mbirds
Member
Hi all, just wanted to give a quick report on the new freewheel on the Radmini. I went on a 13 mile ride, and for the first time was able to use pedal assist efficiently... could pedal and help at 20mph speeds quite well. On a bike trail with periodic slowdowns for crossing streets or respectfully navigating around pedestrians I maintained an average speed of 17mph without getting sweaty. Rough calculations after the ride, using my kill-a-watt indicated a 29 mile range, extrapolated. On the stock freewheel, using throttle only, with pedaling only on hills I was getting estimated ranges of 23 or so. Before the new freewheel I did not use pedal assist above 15mph, so this opens up a lot of possibilities. Also, it just felt good and was fun and felt natural. I only used PA 4 and 5 on this ride. I was a pedal assist skeptic but with the proper gearing it works great. PA also makes it easier to take advantage of downhills; with throttle I tended to keep it on full, but you can't "feel" the ride as much. It was a pain to install, but worth it for the long run if you can spare the hassle of the one-time install and $30. I know the Radrover riders have already figured this out. Happy riding everyone.
