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Different wheels/tires for RW4?

Started by Ddaybc, December 06, 2021, 02:13:50 PM

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Ddaybc

I own a RadWagon 4 and am looking into using alternative wheels/tires as the current tires are: 1) custom sized at 22" 2) difficult to get 3) tubes are also difficult to get 4) an alternate tire tread is not available for common things such as winter riding, loose gravel/sand or even a small amount of mud.
Yes I'm investigating getting some tire chains from Slipknot but the tire chains don't necessarily work for gravel/sand and mud. My old fat bike was wonderful on any type of terrain with it's knobby tires!
Have any RW4 owners tried alternate tire sizes? For example 20" tires and wheels? I know tires and wheels larger than 22" won't work as there's not enough room. The fork spacing is 5" so it looks like it will comfortably accept 4" or maybe even 4.25" wide tires. Especially if the tires are slightly smaller in diameter than the 22" tires the RW4 currently has.
I have looked at the Rad site and it looks like the RadRunners and the RadMinis have 20" wheels and tires. The front dropouts are all the same size at 135mm while the rear dropouts are different. The rear dropouts are doable with spacers as the RW4 has a 175mm width. The RadRunner and RadMini are 167 and 170mm respectively.
However, if one could get the spokes and a rim for the rear wheel one could lace either the RW4 hub drive to the 20" wheel or a completely new hub drive to the wheel. Grin technologies has an excellent site where one can determine what length of spoke one would need and they can be ordered from them.
All of the bikes I've listed also use the same brake rotors, callipers and the same crank length so with the smaller diameter tires one doesn't even have to be concerned with parts compatibility or with clearance of the crank while riding.
Anyways, food for thought. Has anyone tried it yet?

Veggyhed

I was going to buy the new wagon but the wheel size held me back along with not having the room.
2 in may change the geometry slightly but in a beneficial way by lowering the center gravity. You don't have to worry about the controller because you can dial in 20 in wheels.
If you have the money I would have 20-in wheels laced up to replace the 22-in. I would also be very curious if you do this because I think this is where Rad May go in the future because 22-in wheels are kind of ridiculous since no one else uses them.
I use my bikes as utility bikes. I have the mini four and of course the Rad Runner Plus. I do like the 20-in wheels on them and I like the way they carry things in the back. I have yet to carry anything in the front once I do not have racks for the front.

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Ddaybc

I did a bit more looking at wheel and tire options today and noticed the RadRunner Plus has the same size drop outs front and rear as the RW4. I think I am going to contact Rad to see what the price for a set of wheels and tires would be for the RadRunner Plus.
It might be worth it to look at buying them instead of trying to get some wheels, make sure they can handle the weight, getting new spokes and then lacing up the wheel etc.
Veggyhed, I also hope you are right about Rad going to 20 inch wheels for the RW4. They went from 26" wheels on the original RW's down to 22 in order to lower the centre of gravity and make the cargo bike handle a bit better. Maybe going to 20 inch wheels might do the same?

Ddaybc

Rad Power bikes already answered my questions about RadRunner Plus wheels and tires.

The front wheel and tire, complete is about $210.00 after taxes.
The rear wheel, tire and hub drive is about $440.00 after taxes.

Those are Canadian prices and that's not bad considering the amount of time I would need to source new wheels, spokes, axles, hub drive etc and then lace both wheels up. I am definitely going to keep it in mind. In the meantime I'm going to begin putting some money aside.  :)