New Rad Rover 6

[Jimmy666]

The 2 display thing is dumb to me and no way would I pay 2 grand on a bike with a Mickey Mouse thumb shifter.

 

[ElevenAD]

Still a spring fork, which is a horrible thing to put on a bike. Looks like maybe they downsized the tires. Hopefully these aren't a proprietary size like on the Wagon.

The motor from what I can see is a Dapu that is Rad-branded. If its the motor I think it is, then its rated for 1000w but only has 60Nm of torque. That particular motor has a metal/nylon/metal sandwich sun gear inside of its planetary housing for increased durability but a bit more noise. The people I know who have used them were not happy with the reduced torque output vs. the true Bafang 750.

Rad claims a 25% increase in power which would track with that increase in wattage rating. Hopefully there's more to this story as if its that simple of a change then the motor power has gone down, not up.

If its not a Dapu, it will be identified in short order as I am certain I have seen that exact motor casing within the last several days on another new bike release. It won't take long before someone pins it down.

if RAD were using any motor with re-enforced gears trust me they would make sure every reviewer knew about it and they would use this as a selling point.

 

[AHicks]

"The next day they updated with a comment that their frame had broken at the seat collar. " at link I posted.

That can happen on any bike. Could even be somebody that's running a too short seat tube or one that's been extended too far. It does not mean they have chronic frame failure issues....

 

[AHicks]

I agree, they should've just gone Reention Dorado if they wanted a half-integrated battery.

They have proprietary tire and now battery.

That battery is familiar here too. The key has been moved to the opposite side, but other than that, it's very similar to our Espin Flow/Sport batteries. Those would be the ones that say "Reention" on them......

Espin uses a similar down tube as well. Theirs I know are open on the bottom, with no attempt made to seal them. Looks like RAD may gave gone the same route here. They'll fill with water for sure in a deep puddle scenario, but they'll drain just as quickly, with no place for sand and mud to build up.

And the tires? The add copy couldn't be much clearer for anyone interested in knowing vs. guessing. " Rad Power Bikes by Kenda Juggernaut 26" x 4", K-Shield puncture-resistant liner". They qualify that by saying they may not say Kenda on them. Big deal....

 

[m@Robertson]

if RAD were using any motor with re-enforced gears trust me they would make sure every reviewer knew about it and they would use this as a selling point.

That struck me as odd as well. Possibly the gear isn't in there. Another bike brand is advertising it as an exclusive (as if they had invented it which is balderdash... the gears were in the motors they sold years prior) so if I have ID'd the motor mfr, maybe there was something to the exclusivity part of their claim. I'm poking and asking around to see if I can find out anything concrete.

I might also be mistaking it for a Shengyi. Which would make sense as Rad uses them on other bikes. We'll see.

 

[ElevenAD]

That struck me as odd as well. Possibly the gear isn't in there. Another bike brand is advertising it as an exclusive (as if they had invented it which is balderdash... the gears were in the motors they sold years prior) so if I have ID'd the motor mfr, maybe there was something to the exclusivity part of their claim. I'm poking and asking around to see if I can find out anything concrete.

I might also be mistaking it for a Shengyi. Which would make sense as Rad uses them on other bikes. We'll see.

Remember Rad are the guys who tried to spin mechanical breaks as being just as good as hydraulic brakes because they could be adjusted with ease!
Can you imagine the hype if they actually made a kickass upgrade like steel re-enforced gears! i could be wrong but i think those guys would be yapping about it every chance they get!

 

[Asher]

Remember Rad are the guys who tried to spin mechanical breaks as being just as good as hydraulic brakes because they could be adjusted with ease!
Can you imagine the hype if they actually made a kickass upgrade like steel re-enforced gears! i could be wrong but i think those guys would be yapping about it every chance they get!

Rad doesn't need to yap when it turns nominally independent media outlets into it's PR flacks. Impressive that Rad accomplishes that, really. (EBR despite getting paid by brands is much more balanced.)

The new RadRover is Rad Power Bikes’ first e-bike with an integrated battery

It will also be Rad Power Bikes’ most expensive model.

www.theverge.com

 

[AHicks]

As somebody riding a Bafang Ultra powered bike, equipped with steel gears, I wouldn't say a word about having steel reinforced gears myself. They're noisey! -AND- the (un-reinforced) composite gears currently in use in geared hub motors, how many problems are we having now? It's NOT something you hear a lot about.....

 

[Asher]

I was referring to the RadWagon 22 x 3 tire.
Also, by making proprietary battery, people can't get a battery from other companies, like Reention.

Another reason novice riders are a great profit source, they won't be thinking about and thus care about battery replacement costs, so you use proprietary batteries that cost a premium. Bosch et Al already do it.

 

[AHicks]

I was referring to the RadWagon 22 x 3 tire.
Also, by making proprietary battery, people can't get a battery from other companies, like Reention.

So ONE BIKE in the RAD linup has an unusual (NOT Proprietary) tire.
On the bold, you know this how? Am I missing something?

 

[2wheelsturning]

I have the Rad Rover 5 and did the Bolton hub, controller, and display upgrade. Hydraulic brakes, too. The new 6 is designed to make it difficult to upgrade outside of the Rad ecosystem. Aside from the hydraulic brakes I don't see this as a big step forward.

 

[AHicks]

I have the Rad Rover 5 and did the Bolton hub, controller, and display upgrade. Hydraulic brakes, too. The new 6 is designed to make it difficult to upgrade outside of the Rad ecosystem. Aside from the hydraulic brakes I don't see this as a big step forward.

On the bold, not following. What makes you think this?

 

[2wheelsturning]

On the bold, not following. What makes you think this?

Battery and controller integration into the frame makes it more difficult to change to aftermarket. Tooling costs, etc.

 

[Asher]

Battery and controller integration into the frame makes it more difficult to change to aftermarket. Tooling costs, etc.

Wouldn't it depend on how it's done?

I have no idea what Rad actually did, but I would guess that Rad did take the chance to make it more proprietary.

Unless you're a brand that's thoroughly devoted to serving your hobbyist riders, if you've taken a bunch of corporate/VC cash you're going to behave like it. Rad's customer base are neophytes, exactly the type not to know or care about use of proprietary parts. Plus, limiting people from upgrading their Rad's means they have more reason to go back and buy a new Class 3 Rad when it becomes available. Modding the bike can also create warranty hassles for Rad.

This isn't at all to defend going proprietary, but without an informed and demanding customer base, or pervasive industry standards, companies will pull these moves.

 

[2wheelsturning]

Wouldn't it depend on how it's done?

I have no idea what Rad actually did, but I would guess that Rad did take the chance to make it more proprietary.

Unless you're a brand that's thoroughly devoted to serving your hobbyist riders, if you've taken a bunch of corporate/VC cash you're going to behave like it. Rad's customer base are neophytes, exactly the type not to know or care about use of proprietary parts. Plus, limiting people from upgrading their Rad's means they have more reason to go back and buy a new Class 3 Rad when it becomes available. Modding the bike can also create warranty hassles for Rad.

This isn't at all to defend going proprietary, but without an informed and demanding customer base, or pervasive industry standards, companies will pull these moves.

Asher, I agree 100%. I'm not faulting Rad for their go-to-market strategy. I believe that the 6 Plus marks a change and proprietary "protects" the brand.

 

[AHicks]

Timpo,
Just as I know it will be more difficult to mod, you know not all Reention battery cases are the Dorado model. Let's agree to hold off on assumptions and wait for some
feedback so we know for sure.

I would disagree regarding the business case for RAD to use a proprietary battery. For one, they're more expensive. Jusy like you and I can't source them from multiple sources to keep the price in line, RAD would be forced into dealing with just one battery source - a terrible plan! 2nd, people buy RAD because they are easy to service. You can get parts anywhere. A proprietary battery would be a step backwards, even for them.

 

[Asher]

Timpo,
Just as I know it will be more difficult to mod, you know not all Reention battery cases are the Dorado model. Let's agree to hold off on assumptions and wait for some
feedback so we know for sure.

I would disagree regarding the business case for RAD to use a proprietary battery. For one, they're more expensive. Jusy like you and I can't source them from multiple sources to keep the price in line, RAD would be forced into dealing with just one battery source - a terrible plan! 2nd, people buy RAD because they are easy to service. You can get parts anywhere. A proprietary battery would be a step backwards, even for them.

Proprietary doesn't have to be more expensive for the maker. You have the design blueprint for some doohickey that bars the use of open standard parts, but let's you choose any manufacturing partner. Rad is popular enough that someone just might make parts for it, much like independent companies making replacement Toyota parts - but they could be lower quality or get bogged down in patent, copyright or trademark lawsuits. Plus, batteries are especially dicey to transport, making competition even trickier. Anyhow, spending a few dollars so you can double your $/wh is an easy trade to make.

Maybe when demand goes down relative to supply, you might see brands get punished for these exploitive tactics, but that won't happen for a while. When sales are growing for everyone, there's no incentive to shape up, and there's no shortage of uninformed customers.

I would love to see a company like Grin get a ton of money to prop up the open standard market. It would be a huge boon for those awesome rustbucket bike shops out there that seem to repair 20 bikes a week for every one they sell. End their dependency on big brands and buy today trash tomorrow product lifecycles, save customers some money, give the mechanics more interesting work.

 

[AHicks]

Proprietary doesn't have to be more expensive for the maker. You have the design blueprint for some doohickey that bars the use of open standard parts, but let's you choose any manufacturing partner. Rad is popular enough that someone just might make parts for it, much like independent companies making replacement Toyota parts - but they could be lower quality or get bogged down in patent, copyright or trademark lawsuits. Plus, batteries are especially dicey to transport, making competition even trickier. Anyhow, spending a few dollars so you can double your $/wh is an easy trade to make.

Maybe when demand goes down relative to supply, you might see brands get punished for these exploitive tactics, but that won't happen for a while. When sales are growing for everyone, there's no incentive to shape up, and there's no shortage of uninformed customers.

I would love to see a company like Grin get a ton of money to prop up the open standard market. It would be a huge boon for those awesome rustbucket bike shops out there that seem to repair 20 bikes a week for every one they sell. End their dependency on big brands and buy today trash tomorrow product lifecycles, save customers some money, give the mechanics more interesting work.

Well maybe somebody will prove me wrong.
But by Rad making a proprietary battery, customers will no longer have an option to purchase batteries from other ebike companies or battery suppliers.
They are stuck with Rad battery.

Also, not all Reention are Dorado, Himiway for example, has Reention Kirin.

No more guessing here. You guys do/say what you like. For my part, until I know more, that's not a proprietary battery, and it's darn sure NOT a Dorado.

 

[AHicks]

So you're saying that Rad is false advertising by saying it's a proprietary battery?

Just like they say they designed it and previous versions of the Bike were 750w. motors. It's add copy..... until proven differently!

 

[AHicks]

This one has fully integrated battery.

Robot or human?

The battery used on the bike in that link is a twin to the batteries used on the 3 Espin bikes I've bought in the last few months. As mentioned earlier, all 3 of those all say "Reention" on them...

If you're up for a grin, note the front tire on the bike in the pic has had the front wheel installed backwards. The disk is opposite the caliper... Mental giant there for sure! Not the sort I want to buy from....