RadWagon

[TheChisholm]

Has anyone else had issues with RadWagon rear-wheel poping sokes? Had the Bike a month, riding on Tarmac cycle tracks and on my fourth wheel spoke replacement. PS it's a great Bike, immense value for money backed with good after-sales service though so far my Bike shop UK repair bill is over £100 and have followed the RadWagon tension guide to the letter.
This is RadWagons note:
It is common for spokes to lose their tension and not maintain settings for their first 100km, as new spokes undergo some stretching when they settle under load.
Also (cargo) E-bikes weigh much more than conventional bikes. That's why we recommend checking the spoke tension every now and then (pinch them by hand, where they cross)
Please don't forget to switch off the bike when you do. We generally recommend tensioning your spokes after every month of riding to ensure they're nice and tight and operating properly.
To give you an idea about the maintenance of your bike, I have added our service card and manual, which might be interesting to view.

We recommend stretching the spokes on your bike to about 100 Kgf. This is standard for straight, 12 gauge (2.6mm thick) spokes.
When working with the Park Tool TM-1 Tensiometer, this corresponds to a value of about 31-32 displayed on the tool.

 

[indianajo]

A pedal powered yubabikes bodaboda costs about the same as an electric Radwagon. The steel is different. I have had no trouble with the spokes on my bodaboda (left) bought 1/18. All ping the proper sound when I tap them when I am changing tire tubes. There is real steel, and there is "steel" containing copper, zinc, or aluminum from scrap. Yuba bought their spokes in the same country as Rad, but they got real steel ones. My chain also has 5000 miles, mostly pedaled, and no trouble whatsoever. Again real steel. The load with supplies has been up to 240 lb, and the roads here have more potholes than I saw in London.
The yubabike comparable to a radwagon is the electric bodaboda, which I saw today is $3200 US. About double a radwagon. Some of us think it might be worth it. Not just for the SRAM shifters, which are more precise than the 7 speed Shimano I've had on Pacific Quantum MTB's. I think that is the shifter on a radwagon.
Next time the bike is in the shop, since it takes so long to remove wheel & tire with electricity, I suggest you have the shop replace all spokes with DT swiss 14 ga spokes. Real, US made, Steel. At least the ones I bought in 2017 were US made; everybody is racing quality to the bottom to save a few pennies. Note 14 ga is thinner than 12 ga. I've used DT swiss on a MTB previous when the bike weighed more, I weighed more, the baskets weighed more than the bags I use now, and the cargo was the same.

 

[tomjasz]

S it's a great Bike, immense value for money

Except for the wheel build is horsepucky! Not such a good deal from my view...