I didn't realize that CT5+ means RadCity, and I didn't know what model Abus lock you meant. My Radmission is like a one-speed RadCity, and I love the Abus frame lock.  It's much more convenient than the big U lock and cable I got for my Radrunner, and it might be harder to reach with an angle grinder.

Amazon has several models, including a Kryptonite version. I may buy the chain extension so I can secure it to a post besides locking the wheel.

https://wiredgrip.com/bike-lock-ratings/

This article mentions 4 of the rating organizations: Sold Secure, ART, VdS, and Thatcham.

It also mentions ISO, ASTM, and CEN standards.

I saw a youtube video where a cyclist used a very good lock to secure his bike to a rack, I think in London, with lots of pedestrian traffic. He returned with a cordless angle grinder and, with people all around in broad daylight, cut the lock and rode off. The secret was that he wore a fluorescent yellow reflective vest such as cops and utility workers might wear, so passersby paid no attention.

In America, cars were not as popular as bicycles until 1919. Cars became practical in part because for decades, bicyclists had campaigned for better roads. In my town, the roads are so bad that anyone on a bike raises eyebrows. That's my primary security. Loading a bike onto a truck would be more conspicuous than simply defeating a lock and riding away.

I've watched youtube videos involving soldering in new wiring.

It looks as if Radpower installs various brands of brakes on the Radcity 5+. If the brand is printed on the brake, that could be a lead. Measuring the barb with a caliper might help. I'd provide the information to a savvy parts vendor.

Quote from: RadBob on September 14, 2023, 08:36:35 AM
Hi
Just out of curiosity on the Rad Expand 5
Is there information on the controller to know exactly what the specs are?
I?m looking to squeeze the most performance and range out of these bikes while protecting the battery at the same time.

Thanks
Bob

If complete specs were available, a rider would know whether a brighter headlight would be okay. Radpower doesn't even seem to state output amps to the motor.

Thirty months ago, I put a 35-amp controller on my Radrunner. That seems to be twice the OEM current for a 750 watt motor from Radpower. I didn't see a reduction in range, and my battery is doing fine.

The amount of pedaling the rider supplies will of course affect range. I have gotten 140 miles on a charge.

15 mph is where air drag begans to rise steeply. Riding faster will shorten range and probably service life.

I' ve read that demanding much power when a lithium-ion battery is in a low state of charge, will shorten its service life. I normally get about 70 miles on a charge because I recharge when the battery is down halfway.

I believe that letting the cells get out of balance will shorten a battery's service life besides its range. I believe Radpower says you balance a battery by leaving it to charge for 12 hours. At the same time, Radpower says not to leave a battery on the charger. I use a timer. My battery will gain about 2 volts per hour on the charger. My fully charged voltage is 54. When a battery needs charging, I use a multimeter to see how far the battery is below 54. I divide the difference by 2, then add an hour for balancing.

At the end of 2020 I bought a Radrunner. I was 73 and weighed 255. The pavement around here is rough, and the seat was a piece of steel welded to the post with almost no padding. Right off the bat, I bought this for $30, along with a suspension post.
https://amzn.to/3Rnp05d

It was still terrible. I remembered what American GIs discovered in England in WWII. Compared to American bikes, English bikes looked like racers, with 60 PSI tires and little seats, but they were far more comfortable than American bikes. The secret was position. The English seats were much farther aft, which took weight off butts and put it on legs. Moving the seat back can also put weight on the hands, but raising the bars can fix that.

I removed the suspension post and bought a layback, which I heated with a torch and bent further, moving the seat back ten inches. I cut a triangle of plywood to support the seat, cantilevered so far back, against the rack.That made a huge difference in comfort, handling, and pedaling efficiency.

A year ago I bought a Radmission, whose OEM seat looks uncomfortably thin. I bought another layback post, heated and bent it, and sawed another plywood triangle to support it on the rear rack. I bought a seat that looks equally uncomfortable.
https://amzn.to/3uN6hXN

With most of my weight on my legs, it's plenty comfortable, even hitting speed bumps at 25 mph.

It has happened to me from time to time, maybe with both bikes. I think it's the front brake. I guess the pad can lightly touch the disk normally, but when you roll backwards, it's like stroking a cat backwards, and you get vibrations.

Now that I ride at night, I have a different solution. At twilight or on streets with adequate light, I rely on the OEM light so drivers and pedestrians know I'm coming. When I need to see better, I turn on a rechargeable light on the handlebar, maybe 400 lumens on high.

There are youtube videos showing how to replace the cable. I've seen a motor extender cable at Amazon, with a male and a female connecter. Clip the connector you don't need and you have a motor cable.

I believe you open the motor with a security bit. Then you snip the colored wires, leaving enough to show where to solder the wires from the new cable. Threading the new cable through the axle looks challenging.

Did it work OK when new? Did the problem appear after mechanical work?

The PAS sensor is supposed to work forward but not backward. Yours may be on backwards.
https://radpowerbikes.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038826313-Integrated-pedal-assist-PAS-sensor-replacement-guide

I don't know if reversing the wiring could also cause the problem. Has anyone spliced the cable?

I read somewhere what the sidewall pressure means. They inflate a tire until it busts off the rim. The DOT says half that pressure is the maximum safe pressure and must be put on the sidewall. My Radrunner 1 manual says anything more or less than that pressure, which they don't state, is unsafe.

Quote from: Franco on August 26, 2023, 06:16:02 AM
I don?t even know if I?m describing it well.

I noticed the little hand-tighten screws next to the left brake lever looked very loosened. They sure weren?t where they used to be.

I had just pulled the cable tighter down by the brakes, since the levers almost touched the handle to fully engage. Done this many times.

Now, when I let go of the left brake lever completely, and it springs back open, the brake light stays on and I have no power.

I currently have a piece of tape to keep that brake lever from springing open quite all the way, the brake light stays off, and I have power.

Not a long-term solution.

I suspect it has to do with those hand-screws.

I guess you're talking about the adjustor. There's also one on the caliper. Screwing the barrel out tightens the cable. The nut locks the barrel after adjustment. If both barrels are out pretty far and the cable is still loose, you screw the barrels in, loosen the screw that pinches the cable on the caliper lever, and pull more cable through.

The problem is the switch, not the cable adjuster. The switch adjuster is beside the cable adjuster. I've never had to adjust one. It appears to be locked by a tiny allen screw. Before turning the adjustor, maybe you should unplug the connector a few inches away, so the cord won't get all twisted.

I probably don't know the answer to the problem, but what model to you have?

I never liked the Sting Ray, but, come to think of it, I modified my Radrunner and my Radmissiion along similar lines. Neither had any suspension.

I started with my Radrunner. My concern was stability. I moved to seat about 12" aft and it steered much better. I could put more torque on the pedals, and bumps were easier because there was less weight on my butt. However, depending on the height of the bars, moving the seat back can put more weight on your arms. I added a stem riser and changed bars so that now the bottoms of the grips are 47" off the pavement.

After moving the seat on the Radmission, I added a riser and an adjustable stem to get the grips 45" off the pavement. Yesterday afternoon, I began experiencing sharp pains when I moved my elbow. It must have come from hitting a bump on my Radmission an hour before. I'd noticed nothing at the time, and I'd ridden that bike 1100 miles without trouble. Sure enough, when I rode around the block, bumps were very painful.

There was no pain on my Radrunner. What a difference two inches can make! I'll stick with the Radrunner until my elbow heals.

https://amzn.to/3T0ohIt

This looks similar.