Radrunner/Radrunner plus Hill climb

[NJC581]

Hi everyone, I am looking to buy a Rad power bike but need to know how it does on a steep hill. I have been getting so many mix answers as some say it cannot climb that well up steep hills. Yet in this video it climbs with 2 people up a hill just fine on throttle only. I want to be able to carry a passenger up steep hills just like the video below. I weigh as much as the driver of the video below and have a passenger that weighs as much as the one in the video too. Love to hear some thoughts on how well it does up hills and if its worth getting the radrunner plus for the hills over the regular radrunner.

go to 31:28

 

[Ellis]

I would be interested as well from hearing from others, thanks for starting this thread. I just skipped to 31:28 so I don't know if that was with 100% charged and it looked as if they only did a couple passes. If true, that to me at least is not real world and/or detailed testing.

Found this gent on the www and although he's not using the runner he is using it's related rover. He's pretty through when it comes to his videos (which is a big breath of fresh air) and while this doesn't answer your question directly it can give one an idea of the possibilities. In another video he even did a test in thick loose beach sand to show you how the rover preformed and he didn't lower the tire pressure so in that other video I can only imagine just how much better it probably would have preformed.

 

[cuekwe Jones]

Hi everyone, I am looking to buy a Rad power bike but need to know how it does on a steep hill.

go to 31:28

I own both a RadRunner 1 (RR1) and, more recently, a new RadRunner Plus (RR+). The RR1 with the single speed does fine on long smallish hills on pedal assist 4 (PA4) -- the highest PA level for the RR1 -- but struggles up steep hills of more than about 50-100 yards (without significant pedaling assistance from the rider). There appears to be a certain gradient -- not sure what the exact figure is -- where the torque on the RR1 pretty much gives out. As rumor has it, upgrading to a Bafang "true" 750w motor (~$250 USD) may improve the torque/climbing power of the RR1 dramatically.

The RR+, by contrast, and in my experience thus far, will kill just about any hill in a lower gear at PA5 (the highest PA level for the RR+). Of course with both bikes, the steeper the hill the slower the climb rate. But as it stands, I am not afraid of any (non-sherpa/Rocky-Mountain) hill with the RR+ (and I am no Olympic athlete). My point here is that the gears on the RR+ make a significant difference -- more so than I originally expected. Also should go without saying that conditions such as rider weight, wind, temperature, etc., will impact the performance of these bikes. And just to qualify my earlier remarks, I am 6' tall and weigh about 210 lbs. As of yet, I have no experience carrying (human) passengers (though I do frequently carry lots of baggage, including towing a bike trailer filled with groceries).

Also be advised that climbing a lot of steep hills at a high PA level will burn your battery range fairly quickly -- nice having two Runners now since I can always carry a spare battery for longer rides (40+ miles) without suffering from "range anxiety."

 

[ExPatBrit]

The picture on the Rad site for the Rad Runner 1 is wrong. It clearly shows that it has a derailleur . The specs say otherwise.

if you want to hill climb on the Runner 1 you will need either the gears or an aftermarket 35A controller (Bolton) / motor upgrade.

Just the motor upgrade without a controller on a single speed probably would't be enough.

 

[cuekwe Jones]

The picture on the Rad site for the Rad Runner 1 is wrong. It clearly shows that it has a derailleur . The specs say otherwise.

It's not a derailleur but rather a chain tensioner.

 

[NJC581]

I own both a RadRunner 1 (RR1) and, more recently, a new RadRunner Plus (RR+). The RR1 with the single speed does fine on long smallish hills on pedal assist 4 (PA4) -- the highest PA level for the RR1 -- but struggles up steep hills of more than about 50-100 yards (without significant pedaling assistance from the rider). There appears to be a certain gradient -- not sure what the exact figure is -- where the torque on the RR1 pretty much gives out. As rumor has it, upgrading to a Bafang "true" 750w motor (~$250 USD) may improve the torque/climbing power of the RR1 dramatically.

The RR+, by contrast, and in my experience thus far, will kill just about any hill in a lower gear at PA5 (the highest PA level for the RR+). Of course with both bikes, the steeper the hill the slower the climb rate. But as it stands, I am not afraid of any (non-sherpa/Rocky-Mountain) hill with the RR+ (and I am no Olympic athlete). My point here is that the gears on the RR+ make a significant difference -- more so than I originally expected. Also should go without saying that conditions such as rider weight, wind, temperature, etc., will impact the performance of these bikes. And just to qualify my earlier remarks, I am 6' tall and weigh about 210 lbs. As of yet, I have no experience carrying (human) passengers (though I do frequently carry lots of baggage, including towing a bike trailer filled with groceries).

Also be advised that climbing a lot of steep hills at a high PA level will burn your battery range fairly quickly -- nice having two Runners now since I can always carry a spare battery for longer rides (40+ miles) without suffering from "range anxiety."

Thank you for your response! Have you rode with a passenger on either the RR1 or RR+? If so how does it do? I weigh 195 lbs I am leaning towards the RR+ now, I currently have an Lectric XP and its great! I just want another ebike I can carry a passenger and have fun comparing two different bikes with.

 

[cuekwe Jones]

Have you rode with a passenger on either the RR1 or RR+?

As mentioned in my reply above, no. But I do routinely use my RR1 for grocery shopping, and tow a bike trailer (along with a front rack, rear rack, and side saddlebags). I have one pretty steep (~200 yard) uphill climb on my commute home, and must pedal pretty hard with a full load to conquer it. But it's doable. Otherwise, I don't even notice the trailer (I often look behind just to make sure its still there). I imagine that carrying a lightweight passenger is no problem for either the RR1 or RR+. Both bikes use the same motor, controller, and battery.

Check out this thread for some photos of my RR1: https://electricbikereview.com/foru...e-blade-ariel-x-class-for-first-e-bike.35511/

 

[ExPatBrit]

It's not a derailleur but rather a chain tensioner.

I zoomed in, you are correct.

A tensioner for a single speed, strange did they just want to use the same RR+ chain?

 

[cuekwe Jones]

I zoomed in, you are correct.

A tensioner for a single speed, strange did they just want to use the same RR+ chain?

Don't know for sure, but the RR1 arrived on the market some 8 months before the RR+. I do know that RPB removed the center kickstand for the Plus because its derailleur hangs lower than the tensioner on the RR1 (and would therefore interfere with the chain).

 

[EBJ]

...A tensioner for a single speed, strange...

Chain tensioners are common on the slack side of the chains of single speed and internally geared hub bikes with vertical dropouts. Rad may have been reluctant to use the more common single speed chain adjustment scheme of horizontal dropouts due to the reaction torque of the rear hub motor, as it probably would have required a more complicated locking arrangement.

 

[Yonadav]

I zoomed in, you are correct.

A tensioner for a single speed, strange did they just want to use the same RR+ chain?

Think the vertical drop out pretty much allows no other way of tensioning the chain.

 

[EBJ]

An eccentric bottom bracket would have been another (more expensive) chain tension adjustment scheme, but having had bikes using all methods, there's a lot to be said for the way spring loaded tensioners and derailleurs take up developing slack in that they give the longest interval between required maintenance interventions . Horizontal dropouts and eccentric BBs are fine for a while after they're set, then downhill from there and generally work up to their theoretical level of goodness only when under the care of those rare people who make wear adjustments BEFORE they're overdue.

 

[fooferdoggie]

saying a hill is steep means nothing you need to know the grade percentage to be able to compare or know.. like these two pics one is 20% grade the other is 12 that turns into 14% the 20 is really steep and even my bosch speed with great gearing I only just make it up with full assist. the 14% I can do maybe 14 mph up it on a good day with out using full assist.

 

[Jcbii]

I was test riding Rad Power bikes last weekend in San Diego. I was going to ride the RR when the sales person asked if it was hilly where I lived. I said "yes" and he said "then you'll want to consider the Rad Runner Plus because it handles hills very well, where the standard Rad Runner will struggle". I test rode the RR+ and it was a blast to ride!

 

[cuekwe Jones]

I was test riding Rad Power bikes last weekend in San Diego. I was going to ride the RR when the sales person asked if it was hilly where I lived. I said "yes" and he said "then you'll want to consider the Rad Runner Plus because it handles hills very well, where the standard Rad Runner will struggle". I test rode the RR+ and it was a blast to ride!

Yeah, the shiftable gears on the Plus help a lot! I outfitted my RR1 with a 3-speed rear freewheel sprocket/derailleur/shifter + Bolton motor controller upgrade, and with this combination my RR1 easily outclimbs my RR+ (I own one of each). But notice that in my experience the Bolton controller adds nothing to the top-end speed of these bikes (with the stock motor) -- just a lot more torque/acceleration.

 

[john peck]

Hi everyone, I am looking to buy a Rad power bike but need to know how it does on a steep hill. I have been getting so many mix answers as some say it cannot climb that well up steep hills. Yet in this video it climbs with 2 people up a hill just fine on throttle only. I want to be able to carry a passenger up steep hills just like the video below. I weigh as much as the driver of the video below and have a passenger that weighs as much as the one in the video too. Love to hear some thoughts on how well it does up hills and if its worth getting the radrunner plus for the hills over the regular radrunner.

go to 31:28

The runner + is an improvement, as for hills. Weight needs to be considered. I almost pulled the trigger
on a runner cpl. yrs. back, but went with an NCM moscow as it is more a bike & less a scooter.

 

[cuekwe Jones]

The runner + is an improvement, as for hills. Weight needs to be considered. I almost pulled the trigger
on a runner cpl. yrs. back, but went with an NCM moscow as it is more a bike & less a scooter.

As you mention, weight matters (most), and less so a number of other environmental factors such as temp, wind, etc. that can affect the performance of your battery on a given day. My RR+ gets me (@210 lbs) up some pretty steep hills, yet requires pedaling effort -- don't count on steep hill climbs using throttle only (I don't know at exactly what gradient, but the torque will eventually give out and you'll be forced to pedal). Of course the slower you go (i.e., using the lowest "granny gear"), the easier it is to pedal. Add the upgraded Bolton motor controller and climbing gets easier still.

But in short, I often ride in some pretty hilly areas (not mountainous, but hilly) and have yet to encounter a hill that I + my trusty RR+ could not ascend -- I am no Olympic athlete, but again sometimes with a fair bit of pedaling effort.