Martinjmpr
New Member
I joined this forum because the wife and I have decided we want to get a pair of E-bikes to take with us when we go camping. There is another couple in our camping group that has the Rad Mini folding E-bikes and they love them.
We have had folding (non-powered) bicycles before and I didn't really care for them. I found the seating position awkward and overall I thought they were actually more difficult to transport folded up than a regular, non-folding bike.
I had considered converting our current bikes to electric. See the thread here:
electricbikereview.com
However, it appears to be that there are a number of factors of our existing bicycles that make them less-than-ideal candidates for conversion (particularly the rear frame which does not appear to have robust enough dropouts to handle a powerful motor.)
Currently we have an R-Pod 179 trailer, about 21' long. The floor plan of the 179 features a "hallway" in the middle of the trailer. We have two mountain bikes and what we do now is simply raise the bikes up on their rear wheels, wheel them in, then turn 90 degrees and set the bikes on the floor, one with the handlebars to the front and one with the handlebars to the rear. We throw a tarp or heavy cloth over them so the pedals don't gouge up the wood but otherwise we don't tie them down because there really is not much space for them to move.
Here's a photo of how the bikes sit now:
I'm not 100% against the idea of folding bikes, but if we can carry non-folding E-bikes in the same manner as we currently carry our non folding mountain bikes, I'd prefer that.
My concern is that our current bikes weigh 33 - 35 lbs each (call it 16kg.) At that weight, they're pretty easy for me to lift up and spin around in the trailer.
Most of the E-bikes I see in the price range we are looking at ($1500usd and below) are around 60 - 65 lbs (let's say 29kg.) Most of the specs dont' clarify whether this is with or without the battery, though. I assume (maybe incorrectly?) that the batteries on most of these bikes weigh on the order of 10lbs/4.5kg each.
Wife and I are both in our late 50's and in reasonably good health. I'm 6'1" and weigh just under 200 and wife is 5' 4" and about 175. Her current bike is a step-through unsuspended Bianchi mountain bike and mine is a diamond-frame GT hardtail mountain bike.
In any case, right now I'd say I'm on the fence between a folding bike like the Rad Mini, or a non-folding bike. All things being equal, I'd prefer a non-folding bike, but I'm concerned that it might be too heavy/bulky to lift into our RV. Carrying on the roof is not an option and although the trailer has a rear carrier, I wouldn't trust it for anything other than the spare tire (which is what it holds now) without some serious reinforcing. I also don't like the idea of bicycles being on the back of the trailer where I can't see them.
One advantage of folding bikes is that I could also potentially carry them in my tow vehicle, a 2018 F-150 Crew Cab Short Bed with a cab-high shell/topper. I'm just not sure that the compromises of a folding bike would be worth any advantages of them.
Ideally, I'd also like a bicycle I can ride to work. Work is 10 miles away and there are nice protected trails the entire distance, but part of my morning commute includes a fairly long and high hill (probably at least 2 solid miles of climbing.) To me the commuting aspect also makes me lean against a folding bike.
Anyway, I know this is kind of a rambling post but I'd be interested in hearing some options from others who are in a similar situation of wanting to carry E-bikes in a small travel trailer or RV.
I should probably add that besides the Rad-Mini, some of the other "contenders" we are considering in the $1000 - $1600 range are the non-folding Rad City, the M2S Scout and all-terrain, the Biktrix Stunner, and some of the Ecotric line of bikes (both folding and non-folding.) I also really like the Juiced Scorpion, but IMO it looks too much like a motorcycle and ideally I want something that can be ridden legally on bike trails (most of the bike trails here are legal for Class 1 and 2 E-bikes.)
Thanks in advance for any tips or guidance!
We have had folding (non-powered) bicycles before and I didn't really care for them. I found the seating position awkward and overall I thought they were actually more difficult to transport folded up than a regular, non-folding bike.
I had considered converting our current bikes to electric. See the thread here:
Seeking info - first E-bike build...
Hi all. I signed up for this board because I'm interested in building an E-bike from a kit. My bike is a GT mountain bike, 21 speed, that I bought in 2007. It is a hard tail with a front suspension. I'm thinking that I want to go with one of the relatively inexpensive (
electricbikereview.com
However, it appears to be that there are a number of factors of our existing bicycles that make them less-than-ideal candidates for conversion (particularly the rear frame which does not appear to have robust enough dropouts to handle a powerful motor.)
Currently we have an R-Pod 179 trailer, about 21' long. The floor plan of the 179 features a "hallway" in the middle of the trailer. We have two mountain bikes and what we do now is simply raise the bikes up on their rear wheels, wheel them in, then turn 90 degrees and set the bikes on the floor, one with the handlebars to the front and one with the handlebars to the rear. We throw a tarp or heavy cloth over them so the pedals don't gouge up the wood but otherwise we don't tie them down because there really is not much space for them to move.
Here's a photo of how the bikes sit now:
I'm not 100% against the idea of folding bikes, but if we can carry non-folding E-bikes in the same manner as we currently carry our non folding mountain bikes, I'd prefer that.
My concern is that our current bikes weigh 33 - 35 lbs each (call it 16kg.) At that weight, they're pretty easy for me to lift up and spin around in the trailer.
Most of the E-bikes I see in the price range we are looking at ($1500usd and below) are around 60 - 65 lbs (let's say 29kg.) Most of the specs dont' clarify whether this is with or without the battery, though. I assume (maybe incorrectly?) that the batteries on most of these bikes weigh on the order of 10lbs/4.5kg each.
Wife and I are both in our late 50's and in reasonably good health. I'm 6'1" and weigh just under 200 and wife is 5' 4" and about 175. Her current bike is a step-through unsuspended Bianchi mountain bike and mine is a diamond-frame GT hardtail mountain bike.
In any case, right now I'd say I'm on the fence between a folding bike like the Rad Mini, or a non-folding bike. All things being equal, I'd prefer a non-folding bike, but I'm concerned that it might be too heavy/bulky to lift into our RV. Carrying on the roof is not an option and although the trailer has a rear carrier, I wouldn't trust it for anything other than the spare tire (which is what it holds now) without some serious reinforcing. I also don't like the idea of bicycles being on the back of the trailer where I can't see them.
One advantage of folding bikes is that I could also potentially carry them in my tow vehicle, a 2018 F-150 Crew Cab Short Bed with a cab-high shell/topper. I'm just not sure that the compromises of a folding bike would be worth any advantages of them.
Ideally, I'd also like a bicycle I can ride to work. Work is 10 miles away and there are nice protected trails the entire distance, but part of my morning commute includes a fairly long and high hill (probably at least 2 solid miles of climbing.) To me the commuting aspect also makes me lean against a folding bike.
Anyway, I know this is kind of a rambling post but I'd be interested in hearing some options from others who are in a similar situation of wanting to carry E-bikes in a small travel trailer or RV.
I should probably add that besides the Rad-Mini, some of the other "contenders" we are considering in the $1000 - $1600 range are the non-folding Rad City, the M2S Scout and all-terrain, the Biktrix Stunner, and some of the Ecotric line of bikes (both folding and non-folding.) I also really like the Juiced Scorpion, but IMO it looks too much like a motorcycle and ideally I want something that can be ridden legally on bike trails (most of the bike trails here are legal for Class 1 and 2 E-bikes.)
Thanks in advance for any tips or guidance!
