There is a tremendous lot to love about Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes. The company makes the most reliable, affordable, and good-looking electric bikes I’ve tried. They’re comfortable to ride (even if the cadence sensor could use a little fine-tuning if you’re a slower pedaler), and they have all the specs necessary for a powerful commuter ride, including a 750-watt hub motor, hydraulic disc brakes, and auto-activated lights.
The company ships directly to consumers, but the packaging is sturdier than from other manufacturers I’ve tested. If you live on the West Coast, Rad Power also has dedicated Rad Service vans that can assemble and service your bike. If possible, I recommend getting the bike assembled for you, as a cracked display screen once arced on me—a bolt of electricity shot between the battery and the cable as I was about to plug it in—which is extremely dangerous.
Rad Power Bikes is currently offering two bikes on sale through May 8, 2022. If neither are what you’re looking for, check out our Best Electric Bikes and Best Electric Cargo Bikes guides for more recommendations. Our Best Bike Accessories guide has all the accouterments you’d need.
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Photograph: Rad Power Bikes
We have been long-term-testing the RadRover 6 Plus for several months, and it has performed admirably. (The battery charger did die, but a replacement charger is only $39.) Personally, I think the enormous, fat tires are overkill if you just want a regular commuter bike. They add a lot of weight and drain the battery unnecessarily. Once, I didn’t pay attention to the battery meter and the battery died while I was out. Without a battery, I could barely get the bike moving on a flat, empty street.
However, if you like to bike to waterfalls or rivers or you live on a street with gravel roads, the RadRover is an extremely fun bike to ride. The 750-watt motor got me handily up the 15-degree hill that I’ve nicknamed “Battery Killer” without a qualm.
Photograph: Rad Power Bikes
For this deal, you need to add two RadRunner 2 ebikes to your cart and use the code SAVE400 to see the discount at checkout. Alternatively, you can add a RadRunner 2 and a RadRover 6 Plus to see the same $400 discount. But if you can find someone to go in on this with you, I’d suggest you both get the RadRunner 2. The original RadRunner is by far the most useful and popular bike I’ve ever tested, and this update looks just as good. Most people I know personally buy the RadRunner, and this is the bike I see most often around my parts.
The tires on the RadRunner are burly, puncture-resistant Kenda tires. But at 20 inches, they’re smaller and lighter than the ones on the RadRover, and therefore easier to maneuver. The RadRunner also has a 750-watt motor, just like the RadRover, and the new iteration comes with a cushier saddle. The step-through frame is attractive and makes it easier for short people to ride, and it also leaves space to mount a second kid’s seat or other cargo in front of the rider, instead of behind as on a longtail. I’ve seen RadRunners so decked out in cargo accessories that they look like full-on mopeds.
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