Rad Power Bikes has long been the epitome of the affordable, entry-level segment of the market. With most of their models priced between $1,000-2,000 USD, they have provided good value for money but most people didn't consider them "premium". That appears to have changed with the launch of Rad's 2024 lineup, with re-vamped versions of the RadWagon and RadExpand, and a brand-new model called the Radster. The bikes have a ton of new tech headlined by the new SafeShield battery system, which you can read about in detail on Rad's website. The short version is that this is one of the safest e-bike batteries made by any company to date!
Today we're taking an in-depth look at the Radster Trail variant. There's also a Road version, with a different frame geometry and efficient slick tires, and both variants are available in two frame sizes! I got the large and for once felt like my lanky 6'3" frame fit well on it. Check out the video review for the full details including a range test, and keep reading below for the highlights!
Commuting Utility blended perfectly with Off-road Adventuring
The Radster Trail is a perfect fit for riders who want a versatile e-bike, one they can use to get to work on weekdays and take off the beaten path on the weekends. It has a more active geometry and seating position than any of Rad's other models, even the RadRover (their best off-road model until now). In many ways, the Radster Trail feels like a significantly more nimble version of the RadRover; not quite a proper mountain bike, but close enough to make tearing around on trails an absolute blast. The Kenda Havox tires have excellent grippy tread, and include puncture protection by default.
Switch to pavement and the Radster Trail is ready for work, equipped with fenders and excellent lighting --even brake lights and turn signals-- plus a sturdy rear rack. There's plenty of mount points for securing pannier bags, and even bosses for a basket on the front if you want to maximize your cargo space. The knobby tires are a bit loud at high speed on asphalt, which isn't really a bad thing (I quite like how they sound).
The pedaling drivetrain is well-tuned perfection
There are many facets to the pedaling drivetrain of an electric bike, any one of which can screw up the entire experience if not done well. Rad has done an excellent job across the board:
Excellent quality components, with a top-shelf Shimano Acera derailleur and satisfying trigger shifters
The 8-speed cassette has a wide range of 11-34T, which combined with the 50-tooth chainring provides an excellent pedaling range, making it easy to hit 28mph (45kph) without ghost pedaling
The torque sensor is awesome. It's perfectly tuned and quite responsive, providing an engaging and satisfying riding experience
I prefer torque sensors over more basic cadence sensors, in part because torque sensors encourage better fitness (you have to work harder to get more help from the motor). Of course, that's not always a good thing; If you're riding to work and need to get there in a hurry, you probably don't want to show up breathing hard and sweaty. Fortunately, the Radster also has a throttle, with instant power on tap anytime you need a little extra.
The motor: impressively torque-ey, and whisper silent
I found I could barely hear the motor at all, especially not over the sound of the knobby tires when riding on asphalt! Despite it's low volume it's still a surprisingly peppy drive unit, with 750 watts of power draw and a whopping 100 newton-meters of torque. That's quite high for a hub motor (they usually range between 60-85 nm). That makes the Radster Trail a competent hill climber; not as good as mid-drives (which get a significant mechanical advantage because they use the pedaling drivetrain), but close enough to make easy work of all but the very steepest inclines.
The motor is also pretty efficient thanks to the well-tuned torque sensor. I pushed my review unit pretty hard, riding at max speed in the highest level of assist, and clocked 21 miles before getting down to 25% battery remaining. Drop your assist levels down a bit and you can get some serious mileage on a single charge, as much as 62 miles when riding in assist level 1... but you'll be doing most of the work in that mode. I found that assist level 3 is a nice sweet spot, and you can always use the throttle occasionally as needed.
The assembly process is straightforward thanks to Rad's new manuals
Most e-bikes have terrible assembly manuals, generically written for all of a brand's models and obviously written in Chinese before being run through Google Translate and printed out. That's not the case for Rad's new lineup; full color manuals, specific for each bike model, with incredibly well-written and detailed instructions. I've assembled hundreds of e-bikes and the manual for the Radster Trail is hands down the best I've seen yet! It also includes detailed instructions for maintenance and troubleshooting procedures.
This isn't to say that it's necessarily easy to assemble, especially if you've never done it before. It's more time consuming than anything; and since these bikes are pretty hefty --about 78lbs /35.3kg for the large-- having a second person to help goes a long ways. Another downside to ordering online is not being able to test ride before purchase... so before pulling the trigger, check out Rad's Dealer Locator and see if you can find one near you. Make sure and call before just showing up, as many listed locations are only authorized service partners without any models on display.
