I live at the top of a longish, very steep hill on a dirt road. I am older and not very strong. My Rad Step-thru can't make it up the hill without very vigorous all-out pedaling. i put the assist on 5 and the gear on 1. With the wattage already maxed at 750, the throttle is pretty useless. is there anything i can do to increase the power of the bike or other setting that might be better? I like the bike under relatively easy conditions, but I expectred more and am somewhat disappointed.
Best strategy for v. steep hill
- Thread starter tallenvt
- Start date
TomD
Well-Known Member
You could look at replacing your bike with a powerful mid drive like the Bafang Ultra or BBSHD. In low gear I can pretty much throttle up any hill with my Ultra. Uses a lot of battery but conventional wisdom is mid drive is the way to go for steep hills since you can leverage your bike's gears. If you just need a little extra help maybe something like this might work?
boltonebikes.com
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Last edited:
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
Rad City step through, right? Not the newer step through Rover? I ask as they use different drive types.
If it's the 'City, you might try hitting the hill a little faster if you can do that safely. The motors make a little more power at speeds over 10-12mph. Below that they are gutless. I was pretty disappointed with mine as well. Been quite an adventure, but after a series of modifications, it's now able to put a grin on my face under about any conditions
So other than trying at a little faster speed, there are other options, but none are free.
I'd be surprised to hear you were having trouble with a Rover. -Al
If it's the 'City, you might try hitting the hill a little faster if you can do that safely. The motors make a little more power at speeds over 10-12mph. Below that they are gutless. I was pretty disappointed with mine as well. Been quite an adventure, but after a series of modifications, it's now able to put a grin on my face under about any conditions
So other than trying at a little faster speed, there are other options, but none are free.
I'd be surprised to hear you were having trouble with a Rover. -Al
TomD
Well-Known Member
Sorry I can't help as I don't own a rear hub. I bought a cheap rear hub, burned it out on my first ride up a steep hill, returned it, bought a mid drive and never looked back. It is interesting to see folks say their rear hubs do fine on hills, although guessing those are geared hubs. Sounds like you have a direct drive as opposed to a geared hub so double whammy for you. Good luck.
Thanks. It's a long very steep hill. and yes, i have the step-thru. What are the other options--for this bike.
Is there someting i can read so that i have some idea what you are talking about. I bought a bike, didnt expect to have to get a doctorate.
Banzai
Active Member
Nah, don't need a doctorate. Just MORE POWER!
Stay electric.
Keep the step-thru too, but just ride it downhill.
Hope that helps...
Stay electric.
Keep the step-thru too, but just ride it downhill.
Hope that helps...
TomD
Well-Known Member
Know Your Motor: Geared Hub vs. Direct Drive
The electric motor, arguably one of the most integral components on any ebike, has seen many variations over the years.
www.radpowerbikes.com
LOLNah, don't need a doctorate. Just MORE POWER!
Stay electric.
Keep the step-thru too, but just ride it downhill.
Hope that helps...
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
beat me too it. or get off and push.
Sidthesurf
New Member
Hello Tallenvt!
I’m having the same problem (see my post in Introductions) with my 2020 RadMini step thru. I thought I had a 750w Bafang motor, but it’s only a 500w Bafang!! I would do what I did and email the MOTOR manufacture the serial/model number to find out. Also, Kyle at Bolton bikes has a controller & color monitor upgrade for around $200 that should give it more power.
Hope this helps. Let’s us know what you do.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Cannot answer the question of OP. For step hills, I ride a Giant e-MTB, which has been made for climbing...
Mines a Rad Rover step through. I check on a few vacation properties when they are vacant and one of them is at the bottom of a very steep fairly long driveway. I just make sure I'm in first gear when I get to the bottom. When I leave I put it in PAS 5 and zip up it with very little effort at all and I'm 71. I've tried it in PAS 4 and it's a little more difficult but doable. It's actually pretty much the only place i even bother with 1st gear.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
You may draw some better answers to your question by telling us WHICH STEP THROUGH you purchased. It does make a difference. There are 2 choices, and one of them is pretty gutless by nature.
thanks.Know Your Motor: Geared Hub vs. Direct Drive
The electric motor, arguably one of the most integral components on any ebike, has seen many variations over the years.
Nah, don't need a doctorate. Just MORE POWER!
Stay electric.
Keep the step-thru too, but just ride it downhill.
Hope that helps...
If I get the 35a, how hard is it to install? Anyone out there in Vermont who could help?
RangerDave
Member
It would be helpful to those of us responding in this thread what step-thru bike you have. Is it the City, Rover or Mini? The City has a direct drive motor, the Rover and Mini have a geared hub motor. The geared hub motor has twice the rated torque as the DD motor. I’m not too sure the Bolton kit would do you much good on the DD motor. I would also worry a bit about burning out the motor if you climb this steep hill often.
Another thing to keep in mind is as the battery voltage drops, so does your performance. Perhaps below 75%-50% charge the battery won’t be able to sustain your climb and you’ll be back in the same boat you are in now. Sometimes getting off the bike and walking it is the best option. There is a walk-mode function to aid this effort.
If you have the Rover or Mini, the Bolton kit may be a good option for you. If you have the City, that may not be worth the dollars and effort spent. I believe the Bolton kit cables plug into the Rad Bike cables, you just need to remove the original controller box and display and mount the Bolton equivalent.
Good luck, whatever you decide!
RangerDave
Another thing to keep in mind is as the battery voltage drops, so does your performance. Perhaps below 75%-50% charge the battery won’t be able to sustain your climb and you’ll be back in the same boat you are in now. Sometimes getting off the bike and walking it is the best option. There is a walk-mode function to aid this effort.
If you have the Rover or Mini, the Bolton kit may be a good option for you. If you have the City, that may not be worth the dollars and effort spent. I believe the Bolton kit cables plug into the Rad Bike cables, you just need to remove the original controller box and display and mount the Bolton equivalent.
Good luck, whatever you decide!
RangerDave
For the Rover it's very easy, 90 mins or so.
A friend of mine upgraded a Rad City step thru last weekend, it's harder because you have to make some space for the larger controller to fit by moving the rear fender. To do that requires the rear wheel to be removed.
The improvement is worth it, hill climbing is much improved. I would say in some ways because of the improved torque the Rad City benefits more from the Bolton kit than the Rover.
The new LCD is nice, easier to program and more info on the screen.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. It's the RADCity STEP-thru. Looks like i'll have to live with it, even tho all the advertising and even queries to Rad made it seem like it was going to work for me. oh well. compared to a pandemic, this is not the worst news. If I decide to try another brand what would you recommend. I definitely want the curved [cruiser-style] handle bars and step thru.
RangerDave
Member
I will defer to others more knowledgeable regarding better torque-performing bikes that may suit your needs better than the Rad City, but the new Juiced Scorpion is a mighty nice looking bike that may interest you. It has a 52-volt 13 ah battery and says it has lots of torque, but I cannot locate a value specified to compare to the City (which is 40 nm).
Good Luck! - RangerDave
Good Luck! - RangerDave
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