? 

Another question.  Should I stock up now or wait? 

I have 150 miles on my Mini Step Thru - got it in Dec and I couldn't ride because of the snow.  Summer is coming so I plan to ride more.  I guess maybe the CST big boat may last one year and 500-1000 miles so maybe I should not buy a set of tires this year.  What do you think?

I like the stock grips - especially the grip profile - but wish it had a locking ring so that I can put weight on the flat part of the grip and it would not rotate during a ride. There are many grips available but they are for regular bikes without a throttle.  Does anyone have a recommendation for something for ebikes (I guess it means having half a grip on the right).  Thanks.

I wanted to buy a barrel adjuster for my Rad Mini Step Thru brake lever. I think all the Rad bikes uses the same brake lever? 

I have a micrometer and I measured 9.17 mm which I have difficulty understanding.  I look online and I see 7mm adjusters, 8 mm adjusters and 10 mm adjusters but no 9mm adjuster and I am not even sure if a 9 mm adjuster would fit since I am measuring 9.17 mm.

Does anyone know which size I should buy? Is it some uncommon and not easily found size? It seems to be a tektro CL530 lever.  I just want to buy a few spares.

I was cleaning up my bike, checking everything.  I noticed one nut on the battery mount is loose.  One nut was missing.  I want to point this out to everyone because the nut is small and flush with the bolt thread. Meaning any further loosening will cause the nut to be lost.  See enclosed picture.  So I am just suggesting everyone take a look and tighten theirs.  I plan to use some sort of thread lock/locktight stuff on it.  I don't want this nut to come loose again.

It is a small nut but I don't know nut sizes so I rather not spend an hour at the hardware store trying to figure out a replacement.

I am going through the bike double-checking every bolt and nut.  Everything else seems fine.

Rad is taking care of me.  The service is impressive.  Very impressive.

Sharing my discovery. I was able to connect my Burley Trailer using the old style hitch to my Rad Mini ST rack. No modifications needed.  All the parts were standard and not altered at all.  Even the safety strap could be connected. Took me about 10 min to figure out but it can be done.

Of course, I am not endorsing this and you take your own risks doing this.  I am not carrying a child in the trailer.  This is my cargo hauler.

I am just fantasying about building my own rear wheel from a rim, motor, and spokes.  Is the rear wheel on the Rad Mini Step Through offset to accommodate the chainring like in a traditional bicycle?

Also, do you have a recommendation for a wheel truing stand?

Thanks for your time and help.