FreeWheelie
Active Member
Picked up the Radcity and it is a nice ride. Has pretty good pep too especially when cranking the throttle. Might bump up the speed to 25 mph in the settings and see how that goes.
Radcity direct drive
- Thread starter Cassidy
- Start date
BlueGenes
New Member
I've always been puzzled as to why Rad markets the City as an urban commuter (even the name implies this). I use my City to commute in a city. Here, like in most cities, I have almost no hills to negotiate. As such, the regenerative braking is useless to me. I now realize I'd much rather have a geared motor with more torque (to get out of the way of the cars that continually try to run me over.) Live and learn.....
jcanavera
Member
No regrets on choosing the RadCity. Since I'm retired, any street riding for me is usually in low traffic areas. I tend to used the local paved bike trails in our metro area, and when camping I find a multitude of areas that are more for enjoyment of the surroundings, than the challenges of climbing or extremes. As far as the torque, if I need that extra, I'll grab the throttle. No its not neck jerking but substantial enough to get me moving quickly. Some of our paved trails near my home have to cross major multi lane roads and we are fortunate on those busy roads, to have electric signals to protect us when we cross. On those and at stop signs only for us that cross the roads, I will use the throttle to quickly get across, rather than use the pedals from a dead stop. I can't wait for spring to come to my part of the midwest.
It depends on your definition of "urban." I live in a less-than 50K people town with lots of hills but it is the biggest town in the county and is definitely thought of as the urban area of the region.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
I think a gear driven 'City would be a home run for RAD. Or, at the very least, give buyers a choice of direct or gear driven. The gear drive will make for much sportier performance and offer better efficiency in stop sign to stop sign type traffic, PLUS much better hill climbing ability.
That said, if you are a light weight rider (say under 150 lbs?) the direct drive is probably fine.
That said, if you are a light weight rider (say under 150 lbs?) the direct drive is probably fine.
cuwatra
Active Member
A little different perspective here...I literally was just at RAD bikes today and test-rode pretty much every model except the Wagon. I went in fully expecting the Rover to be my bike of choice but instead came away most impressed with the City. My thoughts are that the City is imminently better suited to casual street riding and light commuting than any of the fat-tire geared-hub offerings. The City's narrower rubber and direct drive worked great for me as I rolled around Ballard, WA including some pretty good inclines and dirt and grass sections in nearby parks. Not only is the direct-drive noticeably quieter going down the road it is also faster at the bike's upper end speeds once you are moving along. True, the stand-still torque was more anemic than the geared-hub offerings but I live in a pretty rural setting back at home (300 miles East of the Emerald City) and value the rolling speed more than immediate throttle response down low. I also like that the gearless hub is simpler overall mechanically, and more likely to outlast the geared hub (according to the RAD salespeople themselves.)
Yep, the City gets my vote and will likely get my money. And, BTW I am nowhere near 150lbs...more like twice that! Not a problem for me to hit North of 23MPH on the City in the highest gear and on #5 pedal-assist. A real hoot!
Yep, the City gets my vote and will likely get my money. And, BTW I am nowhere near 150lbs...more like twice that! Not a problem for me to hit North of 23MPH on the City in the highest gear and on #5 pedal-assist. A real hoot!
BlueGenes
New Member
Good luck with your purchase. I've found the best thing about my City is that it has shown me what I want, and don't want, in a city commuter.
One the plus side, I appreciate the upright riding position of the City (good visibility). I also like the simplicity of only 7 gears.
On the down side, I want more torque, which the direct drive of the City doesn't provide. Higher quality components would also be nicer (hydraulic brakes, a better derailleur, a chain that won't break after a few hundred miles, tires that aren't garbage....I got 3 flats in the 1st 300 miles before replacing them with Schwalbes, a head light that is actually useful for riding in the dark, etc.) I'd also like a battery that will last more than 3000 miles. (Mine is only getting 10 miles of range after 3000 miles. I plan to replace it with a much less expensive non-RAD battery). Needless to say, my next ebike won't be a RAD, nor would I recommend them to a friend (or stranger, as I often do when asked about the bike).
cuwatra
Active Member
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AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
It's back to different strokes....
If you like and can frequently use speeds in excess of 15 mph so much that it's a priority, go for the direct drive. That's where the gutless feeling at speeds under 10mph start paying off and the bike is actually becoming efficient.
Personally, I haven't seen 15mph while under power in quite a while. I MUCH prefer having the grunt to cross a busy street quickly with very little downside when it comes to battery life. Or climb hills that used to leave me AND the 1500w direct drive (the one this bike had previous to the gear drive) panting by time we got to the top! Actually, under the conditions I ride most frequently, my battery mileage moved from about 25 miles (easily, including use in hills) using a 1500w direct drive, to 35 miles with a 1000w gear drive. This was a direct comparison, geared vs. direct drive, with NO other changes made..... on an '18 City I've been modifying as I learn.
I started out concerned about noise and maintenance on the gear drives too. Have since learned both concerns were a waste of time. Not only does the gear drive run quietly, despite it's ability to supply "spirited" performance, it does not have a reputation for excessive maintenance.
Do as you like! -Al
If you like and can frequently use speeds in excess of 15 mph so much that it's a priority, go for the direct drive. That's where the gutless feeling at speeds under 10mph start paying off and the bike is actually becoming efficient.
Personally, I haven't seen 15mph while under power in quite a while. I MUCH prefer having the grunt to cross a busy street quickly with very little downside when it comes to battery life. Or climb hills that used to leave me AND the 1500w direct drive (the one this bike had previous to the gear drive) panting by time we got to the top! Actually, under the conditions I ride most frequently, my battery mileage moved from about 25 miles (easily, including use in hills) using a 1500w direct drive, to 35 miles with a 1000w gear drive. This was a direct comparison, geared vs. direct drive, with NO other changes made..... on an '18 City I've been modifying as I learn.
I started out concerned about noise and maintenance on the gear drives too. Have since learned both concerns were a waste of time. Not only does the gear drive run quietly, despite it's ability to supply "spirited" performance, it does not have a reputation for excessive maintenance.
Do as you like! -Al
BlueGenes
New Member
With all due respect to Court, he only rode the bike a few miles. I've ridden one considerably further. I honestly wish you the best of luck if you purchase one. I hope you enjoy the bike and ride it often.
I've got a 2019 RadCity and I really like it. I ride it most every day per week that I can, meaning 3-7 days a week and often carry a pile of stuff commuting. I never use it above level 3 pedal assist (usually just level 2) and I live in an area of pretty steep hills. Compared to a pedal only bike, it's like magic and makes me feel super human. My grip with all the Rad Bikes, which I didn't know before I bought one, is that neither of our two rural LBS want to work on an internet e-bike. I'm on my own to do maintenance. I'm leaning towards selling the RadCity and getting a Specialized Vado, since that's what's best supported locally at my LBS. That's the question, I'd be asking. Are you willing to do all of the maintenance yourself as the inevitable problems develop? I wouldn't worry about geared or non-geared hub motors. Like do you know how to repair a broken spoke and true a wheel that has a hub motor with super short spokes? That's going to be true with any internet e-bike. Maintenance will always be an issue. I will say, that I appreciated the RadCity a heck of a lot more when I did the hack to bump the speed limit to 24.5 mph. I'm amazed how much better a little bump over 20 mph is.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
Regarding repairs that you don't want to do, or can't do, many areas have Velofix mobile bike repair available. This is a national outfit, and is fully supported by RAD when it comes to warranty work.
Browneye
Well-Known Member
A couple of things...
1. RacCity - direct vs geared hub drive: We have a 500w hub drive, basically it's the same motor as in their fat-bike, 500w at 48v with 750w peak. Why Rad calls that a 750w is marketing hype. The RadCity drive is just as peppy, both cruising as off the line - it's no slouch. And I'm 185lbs. Personally I would not get hung up on which drive, they both work fine. Actually, the direct is a little faster once you get over 20mph, that's where they really shine.
2. Disc brakes, mechanical (cable operated) vs hydraulic (juice): They're more similar than different. Another thing I would not get too hung up on. A little higher end bike will likely have juice brakes, but for this type of riding the average user wouldn't even notice the difference - cable operated works just fine. We have both. It's not 'till you get to larger calipers and discs, like for mountain bikes and high speed road bikes, that you really notice the difference. Juice brakes can be setup to be much more powerful, with 4-piston calipers and larger rotors. Sure they're a little smoother, but again, for the average rider, not so much.
3. 27.5 and 29" wheels make a difference in easy rolling over the terrain. They're a little faster than a 26" like the RadCity. The City does have nice wide tires though, and it's a easy to ride bike with good comfort and speed. It's a lot of bang for the buck.
4. Rad includes lots of little options people like to have on their bikes, included. Like lights, racks, fenders, etc. Meaningful for some, not so much for others. Personally I would rather install what I want for what I need.
Other bikes to consider in this class:
Aventon Pace
Ride1Up
Townie Electra
Surface
Personally I think the first two are an even better value than the RacCity, and both are local to me in the case of warranty repair. But RadPower has a good reputation for addressing failures - sending replacement parts out promptly, so no worries. Both of these have 27.5 wheels and geared-hub drives, hydraulic brakes. All are similarly priced.
Due to hub-motor failures on our conversion kit, I decided to buy wifey a new factory-built bike, more on par with my Giant Explore. I looked at all these options again, seriously considering Rad, Pace, and R1Up, and decided to go with the LIV Amiti by Giant. They're just all around nicer bike than the others, costing about 25% more. The yamaha mid-drive is just a much nicer riding experience, plus 700c/29" wheels. I would encourage OP to at least try a few of them from the 'big-3', Giant, Trek, Specialized. They really are nicer bikes. And yes, they do cost more.
That's my worthless two-cents.
1. RacCity - direct vs geared hub drive: We have a 500w hub drive, basically it's the same motor as in their fat-bike, 500w at 48v with 750w peak. Why Rad calls that a 750w is marketing hype. The RadCity drive is just as peppy, both cruising as off the line - it's no slouch. And I'm 185lbs. Personally I would not get hung up on which drive, they both work fine. Actually, the direct is a little faster once you get over 20mph, that's where they really shine.
2. Disc brakes, mechanical (cable operated) vs hydraulic (juice): They're more similar than different. Another thing I would not get too hung up on. A little higher end bike will likely have juice brakes, but for this type of riding the average user wouldn't even notice the difference - cable operated works just fine. We have both. It's not 'till you get to larger calipers and discs, like for mountain bikes and high speed road bikes, that you really notice the difference. Juice brakes can be setup to be much more powerful, with 4-piston calipers and larger rotors. Sure they're a little smoother, but again, for the average rider, not so much.
3. 27.5 and 29" wheels make a difference in easy rolling over the terrain. They're a little faster than a 26" like the RadCity. The City does have nice wide tires though, and it's a easy to ride bike with good comfort and speed. It's a lot of bang for the buck.
4. Rad includes lots of little options people like to have on their bikes, included. Like lights, racks, fenders, etc. Meaningful for some, not so much for others. Personally I would rather install what I want for what I need.
Other bikes to consider in this class:
Aventon Pace
Ride1Up
Townie Electra
Surface
Personally I think the first two are an even better value than the RacCity, and both are local to me in the case of warranty repair. But RadPower has a good reputation for addressing failures - sending replacement parts out promptly, so no worries. Both of these have 27.5 wheels and geared-hub drives, hydraulic brakes. All are similarly priced.
Due to hub-motor failures on our conversion kit, I decided to buy wifey a new factory-built bike, more on par with my Giant Explore. I looked at all these options again, seriously considering Rad, Pace, and R1Up, and decided to go with the LIV Amiti by Giant. They're just all around nicer bike than the others, costing about 25% more. The yamaha mid-drive is just a much nicer riding experience, plus 700c/29" wheels. I would encourage OP to at least try a few of them from the 'big-3', Giant, Trek, Specialized. They really are nicer bikes. And yes, they do cost more.
That's my worthless two-cents.
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Browneye
Well-Known Member
Perhaps I wasn't clear - was comparing our 500w geared hub drive to RadPower's two. Yes, the city and the rover are different. Sorry for the confusion.
What I wanted to make clear was there isn't a ride-ability issue with the City direct-drive hub - it's a very nice setup, plenty peppy and fast. Personally I wouldn't NOT buy it cuz it was direct drive. I know, double negative, apropos in this case.
cuwatra
Active Member
I recently was at RAD and test rode every model except the wagon. I would disagree that the gearless Hub on the City was as peppy from a standstill as the geared Hub on say the Rover. That said, funny enough, I liked the City model the best and once it got moving it provided the highest top speed of any of the bikes. Perhaps somewhat because of the thinner tires than the fatties on the Rover.Perhaps I wasn't clear - was comparing our 500w geared hub drive to RadPower's two. Yes, the city and the rover are different. Sorry for the confusion.
What I wanted to make clear was there isn't a ride-ability issue with the City direct-drive hub - it's a very nice setup, plenty peppy and fast. Personally I wouldn't NOT buy it cuz it was direct drive. I know, double negative, apropos in this case.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
Perhaps I wasn't clear - was comparing our 500w geared hub drive to RadPower's two. Yes, the city and the rover are different. Sorry for the confusion.
What I wanted to make clear was there isn't a ride-ability issue with the City direct-drive hub - it's a very nice setup, plenty peppy and fast. Personally I wouldn't NOT buy it cuz it was direct drive. I know, double negative, apropos in this case.
Got it. That makes good sense now.
I LOVE the 'City. It just feels right for nearly everything I do. I think we agree there.
Where there's disagreement, is regarding the geared vs. direct drive. There are trade-offs involved no doubt, and your priorities are different than mine. I like a lot of bottom end torque (e.g. accelerating from a stop, and hill climbing ability, the more the better!), and rarely exceed 15mph, where you like the faster speeds of the direct drive, and are satisfied with the low speed performance. Different strokes..... -Al
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