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Messages - Harhir

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RadWagon / Re: Lectric Radwagon killer
« on: February 27, 2023, 07:36:25 AM »
Quote from: BeachWagon on February 23, 2023, 07:10:40 AM
Lectric has just come out with a cargo bicycle, the Xpedition and it has many upgrades compared to the RW4.

From what I've seen, it is lighter, more powerful, comes with hydraulic disk brakes, has 20x3" tires, and is available as a one or two battery model for hundreds less than a RW4. Also, the rear rack accessories seem better thought out than Rads.

Seems that Rad is going to need to make an updated Radwagon to be able to compete.

The 450 lbs payload capacity is impressive. This is a 100 lbs more than Rad is rated for. But I wonder what the quality would be at a price that low. I have a RW3 and the quality is ok but not that great. But I can't complain for what I paid for.
What I find interesting in general: You have quite a few electric cargo bikes in the $1500-$2,000 range like The Radwagon, Lextric XPedition, Blix Packa, Flyer L885  ... and then hive bikes in the $4,000 to $6,000 range like the Tern HSD, Trek Fetch+ 2, Xtracycle, .... Bu there seem to be hardly any bikes in the $2K to $4K range.

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RadWagon / Re: Project Rad Wagon
« on: February 01, 2023, 07:26:26 AM »
I would do some research about graffiti removal. There are cleaners/solvents out there which are made for this kind of paint removal. I think the bikes are powder coated originally and the thugs probably used rattle cans to paint the bike.
The other more expensive option would be to strip the frame down completely, have it media blasted and powder coated in you personal color.
As for testing the motor I would look for a replacement battery and holder and see if you can get this back together. The cheapest option might be to find another donor ebike.
Good luck.



3
General Chat / Re: "New Rad" CEO Letter - Thoughts?
« on: January 30, 2023, 08:59:43 AM »
The biggest issue in my opinion with RAD is, that they don't resell trough stores expect their own. If you live east of the Rockies and west of Florida there are none. I personally would never buy a new bike which I cannot test fit and test ride. A bike needs to be tailored to your body and buying a bike blind based measurements is a no-Go for me. On top of that I want a bike store take care of my issues during the warranty period and maybe even later. Many bike stores are just not willing to work on these bikes and not everyone is capable to work on their bikes. Long story short I am not a fan of online presence only.
This is one of the reasons I only buy used bikes. I can actually test ride the bike, I can fix most issues and I pay a fraction of the price compared to a new bike. This offsets the disadvantages of not having a dealer close by. But not everyone has the skills or means to do that.
Another issue I have is them using proprietary parts. When I started looking into electric cargo bikes about two years ago the RW4 became an instant no-GO for me when I learned that they were using 22" tires. And that was before they even had the tire issues. This is why I ended up with a used RW3.
If you resell your bikes online only then please use standard parts one can buy anywhere else as well. Especially when it comes to consumable items. I don't want to rely on parts I can get from the manufacturer only. If that company goes bust I might have a heavy doorstop on my hands and not a working bike. I have my share of experiences with bikes from manufactures which are no longer around.


4
RadWagon / Re: Anyone else full of Rage over the RADwagon 4 tire problem solution?
« on: January 27, 2023, 07:36:42 AM »
I strongly recommend not to use any of these rubber rim strips. Get yourself two rolls of the fabric rim tapes such as the Velox rim tapes. They come come in different widths. I have been using these for almost 20 years on all my bikes . They don't slide, don't tear and are much sturdier than any of these rubber strips.

5
RadWagon / Re: Safety Notice regarding your RadWagon 4
« on: January 24, 2023, 11:45:41 AM »
Quote from: BeachWagon on January 21, 2023, 01:59:29 PM
I can easily replace the front tire myself, but I don't really want all the hassle of removing the rear tire.

Replacing the rear tire is not that hard. Put the bike upside down. Pulling the wheel out is easy and when putting it back in let gravity do the job for you. I just replaced both tires on my RW3. I have a piece of old carpet in my garage which I use for these kind of bike services.

6
General Chat / Re: How much do you trust your Rad?
« on: January 19, 2023, 06:49:05 AM »
Quote from: Traildad on January 18, 2023, 09:18:31 PM
I?m thinking about what we would do if a controller went bad etc. I plan to use flat tire prevention and I can fix most mechanical malfunctions. If something in the electrical system fails I might be walking out.
Why? You can still pedal even if the controller or motor fails.

7
RadCity / Rad City 5 reliability?
« on: December 25, 2022, 04:45:03 PM »
There is a Rad City 5 bike for sale in my neighborhood. Less than 20 miles on it  and seller is asking $1k. Also comes with a front basket.
Seller got this bike from Rad for an online review and Rad did not want the bike back. He is trying to sell it now.
Anyhow I am trying to find out how reliable they are since I will not have any warranty. I have read that there have been issues with the controller and mushy hydraulic brakes. Plus as I understand Rad uses a proprietary battery on that bike. I am just not a big fan of any form of proprietary stuff on bikes.
I am just trying to find out what to expect and if there could be any expensive traps. I always buy used bikes and always fix them up myself but my experience with e-bikes is limited so far.
Thanks

8
General Chat / Re: Another round of layoffs at Rad.
« on: December 08, 2022, 01:56:43 PM »
I heard the bad news. Hope you find a new job soon.

9
RadWagon / Re: RW4 and Ballard Cargo Bags
« on: December 07, 2022, 09:26:16 AM »
Yes it is sad that RAD has quite a few accessories which are not compatible with each other. Their website even says that you cannot use the ballard bags with a basket which makes no sense when you want to utilize the bike as a cargo bike.
If you are a bit handy you can modify the bike. Raising he deck is a good idea so that you can get the basket above the bags. Tales on Two Wheels website listed above has some good ideas.
I have a RW3 and I am currently working on my own solution as well.



10
RadWagon / Re: DIY Pannier mount for standard bags on Radwagon4
« on: November 29, 2022, 07:23:27 AM »
Quote from: donoftime on May 28, 2022, 08:24:04 PM
Hi all,

Like many others, I want to have both a Yepp child seat and panniers on the bike at the same time which rules out the Ballard bag from Rad. I found some panniers I liked, but of course most normal panniers won't work on the radwagon because the rack is much too large in diameter for hooks, and too wide for most bags with straps connecting them.

After a bit of deliberation, I put together what has turned out to be a pretty solid adapter using standard parts that should be available at any hardware store. Specifically, I used ...


The idea is to use the coupler material to protect the bike frame and offset the tubing such that there is space to get a pannier connected, and use the straps to secure the tubing to the bike. To do this, I ...

  • ...remove the straps that came with the coupler. These will likely be too small to reach around the frame + tubing
  • ...cut the coupler in half to give me two separate pieces
  • ...cut a slit lengthwise in the coupler pieces to allow them to be placed around the frame
  • ...place a strap around the frame and coupler, with two attachment points on each side
  • ...insert the tubing between the strap and the coupler, ensuring it rests below the frame
  • ...tighten the straps, ensuring the excess strapping is rotated inside the bike to keep it out of the way


At that point, the tubes are attached firmly to the bike and offset by the coupler. It allows me to attach and detach my bags, though usually I leave them attached. For the bottom hook on the bags, I used a simple zip-tie to secure the hook to the frame to keep it from flopping, though the same idea could be reused at the bottom as well.

Hopefully that is helpful for anyone else who wants something like this!

Thanks for the idea with these rods. I originally wanted some large long panniers for my Radwagon but they are hard to find and very expensive. For now I added the aluminum rods to hang two panniers on either side. I already have a set of vintage Ortliebs and two panniers once sold by IKEA which have not been used in a while. I will give that a try. I also have some DIY cat litter bucket panniers I could use.
Now I need to work on a box solution for the top of the bike which does not block access to the panniers. I already have some ideas for that.

Thanks

11
Pride & Joy / New to me 2018 Radwagon 3
« on: November 01, 2022, 11:33:10 AM »
Howdy from Texas. My first electric bike. This will become my new grocery and hardware hauler. Originally I wanted to electrify my existing home made cargo bike. But that would have been more expensive than just buying a used already built bike. Plus I just love that color.
The bike is in great shape. The front derailleur needs some minor tuning as well as the front brakes. And it has some minor scratches. Oh well it is and will be a utility vehicle.
Need to add a front rack and pannier holders on the back (already seen some ideas here). And it will get a deck with two milk crates similar to my current cargo bike. Plus a trailer hitch for my Burley Travoy. Looking forward modifying it. But unfortunately I won't get to it until Thanksgiving.


12
RadWagon / Re: DIY Pannier mount for standard bags on Radwagon4
« on: November 01, 2022, 08:58:19 AM »
Quote from: Trogster on October 31, 2022, 01:42:41 PM
There are other ways to accomplish this.  1/2-inch aluminum rod, shaped Teflon spaces, 2-Stainless fasteners.
Thanks. That is a nice idea for the top mount. But how to clamp in the lower section of the panniers to the bike? I have a 2 sets of Ortliebs which have a lower anchoring point. I also built me some panniers out of kitty litter buckets with a bungee cord hook to tie them to the bottom of a bike rack. If the bags are fully loaded and heavy and are not tied to the frame they swing away from the bike when you are leaning into corners.

13
Service & Repair / Re: Bike repair stand for someone with lifting restrictions?
« on: November 01, 2022, 08:29:27 AM »
If you are working in the garage and have some space at the ceiling you could get one of these ceiling lifts to pull up a bike.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RAD-Cycle-Black-1-Bike-Ceiling-Mount-Heavy-Duty-Garage-Bike-Rack-HWD630542/308049877
There are various models out there.

14
RadWagon / Re: DIY Pannier mount for standard bags on Radwagon4
« on: October 30, 2022, 11:02:52 AM »
Thanks for sharing. Great idea for the upper mount of panniers. How did you tie down the panniers at the bottom? I have some Ortliebs and self made cat litter buckets which I also need to tie down at the bottom so they don?t flap.
Thanks

15
RadWagon / 2 questions about the RW 3
« on: October 30, 2022, 10:54:27 AM »
Howdy folks. New RW3 owner here from Texas. I just purchased a used 2018 RW3 which I want to convert into my grocery hauler.
I want to add a front basket. Does the current front basket or front rack fit on the 2018 RW3? I have not decided yet which way to go.
For the rear setup I will probably go with milk crates as I have done on my other cargo bike.
Second question is about the tail light. I was a bit bummed to see that the tail light runs on AAA batteries as it looks like but the front light ties into the bike battery as it should be on an ebike. Has anyone retrofitted their bike with a tail light which connects to the bike battery?

Thanks

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