I offer a few observations about Rad Rover 5 assembly. Mine arrived 2 weeks ago and I assembled it using (a) the enclosed written instructions and (b) having the video going on my laptop at the same time. I only stumbled across this Owners Forum after I had already purchased my bike.
All went very well, I must say, but there were 2 things that would have been helpful to know that did not get covered in the instructions. Granted, the instruction materials were published some time ago and these latest issues may not have been thought up when the video was done.
First, Rad appears to tighten the brake calipers all the way shut on both the front and the back of the bike prior to shipping. I couldn't get the front wheel on as the calipers were too tight to allow the disc through the brake slot. I did find a reference somewhere that suggested opening up the caliper 2 clicks, so I was good to go once I did that. Then, when fully assembled, I couldn't get the rear wheel to spin. There wasn't any notation that, again, the rear caliper was firm and tight around the rear disc. So, after puzzling on this a bit, I thought it could be the same issue that I had on the front. I loosened the rear caliper 2 clicks. All went well after that. But needless to say I was a little confused why my new bike didn't have a spinning rear wheel. I'm no bike expert. I think wheels are supposed to spin freely.
Second, and this is probably a small thing, but in the unpackaging I was not aware that the cloth / velcro strip that protects a cable to the very rear of the right pedal is supposed to stay on, presumably, to protect the cable from dirt etc. Not only did I not know it was intended to stay on, I didn't know there was a velcro strip to secure it. Ok - I'm a fool. And there was nothing referencing that particular piece of stuff. It got destroyed during assembly. OOPs. I note, too, that that was the only piece of "packaging" that didn't appear to be styrofoam or other cushioning material. Yes, I should have left it on, but I didn't know any better and I never saw any pictures that had the protective piece on, so naturally I thought it was superfluous. So I have asked the nice people at Rad to send me a replacement piece. But the Product Support function is lame and slow, I doubt I'll ever hear from them on this. I've described the matter fully for them but the response is basically "I don't know what you are talking about." I would have thought someone in the company would know how they ship their bikes, but I could be mistaken.
So far it has been a good bike. Hope to put more miles on it this week.
All went very well, I must say, but there were 2 things that would have been helpful to know that did not get covered in the instructions. Granted, the instruction materials were published some time ago and these latest issues may not have been thought up when the video was done.
First, Rad appears to tighten the brake calipers all the way shut on both the front and the back of the bike prior to shipping. I couldn't get the front wheel on as the calipers were too tight to allow the disc through the brake slot. I did find a reference somewhere that suggested opening up the caliper 2 clicks, so I was good to go once I did that. Then, when fully assembled, I couldn't get the rear wheel to spin. There wasn't any notation that, again, the rear caliper was firm and tight around the rear disc. So, after puzzling on this a bit, I thought it could be the same issue that I had on the front. I loosened the rear caliper 2 clicks. All went well after that. But needless to say I was a little confused why my new bike didn't have a spinning rear wheel. I'm no bike expert. I think wheels are supposed to spin freely.
Second, and this is probably a small thing, but in the unpackaging I was not aware that the cloth / velcro strip that protects a cable to the very rear of the right pedal is supposed to stay on, presumably, to protect the cable from dirt etc. Not only did I not know it was intended to stay on, I didn't know there was a velcro strip to secure it. Ok - I'm a fool. And there was nothing referencing that particular piece of stuff. It got destroyed during assembly. OOPs. I note, too, that that was the only piece of "packaging" that didn't appear to be styrofoam or other cushioning material. Yes, I should have left it on, but I didn't know any better and I never saw any pictures that had the protective piece on, so naturally I thought it was superfluous. So I have asked the nice people at Rad to send me a replacement piece. But the Product Support function is lame and slow, I doubt I'll ever hear from them on this. I've described the matter fully for them but the response is basically "I don't know what you are talking about." I would have thought someone in the company would know how they ship their bikes, but I could be mistaken.
So far it has been a good bike. Hope to put more miles on it this week.