How does your Rad City Step-thru fit you?

[KenS]

Hello AugustMainer,

Assembling the bike was pretty straightforward if you watch the YouTube assembly videos. My brakes seemed very tight so I did have to adjust the calipers wider a bit. Easy to do with the front wheel, not so easy with the rear due to the motor being in the way. I ended up removing the caliper from the bike to make the adjustment, then reinstalled it. My fix for that issue is to saw off about 3/8" of the Allen wrench from the long end and epoxy it to a paint stir stick to create a narrow, long-handled tool specific to adjusting the rear caliper without having to remove the wheel. I also needed to adjust the derailleur a bit to get it to shift into all gears successfully.


RangerDave

RangerDave reports that the brakes were very tight. That was my experience also. I was nervous initially about adjusting disc brakes because I had never dealt with them before but they are pretty simple beasts. It seems to me that Rad is shipping bikes now with the brake adjusted almost closed. You can tell because there is no movement in the brake lever.

Adjust the front brake first. There is a quarter-sized silver pad that you will use to change the pad distance using a supplied allen wrench. You can see it from the side of the wheel that is opposite to the brake.

The back brake is trickier. You can't get to it from the other side of the wheel because the motor blocks access. You may need to remove the brake. There are only two bolts to unscrew but they are screwed in tight. Unscrew the bolts and remove the brake. This will give you access to the pad-adjustment. The next step is to figure how much change in the distance between pads. Here is what I did. I made adjustments in the between pad distance and then remounted the brake. I only tightened enough such that the brake was not wobbling about. Then I checked the squeeze distance on the brake handle. I aimed for about a 1/3 squeeze distance to produce complete close. If too much or too little then I took off the brake and readjusted pad distance.

After getting a good distance setting, then I used the insight of another poster. I had the setting of the mounting screws slightly tight. The I pulled the brake lever very hard to rotate the brake slightly to produce full contact with the rotor. Then I screwed the bolts very tight.

(Luckily, I had a torque wrench but it would only reach the lower bolt. I will be watching the bolts for the next few rides.)

(Another poster has a solution which looks like a paint stirrer with a nub of a Allen wrench embedded. Once you adjusted the front brake, you will see the idea. I have no experience with the tool.)

Ken

 

[Banzai]

Hi AugustMainer,
Yep that's Pacific time 9AM (PDT).
Thought I would also mention that if you miss out on getting a bike on your first try, check back the next day to see if they are taking more orders on it. I had to wait two or three times before I got my Mini order processed. The next day on the last one I happened to be on the website and checked the page for the Mini and they were accepting orders. They sell so many there is likely to be some that are cancelled, and I think that is what happened making mine available. After my order the "Out Of Stock" notice went back up and I didn't have to wait another month. Keep us informed...

 

[ebikemom]

I need to learn more about motor differences. So a "direct drive" behaves differently from a "geared hub motor?" I have the latter, and it is very easy to start up a hill using throttle only to get started (and then I start pedaling nearly immediately also!)

 

[Banzai]

Hi ebikemom
There's no reason why a direct drive shouldn't work for starting out. I throttle mine while peddling to start out and gives a little boost to get you up to speed quickly. The difference is that it doesn't have the sudden burst that geared hub motor has when you hit the throttle. Big difference that is noticeable when in soft sand, and I have a lot of that. So I climb a 5% grade everyday and just by going thru the motions of pedaling (no resistance) my speed is 16mph or better. Putting some effort into it will have me traveling at over 20mph. That's uphill remember. On a level surface I pedal a couple turns and let it coast, but I don't have that much level surface around here, but still in 7th gear all the time. Works good, but everyone has to learn what works best for themselves.

 

[AugustMainer]

Hi AugustMainer, Keep us informed...

Thank you Banzai, I will!

 

[Alex M]

Mike's comment on low torque of this motor is spot-on. If you want to fly the hills and do this from dead stop, get 500-750W mid-drive with throttle and start in low gear. Or, at least, 500W geared hub.

 

[Limeybastard]

Hello Rad City eBikers! My goal for posting here is to get feedback from owners of the Rad City Step-thru who have a bike inseam of 31 1/4” and are about 5’ 7 1/2” tall. In the penultimate paragraph I give instructions for measuring bike inseam. My arm reach, from arm pit to center of palm, is 21.5”.

When/if you provide feedback please note your bike inseam, height, and arm reach when applicable.
I am interested in the Rad City Step-thru for its battery mount, battery capacity, overall design, easy step-thru feature, upright riding position, and reasonable price. However, because I have no practical opportunity to try before I buy, combined with Rad’s policy not accepting returns of products which have been unboxed, I need to resolve the issue of fit, in particular leg extension, and arm reach before I buy.

Here’s where my confusion or concern began...Rad recommends their City Step-thru for rider heights of 4’ 10” to 6’, however, during a review of the 2019 Rad City Step-thru Court noted that the bike did not provide enough height/leg extension for him, and that’s with an inseam of 30” and an overall height of 5’ 9”.
I am hoping to better understand others’ feel for leg extension and wrist fatigue/soreness on this same model so that I can determine whether the Rad City Step-thru is the bike for me. My current best fitting bike is a 3G Venice, pedal forward, single speed, and 3G “Royal (handle) Bars”. I live in a hilly New England village, so my husband installed an electric motorized front wheel, but it doesn’t cut the mustard, especially after riding his new Rad Rover!

Note: I measured my bike inseam while standing with my shoeless feet 7” apart, with my back against a wall, and holding a large book at the highest point between my legs. The straight-line distance from the top of the book to the floor yields the bike inseam.

Thank you in advance for being willing to share your Rad City Step-thru fit experience!

How does one hold a book in between their legs that are 7” apart? Asking for a friend.

 

[RangerDave]

How does one hold a book in between their legs that are 7” apart? Asking for a friend.

I think the original poster said their FEET were 7” apart. It’s simple to separate your feet a bit and grip a book by squeezing your thighs a bit.

RangerDave

 

[JohnJohn]

Not sure of my measurements besides being 5'9" (175cm) but the Rad City fits me fine out of the box. I do long rides (~60-80m) and have never been uncomfortable other than the seat. The Rad City is like riding a Dutch bike. I drove a road bike, hybrid and mountain bike for decades but after spending a lot of time in the Netherlands riding rentals was sold on the upright posture. So much more mentally relaxing and easier on the back.