Rode our first ebikes/May need to cancel R1U

Ridin222 said:
My GF is 5'2" with maybe a 26" inseam. She had to put the seat down on the RAD Mini all the way which is 24" (31" max). The 700 ST is 32" min (38" max). That min is a big difference. Also, the RAD Mini frame is 14", seat tube 14.5" with a 16" reach.

The 700 ST is 15" standover, 18" seat tube with an 18" reach. While stopped on the RAD Mini, the bottom of her feet JUST touched the ground while still sitting on the seat. If she raised the seat any higher, they wouldn't be. So with all this said, do you feel she could fit on the 700 ST the same way?
Click to expand...

You should size the bike with feet on the pedals and butt on the seat... not feet on the ground and butt on the seat.

The standover height is measured with feet on the ground while standing... not butt on the seat. Hope this helps. ;)

3 Fundamentals of Correct Bike Size - Cannondale

3 fundamentals of correct bike size 1. Stand-over 2. Reach. 3. Seat Height.
www.livelo.cc www.livelo.cc
www.rei.com

Bike Fitting Basics | REI Co-op

Learn how to size a bike for a great fit. We’ll explain how to check standover height and seat position, as well upper body position. Plus, we’ll help you learn how to choose your bike size when shopping online.
www.rei.com www.rei.com
 
Well... at least you were able to test the Rads.

Maybe you should check other shops to see if they will let you test other brands/bikes.

I was glad that my LBS had an Aventon Pace because it's similar to the Espin Sport I was buying as I came close to canceling it.

I think Rad has mobile service and shops near you (NorCal?).
 
My wife's seat top is 35" above the ground. The seat post has 5.5" of exposed height, so it looks like she could lower the seat top to 30" above the ground. I agree with FlatSix - you should size the bike according to the height from your butt to the pedal, not the ground. Get used to getting off the saddle at stops, or tilting to one side if you prefer to stay seated when stopped. If the seat is too low you will end up with sore knees.

Another consideration is to get another seat that is not so thick. I prefer flatter, less padded saddles. You might be able to lower the seat top by most of an inch with a different saddle. The seat on these bikes is really meaty and I found it rather uncomfortable. If it matters, I have a bony butt and the padding on the R1U saddle made my butt hurt every time.

Getting a seat and handlebars to work for you takes some trial and error. Slight differences in the tilt (nose up/down) or fore/aft don't always show up in ten minute rides. Same for handlebars - if they are too far away and make you lean forward too much your hands and wrists get tired and your crotch may hurt. Keep experimenting.

For what its worth, the Step Thru and the Step Over are very different size bikes. At 6' tall, I cannot begin to fit on my wife's bike. Maybe with different bars and the seat all the way up and back I could fit, but I doubt I'd like it.
 
Just a data point - my partner is 5'2" and has the 700 ST, and EASILY fits on it. In fact, we had to raise the seat a bit for optimal positioning. Feet touch the ground easily while seated, if desired.

For the life of me, I cannot imagine why you'd switch to a RadPower bike, but that's just me. The R1U 700 has plenty of power/pull, and can easily get up all hills. It's a really cool bike and I was pleasantly suprised at the quality when I was assembling it for my partner.

FYI, the Rad motor was measured, and the torque it actually outputs is closer to 35nm than the claimed 80. R1U's motor was measured (not on the R1U bike, but the motor itself) and it outputs 50nm.

Similar to how manufacturers list "peak" figures vs nominal - they do the same thing in cars with HP, in speakers/amps with watts, etc. It's all the same.

I see you posting tons of questions and second guessing yourself constantly. I really think you'll be happier if you just sit back, wait for your order, and not live in a constant state of "what if?"

I understand wanting to make the best decision, and to make sure you are the most happy with your choice, but it's important to realize nothing is ever perfect, and everything is going to come with issues, compromises, and quirks. Embrace those things, and rather than worry about "would this have happened with the other bike??!?", just enjoy what you do have.
 
TooMuchWitt said:
Just a data point - my partner is 5'2" and has the 700 ST, and EASILY fits on it. In fact, we had to raise the seat a bit for optimal positioning. Feet touch the ground easily while seated, if desired.

For the life of me, I cannot imagine why you'd switch to a RadPower bike, but that's just me. The R1U 700 has plenty of power/pull, and can easily get up all hills. It's a really cool bike and I was pleasantly suprised at the quality when I was assembling it for my partner.

FYI, the Rad motor was measured, and the torque it actually outputs is closer to 35nm than the claimed 80. R1U's motor was measured (not on the R1U bike, but the motor itself) and it outputs 50nm.

Similar to how manufacturers list "peak" figures vs nominal - they do the same thing in cars with HP, in speakers/amps with watts, etc. It's all the same.

I see you posting tons of questions and second guessing yourself constantly. I really think you'll be happier if you just sit back, wait for your order, and not live in a constant state of "what if?"

I understand wanting to make the best decision, and to make sure you are the most happy with your choice, but it's important to realize nothing is ever perfect, and everything is going to come with issues, compromises, and quirks. Embrace those things, and rather than worry about "would this have happened with the other bike??!?", just enjoy what you do have.
Click to expand...
I don't know if she would get a RAD Power bike. That's just what was rented and what fit her perfectly and she fell in love with. So if we decide to cancel her 700 ST, we would know to shop around for her a smaller frame/20" tire bike. The Lectric XP, the Biktrix Stunner series, etc. She is also loving the idea of a folding bike, as the Mini and Lectric XP are. She didn't know she would need/want these things until she rode the RAD Mini over the weekend. As for all the posts/questions- better to be safe, than sorry. Plus these things aren't cheap. We need to be 100% sure they will work for us so they'll be used. I want her, and myself to be comfy and safe, #1. It is good to hear your partner fits well on the 700 ST. Thanks for sharing. Like I said, if my GF can put her feet on the ground while stopped and seated (as shown in the pic), then all good; we will keep the 700 ST. She just needs to be sure of this before delivery.
 
well, it sounds like you're using the size as an excuse to keep looking for other options lol.

Tire size doesn't matter - it's standover and seat height. I can tell you from first hand experience that the 700 ST will comfortably fit anyone taller than 5' and 24" inseam.


Also, folding bikes are less rigid/structurally stable in my experience, and will give you greater frame flex when torquing the bike side to side in turns and/or over bumps.
 
TooMuchWitt said:
well, it sounds like you're using the size as an excuse to keep looking for other options lol.

Tire size doesn't matter - it's standover and seat height. I can tell you from first hand experience that the 700 ST will comfortably fit anyone taller than 5' and 24" inseam.


Also, folding bikes are less rigid/structurally stable in my experience, and will give you greater frame flex when torquing the bike side to side in turns and/or over bumps.
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Nah, I shopped so much for bikes that I am happy to have finally narrowed it down to R1U and the last thing we want is to wait any longer for shipping. But for her, we are worried about the size, period. When she comes home from work, I will show her all of these and the FB forum responses to see how she feels; if she still wants to cancel or give the 700 ST a shot.
 
BET said:
What bike (s) did you end up getting ? How do you like them ?
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Hi,

Sorry. I've been off here for a bit.

Yes, we received our R1Up 700 ST's a week ago. I assembled them myself. Not too, too bad. However, my bike makes some crazy noises. I thought it was just the brakes, but now it seems to be even more of an issue.

I had Velofix come out and take a look over the bikes for assembly/warranty purposes, but also to fix the sounds. Upon completion I was told the brake calipers were misaligned and fixed, the wheels were trued, the shifting adjusted and an overall 35 point inspection done. My partners bike was said to be all good, but mine has a motor or cassette issue. Not sure which as Velofix won't work on possible motor issues and said R1U needs to handle it.

So I reached out to Kevin and Ride1Up support with videos of the technician explaining the issue. She says I either need a new wheel/hub or a new bike sent as it shouldn't sound the way it does. Kevin reviewed the video, but says it doesn't sound too bad to him and maybe some grease is needed. I feel he isn't fully hearing the sounds though cause they are crazy bad. So I had my partner ride my bike earlier tonight as I recorded her and then I posted those to Kevin and the FB group. You can REALLY hear the sounds in those videos. Also, my partner took her bike out for a moment and it, too, is now making a crazy sound. Her bike was ruled as being 'all clear, no issues' by the Velofix tech. It makes no sense!

Lastly, the kickstand on mine is placed too close to the crank and hits the left pedal. I tried to fix that last week, and the Velofix tech tried again today, but it's still too close and going to hit again soon.

Anyway, to say I'm frustrated is an undersratement. But I am trying to be chill and realize things happen and I, or we may have gotten lemons. We'll see. As long as the matter is rectified in a smooth and timely manner, then all good. I just wanna ride my bike already!

If you're on the FB group, you can hear the sounds on the videos I posted there.
 
Ridin222 said:
Hi, Sorry. I've been off here for a bit.
Yes, we received our R1Up 700 ST's a week ago. I assembled them myself. Not too, too bad. However, my bike makes some crazy noises. I thought it was just the brakes, but now it seems to be even more of an issue. I had Velofix come out and take a look over the bikes for assembly/warranty purposes, but also to fix the sounds. Upon completion I was told the brake calipers were misaligned and fixed, the wheels were trued, the shifting adjusted and an overall 35 point inspection done. My partners bike was said to be all good, but mine has a motor or cassette issue. Not sure which as Velofix won't work on possible motor issues and said R1U needs to handle it.

So I reached out to Kevin and Ride1Up support with videos of the technician explaining the issue. She says I either need a new wheel/hub or a new bike sent as it shouldn't sound the way it does. Kevin reviewed the video, but says it doesn't sound too bad to him and maybe some grease is needed. I feel he isn't fully hearing the sounds though cause they are crazy bad. So I had my partner ride my bike earlier tonight as I recorded her and then I posted those to Kevin and the FB group. You can REALLY hear the sounds in those videos. Also, my partner took her bike out for a moment and it, too, is now making a crazy sound. Her bike was ruled as being 'all clear, no issues' by the Velofix tech. It makes no sense!

Lastly, the kickstand on mine is placed too close to the crank and hits the left pedal. I tried to fix that last week, and the Velofix tech tried again today, but it's still too close and going to hit again soon.
Anyway, to say I'm frustrated is an undersratement. But I am trying to be chill and realize things happen and I, or we may have gotten lemons. We'll see. As long as the matter is rectified in a smooth and timely manner, then all good. I just wanna ride my bike already! If you're on the FB group, you can hear the sounds on the videos I posted there.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear about your woes with the new bikes... can you post the FB link so we can help?
 
FlatSix911 said:
Thanks for posting.
The first video sounds like the disk brake rubbing the pads on the rotor.
The second video sounds like a wheel build issue and the spokes need truing.
It may be easier and cheaper to take your bikes to the LBS... Hope this helps. ;)
Click to expand...
Thanks. Yes, it definitely still sounds like the brakes are rubbing. But a Velofix tech was here yesterday and she trued the wheels/spokes, aligned the brake calipers so they weren't rubbing, made some gear adjustments and did a 35 point inspection of the whole bike. She said all was good after that, minus the rear wheel issue on my bike. However, when my partner got home from work and we went to take a quick ride to see how the bikes now felt/sounded, those videos are what the outcome was. We felt uncomfortable, unsafe. The Velofix tech is going to come back out this evening (I sent her the videos as well). She reiterated already on the phone though that the rear wheel sound is on R1U as it seems like a bad hub motor which they nor LBS deal with. She is not sure how the brakes are sounding that way as she trued and adjusted everything. But she also said disc brakes have a 'wear in' time and sounda from them are very common. But like that? I dunno. I have to wait and see what Kevin and the support team say next week when they view the two videos from last night. As of now though, Kevin feels I should try to grease the cassette and chain and see if it helps. 🤷‍♂️ As for LBS, they are booked out to December and beyond in my area. I was lucky to get a Velofix appt when I did.
 
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In one video the sound, from what I can gather is with or without pedalling. Sounds like brake pads rubbing... That can sometimes fix by itself. The second video is hard to tell, grease the axle and maybe the cones are too tight. Hard for us to tell. That sound is strange.... with and without motor on? Have someone lift the rear wheel off the ground and use the throttle. I know spokes make weird noises and have seen many post this as a very common issue. Mine were loose in general and I did tighten them as much as I could. Never had that sound though. Glad to see your GF riding comfortably. Was that your bike she was on? From that video I can safely say her seat is too low but she may want to use this height until she gets more at ease. I wouldn't be too worried about those sounds.
 
rchenail said:
In one video the sound, from what I can gather is with or without pedalling. Sounds like brake pads rubbing... That can sometimes fix by itself. The second video is hard to tell, grease the axle and maybe the cones are too tight. Hard for us to tell. That sound is strange.... with and without motor on? Have someone lift the rear wheel off the ground and use the throttle. I know spokes make weird noises and have seen many post this as a very common issue. Mine were loose in general and I did tighten them as much as I could. Never had that sound though. Glad to see your GF riding comfortably. Was that your bike she was on? From that video I can safely say her seat is too low but she may want to use this height until she gets more at ease. I wouldn't be too worried about those sounds.
Click to expand...
I appreciate all the input. Really. And yes, my GF fits well on the bike, thankfully. She agrees that she'll move the seat up slightly once she's fully comfy.

Anyway, the sounds are horrid. I've never heard a bike/ebike sound like this. People walking down the street last night could hear them. It's not right!

We just went out to test my GF bike and it is making an odd sound when she brakes. It's coming from the front. I added a video of it to the FB forum (linked in this thread above) if you wanna take a look.
 
Ridin222 said:
Hi,

Sorry. I've been off here for a bit.

Yes, we received our R1Up 700 ST's a week ago. I assembled them myself. Not too, too bad. However, my bike makes some crazy noises. I thought it was just the brakes, but now it seems to be even more of an issue.

I had Velofix come out and take a look over the bikes for assembly/warranty purposes, but also to fix the sounds. Upon completion I was told the brake calipers were misaligned and fixed, the wheels were trued, the shifting adjusted and an overall 35 point inspection done. My partners bike was said to be all good, but mine has a motor or cassette issue. Not sure which as Velofix won't work on possible motor issues and said R1U needs to handle it.

So I reached out to Kevin and Ride1Up support with videos of the technician explaining the issue. She says I either need a new wheel/hub or a new bike sent as it shouldn't sound the way it does. Kevin reviewed the video, but says it doesn't sound too bad to him and maybe some grease is needed. I feel he isn't fully hearing the sounds though cause they are crazy bad. So I had my partner ride my bike earlier tonight as I recorded her and then I posted those to Kevin and the FB group. You can REALLY hear the sounds in those videos. Also, my partner took her bike out for a moment and it, too, is now making a crazy sound. Her bike was ruled as being 'all clear, no issues' by the Velofix tech. It makes no sense!

Lastly, the kickstand on mine is placed too close to the crank and hits the left pedal. I tried to fix that last week, and the Velofix tech tried again today, but it's still too close and going to hit again soon.

Anyway, to say I'm frustrated is an undersratement. But I am trying to be chill and realize things happen and I, or we may have gotten lemons. We'll see. As long as the matter is rectified in a smooth and timely manner, then all good. I just wanna ride my bike already!

If you're on the FB group, you can hear the sounds on the videos I posted there.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update. I know you must be frustrated. I think you have a window to return your bikes and get a refund. I am no bike mechanic. If mine made some loud sound and it was not the brakes, chain, shift, spokes or other easy fix I would return it.
 
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