The Via is one of Radio Flyer's new models for 2024, and it's the culmination of two years of research and product development from the Radio Flyer team. It was time well spent; the Via is one of the best electric cargo bikes I've ever ridden, and it's an easy pick for our Best Cargo Bike of the year. It's designed well, it's built well, it's safe, and it has top-notch accessories.
Let's talk design: The Via could actually replace your car (mostly)
The Via is intended as a "car replacement" e-bike, which is a popular term these days; just about every manufacturer with a cargo model throws it around. However, replacing a car is a tall order, especially if you live in an area without great cycling infrastructure. If you live in Houston you probably shouldn't trade your car for the Via (or any e-bike for that matter), but if your city has at least some cycling infrastructure it's worth considering.
For starters, the base model Via is actually quite useful for hauling both kiddos and cargo. It comes with a grab-handle frame and padded seats, so you're ready to rock and roll without making any extra purchases. Every other cargo bike I've reviewed comes with just the base frame, which simply isn't useful without spending money on extra accessories. Kudos to Radio Flyer for including the basics! On the subject of accessories: everything available for the Via is awesome. They actually sent me some additional accessories to try out:
The front rack, complete with a liner and zipper pocket, good for hauling another 20lbs / 9kg of cargo
A "Kids n Cargo" weather liner that dramatically expands the usefulness of the rear cargo area, with weather protection and allowing you to carry small miscellaneous cargo in the footwells. It's covered in reflectors and has lots of big pockets on the inside
A semi-rigid tote bag that fits perfectly inside the grab bars (room for up to two), with carry handles and zipper pockets. And it collapses flat!
There are even more accessories available online, notably the canopy cover for the rear bay to completely shield your precious cargo from the weather. You as the rider will still get soaked in a rainstorm, of course, but at least your kiddos will be dry.
I put the Via's cargo hauling to the test, too; I had to move to a new apartment during the course of this review so I used it for hauling some items, and I also used it to transport donation boxes to the thrift store (see it in action in the video review).
There are lots of other design touches that make the Via exceptional as a cargo hauler:
The rear wheel is smaller in diameter at 20", which lowers the center of gravity and makes it easier to load cargo (or small humans)
The larger 24" diameter of the front wheel gives it a better attack angle for rolling over obstacles (important since there is no suspension)
The tires are 2.4" wide, with a large volume of air providing some cushion. They have efficient tread and top-notch puncture protection built in
The top half of the rear wheel and hub area is completely enclosed in a plastic shield, preventing cargo (or feet) from getting tangled in the spokes, and reducing motor noise
There is a steering damper spring that pulls the front wheel back to straight, providing more stability while riding and while loading cargo
The rear stand holds the bike vertical and is quite sturdy
Let's talk electronics... it's got a torque sensor!
The Via's display is unique to Radio Flyer bikes and very well done, compact and very bright so you can see it in any lighting. It works as you would expect: up and down arrows for assist level, speed readout, and (a nice bonus) a range estimator that changes based on assist level. It's pretty accurate too! The Via is a Class 2 e-bike, which means a top speed of 20mph (32kph).
Pedal assist is activated via a torque sensor, which feels dynamic and engaging and is quite satisfying to use. Torque sensing means you have to pedal harder to get more out of the motor, which is why this e-bike is a good fit for riders who want exercise and value a traditional bicycle ride experience. If you want a bit less exercise --heading home with a full load after a busy day, say-- then you can use the thumb throttle. The throttle + torque sensor combo is a favorite of mine, and the Via's 500-watt motor feels reasonably zippy. It can get even more zippy with the Pro version if you want to spend a few hundred dollars more, which gets you:
a more powerful 750-watt motor
An upgraded Altus drivetrain with eight speeds and trigger shifters
A front suspension fork
Those are all solid upgrades, but I think the base Via performs pretty well on it's own. I'd definitely go for the upgrade if you live in a hilly area and expect to be hauling a lot of cargo regularly though!
Overall the Via gets top marks for safety, with some room for improvement
The Via is equipped with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes which provide plenty of stopping power, and it has an impressive amount of safety certifications: The battery and entire system are UL certified, the motor is safety certified, and the frame is even DIN certified. That's a load-bearing test for cargo bikes that I didn't even know existed until now!
It also has excellent lighting, with bright integrated lights in the front and the rear. This includes brake activation and turn signals for the rear, and they are seriously some of the brightest turn signals I've ever seen on a bike. The one downside to the taillight is that it's mounted underneath the rear rack and recessed a bit, so it's kinda hard to see when you're close to the bike; if you have the weather liner accessory then it almost completely hides the rear light. Having it mounted a bit further back would help out a lot.
There are also no reflective stripes in the tire sidewalls, a surprising miss for a design team that has nailed just about every other aspect of this bike. There are reflectors in the spokes and side cutouts for the headlight, so side visibility isn't terrible; the weather liner is covered in reflective material which helps out a lot.
